The price of Wal-Mart coming to town

[Lukeee]

I repeat:

It is called Captialism, folks. Last one standing wins.

Have you flown on Pan Am lately? Bought shoes at Kinney's? Shopped at a Woolworth's? Bought an new Oldsmobile? Or a Hudson? Watched the DuMont Television Network?

This is how it works. This is how it has always worked.

If you don't like Wally World, vote with your wallet.

I don't get why people don't understand this. WalMart isn't hurting other businesses, the people who stop using those businesses are!

 

[Haberdashery]

Haberdashery,

Walmart is not one of the signs of the apocalypse. Seriously, what next? A fast dial tone? Meat packed in styrofoam trays instead of brown butcher's paper?

Common greed is common greed. It has been kept in check more or less well over the centuries. It will be again.

Walmart is just an unpleasant place that I don't shop at because they haven't earned my business with the quality or variety of their products. I don't want something cheap, I want something good, and they don't want me as their customer. I'm happy to oblige.

Bankside,

Walmart is not the determining factor, it is a thread woven thru the fabric of it all. The fabric of what will be McWorld.

And your shopping philosophy does not reflect the masses otherwise walmart wouldn't be so big. And when enough of the smaller shops have closed then you will be forced to go there too.

And your comment that greed has been kept in check in the past and will be in the future is flowers, fresh air, birds, bees and trees.

America loves corporations who drive prices down down down because the population consumes more and more. That's the name of the American game so what makes you think that they would do anything to slow it down? That's just nuts bankside.

 

[Yooper]

I am in a country where we don't have WalMarts.

But you have Asda. Wholly owned by Wally World.

 

[Lukeee]

But you have Asda. Wholly owned by Wally World.

Yes. I don't shop there and it hasn't caused any problems for me or anyone I know.

 

[bounder]

The people get what the people want. The people want those low prices and WalMart can give them, so it makes sense that they do well. If the 'Ma & Pop' shops can't provide what the people want then it makes sense for them to go out of business.

And too late for what? Obviously not enough people want the quality that the 'Ma & Pop' shops can provide so them going out of business isn't a big deal to most of the shoppers.

Sure the people get what the people want, but the people also get something else that they didn't anticipate. There's nothing good about driving through a town and seeing a multitude of abandoned storefronts. Local economies are absolutely gutted when expenditures are primarily filtered through the Wal-Mart--the profits go to one place.

Oh, and why bother fighting against having a WalMart built? If everyone in a town hates it as much as it is claimed they should let WalMart waste their money building the store then they will soon move on when nobody wants to shop there. Or maybe the bargains are just too tempting?

Do you have any foresight? An abandoned Wal-Mart supercenter does nobody any good. Sure Wal-Mart loses some money, but it's only marginal to them. The town, on the other hand, has an abandoned property that might be larger than a dozen football fields. That town may find it difficult to sell the property because most businesses simply don't need that type of space.

 

[Haberdashery]

I repeat:

It is called Captialism, folks. Last one standing wins.

Have you flown on Pan Am lately? Bought shoes at Kinney's? Shopped at a Woolworth's? Bought an new Oldsmobile? Or a Hudson? Watched the DuMont Television Network?

This is how it works. This is how it has always worked.

If you don't like Wally World, vote with your wallet.

that's right, it's unrestrained capitalism perpetuated by the richest most powerful nation the world has ever known.

It's supposed to be a great thing?? The greatness of this all consuming machine is evident at international airports when the americans come streaming thru looking like a fleet of caravans. Huge, obese and sick as hell with all the diseases of an abnormal and grotesque level of consumption.

Oh yea it's great.

 

[Lukeee]

There's nothing good about driving through a town and seeing a multitude of abandoned storefronts. Local economies are absolutely gutted when expenditures are primarily filtered through the Wal-Mart--the profits go to one place.

You would have thought after thousands of these stores being built and people talking about it all the time that it would be expected.

 

[TylerDurden222]

Go read the book, "The Walmart Effect"

It's an unbiased book that explores the Walmart company and business model. the final verdict, Walmart does not add/remove jobs, its a wash. for every job they take, they create one.

 

[Yooper]

Go read the book, "The Walmart Effect"

It's an unbiased book that explores the Walmart company and business model. the final verdict, Walmart does not add/remove jobs, its a wash. for every job they take, they create one.

The only constant is change. I forget who said that but it is true.

I'm going shopping now. Heading out to my Kaiser-Frazer dealer to look at new cars. And then a stop at Monkey Wards to pick up a few things.

Back soon.

 

[vulgar_newcomer]

People always complain about how shitty WalMart is, if your business fails after the opening of a WalMart store then your business was a pile of shit too. People were only shopping with you because there was nothing better around.

This is not true. Wal-mart more times then not lobbies for and gets excellent state & local tax incentives to move into a community. In the means of zoning exemptions or changes, utility deals, & permits and license that smaller companies cannot afford or simply don't have the political muscle to challenge and appeal and challenge and appeal over and over should they not get their way the first time.
Such as the way that often a Wal-Mart purchases land that isn't zoned for any sort of retail operation and bullies the local tax starved/greedy governments into bending over & grabbing the ankles and saying come on in. Prime locations that other retailers never had access to even if they had the cash to fight in court because the zoning couldn't be changed. Then Wal-Mart gets a prime location that put all sorts of retailers established or not who are smaller-local- or higher in employee benefit, treatment at a disadvantage.
For instance in many areas a grocery store couldn't be attached to a dry goods retailer with carry out fast food located inside. Not zoned for that and no way is it cheap or easy to get a alcohol license for beer & wine. Yet Wal-Mart has no problem getting all of this and whatever else they want.
They get exemptions and better deals on operating cost over smaller or long term established firms which may often offer more to the employee and the community, in the way of long term quality jobs. This is how the model works.
Of course on the inventory side they get far more advantage compared to a smaller retailer in what they pay and the type of inventory a manufacturer will provide. Even on American made products such as local bakery goods or horticultural nursery products.
This is the nature of the beast, Home Depot works on a similar model.

When there is only Wal-Mart left the consumer will be stuck with what they decide to carry, the choice eliminated. A current example of that would be that Wal-Mart has decided in Florida to only carry Orville Redenbacher's microwave popcorn. They carry no other brands. That is your choice should you be wanting micro-wave popcorn. May seem like a silly example but it spreads and unites the manufacturer and retailer in a powerful way to force other makers to compromise to the Wal-Mart price model or die as the local chain/independent grocery stores do that carry other brands.
The local grocery chain such as Krogers or Publix offer advancement to the special services such as bakery, butcher-seafood, deli which are good paying career jobs should one go this route from stocking shelves.
These jobs at Wal-Mart are not there or much reduced as there is no butcher in Wal-Mart and they are only experimenting with Deli-bakery, however none of this pays or offers the selection of the higher priced/quality grocer.
The problem is that as the grocery chains are eliminated, as the local bakeries or meat shops eliminated those that worked in them are left to lower pay, no advancement, and the consumer will not be ordering a wedding cake from Wal-Mart.

 

[bankside]

that's right, it's unrestrained capitalism perpetuated by the richest most powerful nation the world has ever known.

That may be so in nominal currency terms, and modern military technology, but relatively speaking, the richest most powerful nation in history was probably Britain at the height of the Empire. Americans still have something to learn about unrestrained greed.

 

[Haberdashery]

That may be so in nominal currency terms, and modern military technology, but relatively speaking, the richest most powerful nation in history was probably Britain at the height of the Empire. Americans still have something to learn about unrestrained greed.

that may be so about the British empire? I'm not sure, but at the height of that empire , the world was in the era of the horse and buggy. Today the modern American empire can blow your country off the map with the push of a button. When in history has any nation had such technologies?

And America has no incentive to learn anything! Why would that nation need to? When you're the most powerful you make the rules, you don't need to learn nothing about nothing.

And if things faulter with the system and jeopardise Americas strong hold on the world, enough so that it allows the rise of another nation of which could threaten Americas dictatorship, America will just bomb the shit outa them.

This is our fucking world, on our fucking terms!

Who's gonna make war with this beast?

 

[Apollo]

I just realized I don't care.

Walmart was the only thing in my college town to get what we needed.

The prices were cheap, the stuff in good condition.

I mean, seriously. If you don't like Wal Mart, don't go into their stores...ever. Even if they are the only thing open, and you need something right now.

Now that I am back in Houston. I never have to enter another Wal Mart, I have Target again.

 

[bankside]

that may be so about the British empire? I'm not sure, but at the height of that empire , the world was in the era of the horse and buggy. Today the modern American empire can blow your country off the map with the push of a button. When in history has any nation. Had such technologies?

And America has no incentive to learn anything! Why would that nation need to? When you're the most powerful you make the rules, you don't need to learn nothing about nothing.

And if things faulter with the system and jeopardise Americas strong hold on the world, enough so that it allows the rise of another nation of which could threaten Americas dictatorship, America will just bomb the shit outa them.

This is our fucking world, on our fucking terms!

Who's gonna make war with this beast?

Well, it isn't my country for one, though I am fond of it. So no blowing up the British Empire. But your post trades in the same greed that you disdain. You have a longing for America to have that kind of power - it is palpable in your posts - because it fits into your theories about the end of the universe.

But happily, the United States has no hope of dominating the world with any technology. It is only 4.5% of the population. 20% of the world's economy, just behind the European Union. 7% of the world's active soldiers. 60 to 70% of the world's nuclear weapons are not in American hands, depending on how you measure. Many nations have this button thing you talk about.

The only thing significant about the States is that for some reason we all talk about it. It has about 100% of the world's marketing capacity.

 

[Apollo]

Well, it isn't my country for one, though I am fond of it. So no blowing up the British Empire. But your post trades in the same greed that you disdain. You have a longing for America to have that kind of power - it is palpable in your posts - because it fits into your theories about the end of the universe.

But happily, the United States has no hope of dominating the world with any technology. It is only 4.5% of the population. 20% of the world's economy, just behind the European Union. 7% of the world's active soldiers. 60 to 70% of the world's nuclear weapons are not in American hands, depending on how you measure. Many nations have this button thing you talk about.

The only thing significant about the States is that for some reason we all talk about it. It has about 100% of the world's marketing capacity.

A lot of todays modern tech is still developed in the US.

Japan probably being the leader with innovation though. But they keep it to themselves for various reasons.

While the iPhone can do tons of stuff. Japan has been doing it for nearly a decade now. And STILL does more than that or any other American phone.

 

[bankside]

A lot of todays modern tech is still developed in the US.

Japan probably being the leader with innovation though. But they keep it to themselves for various reasons.

While the iPhone can do tons of stuff. Japan has been doing it for nearly a decade now. And STILL does more than that or any other American phone.

In terms of retail technology, I think Korea is giving Japan a run for its money.

 

[Yooper]

Just got back from my shopping trip.

OH NOES, the Montgomery Wards is Closed!

Mustaben Walmart that put them outta business.

 

[Apollo]

In terms of retail technology, I think Korea is giving Japan a run for its money.

Korea is catching up with Japan. They are both poised to become the juggernauts in consumer electronics. And they both def have the best internet networks of almost any country in the world.

But new types of tech and a better working of tech is still coming out of the US.

Apple, Microsoft, Google are good examples of that.These are huge juggernauts in the world.

Stating a bunch of percentages don't really mean anything when it comes to creating technology. Retail or not.

 

[Haberdashery]

No Bankside, I don't have a longing for America to have such dictatorial power. Thats how it is and I just accept it. I might bitch and moan about it on this board but I just accept things that I can't change.

The British empire = America=Canada=Australia=EU

Please don't compare population percentages. You make it seem like percentage of total population= percentage of power. Try that one on the colored peoples of the world.

So Im not worried bout walmart or America. It is what it is.

Days ago my first daffodil bloomed in my garden, vibrant yellow it is, and I thought of you Bankside (no joke) haha

Also the bulbs of my organic raddishes have popped thru the soil. Oh what a glorious sight. It was peace on earth

 

[bankside]

Well, I've picked some objective metrics to put the united states in perspective, and the reaction of americans is to say no no no that doesn't matter. Percentages don't count. We're the dictator.

This is the sort of self-importance that takes on a very comical air when viewed from abroad. It is amusing now, but it will come with some sad realisations when americans learn that it is not so.

The reaction of americans when hearing about the world should be to talk about the world, not the states. Then you'd have a fighting chance.

One more thought - even the thread on abortion is comical. Most of the world's abortions do not happen in the states. But you would not know it reading the American posters in that thread - it is as though only american laws exist, only american women get abortions, only the american context is real, the only way abortion has ever been decided is in "roe v wade"

It crops up again and again in that post, and it is actually quite comical.