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I buy at Walmart sometimes. Usually I think their "low prices" advertisements are a ploy since I can find better deals elsewhere, but I do agree you can find lots of things there made in the USA.
I am also excited about them opening a new Walmart within 2 miles of my house since I live in an undesirable neighborhood to some so we will have a grocery store that is not uber expensive in the area. Here in Atlanta a lot of the produce at Walmart is from local farmers in GA.
I buy at Walmart sometimes. Usually I think their "low prices" advertisements are a ploy since I can find better deals elsewhere, but I do agree you can find lots of things there made in the USA.
I am also excited about them opening a new Walmart within 2 miles of my house since I live in an undesirable neighborhood to some so we will have a grocery store that is not uber expensive in the area. Here in Atlanta a lot of the produce at Walmart is from local farmers in GA.
I also don't buy into the low price bit. I shop locally, almost exclusively. I do so to not only support my local businesses but in reality, I get better prices by going locally.
I also don't buy into the low price bit. I shop locally, almost exclusively. I do so to not only support my local businesses but in reality, I get better prices by going locally.
Agree. We rarely go to Walmart, but, when we do, we notice that the prices are not any better than anywhere else. Frequently, they are higher. Recent example - last week, my deodorant was $4.11 at Walmart, but $3.64 at Target. When I can, I shop at locally-owned stores, but I haven't found one for things like that.
I buy at Walmart sometimes. Usually I think their "low prices" advertisements are a ploy since I can find better deals elsewhere, but I do agree you can find lots of things there made in the USA.
I am also excited about them opening a new Walmart within 2 miles of my house since I live in an undesirable neighborhood to some so we will have a grocery store that is not uber expensive in the area. Here in Atlanta a lot of the produce at Walmart is from local farmers in GA.
Walmart does have lower prices, but not on everything. You have to be an alert and informed shopper to take advantage of the lower prices.
Don't want to start a Wal-Mart debate but the jobs "created/provided" by Wal-Mart is somewhat of a misnomer. The vast majority of employees at Wal-Mart are employed for an average of 90 days. Unskilled jobs maybe. Careers not so much...
Yes and no.
Everyone on the floor starts out as a temp, at relatively low pay and without any benefits. Walmart does that deliberately to weed out those who won't show up or want to get paid for doing nothing. For those who demonstrate a willingness to work, the opportunities within the company are almost limitless. But, they've got to prove themselves first.
Buying Made in the US is always best however where you purchase the items matter as well.
You got that right!
WalMart is the last place on earth I'll go to buy anything. They're tied in with the Department of Homeland Security, and are putting those DHS televisions up broadcasting that TROLL Janet Napolitano:
My favorite store ever is World Market Imports. My house is furnished with things from Asia, Africa, Indonesia and where ever else and it has the look I want and its beautiful. I also buy some food products there that I prefer over the brands elsewhere and I even do that sometimes if the packaging is just pretty. I wear Jewelry I bought from this store everyday because American made always looks like it came from Walmart. I always buy something for the product it is regardless of where it is made and I make no apology for this. If America wants me to buy their products they need to make products that interest me. Life is too short to buy what I don't want.
Good for you for trying to support American products, but I'm sorry to burst your bubble - WalMart's unethical business practices have done their fair share of pushing many American jobs overseas.
They're not the worst, but buying any products in their stores (American-made or not) really has a negligible effect on supporting that cause. Whatever you bought simply reinforced their shady business of driving down merchant prices to the point that many companies have to move their manufacturing processes overseas just to remain competitive.
My father was an all-American blue-collar manufacturer in Tennessee for almost 30 years until the late 80s/eary 90s, when all the American manufacturing jobs started moving out of the country. Now he lives in a part of the country decimated by business practices like those of "big box" retailers such as WalMart. Drugs and uneducation are now the manufacturing belt's primary exports - it's a very sad situation (Diane Sawyer did an excellent documentary entitled "A Hidden America - Children of the Mountains" about the struggling culture in that part of the country - I highly recommend everyone check it out).
Now - I do temper my comments with a big heaping scoop of reality - I was raised by a single mom who had to work 2 jobs just to keep food on the table - I do understand the necessity of places like WalMart, and don't judge any hardworking American family for shopping where they can afford to shop.
I would love it if we could all just exclusively shop only at local stores (it wouldn't necessarily solve the problem of encouraging American-made products, but at least it would support American businesses), but that's freqently not reality for most people.
For one thing, WalMart has done an excellent job of driving out most local business because they are able to purchase products in such huge quantities, which is how they can afford to offer a 3-lb vat of mustard for $.99. No local business can compete when WalMart moves into a small town. And most folks living in small towns aren't exactly rolling in dough, so WalMart becomes a necessary evil.
But make no mistake - they are evil. And buying stuff with stickers that say "Made in the USA" at a place like WalMart, while well-meant, is ineffective at best, possibly even worsening the problem.
Now, we can't all run around with a clipboard of the most "American-friendly, ethical" businesses, and for many folks - their options are few. BUT - where you do have a choice (and when it's reasonable), you can choose to minimize your shopping at large chain retailers. It won't put them out of business, but it will support your local businesses more, and give them a fighting chance at survival in the big box world.
Unfortunately, this outsourcing business practice has not only destroyed many communities that were once thriving manufacturing towns, it has left us with a gap in skilled manufacturing labor. In other words - not only do we not make anything anymore - what we do make is crap because we don't have the workforce to make it well.
What this all comes down to is a top-down solution. I know this sounds cheesy - get more informed about the politics of your city/state and call your local Congressperson or Senator whenever there is a piece of legislation that negatively impacts American businesses, and/or benefits outsourcing.
I'm not going to put up a bunch of links, because I'm sure you all can Google, but when you get a chance, just take about 15 minutes out of your lives once a week or so to do a little research and get very well informed about the history of manufacturing in this country, how it disappeared, why it disappeared, and some reasonable strategies to bring it back.
Thank you for your well thought out response that wasn't simply anti-Wal*Mart hyperbole, which is what most people that hold your position would have spewed. I respectfully disagree with your position as far as Wal*Mart is concerned, however.
If you go through most of the Wal*Mart threads in this forum, you'll find that I'm usually actively supporting them. They're giving consumers what they want, at very competitive prices. That's why they're so successful, and it's the only reason they're so successful.
Wal*Mart doesn't force any other company to do anything. Manufacturers have the option of not selling to Wal*Mart if Wal*Mart isn't going to pay the price they want for their product. It's the manufacturers wanting their products in front of Wal*Mart shoppers that cause them to make decisions that may not be in the best interest of our country as a whole.
Ultimately, your post reeks of the same union rhetoric that has people claiming that Wal*Mart is some "evil" (your term) company. Despite your tempered approach, the message is the same, and it's one I've heard a thousand times before.
I suggest you spend fifteen minutes yourself and read "Has Wal-Mart Buried Mom and Pop?," and see if you can understand that entrepreneurship is flourishing, despite the "big box" stores.
Some anecdotal evidence - I was the manager of a mom and pop pet store in a small suburb of Los Angeles during the early '90s. When a Petco opened up a few miles down the street, it was very unnerving. Our sales did drop - until we adapted.
The one thing the "big box" stores can't do is specialize, and/or provide truly outstanding customer service. If a small store can do those things, then they'll hold their own against the chain store in almost every case. If they want to pretend that it's business as usual after the chain store opens, then they're doomed to fail - as they should. A good business person identifies a changing business climate and adapts. If they can't/don't, then they're going to go the way of the dinosaur, and someone else, with more business savvy, will take their place.
My current business is a decent example of this kind of scenario, actually. We're a two person service based operation working out of our home. Our biggest competitor is a behemoth whose services I guarantee virtually everyone reading this post has used, even if they're not familiar with this company's name. (I can't divulge certain details, including who our competitors are, without risking my anonymity). They're the biggest player in our niche, which isn't the only thing they do, and they have virtually unlimited funds to play with. They should be crushing us, but we're actually pulling customers away from them almost every week, and it's because we offer a vastly superior customer experience. On price, availability, speed of order processing and personalized, friendly service, we blow them out of the water - and our business is booming because of it. Winter is our slow season, and we've been almost overwhelmed this Dec/Jan. I'm actually concerned that we'll have too much business this summer to be able to handle it on our own.
The little guy can compete with the big, scary, "evil" companies, but they have to be willing and able to adapt to a changing market.
Thank you for your well thought out response that wasn't simply anti-Wal*Mart hyperbole, which is what most people that hold your position would have spewed. I respectfully disagree with your position as far as Wal*Mart is concerned, however.
If you go through most of the Wal*Mart threads in this forum, you'll find that I'm usually actively supporting them. They're giving consumers what they want, at very competitive prices. That's why they're so successful, and it's the only reason they're so successful.
Wal*Mart doesn't force any other company to do anything. Manufacturers have the option of not selling to Wal*Mart if Wal*Mart isn't going to pay the price they want for their product. It's the manufacturers wanting their products in front of Wal*Mart shoppers that cause them to make decisions that may not be in the best interest of our country as a whole.
Ultimately, your post reeks of the same union rhetoric that has people claiming that Wal*Mart is some "evil" (your term) company. Despite your tempered approach, the message is the same, and it's one I've heard a thousand times before.
I suggest you spend fifteen minutes yourself and read "Has Wal-Mart Buried Mom and Pop?," and see if you can understand that entrepreneurship is flourishing, despite the "big box" stores.
Some anecdotal evidence - I was the manager of a mom and pop pet store in a small suburb of Los Angeles during the early '90s. When a Petco opened up a few miles down the street, it was very unnerving. Our sales did drop - until we adapted.
The one thing the "big box" stores can't do is specialize, and/or provide truly outstanding customer service. If a small store can do those things, then they'll hold their own against the chain store in almost every case. If they want to pretend that it's business as usual after the chain store opens, then they're doomed to fail - as they should. A good business person identifies a changing business climate and adapts. If they can't/don't, then they're going to go the way of the dinosaur, and someone else, with more business savvy, will take their place.
My current business is a decent example of this kind of scenario, actually. We're a two person service based operation working out of our home. Our biggest competitor is a behemoth whose services I guarantee virtually everyone reading this post has used, even if they're not familiar with this company's name. (I can't divulge certain details, including who our competitors are, without risking my anonymity). They're the biggest player in our niche, which isn't the only thing they do, and they have virtually unlimited funds to play with. They should be crushing us, but we're actually pulling customers away from them almost every week, and it's because we offer a vastly superior customer experience. On price, availability, speed of order processing and personalized, friendly service, we blow them out of the water - and our business is booming because of it. Winter is our slow season, and we've been almost overwhelmed this Dec/Jan. I'm actually concerned that we'll have too much business this summer to be able to handle it on our own.
The little guy can compete with the big, scary, "evil" companies, but they have to be willing and able to adapt to a changing market.
No, you are wrong.........the little guy can not compete, the little guy can not buy in bulk as wm does. That is basic business arithmetic, I don't understand why you don't get that?
When you buy from the little guy you are supporting your community and why someone wouldn't want to do that is beyond me, other than the whole "ME" mentality.
No, you are wrong.........the little guy can not compete, the little guy can not buy in bulk as wm does. That is basic business arithmetic, I don't understand why you don't get that?
When you buy from the little guy you are supporting your community and why someone wouldn't want to do that is beyond me, other than the whole "ME" mentality.
If nobody can compete with Walmart, why isn't it the only store in town?
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