The Wal-Mart hatred bandwagon is a load of crap...
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Crowd forces can reach levels that almost impossible to resist or control. Virtually all crowd deaths are due to compressive asphyxia and not the "trampling" reported by the news media. Evidence of bent steel railings after several fatal crowd incidents show that forces of more than 4500 N (1,000 lbs.) occurred. Forces are due to pushing, and the domino effect of people leaning against each other.
Just thought I'd throw that out there.
Just thought I'd throw that out there.
I currently live in the home town of Wal-Mart being about 5 minutes away from the Wal-Mart headquarters. I have to say after living here Wal-Mart hate it or love there home office has helped to give almost everyone in this town a job and place to work, Which I think is a good thing.
Also even though it is the world headquarters there is still a ton of mom and pop and small retail shops that are supported by the community. So if this town is the headquarters of every Wal-Mart in the world and still has local supported mom and pop small chain stores I think Wal-Mart is not as bad as people make it out to be.
Also even though it is the world headquarters there is still a ton of mom and pop and small retail shops that are supported by the community. So if this town is the headquarters of every Wal-Mart in the world and still has local supported mom and pop small chain stores I think Wal-Mart is not as bad as people make it out to be.
Because you're a moron? Let's look at your so-called complaints:Samurai Goomba said:
So they should have done what, instead? Operating a store in a civilized country means that you have to assume people will respect property rights. In most places it's not necessary to have even a handful of employees to control a queue, they control themselves. Blaming Wal-mart for a riot is just obscene.
Oh, how awful, they sell low-priced goods to people that want low-priced goods. You'd prefer what, that they sell high-priced goods to no one? That people who can't afford high-priced goods be FORCED to go without?
And you claim that *Wal-mart* hates the customer, you elitist. Too bad that some of the people in the world aren't good enough for your majestic presence, your imperial majestic jerkfaceness.
Duh. Returns cost money. Prices stay low when costs are low. Can't have returns AND low prices.
So what? That just means we should encourage them to open more stores, like they want to, instead of complaining because the existing stores are crowded.
Um, yeah! And why should you hate them if you don't have to deal with them? That's like hating someone you've never met and never will just because they exist, it's freakin' psychotic.
Oh boo hoo, the universe didn't arrange itself for your personal convenience. Get Over It. Next you'll be hating the entire universe because wonderful things don't just fall on you.
This would be every company that does or ever has existed.Vortigar said:
Um, seeking constantly to reduce costs (and thus prices) is intensely moral behavior. It means that millions of people save money and have a higher standard of living because of it. There's no such thing as an "exploitative" contract because Wal-Mart can't force anyone to accept the contract--they have chosen to accept it because it's the best offer they've gotten.
How the heck do you think the U.S. GOT wealthy in the first place? By throwing money into black holes? No, by investment and production. Anyone in the entire world could do the same (and many have), but the rest of the world isn't going to become wealthy by sucking people who are wealthy dry. That's like saying that if you take all the money from the "wealthy" people and distribute it among people who aren't wealthy, we'd all be rich. We wouldn't. We'd all have, maybe, two or three thousand dollars that wouldn't be worth anything.
Actually, the "capitalistic" model is the *only* one in which sometimes the rich become poor and the poor become rich. Which other model are you comparing it to? The Soviet model where EVERYONE becomes appallingly poor except for a ruling clique which still has a lower standard of living than the impoverished in America? The numerous socialist models which eventually bankrupt the country and force free-market reforms? The caste or aristocratic model whereby you're born to a particular status and can never change?
It amazes me when people insist on complaining about things without either understanding how they actually work *or* offering some alternative. It's like whining that the sky is blue because you'd prefer it to be red.
ok as for wal-mart hate yeah there is great evidence of it
1. running local companies (such as rca) because wal-mart refused to buy from the plant, which a tow motor could drive to instead of being shipped from over seas and then offering jobs to the ppl who they just forced out of higher paying jobs
2. sure they got some employees on medicaide. why not pay for health benefits? it's not like they can't afford it
3. ANY employee can donate money to a cause they feel like. you are able to divert part of your paycheck to anything you wish
4. as for "saving money so ppl can spend them at other stores" most wal-marts are strategically located away from a lot of businesses on and not in the core of the city. this has the adverse affect of consumers not wanting to drive to the other stores that are now "out of the way" of the wal-mart store. also wal-mart is typically an all in one store which gives less incentive to go shopping at other stores
5. look at all the product recalls due to dangerous chemicals and paints used in stuff sold by wal-mart because they go to the lowest seller
there is tons of evidence why they are bad and it doesn't take much effort. the "good" points of wal-mart are typically not very good or things that make very little impact on their employees
1. running local companies (such as rca) because wal-mart refused to buy from the plant, which a tow motor could drive to instead of being shipped from over seas and then offering jobs to the ppl who they just forced out of higher paying jobs
2. sure they got some employees on medicaide. why not pay for health benefits? it's not like they can't afford it
3. ANY employee can donate money to a cause they feel like. you are able to divert part of your paycheck to anything you wish
4. as for "saving money so ppl can spend them at other stores" most wal-marts are strategically located away from a lot of businesses on and not in the core of the city. this has the adverse affect of consumers not wanting to drive to the other stores that are now "out of the way" of the wal-mart store. also wal-mart is typically an all in one store which gives less incentive to go shopping at other stores
5. look at all the product recalls due to dangerous chemicals and paints used in stuff sold by wal-mart because they go to the lowest seller
there is tons of evidence why they are bad and it doesn't take much effort. the "good" points of wal-mart are typically not very good or things that make very little impact on their employees
even though wal-mart is an epitome of eeeevil-corporations i must say their greeters are very nice.
there, one good thing about wal-mart
there, one good thing about wal-mart
You're seriously defending a company that attempted to pay its workers with company scrip? [http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssConsumerGoodsAndRetailNews/idUSN0546591320080905]
Sure, being paid $0.15 per hour is better than starving, but it's also fucking heinous when you consider that the company made $11.3bn [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2007/snapshots/1551.html] in profits in 2007. Does the corporation not owe a living wage to the workers that made them that 11 billion?
Just because the situation isn't as bad as it could be doesn't mean that it can't be any better.
EDIT: I re-read the beginning of your post and I just can't make sense of it. Are you saying that Wal-Mart making the areas surrounding it measurably poorer is somehow not Wal-Mart's fault?
Sure, being paid $0.15 per hour is better than starving, but it's also fucking heinous when you consider that the company made $11.3bn [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2007/snapshots/1551.html] in profits in 2007. Does the corporation not owe a living wage to the workers that made them that 11 billion?
Just because the situation isn't as bad as it could be doesn't mean that it can't be any better.
EDIT: I re-read the beginning of your post and I just can't make sense of it. Are you saying that Wal-Mart making the areas surrounding it measurably poorer is somehow not Wal-Mart's fault?
sorry if this is a little off topic, but I am also really angry at Wal-mart right now over the person being trampled to death. As disgusting as the mob's behavior in that incident is, they are not the only one's who hands have been dirtied. How could the store put their employee in harm's way like that? There was already police presence when the mob formed, yet it still happened!
Is it just me or does it really seem like Wal Mart is turning into the mock Wal Mart they had in that one episode of Family Guy? You know, the one that sucked out all the town's energy leaving the town with none to keep themselves cool with despite the tremendous heat wave?
Is it just me or does it really seem like Wal Mart is turning into the mock Wal Mart they had in that one episode of Family Guy? You know, the one that sucked out all the town's energy leaving the town with none to keep themselves cool with despite the tremendous heat wave?
Ever read "The Walmart Effect?"
http://www.amazon.com/Wal-Mart-Effect-Powerful-Works-Transforming/dp/1594200769
It tells the good and the bad about the company. Yes, it does give lots of people lots of products they wouldn't otherwise have and reduce inefficiency, but they DO destroy small business and kill ocean environments among other things. It's worth a read.
For my part, I have never stepped in a Walmart and never will. I'm using my consumer power to boycott
http://www.amazon.com/Wal-Mart-Effect-Powerful-Works-Transforming/dp/1594200769
It tells the good and the bad about the company. Yes, it does give lots of people lots of products they wouldn't otherwise have and reduce inefficiency, but they DO destroy small business and kill ocean environments among other things. It's worth a read.
For my part, I have never stepped in a Walmart and never will. I'm using my consumer power to boycott
Fuck Wal-Mart. They *are* evil. They made their illegal immigrant workers sleep in the store once. They try to bust labor unions. They destroy mom and pop shops and small town life. They're responsible for the hype surrounding Black Friday, and for the danger they put their workers in because of it (with no adequate safety and security measures).
Oh yeah, and THEY TUUK ERR JYEEEAAAHHBS!
Oh yeah, and THEY TUUK ERR JYEEEAAAHHBS!
To me , Walmart are being targeted just like Macdonald's were in 'Supersize me', they're the biggest, so they're the main target, and my problem is there's so much hate ready to be loaded onto them, I'm not sure how much to believe.
Sure they're in it for the money, they're a business, and I'm sure they could treat their customers and staff better, but you can only go so far in that direction before your competitor starts taking over, then you're without staff and customers.
What needs to be done is better laws governing treatment of staff, including a higher minimum wage!
If EVERYONE has to pay a reasonable amount, everyone has to put prices up (by not very much), and therefore no-one gets an advantage.
Anyone see Penn & Teller's 'Bullshit!' on Walmart? They actually took the unpopular stance of defending them, while acknowledging they do bad things.
Sure they're in it for the money, they're a business, and I'm sure they could treat their customers and staff better, but you can only go so far in that direction before your competitor starts taking over, then you're without staff and customers.
What needs to be done is better laws governing treatment of staff, including a higher minimum wage!
If EVERYONE has to pay a reasonable amount, everyone has to put prices up (by not very much), and therefore no-one gets an advantage.
Anyone see Penn & Teller's 'Bullshit!' on Walmart? They actually took the unpopular stance of defending them, while acknowledging they do bad things.
From what I've read, they need to let the unions in, give more power to their workers and store managers, and charge a few cents more to offer their staff and suppliers a better deal, price of gas how it is now, if you find out you're paying an extra 7c on a gallon of washing liquid, you aint getting back in your car to go elsewhere.
1. Not true. Other companies do.JMeganSnow said:
2. Why is convenience so offensive to you? Wal-Mart destroys convenience. It's nice to be able to go pick something up without having to order it through the mail and wonder if you'll even get the right thing, let alone in good condition.
.........If there was already a police presence, shouldn't they of noticed some guy getting stampeded at and fired a shot in the air to stop them? Or maybe even into the mob. Actually they should've shot at the mob till they ran out of bullets and then beat the shit out of them with their nightsticks (or whatever they're called) until they broke, than they would use their police cars to run themover.......ok I have to get rid of this boner.
1. I've said it before, but I'll say it again. They should have CALLED THE POLICE. They should have CLOSED THE STORE. Somebody DIED. Hello? Do they really need the profits from that one store so badly they're willing to let one of their own employees rot on the floor to make a little money? I can't imagine any decent store (Bi-Mart, Target, Sears) pulling this kind of garbage.JMeganSnow said:
They SAW how many people were out there. They should have done something about it... Something better than sending 10 minimum-wage employees out to hold back the crowd. It IS their fault (although it's also the fault of the employees who thought their cruddy pay was WORTH obeying their bosses for.)
2. There are plenty of other placed that sell low-priced goods without all of the crud and hassle of Wal-Mart. If you want electronics at a low price, shop online. If you want food, try places like Winco and Fred Meyer. Not only are these places MUCH nicer to shop in, they employ people who actually care and MAY even have some idea what they are doing. Wal-Mart is NOT the only place to buy things for cheap. It's absurd to even suggest that people will have to "go without" if a Wal-Mart isn't around.
3. Hmm... Maybe I'm leaving myself open to misinterpretation. Because of the low quality of the service, the absolute focus on prices and the hassle associated with shopping at Wal-Mart, people will frequently shop there without bathing/wearing clean clothes/taking needed medication/ doing their daily sanity checks. I'm not saying I'm any better than them, just that some of the people there aren't people I'd want to be in a dark alley with. If you would, fine.
4. As somebody else said, you can have both if you know where to shop. As long as you're not in a pawn shop/secondhand electronics store, MOST stores will give refunds for valid complaints with receipts. I can have what I want at a good price AND be able to return it if it doesn't work, so why would I shop someplace where I lose one of those choices (or both, considering the selection at Wal-Mart is pretty poor.)?
5. Wal-Mart is a bad place to shop because it's almost ALWAYS crowded with the literally unwashed masses. Opening more stores only gives them more business, and I don't think it'll help keep the crowds manageable.
6. What, I'm not allowed to hate them because I'm smart enough to mostly shop elsewhere? I never said I've NEVER shopped there. Actually it's like if I met someone, decided he/she was a jerk, then stopped hanging around them. Then somebody told me I had no right to complain because I never knew them. I know firsthand about all of Wal-Mart's evil, so I feel perfectly within my rights to hate them. My grandfather even worked for them. He's in his sixties, and they had him working graveyard shift all the time. Nice people, huh? Oh, and they really DON'T care about their employees. Just trust me, they don't.
Barnes and Noble point: Shopping is about convenience. If shopping isn't convenient anymore, why don't I just take up farming? But seriously, with the ease of internet shopping, stores should be trying to provide customers with intangible reasons to choose shopping in person over buying online. Things like customer service, employing smart people who know what they're doing and making transactions smooth and painless. Wal-Mart does none of these things.
This isn't about "wonderful things falling on me," it's about being able to find WHAT I WENT THERE LOOKING FOR. If it's not in stock and never will be, then I wasted a trip. I think most people would agree that going to a store looking for something you would expect them to have, then hearing that they don't have it is pretty annoying.