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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 agree. I absolutely despise WalMart for the reasons that you gave. They are a despicable company.
Since I grew up in the Northeast, they were not a fixture of the landscape until around 15 years ago.
Now I live in another region of the country. I'd say that I buy something at Walmart about 5 or 6 times per year. It's generally not a "planned event". They are usually the only place open and where ever I am, they are there.
Why do people shop there?
1. For the reasons I stated - open 24/7 in most areas.
2. They are ubiquitous. There are so many that they are difficult to avoid.
3. They are less expensive and many people use that as their sole criteria for anything.
4. Like it or not, some people do not give a hoot about the treatment of people in China or in the US. They aren't terrible selective about what they put in their bodies - or on them. And they are just trying to get by, paycheck to paycheck.
Walmart has everything from lawn mowers to baby diapers. Food and garden supplies. Automotive centers to optical. Toys, beauty salons and fast food.
It's like a mini low end mall.
Or what Sears once was. Without major appliances.
It's sad to me that it has become increasingly impossible to buy American made goods anywhere.
Yes indeed, it don't pay like it used too. When I worked for a grocery chain there were a number of career employees still working there who made a decent wage and had a pension plan. New hires got minimum wage, no benefits other than a 401k with no match.
This is very true. Nobody is paying all that much, even though companies like Kroger are making money hand over fist, their employees still earn lower average wages than workers at Walmart do. Yet one is made out to be a villain and the other is basically praised in comparison.
The UFCW(union representing many grocery employees), has demanded that WalMart start their pay at $15 but actual workers at stores represented by the UFCW often earn half of that in states with lower minimum wages.
Quote:
Consider meat or bakery clerks at Kroger's union shop in Dayton, Ohio. They earn a maximum rate of $14.25, even after over half a decade on the job. Those working in the salad bar, drug counter, or floral shop can earn a maximum of $10.95 after gaining years of experience. This amount is 27 percent below the $15.00 an hour "living wage" that the UFCW claims Walmart employees should be paid. UFCW-negotiated hourly rates for cashiers, grocery baggers, or in-store food demonstrators start at $7.70 and are capped at $8.25-45 percent below the $15.00 advocated by the UFCW.
I can buy electronics, appliances, etc at local stores here. Glad I live where I do. Please note that I never said I had an issue with buying products from other countries.
So you're not really buying American as much as shopping locally. Interesting.
Maybe things have changed because the last time I went to Walmart was to return a bike seat that I had bought just one day prior with my credit card. I did not have the receipt and it was a major hassle. The "customer service" rep would not allow me to return it even for store credit because I didn't have the receipt. She claimed that there was no way for them to look up the transaction that I had paid for with my credit card. She was not willing to help me at all. I asked to speak to a manager and he begrudgingly looked up the transaction and they gave me a cash refund. I told the manager that the rep had said that there was no way to look up the transaction. He basically told me that that is what they are supposed to say and that only when a customer requests a manager will they look it up. It was clear that both the "Customer service" rep and the manager hated their jobs by their apathetic attitudes about the situation. I haven't been the Walmart since. Prior to that I would shop there once every two years or so. It was always an unpleasant experience due to both customers and workers. I don't plan on ever going back.
WM possibly has changed their return policy since I regularly shopped there. It's been a long time since I've returned anything. The no hassles return policy was something other stores could not compete with. Local stores would allow returns for just a short period of time or no refunds if package opened, etc. You had to keep up with that receipt or the local stores wouldn't take it back. Wal-Mart has the ability to track individual purchases or group of purchases. They may have finally have done something because of the abuses of the system. I've heard of people buying tents and returning them at the end of the season, every season. Or buying a radar detector for a long trip and returning it when the trip was over. I remember a story about a missing truckload of tvs. The tvs got returned to different area stores. The people doing the returning had the same last name.
WM possibly has changed their return policy since I regularly shopped there. It's been a long time since I've returned anything. The no hassles return policy was something other stores could not compete with. Local stores would allow returns for just a short period of time or no refunds if package opened, etc. You had to keep up with that receipt or the local stores wouldn't take it back. Wal-Mart has the ability to track individual purchases or group of purchases. They may have finally have done something because of the abuses of the system. I've heard of people buying tents and returning them at the end of the season, every season. Or buying a radar detector for a long trip and returning it when the trip was over. I remember a story about a missing truckload of tvs. The tvs got returned to different area stores. The people doing the returning had the same last name.
I bet they did change it due to abuse. One time we were at Walmart and a lady was trying to return a box of nicotine patches that someone had given to her for Christmas.... 8 years ago. She wouldn't take "no" for an answer so the argument went on and on and on as the line behind her got bigger and bigger and bigger.
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.
If people protested every business on these grounds alone they'd never buy any food or clothing ever again.
Not really. In my town, the only people who shop at Wal Mart are illegal aliens and farmers living on a subsistence economy (Hispanics, some Native people), and possibly the unemployed.
People go for quality, rather than low price. It only takes a few mistakes to realize that buying cheap goods is a waste of money. And some people prefer to support their local store owner, the one who's been in the neighborhood for years, and who gave their kids or their neighbor's kids after-school jobs.
Yeah, that's why they are the largest retailer in the US and their stores are doing business 24/7.
Denial, it's not the river in Egypt.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth
And btw, the issue often isn't about raising taxes on US companies. It's about getting US companies to pay any taxes at all. Some of the biggest companies (Bank of Am., GE, to name just two) don't pay any at all.
And what percentage of US companies aren't paying any taxes?
Please don't tell me you fall for that propaganda.
Walmart's minimum wage is $8.25 hour. Anyone who now makes less than $10 hour will be seeing a $1 hour raise on their next pay check, this week. They will be getting another $1 hour at the beginning of next year. We all get a small raise every year. In July I will be getting my sixth raise in 5 years.
Our local 3 Walmarts have gone to a minimum of $10 an hour already. Employes raised to $10 an hour or more, and new hires all start at $10 an hour. All stores located in solid middle class neighborhoods. Not as good as McDonald's, which start high school kids in training at $10 an hour and after getting trained jump them to $12 an hour, and $14 an hour for adults.
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?
1. Because they're not paid enough to afford "elsewhere".
2. They're too cheap!
It depends on who you buy from. I buy from artists and craftspeople as much as possible. Also, the toy store I mentioned before is owned by a woman and her daughter who live not far from me. But it is they who are profiting, not some no-face big box corporation.
Buying from artists and craftspeople sounds nice but seriously where do you buy your toilet paper? Also, I've never seen an independently owned toy store and I don't know any artists that can make a toaster.
I'm saying Wal-Mart is the only option but if it's not Wal-Mart it's generally going to be another big name corporate company. I wish that it wasn't this way but it is.
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Please note that I never said I had an issue with buying products from other countries.
She wouldn't take "no" for an answer so the argument went on and on and on as the line behind her got bigger and bigger and bigger.
