HARDtoTOP

walmart sells the same crap I get at Shaws. What food (or other stuff) can I get at shaws that I am getting sub-par at walmart?

Can I buy snap on tools or stihl saws at wlamart? No, but I can't get them at sears or home depot either. Should I stop shopping there too? Tell me if I am missing something, Steve, because I don't want a bad box of huggies.

boltonblue

many people have difficulty differentiating price and quality.

Walmart does have some units which are quality oriented.
These can be a very good value.
But they sit right next to the piece of crap that sells for half the price and has a much higher profit margin.

Classically this is referred to as bait and switch.
The herd loves it, buys it, doesn't know any better and get what they deserve.

HARDtoTOP

I think pretty much everywhere you go, you have the option of buying the generic version of whatever you need. Why walmart is demonized for this I don't know. If you guys figure out why I need more durable paper towels or shampoo, let me know.

Lainey

It's on the internet, so it must be true!

A little dated, and perhaps some improvements have been made, but here are some of the reasons I'm willing to shop elsewhere. Why help the Wal-Mart big wigs get richer at a cost to their employees?

Wake up Wal-mart

Some improvement

Health care


The low prices come at a cost.....to the employees and the taxpayers. So Jeff, you are, likely paying more than you think for the diapers and the bargains at Wal-mart. You're just not paying at the cash register, but with your tax dollars.

You're a union guy, with union benefits, and a strong supporter of unions. One would think you might support other union members by shopping at the stores that have unions and better employee benefits?

also wondering why I keep looking inside this can of worms.

PsychoBen

I generally avoid shopping at Walmart. I go there from time to time to get the couple things that I couldn

Bass

Well said ben

Very informative and true

HARDtoTOP

Ben, your argument is that you feel the employees are treated badly. OK, I wonder what your proof is, but I will bite.

So now you (and all the other walmart h8ters) advocate not shopping there. That will teach em'! Put them right out of business or put the hurt on them so they employ less people. I am sure those "poorly treated" workers will feel much better when they are out of work.

Bravo!


And yes, Lainey, I am VERY pro-union. In my opinion, everyone should be in a union. But, that's just not how it is. The clerk at Cumberland Farms isn't in a union but I won't stop shopping there either because of it.

And, you should know better than to take the bait by now

FWIW, I always end up dragged into these damned walmart threads against my better judgment too!

Lainey

[QUOTE=Bass,Mar 3 2009, 01:38 PM]Well said ben

Very

NH_s2k_Guy

In these trying economic times, people are going to look to save money
wherever they can. If that means going to _______ to get what they
need in order to keep the family fed and clothed, then that's what people
are going to do.

I'm just playing devil's advocate here, so don't jump on me, but can we
all honestly say that we have checked out every store we shop at to
make sure that they, or none of their suppliers, use the same kinds of
business practices that wally world does?

Lainey

Hey Mark, no business is perfect. MANY businesses today operate with as many part timers as possible, and I can't say for sure how K-Mart or Target or other retailers treat their employees. However it does appear it is Wal-mart that is often in the news; for things like employees working off the clock, for which employees won a lawsuit, not providing affordable insurance, etc.

I know people shop where they have to, but this getting stuff for as cheap as possible is biting us ALL in the A$$. Wal-Mart may very well be (as zippy Dave) put its, the "king of the jungle", but it's at a huge cost.

We all want to pay the lowest amount possible for everything (myself included), and it has come at a huge cost to everyone. I think Ben's post explained it best.