I see we're on our annual "kick that nasty successful Wal-Mart around a bit" thread again.
First off, let me say that I have no Wal-Mart stock ... although that would be a safer investment than some of mine ... and I'm not an employee of or supplier to Wal-Mart (in other words, no vested interest) ... nor am I a competitor.
I am, however, an interested observer since I shop there from time to time and my wife's handicapped son works at the store in Nacogdoches. That store employs at least a dozen handicapped folks and I don't believe ANY of them are paid minimum wage. The store here in Midland, Michigan employs some handicapped folks. How many other employers are so willing to employ the handicapped? Especially the very handicapped? The greeter at our store is probably one of those thalidomide babies ... stub arms and legs ... operates her motorized wheelchair with a mouthstick. Not very useful as an employee but it sure makes a statement. Yeah, I know all the naysayers will say it's just publicity .... but, regardless, they hired her instead of just spending that amount of money on advertising.
On to the products ... there were the usual "no made in America goods" comments. Wonder why that is? I remember some years ago when they made a major effort - with major advertising too - to stock the store with stuff that was stickered "Made in America"? Hmmm, do you think that could have failed because people were shopping by price and quality and not by a sticker????
No staff or undertrained staff? Golly ... that is just SO different than any other store I go into. Heck, I have to run away from staff in all the other stores ... not! You know, some of us - well, me anyway - don't actually depend on people that are educated so well that they work in retail (sorry, no offence intended to retail workers) for our information. We have research tools available (like TBN) so that we know what to look for before we go to the store. What are the odds that the kid (or retiree) in the automotive section will be an expert in the qualities of various hydraulic oils? And tire comparisons? And how to hook up the waste connectors on your RV? And which bondo products are better for your fibreglas boat? I'd submit that if he (or she) were expert in all that ... they'd likely be paid big bucks elsewhere instead of working the swing shift.
Bottom line .... no one forces you to shop there ... but at least be honest about why you don't like them. They drove some mom-and-pop shop out of business? Well duh! Isn't that the American way? Isn't competition and doing it better, faster and cheaper what built this country? Mom-and-pop were peacefully coexisting with other mom-and-pops?
Personally, I prefer the local alternative, Meijers .... but I shop at Wal-Mart if I think they'll have what I want. And I'm at Sam's at least once every two weeks. Oh and no service? I was looking for a watchband (mine broke in the Netherlands last week) yesterday and I'd just started to rotate the display when a clerk came up, asked if she could help, took my watch, found the right size, grabbed one of each band that matched that size, set them in front of me and then took the one I chose and installed it. I was in and out - and happy - in less than 5 minutes. AND I also bought too much ... saw a display of fluorescent fixtures that were just right fo rth ebarn and I had been thinking of replacing several and adding more ....
Oh and K-Mart ... I stopped shopping there when that oversized anti-male, anti-family, anti-gun spokesthing started speaking for K-Mart. Of course, the fact that the local K-Marts are the opposite of Wal-Mart - dirty, dingy, poorly stocked, etc ... certainly helped.
One last thing ... life insurance. I haven't seen this one reported but I'm confused. It's a bad thing that they're collecting insurance that they paid for? Help me out here ... are you saying that if you insured your car and collected on that insurance, that would be wrong? Not trying to equate a person (Janitor) with a thing (car) .... just trying to understand what the problem is. They weren't socialist enough for you?
