Walmart - Good or Bad? (Chicago, Niles: organic, price, bill)

[Drover]

So is Target converting some regular Targets to Super Targets then? Or are they just sort of adding on some additional items to their erstwhile half-ass grocery selection in their regular stores?

[Avengerfire]

Originally Posted by Drover

So is Target converting some regular Targets to Super Targets then? Or are they just sort of adding on some additional items to their erstwhile half-ass grocery selection in their regular stores?

At all of the ones I have been to it looked like they were doubling or tripling the section.

[Humboldt1]

Avengerfire,

Walmart is smart. They will not try to go after a lot of the folks shopping at Target. Instead, they will focus on people with less discretionary income. Many yuppies turn their nose at walmart but think nothing of shopping at target. I have always found this weird. Even growing up in rural southern indiana, there was a stigma associated with shopping at walmart noit because it hurt the local shops but because it was seen as really low end. Walmart is now more mainstream than it was 25 years ago and shopping there is more widely accepted. Still, I think many in areas like lakeview will prefer target over walmart strictly for status reasons, however stupid I see this as being.

Look for walmart to do better in working class communities where people care more about saving money than the name of the store on their shopping bags.

[Muppet123]

I care about saving money... but I'm also not going to shop at a company that I think is genuinely bad for the country so I stay away from Wal-Mart/Sam's Club

[Drover]

A retailer that amasses 15,000 U.S. stores clearly did something right. Competitors will eventually figure out what their model is, emulate it, bring meaningful competition, and maybe even beat them at their own game. No retail dynasty lasts forever; the consumer ultimately decides if that dynasty serves their best interests or not.

[Chi-town Native]

Originally Posted by Drover

A retailer that amasses 15,000 U.S. stores clearly did something right. Competitors will eventually figure out what their model is, emulate it, bring meaningful competition, and maybe even beat them at their own game. No retail dynasty lasts forever; the consumer ultimately decides if that dynasty serves their best interests or not.

Walmart is in not simply a "retailer" - they practically own an entire supply chain stretching to China.

Their "model" is monopolistic and anti-trade (dictating prices to suppliers, serious and in some cases blatantly illegal anti-labor practices), and it's only thanks to Reagan & various SCOTUS appointees they haven't been busted into a hundred pieces by now.

Target is not a whole lot different in spirit, but they just aren't as successful.

Rent the Corporation and then do some follow up reading on corporate personhood, it's because of companies like Walmart fueling a race-to-the-bottom the country is in the straits it is.

And yes, consumers ultimately have responsibility - but that's why the outsourcing is such a big problem, China offers little transparency, so people can't see first hand how their workers are treated, the trashing of the environment, etc.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Walmart is in not simply a "retailer" - they practically own an entire supply chain stretching to China.

Their "model" is monopolistic and anti-trade (dictating prices to suppliers, serious and in some cases blatantly illegal anti-labor practices), and it's only thanks to Reagan & various SCOTUS appointees they haven't been busted into a hundred pieces by now.

Target is not a whole lot different in spirit, but they just aren't as successful.

Rent the Corporation and then do some follow up reading on corporate personhood, it's because of companies like Walmart fueling a race-to-the-bottom the country is in the straits it is.

And yes, consumers ultimately have responsibility - but that's why the outsourcing is such a big problem, China offers little transparency, so people can't see first hand how their workers are treated, the trashing of the environment, etc.

Walmart is huge and puts enormous pressure on it's suppliers with that size. With that said, I don't care if you go into a walmart, target, kmart etc....it's all built in places like China and has been for 20 years.

The reason is that here in the US we buy on price...not so much on quality. That's why people buy crappy $200 lawn mowers then complain when they wear out while I have my 15 year old Toro ($550) still running strong.

P.S. I'm surprised you think that somehow they'd be broken up by now if not for Reagan and SCOTUS appointees? Surely you are aware of Hillary's DEEP involvement in the company or is this just a political stab? All major US companies aren't dumb enough to side with a single party...just look whom BP gave campaign monies too.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Chi-town Native

Walmart is in not simply a "retailer" - they practically own an entire supply chain stretching to China.

Their "model" is monopolistic and anti-trade (dictating prices to suppliers, serious and in some cases blatantly illegal anti-labor practices), and it's only thanks to Reagan & various SCOTUS appointees they haven't been busted into a hundred pieces by now.

Target is not a whole lot different in spirit, but they just aren't as successful.

Rent the Corporation and then do some follow up reading on corporate personhood, it's because of companies like Walmart fueling a race-to-the-bottom the country is in the straits it is.

And yes, consumers ultimately have responsibility - but that's why the outsourcing is such a big problem, China offers little transparency, so people can't see first hand how their workers are treated, the trashing of the environment, etc.

The funny thing is, I didn't actually mention Walmart. Nor was I talking about Walmart. Even Walmart has yet to achieve that degree of market penetration. I was talking about A&P.

What's A&P's market share looking like these days?

The arguments against Walmart have been regurgitated for decades with slight variations. The only difference is the target at which those arguments are flung. Perhaps the next target will be Target.

[5Lakes]

Originally Posted by Humboldt1

Avengerfire,

Walmart is smart. They will not try to go after a lot of the folks shopping at Target. Instead, they will focus on people with less discretionary income. Many yuppies turn their nose at walmart but think nothing of shopping at target. I have always found this weird. Even growing up in rural southern indiana, there was a stigma associated with shopping at walmart noit because it hurt the local shops but because it was seen as really low end. Walmart is now more mainstream than it was 25 years ago and shopping there is more widely accepted. Still, I think many in areas like lakeview will prefer target over walmart strictly for status reasons, however stupid I see this as being.

Look for walmart to do better in working class communities where people care more about saving money than the name of the store on their shopping bags.

Well I think Target has a much better presentation and slightly better products than Walmart. Every Walmart I have ever been in has been disorganized and puts a larger focus on selling cheap junk. So I think there is a reason why Target has a better reputation than Walmart among middle to upper class people.

I have also observed the phenomenon that poorer people tend to shop more at Walmart, with Target attracting a higher class shopper. Even when the stores are in close proximity and in direct competition. I have also noticed that you don't often see a Target in the ghetto or in poor rural areas like you do with Walmart.

[SJaye]

Originally Posted by 5Lakes

Well I think Target has a much better presentation and slightly better products than Walmart. Every Walmart I have ever been in has been disorganized and puts a larger focus on selling cheap junk. So I think there is a reason why Target has a better reputation than Walmart among middle to upper class people.

I have also observed the phenomenon that poorer people tend to shop more at Walmart, with Target attracting a higher class shopper. Even when the stores are in close proximity and in direct competition. I have also noticed that you don't often see a Target in the ghetto or in poor rural areas like you do with Walmart.

That is what I have observed in Wheeling, on Lake-Cook Road, where they are directly across the street from one another.