Wal Mart insanity

[Rockford35]

This is nuts:

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. is the world’s largest retailer, with $312.4 billion in sales in the fiscal year ending Jan. 31, 2006.

The company employs 1.8 million associates worldwide through more than 3,800 facilities in the United States and more than 2,600 units in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom.

More than 138 million customers per week visit Wal-Mart stores worldwide.

That is just nuts.

R35

[DaveE]

I wish I had bought a few shares of there stock back in the 70s. I'd be retired now.

[Rockford35]

The average consumer spends $43 a week at Walmart. That’s $2236 a year on average.

Wow. I doubt I spend nearly half that, so some of you other jokers are picking up my slack.

R35

[DaveE]

Originally Posted by Rockford35

The average consumer spends $43 a week at Walmart. That’s $2236 a year on average.

Wow. I doubt I spend nearly half that, so some of you other jokers are picking up my slack.

R35

We get our dog's food and chew bones there so that alone will make up for you.

[Silver]

that's funny, I was there twice yesterday...didn't spend a dime, though

I go about once a month, tops and spend as little as humanly possible - that's why I'm at wal-mart

[SiberianDVM]

Jeez, I absolutely detest, hate, despise, abhor, and loathe Walmart.

It epitomizes everything that is wrong about capitalism. If it were the only place left in the world to buy golf stuff I would give up golf.

[VtDivot]

I think it's great for picking up stuff like paper towels, or garbage bags etc.... I'll usually pick up a DVD for 10 bucks while I'm there also... and maybe a Thomas toy for the boy....

One stop shopping is great IMO

[DaveE]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

Jeez, I absolutely detest, hate, despise, abhor, and loathe Walmart.

It epitomizes everything that is wrong about capitalism. If it were the only place left in the world to buy golf stuff I would give up golf.

It seems to me they have absolutely mastered the idea of capitalism. If growing from a single store to the world's largest corp. isn't what capitalism is all about then I've been wrong about what it is for a long time.

[SiberianDVM]

I didn't say they weren't good at it, only that I don't like the way they go about it.

Superstores that come into small towns, undercut smaller stores until they go out of business, then have a virtual monopoly.

Creating giant concrete and asphalt urban and suburban monstrosities.

Those are the things I can see. Then there things that I have only heard about: locking in cleaning crews, hiring illegals, union bashing.

[Rockford35]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

...... union bashing.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing, you know. This is what keeps prices low for consumers. Which is ultimately what that 312 billion in sales dictates.

Unions have their place, but I don't think it's necessarily in retail. If you don't like working there, then leave. There are thousands of other people that would jump at the chance of working there.

I worked at Walmart for almost 6 years. I'm not pro Walmart by any means. Was I happy with my wage? No, but I could have left at any time. There were 50 people a day applying for jobs there, even with "terrible wage and benefits" (which is a crock).

I'm not happy about the influence they have on the local market. However, they do allow the average consumer to spend less money, which then finds it's way to other sources of goods and services anyways, so it's a double edged sword.

R35

[ezra76]

1.8% net profit to sales ratio helps. For every $100 you spend they net $1.80. No BS. Just did a report on this for school.

[DouginGA]

Say what you want about walmart, but they save me mucho $$. As an insulin dependent diabetic with no insurance walgreens/CVS etc pharmacies want about $30 a vial for lilly or novolin insulin. walmart brand (made by novolin) $19 and some change. BD low dose needles - about $25/100- walmart is about $13. Test strips - onetouch is $70/100 - walmart about $45/100.

All the walmart haters just dont have a clue. As rock said, the money saved at walmart is spent elsewhere. It's efficientcy thru volume gives us all more goods and a better lifestyle. And they hire people that really probably couldnt get a job elsewhere.

[Rockford35]

Originally Posted by DouginGA

And they hire people that really probably couldnt get a job elsewhere.

Ding, ding, ding!!! Post of the week, Doug. You hit the nail on the head.

And this coming from a guy that worked there for 6 years...(me)....

R35

[bdcrowe]

Doug, except for the fact that they are pushing american businesses out of business by flooding the market with sweat-shop Chinese products. I watched a report on them a while ago and, if this report is to be believed, they pressure production business owners to close up shop in N America and relocate in China.

Wal mart is big enough that they dictate what they will pay for products. When they refuse to pay more than production costs for items, they pressure the company to relocate to China, where production costs are lower due to living expense differences.

So, the savings you receive are literally at the expense of decent paying jobs in our economy. I can't see how anyone can see the exporting of our company production as helping the economy.

[Rockford35]

But, the push of consumers overwhelms that "moral" effect.

A dollar is a dollar, even if you feel bad about spending it.

And, the more dollars you don't have to spend means the more dollars you have in your pocket. Isn't that the american way?

R35