Solid Snake Hates: Walmart

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by SolidSnake84

I like Schneed and i generally agree with him, but i feel like if WM treated the workers better they would attract better workers.

But he is right, you dont need people skills or anything to work there. And he's right about the business world too. But in a sense, that is wrong, because many people like myself take pride in tradition and family businesses and the like, are part of our lives.

Case in point, Walmart is selling cars in Texas. True story. My family, as some of you know, have operated a car dealership for close to 30 years. It's gave us everything we have. If Walmart started selling cars here, we would be out of business in no time...

They have a word for that Carmax.

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

They can treat their employees like dirt because their employees are cashiers, stockroom workers and greeters, they're easily replaced. You don't exactly need a Harvard degree to get a job at Wal-Mart. They give people jobs, they give people lower prices, and they don't focus on service.

I suspect they don't treat their employees much worse on the whole than similar type employees get treated in the industry in general.. They just have a lot more employees and are a very easy target.

[saden1]

Out of control virus:

[SolidSnake84]

Originally Posted by saden1

Out of control virus:

Man that's freaking epic. Now it just needs to be set to the 28 days later track "In a heartbeat".

If that map is true, which i suspect it is, then the world will be consumed within 10-15 years.

[tryfuhl]

I love living in downtown areas, too bad it's so much money.

[mlmpetert]

Went to Walmart during lunch. I really really like that place. Everyone there was super nice too. I even had a short conversation with the cashier about the weather.

I do have 2 problems with Walmart.

1) the parking lot usually sucks, but it is better than having to go to 3 different stores and deal with parking 3 times

2) They always use WAY too many bags. I usually try to go through self checkout but this Walmart didnt have one. I got some frozen mixed fruit, a tooth brush (twin pack), and 1 bottle of multi vitamins. 3 bags. She double bagged the mix fruit and put the tooth brush and multi vitamin in a separate bag. Everything could have gone in 1 bag easy and the frozen fruit wasnt even heavy or real big or anything. This always happens and just pisses me off, i cant stand all these extra bags.

[firstdown]

Tell your buddy I have a slightly used tooth brush I'll let go for a good deal.

[SolidSnake84]

we watched a similar thing when i was in economics during my college years. The documentary that was brand new at that time was called "WalMart: The High Cost of Low Prices".

[hooskins]

lol Schneed I dont fear change. In fact I love change, but I value things likes cultures, new ways of thought, etc. What exactly does Walmart have to offer? A culture of low prices, lol?

Sure some people care only about price, and I do too for certain products. However I rather get a real pizza from a place that has been around for 10 plus years and has really developed a good product. A good product to me is not just price, but quality. And Schneed, as someone who understands consumer preferences, I would hope you know that each consumer has his/her own preferences. Part of my utility curve accounts for these "intangibles"

I guess I am an outlier, but that doesnt mean I am getting attached. I just am willing to pay extra for what I want. Also if you note I clearly said I dont care about how they treat their employees.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by hooskins

lol Schneed I dont fear change. In fact I love change, but I value things likes cultures, new ways of thought, etc. What exactly does Walmart have to offer? A culture of low prices, lol?

Sure some people care only about price, and I do too for certain products. However I rather get a real pizza from a place that has been around for 10 plus years and has really developed a good product. A good product to me is not just price, but quality. And Schneed, as someone who understands consumer preferences, I would hope you know that each consumer has his/her own preferences. Part of my utility curve accounts for these "intangibles"

I guess I am an outlier, but that doesnt mean I am getting attached. I just am willing to pay extra for what I want. Also if you note I clearly said I dont care about how they treat their employees.

Yeah, I wasn't just addressing you, I was responding to a few posts from a few people, so not all of that applied to you.

I get what you're saying, sometimes I like some personal attention when I go to buy something too. Like electronics or computer equipment, sometimes I need a few answers. But most of what Wal-Mart sells requires no customer service, the consumer is perfectly capable of self-selecting. Tube socks, frozen pizza, tennis balls, a Justin Bieber CD, etcetera. Nobody needs help with the lion's share of the stuff Wal-Mart sells.

[CRedskinsRule]

Forbes Top 20 Companies


Photo: Wal-Mart

1. Wal-Mart Stores
Rank: 1 (Previous Rank: 2)
Revenues ($ millions): 408,214.0
CEO: Michael T. Duke

The mega-retailer didn't have a whole lot to complain about in fiscal 2010. Profits were up and, thanks to its sales, the company once again climbed to the top of the Fortune 500. Same-store sales were about flat for the year, but compared with Target's 2.5% decline, flat is good.

Most remarkable was Wal-Mart's image overhaul. It helped that former CEO Lee Scott beefed up health care coverage for employees, thought more about the environment and became a public presence. Certain critics will never be placated and fiscal first-quarter results weren't the greatest. But there's no denying Scott left new CEO Mike Duke a company in fighting form.

[firstdown]

I'd like to know what type of Mom & Pop stores that Wall Mart is running out of business because I hear that arguement all the time.

[SolidSnake84]

Originally Posted by firstdown

I'd like to know what type of Mom & Pop stores that Wall Mart is running out of business because I hear that arguement all the time.

Down in Atmore, there's a store called "Joe's Grocery". It's been there probably 35 years...ran by an older man and his son's family. They know everyone that comes there, have kids' pictures up on their bulletin board, stuff like that.

Probably everybody worked there at 1 time while they were in high school, etc.

If Walmart ever came to town, it would be out of business, and that's how walmart wants it.

[jdlea]

Originally Posted by SolidSnake84

Down in Atmore, there's a store called "Joe's Grocery". It's been there probably 35 years...ran by an older man and his son's family. They know everyone that comes there, have kids' pictures up on their bulletin board, stuff like that.

Probably everybody worked there at 1 time while they were in high school, etc.

If Walmart ever came to town, it would be out of business, and that's how walmart wants it.

You say that, but they'd be out of business because that's how the townspeople want it. It's en vogue right now to hate on Wal-Mart, but people vote with their feet everyday, and they're taking their asses to Wal-Mart. There's nothing wrong with that, people just can't have it both ways.

This whole, Wal-Mart ends small businesses argument is getting really old. Just don't go to the Wal-Mart, go to the smaller store. It's not really that difficult. If that's your concern, go to Joe's Grocery and not Wal-Mart. If it's really that big of a deal to the rest of the community, they wouldn't go to Wal-Mart either.

It's not Wal-Mart's fault that they can offer a lower price.

[hooskins]

Well first, lets figure this out by analyzing Walmart. All of Walmart's products are provided at a very low cost to consumers. And Walmart sells anything and everything.

Any store that sells food, clothes, medicines, supplies, electronics, etc. So any store.