Walmart Super Markets (Boston: how much, to buy, organic)

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

There's a book called The Wal Mart Effect that describes how they managed to almost single handedly force manufacturers to make their goods to meet a certain price point, and the manufacturers often felt they had no choice because Wal Mart had such a huge percentage of the sales outlets for their products. I'm not under any delusions that Target Corporation is necessarily SO much better or so much more moral, but the facts remain that they did not cause these smaller manufacturers to go out of business or abandon quality as a virtue. Wal Mart did. And Walmart has been sued by more employees for various violations of employment practices. They also have an incredibly high percentage of employees on food stamps. (See e.g. Walmart employees on food stamps: Their wages aren’t enough to get by. )

There is that, but then there is stuff like this:

Amazon Is More Ruthless Than Walmart: Here's Why | Time

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...l-work-culture

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ralph...b_4254981.html

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

Costco, on the other hand, pays about $15 an hour and gives all employees health insurance. It can be done. Walmart chooses not to. (See, e.g https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/...n_4275774.html )

Yes and so does Aldi, Wegman's is another retailer that takes care of their employees. Target isn't one of them, neither is Amazon.

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

Their stores keep local people employed because they drove out all the smaller stores where the people used to be employed. Not any reason to like them.

It's not just Walmart that drove out all the smaller stores. Please. But I was talking about the lesser of the 2 evils, Walmart vs. Amazon. Walmart provides local jobs that Amazon doesn't, and Amazon has been far more destructive to brick and mortar retail than Walmart ever was.

[scorpio516]

Originally Posted by massnative71

It's not just Walmart that drove out all the smaller stores. Please. But I was talking about the lesser of the 2 evils, Walmart vs. Amazon. Walmart provides local jobs that Amazon doesn't, and Amazon has been far more destructive to brick and mortar retail than Walmart ever was.

It's a tale as old as time.
The tactic is based on A&P - they invented the supermarket, would go into towns and their low prices would drive everyone else out of business. Congress tried to stop them. In 46, the US successfully sued A&P under the Sherman Antitrust act.
Marc Levinson wrote a great book about the whole thing about 8 years ago.

[Boston_Burbs]

I don't shop at Walmart, I know target is pretty much the same but their stores are just better and less depressing. Plus, they have the 5% debit card. I don't think I have been to target that much anyways. I use Costco for bulk purchases and anything freezable. Whole foods/trader joes/CSA for the perishable foods. I price compare to Market Basket a few times a year and aside from Fish, they don't beat the STORE BRAND organics at WF/Trader Joes.

As for Amazon vs. Walmart.

To me the ideal retail world consists of online shopping and downtown city center driven local chains/mom and pop stores. If it means all the car oriented suburban malls with large chains go out of business I am not going shed a tear. Massachusetts is well set up for this type of development with our old cities and should be a roll model for the rest of the country.

Hating Amazon for putting small companies out of business is like hating Netflix for putting small video stores out of business while not acknowledging Blockbuster (Walmart) was the one who killed them off already, well before the tech companies were founded.

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by massnative71

There is that, but then there is stuff like this:

Amazon Is More Ruthless Than Walmart: Here's Why | Time

https://www.theguardian.com/commenti...l-work-culture

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ralph...b_4254981.html

I don't disagree with you. I am deeply conflicted about amazon and I agree that there should be worker protections put in place. And I'm not shocked to read that Target isn't much better, although again, Walmart was the one who was large enough to force manufacturers to give up quality. It's a different issue, and both are concerning. We treat workers terribly, overall, in this country, and I think it is something that has to change.

Yes and so does Aldi, Wegman's is another retailer that takes care of their employees. Target isn't one of them, neither is Amazon.

We're in agreement, then. I like going to Wegmans, and in general patronizing businesses that treat their employees well.

It's not just Walmart that drove out all the smaller stores. Please. But I was talking about the lesser of the 2 evils, Walmart vs. Amazon. Walmart provides local jobs that Amazon doesn't, and Amazon has been far more destructive to brick and mortar retail than Walmart ever was.

Walmart in particular, though, *did* destroy businesses in smaller towns. At this point, they've pretty much done all the destroying on that front, though. They used to solely locate in rural areas, without large shopping areas nearby so it was easy to destroy the town centers. When the had already gone pretty much everywhere they could, they did set their eyes on larger cities and more affluent areas. That's why you've seen them go into some urban areas, usually with some sort of government deal to revitalize some area that had been abandoned or fallen into disrepair.

[tysmith95]

Market Basket is also known for treating their employees pretty well.

[mdovell]

Aldi I like for their prices although the produce dept needs some work. They are reorganizing some of their product lines and it does make a difference.

Amazon I do for most products. I don't have the time to make an order at walmart. I'm sorry but if they have it and it's a good price there you go. Amazon lockers are a godsend. You can get things for the most part the next day. My complex in springfield might get a amazon put which are lockers for most delivery services. They work out well because landlords save the time and money to not have someone sort packages.

[xo_kizzy_xo]

I'm not a huge Amazon shopper but they're there so I don't have to schlep to the nearest mall or store and play hide-and-seek with what I'm looking for. I'm not a shopper by nature to begin with. I'd rather chew my toenails than hang out at a mall all day (not that I'd actually do that but you get the drift).

Amazon Fresh was a godsend when I was laid up last year as well as less expensive than either Instacart or Peapod. It also didn't require a minimum $ amount on an order.

The supermarket industry is looking at the Amazon/Walmart competition apprehensively.

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by xo_kizzy_xo

I'm not a huge Amazon shopper but they're there so I don't have to schlep to the nearest mall or store and play hide-and-seek with what I'm looking for. I'm not a shopper by nature to begin with. I'd rather chew my toenails than hang out at a mall all day (not that I'd actually do that but you get the drift).

Amazon Fresh was a godsend when I was laid up last year as well as less expensive than either Instacart or Peapod. It also didn't require a minimum $ amount on an order.

The supermarket industry is looking at the Amazon/Walmart competition apprehensively.

It's funny you mention Instacart. I just received an email that they are lowering their fees. I just loved the fact you can see the vehicle on the phone as it comes in.

[MrLinderman]

Originally Posted by xo_kizzy_xo

Honestly, Walmart for groceries isn't a big deal in the metro Boston area. As somebody else said, there isn't the physical room. Second, the competition in this area is fierce between the established chains, the chains trying to break in, and the club stores like BJ's and Costco.

When the Quincy Walmart expanded its grocery section, it greatly affected the business over at the Roche Bros. across the way. The fact that Roche Bros. is a bona fide supermarket is, I think, what saved it since the Walmart doesn't have produce, meat, or a bakery. If Walmart did, that particular Roche Bros.' business would go into the toilet.

Thanks to Walmart, we as a people, in general, have to to believe that everything we eat must be cheap. It's the same thinking as to why people flock to Market Basket and why Stop & Shop is lowering its prices after merging with Delhaize (Hannaford's parent company). It's why Whole Foods lowered its prices after Amazon bought them.

Sure, there are higher-end places around but unless it's the only supermarket in town chances are it's losing its market share because their prices are higher.

I' buy my work clothes at Walmart as well as the occasional kitchen utensil, cosmetics/HBA, holiday candy, and occasionally paper goods. I get my prescriptions at one. It's not one of my grocery destinations but if I'm there I'll have a look-see. Most of our grocery/paper goods shopping is split between BJ's and Stop & Shop :shrug:

That Roche Brothers is also expensive as hell compared to anything in the area not named Whole Foods.

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by MrLinderman

That Roche Brothers is also expensive as hell compared to anything in the area not named Whole Foods.

Grocer cost is largely tied to loss, labor, and RE. Like Whole Foods, Roche has a ton of loss due to prepped food and perishables, lots of relatively well paid labor, and expensive RE as they only build them in upper middle class epicenters.

MB manages cost pretty well, but I've noticed higher prices at stores with greater inventory and higher RE costs. Reality bites.