NationStates Jolt Archive

Read this: http://pf.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

It will take a while to read, but all people that think Wal-Mart is a friendly place should think again. Once they squish the competition, they will be more relentless than any other corporation on the face of the earth.

Read this: http://pf.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

It will take a while to read, but all people that think Wal-Mart is a friendly place should think again. Once they squish the competition, they will be more relentless than any other corporation on the face of the earth.
Lol whats funny is you think this is NEWS

I remember studying things like this (simmilar practices) about walmart 5 - 6 years ago and it wasent new then (simmilar practices

Read this: http://pf.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

It will take a while to read, but all people that think Wal-Mart is a friendly place should think again. Once they squish the competition, they will be more relentless than any other corporation on the face of the earth.

They're already pretty relentless already. I thought that most people aren't really taken in by it's friendly, folksy image. I mean, it's Wal-Mart, for Chrissakes. It's about as anonymous and impersonal as consuming can get without doing it online, oldster greeters or no.

The Walmart I already knew.

i rember all the little stores i grew up with closeing down when the wal-mart got built back home

The next time I go to Walmart, if there ever is a next time, I think I should try to pay with Monopoly money. You know, just to let them know how I feel about them.

It's not surprising, although for some people Wal Mart's artificially cheap prices are necessary to afford daily necessities.

I watched the Frontline PBS special on Wal Mart and it pretty much details what the article says, especially emphasizing how it started the outsourcing trend which is now ass-raping a lot of people in the U.S.

The next time I go to Walmart, if there ever is a next time, I think I should try to pay with Monopoly money. You know, just to let them know how I feel about them.

I doubt teenage clerks working there would really give a shit about your political motives. :rolleyes:

I doubt teenage clerks working there would really give a shit about your political motives.
That just goes to show how long it's been since I've been in one of their stores.

That just goes to show how long it's been since I've been in one of their stores.

My parents still shop at Walmart, but when I hit 18, I'll probably be like you and stay away from it. :)

Everyone should get his groveries from ALDI.

My parents still shop at Walmart, but when I hit 18, I'll probably be like you and stay away from it. :)

Not if you plan on being a college student living on a budget. Most of us had a new-found love for Wal-Mart (although I prefer Target) once we actually had to pay for stuff on our own.

wal-mart also refuses to supply the morning after pill in the u.s.
in canada, they have it on order... so you can wait 3 weeks for it.

this is why i don't shop there.

Not if you plan on being a college student living on a budget. Most of us had a new-found love for Wal-Mart (although I prefer Target) once we actually had to pay for stuff on our own.
i do fine without wal-mart and i'm a college student.

of course ikea's cheaper for household stuff and other stores have better, more durable clothes... costco has cheaper food, fortino's is closer for food though, face it, if you're really on that much of a budget, you only buy food and maybe school supplies and necesseties. wal-mart has a lot of crap you don't need.

Wal Mart makes me laugh. If some evil mother hadn't unfairly terminated Sam Waltons first lease, none of this would have ever happened.

(he later bankrupted the guy).

Thing of it is though, much as every one bitches, it also seems like nearly everyone shops there.

Plus, local merchants. Fuck you. You lazy shits gave crappy overpriced service for years. Then Wal Mart moves in and you "discover" small town service. Well you can fuck right off.

i do fine without wal-mart and i'm a college student.

of course ikea's cheaper for household stuff and other stores have better, more durable clothes... costco has cheaper food, fortino's is closer for food though, face it, if you're really on that much of a budget, you only buy food and maybe school supplies and necesseties. wal-mart has a lot of crap you don't need.


Ikea, walmart same thing.

Edit: I take that back, Ikea is worse.

Ikea, walmart same thing.

Edit: I take that back, Ikea is worse.
how is ikea worse?

they save money on shipping because they collapse everything down to next to nothing (hence all the assembly) plus their stuff tends to be a lot different than things you can find in other places, and you can get higher quality stuff there if that's what you're looking for unlike wal-mart.

furthermore, ikea doesn't force its morality on customers by doing things like refusing to supply contraceptives... not that they provide contraceptives... but you get my point.

how is ikea worse?

they save money on shipping because they collapse everything down to next to nothing (hence all the assembly) plus their stuff tends to be a lot different than things you can find in other places, and you can get higher quality stuff there if that's what you're looking for unlike wal-mart.

furthermore, ikea doesn't force its morality on customers by doing things like refusing to supply contraceptives... not that they provide contraceptives... but you get my point.


On the other hand, when they build there stores they do tend to bribe local government to evict people from there homes. Other than that they are both large discount stores that use unfair market power to wreck smaller businesses unfairly. They also both have terrible emplyment practices.

And I would hardly call the quality of Ikea furniture good.

You can get contraceptives at wal mart.

how is ikea worse?

furthermore, ikea doesn't force its morality on customers by doing things like refusing to supply contraceptives... not that they provide contraceptives... but you get my point.

Heh heh. "IKEA Condoms and Pills. You put them together yourselves."

:D

Ikea is not nearly in the same realm of size as walmart, thats the biggest difference. How can you compete against a company that is as large as walmart?

Plus Ikea has sorta funny commerials whereas walmart's little :) man makes me puke....

wal-mart also refuses to supply the morning after pill in the u.s.
in canada, they have it on order... so you can wait 3 weeks for it.

this is why i don't shop there.
So go somewhere else to buy it. I go somewhere else to buy music.

furthermore, ikea doesn't force its morality on customers by doing things like refusing to supply contraceptives... not that they provide contraceptives... but you get my point.
What!? They don't have contraceptives at ikea??? WTH? Are they mormons or something???














</sarcasm>

The Walmart I already knew.Eeeeeeeeezackly.

There was a piece not long ago in Playboy by a guy who went to Bentonville Arkansas to write about Wal-Mart, and found a guy there who had moved to the town specifically to fight the Devil. He figured that if you're gonna fight the devil, you ought to go to the source.

In my town of about 60,000, we already have 4 SUPER Wal-marts. They're planning to tear down the Pirate's Cove (Games, Miniature golf, go karts etc), A porno shop, a car dealership, and a housing development to build one that is no more than a couple miles from another one. :mad:

In my town of about 60,000, we already have 4 SUPER Wal-marts. They're planning to tear down the Pirate's Cove (Games, Miniature golf, go karts etc), A porno shop, a car dealership, and a housing development to build one that is no more than a couple miles from another one. :mad:
:eek: They want to tear down a pornshop???? Those bastards!!!

So what's the point of this whole thread? We've already known that Wal-Mart is like the retail version of a CVBG--nearly invincible. Do you want to try to get us to ban corporations or something?

You can get contraceptives at wal mart.
not the morning after pill...

So go somewhere else to buy it. I go somewhere else to buy music.
wal-mart has run a lot of small pharmacies out of town in some places in the u.s. for many women, the only pharmacy within a reasonable distance is in a wal-mart.

and yeah, wal-mart's music selection sucks ass. plus their cds are more expensive than even hmv.

not the morning after pill...

Wal-Mart has a right to choose not to sell certain items.

On the other hand, when they build there stores they do tend to bribe local government to evict people from there homes. Other than that they are both large discount stores that use unfair market power to wreck smaller businesses unfairly. They also both have terrible emplyment practices.

really? 'cause i've been looking up some stuff about ikea and i'm hard pressed to find worker's right's violations. i have been finding many articles praising ikea for its impact on local economies though...

And I would hardly call the quality of Ikea furniture good.

some of it isn't wonderful, but if you explore the whole store, you can find some good shit. usually it's more tucked away though 'cause it's pricier.

and they have lots of interesting, neat accessories at any rate... you shoudl see my star lights. :)

Wal-Mart has a right to choose not to sell certain items.
they shouldn't have the right to force a choice on their customers though, which is what they're doing.

Hey, WalMart is the ultimate capitalistic institution.

If you don't like what WalMart is doing, simply don't shop there. But don't shop at Old Navy, Best Buy, Target, Safeway, or any other chain too because they do exactly what you claim Walmart does. People attack Walmart because they are the big dogs. They attack it because they see their own actions causing it. Their own need for good deals has caused Walmart's alleged unethical dealings, and they despise the institution rather than themselves.

Personally I have been, and will continue to shop at Walmart. :-)

they shouldn't have the right to force a choice on their customers though, which is what they're doing.

Yes, they do. You entered the store. You chose to shop there. If you want the morning after pill, you'll have to go elsewhere because the store has the right to either stock items or not.

Don't like it? Don't shop there.

Yes, they do. You entered the store. You chose to shop there. If you want the morning after pill, you'll have to go elsewhere because the store has the right to either stock items or not.

Don't like it? Don't shop there.
i don't. as i already stated, i don't shop there for that specific reason.

and as i mentioned just a few posts ago, for many women, wal-mart is the only pharmacy they have. by refusing to supply them with the pills, wal-mart is not allowing them the choice to take them.

Wal-Mart has a right to choose not to sell certain items.

How exactly does a thing with no corporeal body, no soul, and no nature aside from the summation of investors that buy Wal-Mart stock have rights?

they shouldn't have the right to force a choice on their customers though, which is what they're doing.

They have the right to choose not to sell those things, and you have to respect it. That's economic freedom for you.

They have the right to choose not to sell those things, and you have to respect it. That's economic freedom for you.
shoudln't personal freedom be more important than economic freedom though?

and no, i do not have to respect them for their decision.

hence my refusal to shop there.

How exactly does a thing with no corporeal body, no soul, and no nature aside from the summation of investors that buy Wal-Mart stock have rights?

I was referring to the people who oversee Wal-Mart's operation. Anyway, technically a corporation is its own identity anyway.

shoudln't personal freedom be more important than economic freedom though?

and no, i do not have to respect them for their decision.

hence my refusal to shop there.

The operators of Wal-Mart have the personal freedom to choose not to stock their stores with whatever items they wish.

i don't. as i already stated, i don't shop there for that specific reason.

and as i mentioned just a few posts ago, for many women, wal-mart is the only pharmacy they have. by refusing to supply them with the pills, wal-mart is not allowing them the choice to take them.

No, that is not true. They have the choice to purchase and take them. If that means that they have to go further than Walmart to get their pills, then that's what they'll need to do.

For instance, I live 30 miles from a movie theater. Does that mean that it's Safeway's fault (which is a mile away) that they don't offer theater services? Are they limiting my right to choose which movies I see?

Using a pill is still her choice. She just has to do more if she chooses to take the pills. It might require her to go the extra mile, as it were (a pun, yes I know), but that's her perogative, not Walmart's.

oh, and as for the ikea violating worker's rights thing... they demand that their suppliers have certain working conditions... so no sweatshops and the like.

Yes, they do. You entered the store. You chose to shop there. If you want the morning after pill, you'll have to go elsewhere because the store has the right to either stock items or not.

Don't like it? Don't shop there.

Uh, what about rural America, where Wal-Mart might be the only store that carries what you need in town? What if you can't afford a 100 mile drive to the nearest city to get what you need just to smite Wal-Mart?

When a corporation's economic freedom infringes upon the economic freedom of others, that corporation's economic freedom (theoretically) ends. It's called anti-trust law.

The Wal-Mart you don't know is the Wal-Mart the Presidency shops at! ;)

*reading article*

Those are a pretty good price for pickles! ;)

Uh, what about rural America, where Wal-Mart might be the only store that carries what you need in town? What if you can't afford a 100 mile drive to the nearest city to get what you need just to smite Wal-Mart?

When a corporation's economic freedom infringes upon the economic freedom of others, that corporation's economic freedom (theoretically) ends. It's called anti-trust law.

Rural America? You wanna talk about Rural America?

I live a mile away from a small town of 300 in central Washington. Both Seattle and Spokane are over 130 miles away. Still, there are stores within 30 miles besides national chains that carry everything you could possibly ever have a need for. To claim otherwise is to ignore small businesses' contribution to the economy.

If you can't afford to drive 100 miles to shop, then that's your problem. Is that Walmarts' fault? If you CHOOSE not to shop there (or locally owned small businesses) then that's a choice. In which case, be prepared to pay for your decision.

Uh, what about rural America, where Wal-Mart might be the only store that carries what you need in town? What if you can't afford a 100 mile drive to the nearest city to get what you need just to smite Wal-Mart?

When a corporation's economic freedom infringes upon the economic freedom of others, that corporation's economic freedom (theoretically) ends. It's called anti-trust law.

This is not a fault of Wal-Mart! Wal-Mart can not be forced to sell something it does not wish to sell simply because it isn't available anywhere else.

It is NOT Wal-Mart's responsibility to supply you with everything! And they can not be forced to do so. You may not like the fact that they choose not to sell something, and you have the right to feel that way.

But Wal-Mart has rights too (the operators do for those of you who'll take that literally). It's their business and they have the right to do what they want with it, provided it isn't illegal.

This is not a fault of Wal-Mart! Wal-Mart can not be forced to sell something it does not wish to sell simply because it isn't available anywhere else.

It is NOT Wal-Mart's responsibility to supply you with everything! And they can not be forced to do so. You may not like the fact that they choose not to sell something, and you have the right to feel that way.

But Wal-Mart has rights too (the operators do for those of you who'll take that literally). It's their business and they have the right to do what they want with it, provided it isn't illegal.

Well put Kerubia! :-)

The thing is that Wal-Mart drives other retailers out of business.

At this rate, it won't be too long before Wal-Mart is the retailer of the world (the only one). With a monopoly on everything, Wal-Mart will be way, way more powerful than, say, the US government. That's not good.

The thing is that Wal-Mart drives other retailers out of business.

At this rate, it won't be too long before Wal-Mart is the retailer of the world (the only one). With a monopoly on everything, Wal-Mart will be way, way more powerful than, say, the US government. That's not good.

Walmart only serves a few market segments - the poor white trash ones.

Right, through cheap prices and superior inventory control they will soon rule America.

The thing is that Wal-Mart drives other retailers out of business.

At this rate, it won't be too long before Wal-Mart is the retailer of the world (the only one). With a monopoly on everything, Wal-Mart will be way, way more powerful than, say, the US government. That's not good.

not really. wal-mart hasn't been doing well once it hits urban settings. there are too many other places to go where you can get higher quality merchandise, there are specialty stores as well, in a rural area you don't quite have that or at least you don't have a bunch in close proximity.

wal-mart doesn't carry a lot of anything really. if you look at their music section, they've got the popular shit, but not a lot of the stuff you might want. if you look at their books, i tell you you aren't going to find a lot of high quality literature. so for books and music, you're already shopping elsewhere if you want to get specific. let's say you want formal attire... you're not going to find the good shit at wal-mart. let's say you want a specific table, chances are wal-mart won't have exactly what you want. movies? same deal as books and music.

in an urban setting you can shop around more than in a rural setting. you can find something better and possibly cheaper somewhere else with much more ease than if you're in the middle of nowhere.

The thing is that Wal-Mart drives other retailers out of business.

At this rate, it won't be too long before Wal-Mart is the retailer of the world (the only one). With a monopoly on everything, Wal-Mart will be way, way more powerful than, say, the US government. That's not good.
Well even Wal-mart cant drive away capatalism. When they are the only one, they become corrupted. Thats when a fresh new enteupreneur (ah, thats prolly spelled wrong!) starts up his own little store, with good unmolested service and goods. Thats when Walmart will weaken, when its at the top theres only one direction to go. And it will go far in that direction. (hooray!)

Adam Smith was right. The economy may have outlasted its 20 year cycle, but Walmart is bringing us closer to our deadline (another panic; prolly around 2008), which will only last a couple of years.

Thats the direction I think this is going. It will work out, except WalMart (those dirty capitalists) wont be out for good.

p.s. Im a big fan of capitalism; noone get me wrong.

oh, and as for the ikea violating worker's rights thing... they demand that their suppliers have certain working conditions... so no sweatshops and the like.


Unless the stuff comes from Burma, India, Pakistan or Nepal. :rolleyes:

They are under scrutiny, again, as we speak.

But as long as everyone can get there hand woven rugs at a good price, who cares.

Read this: http://pf.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

It will take a while to read, but all people that think Wal-Mart is a friendly place should think again. Once they squish the competition, they will be more relentless than any other corporation on the face of the earth.

I find it highly insulting that you think we're too stupid to know this.

This is not a fault of Wal-Mart! Wal-Mart can not be forced to sell something it does not wish to sell simply because it isn't available anywhere else.

It is NOT Wal-Mart's responsibility to supply you with everything! And they can not be forced to do so. You may not like the fact that they choose not to sell something, and you have the right to feel that way.

But Wal-Mart has rights too (the operators do for those of you who'll take that literally). It's their business and they have the right to do what they want with it, provided it isn't illegal.

Where did I say that Wal-Mart should be forced to sell everything?

I said that if you're a consumer who needs something, and Wal-Mart is the only store within 100 miles that carries it because they ran everyone else out of town, you're kinda screwed. The "You don't like it, don't shop there" people don't seem to understand this.

That, and some of what Wal-Mart does is illegal. I brought up anti-trust law for a reason, though sadly it isn't really enforced anymore. Also, Wal-Mart has been sued for violations of overtime law (http://www.gofortbragg.com/Walmart.htm). I went out of my way to find a disinterested, unbiased source for this, btw, turning down about fifty google search results and doing several different searches.

For more on Wal-Mart's legal usurpations, go to this Google search (http://www.google.com/search?q=wal-mart+labor+law&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official).

Rural America? You wanna talk about Rural America?

I live a mile away from a small town of 300 in central Washington. Both Seattle and Spokane are over 130 miles away. Still, there are stores within 30 miles besides national chains that carry everything you could possibly ever have a need for. To claim otherwise is to ignore small businesses' contribution to the economy.

If you can't afford to drive 100 miles to shop, then that's your problem. Is that Walmarts' fault? If you CHOOSE not to shop there (or locally owned small businesses) then that's a choice. In which case, be prepared to pay for your decision.

One small problem: Wal-Mart has the nasty little effect of driving small businesses in rural communities out of business. Half the storefronts in downtown Kirksville, MO look abandoned; for the most part, the only ones that survived are specialty shops that sell stuff Wal-Mart doesn't carry. Fortunately, the Hy-Vee (local grocery chain) survived, and I have a place to get groceries without walking thirty miles (I can't afford a car as I'm a college student).

This is not a fault of Wal-Mart! Wal-Mart can not be forced to sell something it does not wish to sell simply because it isn't available anywhere else.

It is NOT Wal-Mart's responsibility to supply you with everything! And they can not be forced to do so. You may not like the fact that they choose not to sell something, and you have the right to feel that way.

But Wal-Mart has rights too (the operators do for those of you who'll take that literally). It's their business and they have the right to do what they want with it, provided it isn't illegal.

Indeed, well put Kerubia!

We live in a capitalist society, where consumers are free to choose where to shop, and businesses are free to choose how they run their business, and what products they offer.

To quote others, freedom is messy, but the alternative is worse.

Unless the stuff comes from Burma, India, Pakistan or Nepal. :rolleyes:

They are under scrutiny, again, as we speak.

But as long as everyone can get there hand woven rugs at a good price, who cares.
then how come i can't find any articles wherein they're under scrutiny?

all i can find is articles praising them for being one of the more environmentally sound, worker's rights promoting companies... earlier (you disappeared) i found this thing they had their producers agree to and it's stuff like not coercing people into working for them, payign them fair wages, not having them work excessive hours, not employing children et c.

The Walmart I already knew.

Just what I was going to say - that's the Walmart I knew, alright.

i no longer shop at walmart of eat fast food whos with me wooooo ^.^ !!!

i no longer shop at walmart of eat fast food whos with me wooooo ^.^ !!!

Here Here

I'd rather starve than eat food sold at Wal-Mart.

oo almost forgot

*sig*

South Park anyone?

i no longer shop at walmart of eat fast food whos with me wooooo ^.^ !!! :confused:
...I can't make sense of this. Please help.

I thought was one of those "well known facts" that Wal-Mart [and Asda, who they own] are well evil. I think I have too much faith in the masses... I f only everyone wasn't so ignorant... :headbang:

Not if you plan on being a college student living on a budget. Most of us had a new-found love for Wal-Mart (although I prefer Target) once we actually had to pay for stuff on our own.

Actually, it is a myth that Wal-Mart has the lowest prices in town. They use a strategy called "point pricing" in which they take the very cheapest item in a department or store section and put it on the end of the isle with a large sign advertising the price, i.e., "Billy-Bob's Dirt Cheap Microwave," $39.95 (or more realistically Jin Jiang's all-slave-labor-made Dirt Cheap Microwave).

Customers look at that and think, "damn, Wal-Mart has got the cheapest prices around." They then go down the isle to find the item they really want (who is going to buy "Billy Bob's Dirt Cheap Microwave"?), thinking all Wal-Mart items must be the cheapest in town.

In actuality they are often marked up higher than the competition. However, they have you convinced they are cheapest so you go ahead and buy the Panasonic fullsize microwave for $165 when Target or K-Mart might actually have it for $150.

That is the Wal-Mart way.

Where did I say that Wal-Mart should be forced to sell everything?

I said that if you're a consumer who needs something, and Wal-Mart is the only store within 100 miles that carries it because they ran everyone else out of town, you're kinda screwed. The "You don't like it, don't shop there" people don't seem to understand this.

You're right that you're screwed. But this is not a responsibility of Wal-Mart. They have the right to decide what they don't want to sell, and economic freedom is just as important as personal freedom. You can try to pressure them to sell a certain item, which is what you are doing by not shopping there. But you can not with any justification place any wrongdoing on Wal-Mart simply because they don't want to sell it, whether or not there's anyone else that sells it or not.


That, and some of what Wal-Mart does is illegal. I brought up anti-trust law for a reason, though sadly it isn't really enforced anymore. Also, Wal-Mart has been sued for violations of overtime law (http://www.gofortbragg.com/Walmart.htm). I went out of my way to find a disinterested, unbiased source for this, btw, turning down about fifty google search results and doing several different searches.

For more on Wal-Mart's legal usurpations, go to this Google search (http://www.google.com/search?q=wal-mart+labor+law&start=0&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official).

If these turn out to be true (I'll wait to convict the corporation until the courts have proven them guilty) then you have a valid point to bitch at Wal-Mart.

furthermore, ikea doesn't force its morality on customers by doing things like refusing to supply contraceptives... not that they provide contraceptives... but you get my point.

Although I must say my experience with other WalMarts in the nation is very limited, the WalMart in my area has a selection of contraceptives right in front of the Pharmacy section. Thus, it makes it very awkward waiting with your folks for a random prescription. Having a two-dimensional (fortunately poorly-detailed) diagram of how to apply a contraceptive to one's phallus staring you in the face (because some moron just HAS to turn the box around for humor) is very distracting and disturbing. :D

You're right that you're screwed. But this is not a responsibility of Wal-Mart. They have the right to decide what they don't want to sell, and economic freedom is just as important as personal freedom. You can try to pressure them to sell a certain item, which is what you are doing by not shopping there. But you can not with any justification place any wrongdoing on Wal-Mart simply because they don't want to sell it, whether or not there's anyone else that sells it or not.



If these turn out to be true (I'll wait to convict the corporation until the courts have proven them guilty) then you have a valid point to bitch at Wal-Mart.

I bitch at Wal-Mart because I see it as a trust, but that's my humble opinion. :) It's still enough reason for me to boycott them, though. The current regime has let anti-trust law still on the books all but die by not enforcing it, though. :(

Regarding labor law, I don't have time to look for sources right this minute (need to study for test, what the hell am I doing here) but when I get time later this evening, I'll look more stuff up. IIRC, Wal-Mart is already having to pay out on some of these overtime lawsuits, but like I said, I need to find a source. I'll post again in a few hours.