Why the hate for Walmart?

[csb]

Oh, I forgot Alco...there's also Alco if there isn't a Pamida or Wal-Mart.

And I'd say in the small communities here that are agriculturally based, Alco/Pamida serves as the general store, rather than the grocery store. It's where you can buy school supplies or clothes or housewares. For the most part, though, most of the people load up and drive to a bigger town for those shopping trips.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Never heard of Alco or Parmida. is that a western chain?

 

[snickerd3]

no i'm not saying they have to buy food at walmart. It was purely a statement that spending less on the other items, crappy coolers for example, would give them more $ to spend on food, wherever they bought it.

 

[MA_PE]

Funny you mention that. About 10-11 years ago, my wife and I had to stay overnight out of town unexpectly. Went to walmart and bought t-shirts ($5) and sleeping bags ($17). I expected them to really be short lived stuff, but all are still in use, and look brand new, to this day.

well they should be. You only used them for one night.

Do you suppose that there would be more higher wage manufacturing jobs if there wasn't such a demand for products that were "cheap, no matter how low the quality"?

No, I don't. I think high paying manufacturing jobs are a thing of the past, or soon will be. Some niche jobs will remain, but I'm talking in general.

But that has a lot more to do with mass production than it does with Walmart.

"higher wage manufacturing jobs" This is somewhat an oxy-moron. I believe it goes to skilled labor versus unskilled labor. IMHO assemblers are unskilled. higher paying jobs in manufacturing would be a small number because there's not a lot of need for "skilled" labor to keep the process going. Mechanics and managers.

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

^A friend of mine is a line manager at a chemical plant, one of those higher end mfr jobs you mentioned. Most of the guys on the line push the button/pull the lever/turn the crank on the same machine they've used for 20 years.

 

[MA_PE]

^A friend of mine is a line manager at a chemical plant, one of those higher end mfr jobs you mentioned. Most of the guys on the line push the button/pull the lever/turn the crank on the same machine they've used for 20 years.

right. and he's the skilled guy that has to correct the situation when the guys pull the button, push the lever and play with their crank.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

The pay and benefits for Walmart employees is another thing Ive seen as issues for some to boycott the stores. However, the majority of Walmart employees fall into this "unskilled" labor category. Walmart follows a similar business plan to McDonalds: simple systems and processes are instituted so that minimal training is required. They are setup so that any random highschooler can step into almost any position (excluding things like management and pharmacy) and they can mindlessly complete the tasks. The difference between Walmart and McD's is that McD's actually hires random highschoolers.

 

[csb]

Never heard of Alco or Parmida. is that a western chain?

Alco is more like a wide ranging middle of America chain, with the wiener of America included:

http://www.duckwall.com/abt_alco_stores.aspx

Pamida covers about the same territory.

Fun story about a baby being born in the parking lot http://www.pamida.com/about/press/201003_Pamida_Baby.pdf

 

[RIP - VTEnviro]

Alco is more like a wide ranging middle of America chain, with the wiener of America included:

Does that make the west coast of FL, just below the panhandle, the taint of America?

 

[Kephart P.E.]

I was on the road once for work (in the South) needed some white T-shirts and I went to Walmart and got a 3-pack of Hanes.

When I got back to the hotel room and opened my purchases I noticed these t-shirts where different. The material felt really scratchy and the collars where not sewn on straight.

Then I looked at the packaging and apparently Hanes made this specifically to sell at Walmart and they were a really lower quality product but unless you looked closely they appeared the same. I felt cheated but for the couple of bucks I was out I wasn't going to return them then go to another store and get my clean t-shirts so I sucked it up. BTW I ended up turning these into rags because I washed and dryed them and they shrunk into belly shirts.

After that episode, once in a while when out of town I might go to Walmart, but I really scrutinize every purchase and if it is a name brand but "made for Walmart" I won't buy it and I never shop at Walmart when I have a choice.

I won't even get into my feelings about the Walmart brand groceries.

 

[willsee]

i'm learning much about wal-mart that i never knew before

 

[Road Guy]

again I am not "in love with wal-mart" but dont hate them either, they are a product of society, wal mart was made by americans, its like one of those 1970's bumper stickers that read "Hungry? out of work? eat your import!"

one time while driving home from Missourri (through the night with 2 babies in the car) we stopped to get gas at 2:00 AM somewhere in Kentucky.. filled up with gas, utilized the latrine, car wouldnt start.. oh shit.... had a guy in big truck try and jump us off, nothing..

no hotel at this interchange, but I could see the bright lights of a wal mart down the road.. so I hiked down there, figured I would give the battery thing just one more chance, bought a battery, hiked back, okay so maybe I pushed a cart down the side of the road, put it in, vroom it started up..

that night I tipped my hat to old wal-mart for sure!

 

[MA_PE]

The pay and benefits for Walmart employees is another thing Ive seen as issues for some to boycott the stores. However, the majority of Walmart employees fall into this "unskilled" labor category. Walmart follows a similar business plan to McDonalds: simple systems and processes are instituted so that minimal training is required. They are setup so that any random highschooler can step into almost any position (excluding things like management and pharmacy) and they can mindlessly complete the tasks. The difference between Walmart and McD's is that McD's actually hires random highschoolers.

If I had a major problem with Wal-mart this would be it. Just like all the big box stores, they displace local businesses that families have operated and MADE LIVING OFF OF and the "jobs" they tout about bringing into the community are minimum wage jobs suitable for high schoolers or retirees---not living wage jobs. However the majority of the working people in the community will patronize these stores because their paycheck will go farther and they still have a job. It's called free enterprise, but I'm not really sure it's healthy for the local economy.

I was on the road once for work (in the South) needed some white T-shirts and I went to Walmart and got a 3-pack of Hanes.
When I got back to the hotel room and opened my purchases I noticed these t-shirts where different. The material felt really scratchy and the collars where not sewn on straight.

Then I looked at the packaging and apparently Hanes made this specifically to sell at Walmart and they were a really lower quality product but unless you looked closely they appeared the same. I felt cheated but for the couple of bucks I was out I wasn't going to return them then go to another store and get my clean t-shirts so I sucked it up. BTW I ended up turning these into rags because I washed and dryed them and they shrunk into belly shirts.

After that episode, once in a while when out of town I might go to Walmart, but I really scrutinize every purchase and if it is a name brand but "made for Walmart" I won't buy it and I never shop at Walmart when I have a choice.

I won't even get into my feelings about the Walmart brand groceries.

There are a lot of stores that market "factory-seconds" cheap. Wal-mart brands are the factory-seconds with out the "factory-seconds" label.

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

"Factory Seconds" can also be found at places like The Mills shopping malls and Factory Outlet stores.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Funny you mention that. About 10-11 years ago, my wife and I had to stay overnight out of town unexpectly. Went to walmart and bought t-shirts ($5) and sleeping bags ($17). I expected them to really be short lived stuff, but all are still in use, and look brand new, to this day.

well they should be. You only used them for one night.

Well, the sleeping bags have been used a couple, three times, so, yeah. the t-shirts are in regular use.

Do you suppose that there would be more higher wage manufacturing jobs if there wasn't such a demand for products that were "cheap, no matter how low the quality"?

No, I don't. I think high paying manufacturing jobs are a thing of the past, or soon will be. Some niche jobs will remain, but I'm talking in general.

But that has a lot more to do with mass production than it does with Walmart.

"higher wage manufacturing jobs" This is somewhat an oxy-moron. I believe it goes to skilled labor versus unskilled labor. IMHO assemblers are unskilled. higher paying jobs in manufacturing would be a small number because there's not a lot of need for "skilled" labor to keep the process going. Mechanics and managers.

You're right, and that's kinda what I meant, but was pressed for time typing the response.

The pay and benefits for Walmart employees is another thing Ive seen as issues for some to boycott the stores. However, the majority of Walmart employees fall into this "unskilled" labor category. Walmart follows a similar business plan to McDonalds: simple systems and processes are instituted so that minimal training is required. They are setup so that any random highschooler can step into almost any position (excluding things like management and pharmacy) and they can mindlessly complete the tasks. The difference between Walmart and McD's is that McD's actually hires random highschoolers.

If I had a amjor problem with Wal-mart this would be it. Just like all the big box stores they displace local businesses that families have operated and MADE LIVING OFF OF and the "jobs" they tout about bringing into the community are minimum wage jobs suitable for high schollers or retirees. Not living wage jobs. However the majority of the working people in the community will patronize these stores because their paycheck will go farther and they still have a job. It's called free enterprise, but I'm not really sure it's healthy for the local economy.

Yeah, but service stations supported whole families at one time, too. I really think business models go through evolution and extinction. Big box stores and the malls are just far more convenient than mom and pop shops scattered around.

 

[csb]

Alco is more like a wide ranging middle of America chain, with the wiener of America included:

Does that make the west coast of FL, just below the panhandle, the taint of America?

Yes, yes it does.

(Apologies to Pensacola.)

 

[MA_PE]

Yeah, but service stations supported whole families at one time, too. I really think business models go through evolution and extinction. Big box stores and the malls are just far more convenient than mom and pop shops scattered around.

Correct me if I'm wrong but service stations still do. Most are franchises for the conglomorate and the small ones still survive. It's not one big entity wiping out all the small ones. Similarly malls could be considered "business condos" as there are plenty of small retail businesses in the same location.

 

[Capt Worley PE]

Yeah, but service stations supported whole families at one time, too. I really think business models go through evolution and extinction. Big box stores and the malls are just far more convenient than mom and pop shops scattered around.

Correct me if I'm wrong but service stations still do. Most are franchises for the conglomorate and the small ones still survive. It's not one big entity wiping out all the small ones. Similarly malls could be considered "business condos" as there are plenty of small retail businesses in the same location.

No (or very few, but I can't think of any locally) service stations left down here...most of them are abandonded property now because of LUST. Some have become title loan places.

There are local repair places, but no service stations, per se.

Malls down here have few mom and pop type stores in them. Rent is pretty ridiculous in local malls.

 

[FLBuff PE]

Alco is more like a wide ranging middle of America chain, with the wiener of America included:

Does that make the west coast of FL, just below the panhandle, the taint of America?

Yes, yes it does.

(Apologies to Pensacola.)

Pansacola is in the western part of the Florida panhandle, near the FL/AL line. The real taint of America would therefore be Steinhatchee, FL (never been there. I had to Google Earth it). That would make Miami the A-hole. And therefore, the keys would be...

 

[FLBuff PE]

Here's a good reason not to go to Walmart for eye exams or glasses:

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