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Old 04-21-2015, 11:49 AM
 
4,038 posts, read 4,842,897 times
Reputation: 5352

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Quote:
Originally Posted by nighthouse66 View Post
Seriously. With a ridiculous track record of total corruption, horrible employee treatment, destroying the American manufacturing base by cutting prices to nothing and shipping jobs to China....I really do not understand why these stores still exist. Apart from incredibly rural areas where its the only game in town, how can Americans still give their money to one of the main causes of our economic ruin?

Not only that, but how can so-called patriotic Americans give their money to buy products made by a country that is a dictatorship? We had a decades long embargo against Cuba, (supposedly) because of their alignment with Soviet Russia. But China, who mows its people down with impunity, pays its workers pennies an hour and hosts many of the most polluted cities in the world, they get a total pass in the name of economics. And it isn't even economics that benefits US, or the Chinese worker- it only enriches a handful of people. I am sure that WalMart demanding lower prices had more to do with the closing of our own factories than any other single cause.

So how can anyone continue to shop there? What are your reasons?
I don't. I don't know anyone who does. What I don't get is why some communities give Wal Mart huge tax concessions, supposedly for bringing jobs to the community. What jobs? Those jobs don't pay enough for people to live independently without going on public assistance, and there's such huge turnover, that these McJobs aren't doing anyone any favors. More communities should keep Wal Mart out. In don't even know where the nearest Wal Mart in my area is. It's not allowed in my town, nor in any neighboring ones, AFAIK.
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Old 04-21-2015, 11:53 AM
 
Location: SW MO
23,593 posts, read 37,338,712 times
Reputation: 29336
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marc Paolella View Post
Let's put aside the altruist-leftist collectivist rants. Walmart is a store. Not a country. It has no military. It doesn't force anyone to do anything. It achieves low prices through economies of scale in buying and selling. It's that simple. It owes NOBODY NADA. If employees don't want to work there, they are free to look elsewhere. If customers can find better prices elsewhere, they will go there. If other companies can outsource more and give us better prices, SO BE IT. If competitors cannot match price and selection, then they can find something else to do. That is correct, rational, logical, beneficial, efficient, and GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.

As far as putting small businesses out of business, that is utter bullfeces. If we have been overcharged by mom and pop retailers and Walmart or some other big box moves in and cuts prices such that small overcharging inefficient businesses have to close, than that is exactly what should happen.

There is no RIGHT to stay in business and overcharge people. If Walmart moves in and you can't match the prices, then up your game and offer something they don't, like faster and friendlier service, or home delivery, or invent something, or get the hell out of business.

I avoid Walmart for one reason. Slow checkout lines. I'd rather pay more and get out fast.

So let's stop making a shopping choice political. I don't give a damn about the rest of the world or it's authoritarian problems. Let them wise up and choose freedom and individualism and Capitalism and live correctly like us, or basically they have chosen their own Hell and deserve everything they get. Walmart can pay third world countries pennies and sell all there imported garbage here UNTIL THE COWS COME HOME. It's fine with me, and from the looks of their parking lots, it's fine with everyone else.
Angry much?

No, causing small town, Mom & Pop stores out of business is not a myth. It's happened. As for them overcharging, the ability to limit prices is predicated on volume which was lacking in small town America post Walmartization. What was not lacking was personalized service, store owners who knew and appreciated their patronage, a feeling of belonging.

Where we now live, lines can be slow because checkers/clerks recognize and get to know their customers. People chat with one another while waiting in lines and they, too, will be engaged in pleasantries when they reach the head of the line. It's a quietly, comfortable, friendly and pleasant way of life. Sorry about your life being so important, in your own mind and/or the pursuit of riches, you hope, that it's a mad dash. That has to be a very stressful and unpleasant way to live if you ever slow down enough to think about it.

In the end it's a quality of life issue. Some of us are old and experienced enough to worry about the rush to oblivion....um....modernization that pervades younger generations. You know not what you're missing. It all comes down to a matter of values.

PS. Your "altruist-leftist collectivist rants" comment shows just how out of touch you really are. Talk about wanting to politicize...!
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Old 04-21-2015, 12:23 PM
 
Location: A coal patch in Pennsyltucky
10,284 posts, read 10,529,093 times
Reputation: 12586
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arcenal352 View Post
I agree... Once I was in there for a particular item, and decided that while in there, I'd go find some of the peppers I'd normally get at Publix or any other supermarket. Their selection was VERY LIMITED and expensive.
I guess they have cheap canned and packaged goods (?). But I don't buy that stuff too often, as my grocery list mostly consists of fresh produce and fresh meats/fish.

Their motor oil prices are unbeatable, though. <$30 for a 5qt name-brand synthetic jug?
Here again it must be a regional thing. Walmart has lower prices for produce than the other grocery stores in our area except for Aldi's. My wife goes to Aldi's just to buy fruits and vegetables. They don't have the selection that Walmart does, but what they have is sometimes half the price.

The one item we don't purchase at Walmart is fresh meat. I don't like the idea that they use regional butchers, and the ground meat and steaks I have had from Walmart have a strange taste.
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Old 04-21-2015, 12:23 PM
 
4,288 posts, read 2,043,263 times
Reputation: 2814
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dude111 View Post
Most dont know the reality of what WALMART really is! (The ppl behind it)
The reality of what WalMart really is!

A place where many people can shop and get pretty good deals on a wide variety of merchandise.
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Old 04-21-2015, 12:51 PM
 
Location: Phoenix, AZ
3,515 posts, read 3,663,308 times
Reputation: 6403
Quote:
Originally Posted by NewbiePoster View Post
I don't. I don't know anyone who does. What I don't get is why some communities give Wal Mart huge tax concessions, supposedly for bringing jobs to the community. What jobs? Those jobs don't pay enough for people to live independently without going on public assistance, and there's such huge turnover, that these McJobs aren't doing anyone any favors. More communities should keep Wal Mart out. In don't even know where the nearest Wal Mart in my area is. It's not allowed in my town, nor in any neighboring ones, AFAIK.


Right, because your local greeting card store is paying people $25.00 an hour. The whole "Walmart doesn't pay enough" canard is tired. They pay more than most grocery stores, yes even the unionized ones, they pay more than Target and most small retailers. The reality is that they fill a need for a lot of people but you're just not going to earn a tremendous living working in grocery retail.

I grew up in a small town, the local mom and pop stores, local grocery, local pharmacy, bakery.....etc...... were paying minimum wage or just slightly above so I'm not sure why people wax poetic about those stores but complain that Walmart isn't paying enough money.


Also, not sure if you've been paying attention to what is going on with the economy but the vast majority of new jobs being created are "McJobs" as you put it.
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Old 04-21-2015, 12:56 PM
 
28,164 posts, read 25,181,699 times
Reputation: 16664
Quote:
Originally Posted by katygirl68 View Post
You're typing on something made in China. We can all make a vow to only buy American made products, but in reality unless we're making the products ourselves it's just not possible.
Yes I am. Please note I said I try to buy local/American as much as possible.
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Old 04-21-2015, 12:59 PM
 
28,164 posts, read 25,181,699 times
Reputation: 16664
Quote:
Originally Posted by katygirl68 View Post
Again, where would you find it? I haven't seen any stores that sell only American made products besides furniture stores.
In my neck of the woods, I shop at local businesses like Boscovs (department store) and Scheils (groceries). There are also several farms to purchase food at, a toy store owned by local people, etc. There is also Etsy which features thousands of American craftspeople.
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Old 04-21-2015, 01:01 PM
 
28,164 posts, read 25,181,699 times
Reputation: 16664
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2sleepy View Post
Some of you are too young to remember, but once upon a time working in a grocery store was a good job, it was easy to make $18 an hour and get benefits..oh well, can't put that genie back in the bottle can we?

I don't shop at Walmart, and it's really not because of what they have done to other retailers, I just hate their stores. If you can find someone on the floor they seem unable to answer even the simplest question. Produce and meat is NOT cheap and IMO is of poor quality. I consider Walmart unpleasant and it depresses me, it would still depress me even if the customers would put their teeth in when they shopped and if the employees were paid more.

I buy cheap crap at the dollar store, I grow most of our produce but when I need some I buy it and meat at Mexican grocery stores, canned & packaged stuff I buy where ever it's on sale.
Yep. My own father worked in retail for the entirety of our childhood. My mother was a stay at home mom for most of that time too.
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Old 04-21-2015, 01:06 PM
 
Location: Phoenix, AZ
3,515 posts, read 3,663,308 times
Reputation: 6403
Quote:
Originally Posted by Curmudgeon View Post

Where we now live, lines can be slow because checkers/clerks recognize and get to know their customers. People chat with one another while waiting in lines and they, too, will be engaged in pleasantries when they reach the head of the line.


Not everyone sees that as a plus. Pretty much why the self-checkout lanes have become so prevalent these days.



Frankly I couldn't care less about chatting people up in a grocery store or exchanging pleasantries with the employees. I'm usually in there to get whatever stuff is on my list, get to the line, pay and get the heck out as fast as possible. Having the checker having a long winded conversation with the guy in front of me is only a hindrance to me getting out of there.


I don't want to be buddy buddy with anyone at the grocery, I want to purchase my items and get out in as expedient a manner as position.
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Old 04-21-2015, 01:09 PM
 
34,620 posts, read 21,465,912 times
Reputation: 22232
All it takes is a look at Walmart to understand why raising taxes on American companies is bad.

The majority of people purchase based upon price.

When it costs American companies more to produce goods, the price to the consumer increases. When the price increases, most consumers will grab the cheaper product produced in China or other countries cheap product sitting right next to it for a few cents less.

We live in a global market where price sells in most instances.
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