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WAL-MART.....seriously.

imaguitargod said:
That's totally BS. It's just like saying Americans don't want to do the jobs that the illegal Mexican immigrents are getting. Who do you think was getting and supplying Americans with products before Walmart? The little guys! They would EASLY handle the volume of sales because they already HAVE in the past!
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When did Walmart and CostCo start? 1970 for walmart (Well, it started in 1962 but 1970 it was pretty big already) and 1983 for costco. These are some a couple of the big guys, right? 200 million US citizens in 1970 and 230 million in 1983 and 300 million today.

I think the volume of sales is a lot different now then it was. Also now, local producers and suppliers couldn't keep up with demand - it's all been outsourced for so long that there isn't the infrastructure to do so, it would take a long time to reverse these changes (something I think might be needed, a little self sufficiency would probably really help the USA and Canada and protect us from cost increases due to politics, exchange, etc.).

I agree with the sentiment of putting money into the hands of small business but at the same time, I have to say most small businesses are very very poorly run. Watch most small shops when they actually have a busy rush, things fall apart pretty fast in most cases.

I do shop at the local farmer market and butcher for 90% of my food needs on a daily basis. I order meat and seafood from local producers in bulk also. But I do go to big chains like CostCo on a regular basis to fill up the cupboards with the staples that the local shops don't have or are overly priced. Gotta stretch my dollar where I can.

Of course, we may not be able to take advantage of this outsourced product for much longer, we'll see what happens when China and India get a bit more industrialised and start consuming the products they make for us... it's going to happen soon I think.
 
cheezydemon said:
It is what it is. Wal mart won't go away. In tough times their sales go up.
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Of course, they can afford to have smaller profit margins because they know they will make up for it in volume. Small business can't compete with that.

It's also a good thing for consumers who now get to stretch their dollar a bit more.

It's a bad thing for us small business, which is why we have to come up with innovative ways to earn more money while keeping our clients happy.

What bothers me is it's almost a union or handout mentality sometimes when you hear protests against big business. "Well they are big and mean, so help me out!" Man come on, David and Goliath and I don't think David got a helping hand. When the big guy isn't looking hit him in the side of the head with a little rock tossed from a sling while everyone else is waving swords/spears and carrying shields. Be innovative and different, don't expect to thrive just because you've been around so long. Complacency kills.
 
Everybody do themselves a favor and rent the movie "Walmart" you will think differently of them after watching. You think you are saving money shopping there, you are sadly mistaken.

Dale
 
The rubbermaid storage bin at Walmart cost $6.89. The same rubbermaid at Home Hardware is $12.99.

I dunno, same brand, model just different pricing.
 
lostmind said:
The rubbermaid storage bin at Walmart cost $6.89. The same rubbermaid at Home Hardware is $12.99.

I dunno, same brand, model just different pricing.
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Right. Thats the power of Walmart. They can make a phone call to Rubbermaid and say "Hey, we would like to buy a million of your storage bin's, but we would like to buy them for 5 dollars less than everyone else." And Rubbermaid will open a factory in hell if they have to just to be able to meet that demand because Walmart sells so much stuff. That's why they put little guy's outta business. We go there to save money, but you don't see every consequence. It's just smart shopping and good ol' capitalism, but that sort of thinking is why all our stuff, including the American flags sold in wallyworld, are made in China. As consumers we each need to make a decision about where our dollars go. Walmart didn't start the problem, but they sure are making it easy.
 
Wild Man Matt said:
Right. Thats the power of Walmart. They can make a phone call to Rubbermaid and say "Hey, we would like to buy a million of your storage bin's, but we would like to buy them for 5 dollars less than everyone else." And Rubbermaid will open a factory in hell if they have to just to be able to meet that demand because Walmart sells so much stuff. That's why they put little guy's outta business. We go there to save money, but you don't see every consequence. It's just smart shopping and good ol' capitalism, but that sort of thinking is why all our stuff, including the American flags sold in wallyworld, are made in China. As consumers we each need to make a decision about where our dollars go. Walmart didn't start the problem, but they sure are making it easy.
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That's not even the 1/2 of it. I'm telling you rent that movie you will shit your pants at all the stuff that shithole is doing to this country.

Dale
 
Errr...good to see you dale! (I LOVED the JALABANERO by the way)

I worked at a mattress store 12 years or so ago.

Sam's club (wallie world deux) was selling the same mattress set that we had below our cost....
 
Well I am on the other side of this equation when it comes to the wonderful world of webhosting. I have been in business for 9 years and have seen pricing go from $12/gb for bandwidth to nearly free. Big companies come along and start offering the world for a dollar and grab hundreds of thousands of clients.

Sure my product is better but the majority of people don't care. So I have to find the people who do care and cater to them.

It sucks, but I'm not complaining. I just refined my target market and am moving on, pressing forward. Sure, I've lost a lot of clients to the "big boys" selling the dream for a nickel but I'm still here and still innovating and pressing ahead.
 
I used to despise Walmart and would feel dirty if I had to go to one. I tend to shop where I can find the best product and unfortunately right now, especially for some good chiles and produce, Walmart is now the place. The farmers markets around here have issues with good varieties of chiles and even those that do come in are sketchy at best for flavor. I get the best from my own garden that is raised due to the lack of good soil her in NC. High acidic red clay does not make for good chile growing. Our markets have a crap load of ok corn, cabbage and other hardy veggies.

Plus like others have said, good or bad, made here or somewhere else; Walmart works for most!
 
The Wal-marts here carry poblano, serrano, jalapeno, anaheim, and some unnamed sweet peppers in the plastic container (which are actually very tasty), and of course bells. Unfortunately, the poblano, serrano, jalapeno, and anaheim aren't ripe. They also carry tomatillos pretty much year round, which is great because I love tomatillos. They also have dried poblano (ancho), japonese, and guajillo chiles. Also, chipotles in adobo sauce, and jarred roasted red bell peppers. Sometimes fresh Ancient Sweets and fresnos as well. Not a great selection by any means, but pretty decent for Wal-mart. Most of the people shopping there are probably more interested in cheesy poofs and mountain dew.

They also have a deli with some nice items like roasted guajillo enchilada sauce, Athena Feta Cheese, Buffalo Mozzarella, etc. I would prefer to shop elsewhere, but Wal-mart is so much cheaper than stores like Kroger that I can't afford to buy the majority of my food there. I will swing by Kroger or Baesler's or local grocery stores for certain things though.
 
I think walmart is an excellant company, I chat with the greeters, can't top some of the other greeters, my guy is an old retired englishman(imigrated from southern tip of england-like I said, I chat with them), I thought is was great that walmart has both electric and manual wheelchairs right at its enterance. We practically live at walmart, visit minimum 4 times per week, its 2 minutes from the house.

We have a supercentre walmart, 20 minutes from the house, there I found and purchased somewhat fresh habaneros from mexico($2.97 for package of 12). I also buy their greatvalu hot sauce, it is made from habaneros($1.68). They had other peppers but I wouldn't them because I have enough in my freezer. I buy their mix bean salad in a can(.87) - toss in some chopped veggies, add a splash of balsamic vinegar....hmmmmm, nice bean salad.
 
I guess I am shopping local when I shop at Walmart - Their home office is about a mile or so from where I live - yes I now live where Walton started his first store - and nope I don't work for them or own any stock - but I just about have to shop WalMart or drive a ways out of the way to get what I need
 
saw the documentary about walmart.
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In this world, you are going to have to get use to right/left wing politics, that's what it's all about, who can get the 15 second sound bite - there are documentaries about how good walmart is.

Let's put this into perspective, walmart employs thousands of people ... I don't have an job and haven't for over a year and no, I wouldn't work at walmart, that's not my expertise.

But in a world were jobs are scarce, what's wrong with walmart..... is it because they squeeze their suppliers to deliver at cheaper prices and on time distribution... what is wrong with that? All the manufacturers have to do is say "they do not wish to deal with walmart" and work with any of the other scores of companies... but do you really think black & decker is going to do that, knowing that B&D will spend thousands of dollars taking walmart execs out for lunches/suppers and holiday trips.........don't think it doesn't happen.... grow up.

In the industry I come from, many manufactures have turned to internet/web based companies to deliver more and more of their products(though they no it comes without support), people are just smarter with the web... they may purchased from the web and when things don't quit work out, then it should be up to their management to fire these types for their arrogance. I have been in the situation many times where I have gone in and done a presentation on products, only to find the company decided to purchase from the web because they thought it was cheaper. Then, have been called back to complain that what I said isn't working, even though they bought off the web. If they would have bought my solution then things would have worked.

.... its like purchasing bhut jolokia seeds from a company you have never heard of, what did you think was going to happen.
 
Sorry but just because they're needed by some people does not mean what they're doing is right.

I know things are not black and white. I know that for a fact. Being born into a third world country does not only teach you how hard life is but also exposes you to said hardships. The hardships in this world are pretty much etched into my brain.

Sure capitalism is good. But when people way too many people suffer for it. Then I am against the people who take advantage of it. I am all for capitalism as I once was a business owner. Only to be toppled over by dirty tactics and racism (I am a filipino and most of the chinese run a lot of the major businesses in this country).

I know how cutthroat businesses are, I've had one. I'm one of those former business owners who were crapped over for crying out loud.

Just because it's easier to just fold doesn't mean I shoud do it. I have my principles. Sure some people cannot afford to do the same. But that doesn't mean I have to do it.

I respect your opinion and belief. No doubt that you are very experienced and a lot older than I am. But please do not lecture me how hard life is. I am a filipino. I live the hard life every single day.
 
Kroger rocks.

Retta will pass Kroger to get to Wal-Mart. Yeah, the prices are better in some cases, but the meat sucks, the deli sucks, and they never have what I need.

YAY KROGER!!
 
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