Is Wal-Mart Destroying America? 20 Facts About Wal-Mart That Will Absolutely Shock You
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America absolutely loves Wal-Mart. 100 million customers visit Wal-Mart every single week in this country. But is Wal-Mart good for America? That is a question that most people never stop and ask. Most of us love shopping in big, clean stores that are packed with super cheap merchandise, but the truth is that Wal-Mart is destroying America in a lot of ways. As you will see below, Wal-Mart has destroyed tens of thousands of small businesses and countless manufacturing jobs over the past couple of decades. Wal-Mart has become a gigantic retail behemoth that sells five times more stuff than any other retailer in the United States. Unfortunately, about 85 percent of all the stuff sold at Wal-Mart is made overseas. What that is costing the U.S. economy in terms of lost jobs and lost revenue is incalculable. But Wal-Mart is a perfect example of where our economic system is headed. Our economy is becoming completely and totally dominated by highly centralized monolithic predator corporations that ruthlessly crush all competition and that will stoop to just about anything in order to cut costs. In the future, will we all be working for gigantic communal entities that funnel all of the wealth and economic rewards to a very tiny elite? That sounds very much like how communist China works, and red-blooded Americans should want no part of that. America is supposed to be about free enterprise and competition and working together to build up this country, and Wal-Mart is destroying all of that.
The following are 20 facts about Wal-Mart that will absolutely shock you….
#1 The average U.S. family now spends more than $4000 a year at Wal-Mart.
#2 In 2010, Wal-Mart had revenues of 421 billion dollars. That amount was greater than the GDP of 170 different countries including Norway, Venezuela and the United Arab Emirates.
#3 If Wal-Mart was a nation, it would have the 23rd largest GDP in the world.
#4 Wal-Mart now sells more groceries than anyone else in America does. In the United States today, one out of every four grocery dollars is spent at Wal-Mart.
#5 Amazingly, 100 million customers shop at Wal-Mart every single week.
#6 Wal-Mart has opened more than 1,100 ”supercenters” since 2005 alone.
#7 Today, Wal-Mart has more than 2 million employees.
#8 If Wal-Mart was an army, it would be the second largest military on the planet behind China.
#9 Wal-Mart is the largest employer in 25 different U.S. states.
#10 According to the Economic Policy Institute, trade between Wal-Mart and China resulted in the loss of 133,000 manufacturing jobs in the United States between 2001 and 2006.
#11 The CEO of Wal-Mart makes more in a single hour than a full-time Wal-Mart associate makes in an entire year.
#12 Tens of thousands of Wal-Mart employees and their children are enrolled in Medicaid and are dependent on the government for healthcare.
#13 Between 2001 and 2007, the value of products that Wal-Mart imported from China grew from $9 billion to $27 billion.
#14 Sadly, about 85 percent of all the products sold at Wal-Mart are made outside of the United States.
#15 It is being reported that about 80 percent of all Wal-Mart suppliers are in China at this point.
#16 Amazingly, 96 percent of all Americans now live within 20 miles of a Wal-Mart.
#17 The number of “independent retailers” in the United States declined by 60,000 between 1992 and 2007.
#18 According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Wal-Mart spent 7.8 million dollars on political lobbying during 2011. That number does not even include campaign contributions.
#19 Today, Wal-Mart has five times the sales of the second largest U.S. retailer (Costco).
#20 The combined net worth of six members of the Walton family is roughly equal to the combined net worth of the poorest 30 percent of all Americans.
All over the country, independent retailers are going out of business because they cannot compete with Wal-Mart and their super cheap Chinese products. Often communities will give Wal-Mart huge tax breaks just to move in to their areas. But what many communities don’t take into account is that the introduction of a Wal-Mart is often absolutely devastating to small businesses….
A study of small and rural towns in Iowa showed lost sales for local businesses ranging from -17.2% in small towns to -61.4% in rural areas, amounting to a total dollar loss of $2.46 BILLION over a 13-year period.
When we buy stuff made by people working for slave labor wages in China, we destroy good paying American jobs and we make America poorer. This is a point that I have tried to makeover and over.
Wal-Mart often tells one thing to the public and then does another thing in private. Sadly, the truth is that Wal-Mart does not care about U.S. manufacturing jobs. Wal-Mart just wants to get products as cheaply as they possibly can, and most of the time that means getting them from China.
Just check out this first-hand testimony from an 81-year-old retired apparel manufacturer….
I was president of the Southwestern Apparel Manufacturers Association. There was a meeting sometime between 1985 and 1990. Walmart had contacted our organization and asked if they could meet with us at our beautiful Apparel Mart we had here in Dallas, which has now been razed, because all the independent merchants don’t exist that used to come to it. Two people from Walmart came down and they said they were going to be sourcing goods from overseas and we would have to meet those prices for consumer products and to get ready for it—we are going to be sourcing the world. Walmart was the only company that came out and said this.
It was sort of shocking: I was selling them some merchandise at the time. On the back of their trucks it was saying “Bring it Back to America!” They had the big “keep it in America” program going at that time on the big signs in the stores. Meanwhile when I reminded the buyer of that, she told me, “that is just for domestic consumption, we’re going to buy at the cheapest we can anywhere on earth.”
As I have written about previously, the United States has lost more than 56,000 manufacturing facilities since 2001.
We are losing millions of good jobs that cannot be replaced. If you can believe it, the United States has actually lost an average of about 50,000 manufacturing jobs a month since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001.
Last year, the U.S. trade deficit with China was the biggest trade deficit that one nation has had with another nation in the history of the world, and Wal-Mart played a huge role in that.
In fact, Wal-Mart has actually been forcing some U.S. manufacturers to pack up and move overseas. The following is from a recent article by Amy Traub….
Walmart’s market power is so immense that the even the largest suppliers must comply with its demands for lower and lower prices because they cannot afford to have their goods taken off its shelves. Companies that used to manufacture products in the United States, from Levi’s jeans to lock maker Master Lock, were pressured to shut their U.S. factories and moved manufacturing abroad to meet Walmart’s demand for low prices.
Unfortunately, the vast wealth that Wal-Mart is sucking out of our communities is not put back into our communities. The profits are funneled out to Wal-Mart executives and shareholders. We may enjoy the low prices, but very little of the money that we give to Wal-Mart gets recycled in our local areas.
In the old days, you could actually support a family selling electronics or running a general store. But you can’t support a family working at Wal-Mart. The vast majority of the jobs that Wal-Mart creates are very low paying. Large numbers of Wal-Mart employees are actually on welfare, and this is part of the reason why we have seen such an explosion in the number of the working poorin America.
At this point, more than 40 percent of all jobs in America are low wage jobs and the middle class is rapidly disappearing.
If we do not support American jobs and American manufacturers they will continue to go away and the welfare rolls in this country will continue to explode.
There is not going to be any prosperity in this country without jobs. Unfortunately, most Americans simply do not understand how good jobs are being systematically destroyed in America every single day.
The path that America is headed on today is only going to end in complete and total disaster. We are being transformed from a wealthy nation into a poor nation. In the end, we will be dominated by a very tiny elite and everyone else will either be among the working poor or will be totally dependent on the government.
Our system is supposed to be about open, honest competition. But that is not what Wal-Mart is about. Wal-Mart is about crushing small businesses and manufacturers here in America and getting us all to buy their super cheap Chinese-made goods.
Shame on Wal-Mart. They are an un-American disgrace.
So what do all of you think about Wal-Mart? Please feel free to post a comment with your thoughts below….
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11:11 am
so we suppose to pay more to keep peoples jobs?
11:21 am
-One way to repatriate manufacturing jobs into the USA is for politicians to muster enough "balls" to press congress to put a duty tax on those 85% of products coming from China. This will obviously not go down well for US treasuries (China is a big holder ) but if jobs are to be created, the US government must act proactively and not just hide behind the guise of "free trade". Sure consumers will feel the "pinch" at the cash counter but this shouldf be regarded as short term pain for long term gain as repatriated jobs will ensure consumers will be able to continue shopping with confidence in the future.
11:23 am
RIGHT ON. We have a Target store in our town and it is cleaner than Walmart and the people are more polite. It is time to say good bye to Walmart.
10:22 am
With respect, there is NO difference between Walmart and Target: Walmart just happens to be bigger. Target buys just as many of its products from overseas.
9:07 am
I think you missed the point.
10:11 am
Target sources their clothes from China also. There labor practices are equal to Walmart. If companies want to compete, they need to be smarter than Walmart. So far, no one is.
10:50 am
Yes, that may be true but, do you realize that Target is owned by a French corporation? Not only that, it refused to allow the US Marines to operate their "Toys for Tots" bins during Xmas! The powers that control Target are very anti-American….Note that!! I said anti-American, not anti-Money!!!!
10:36 am
Do some real research before you post lies and innuendos. http://www.snopes.com/politics/military/target.as…
9:12 pm
Target is NOT owned by a French corporation. Snopes.com is your friend.
8:53 am
And the stuff from Target isnt made in China?
11:12 am
Vincent…it's the same thing! Where do you think Target gets their products from? I hope you're being sarcastic here…
9:01 am
And do you think Target sales American made products?
10:21 am
Target is owned by France
11:23 am
I too find Target a more pleasant shopping experience. I doubt that Target's merchandise is any more often made in America, however.
11:44 am
I live in Michigan and proudly drive a Ford and shop at Meijer's!
1:30 pm
Target is the same, just a better image. Their whole "Lorax- Save the Trees" line is made in China
11:40 am
Time to slap immense tarifs on Chinese made garbage! Time to reinstitute the Anti-trust laws and go after the big conglomerates that are destroying our economy!
11:28 am
First, I know a lot of small and medium business owners that sell items that Walmart does, they still exist and are doing well so I am not convinced Walmart is the ultimate boogey man you claim.
Second, what exactly do you propose we do about it?
10:13 am
The number of “independent retailers” in the United States declined by 60,000 between 1992 and 2000 – didn't lose ALL of them, but a large portion of small businesses have collapsed.
Tax and tariff policies can be favorable to small businesses so we can protect family operations. We need to decide if ownership v. basic employment is a value to America society. I believe small businesses are worth protecting.
10:25 am
Correct. You cannot compete with Walmart on price, but you can compete on selection and customer service. WM has a hundred books; my neighborhood independent bookseller has a few thousand and will special-order anything that he doesn’t have. In every department, if you want the basics, WM has it, but if you need a specialty item, you have to go elsewhere.
But it’s easier to blame WalMart than to admit that your business management skills are so lacking that you can’t figure out how to fill the niche market. I saw a local shop successfully compete with WM until a new owner took over and made a bunch of really stupid decisions; even without WM 5 miles away those decisions would have brought down the shop.
7:59 am
What we need to do is restrict Chinese goods with a tarriff. Greedy businesses like Walmart will lose big, and have to reexamine their model. Meanwhile manufacturing in the US and Mexico will resume.
12:06 pm
Do what was done in days past when some manufacturing companies and others got so big they could do as Wal-mart is doing they were forced by the feds to break up into smaller companies. The law was called anti-trust and it was used to split up the likes of the business group called "the robber barons" who controlled most of the railroads, coal and timber and later oil resources of USA and at lot of world.
2:37 am
You only care about yourself.. There's nothing you can do until you are out of work, then you understand, then it's too late.. You are the problem not the solution..
11:54 am
i AGREE 100%.
11:36 am
follow up to my previous comment: one thing to consider is the uncertainty over environmental conditions to produce the 85% of items manufactured in China compared to making them in the USA.
11:42 am
If you hate Wal-Mart, you must really have a problem with the US government.
10:15 am
Wal-Mart is a private company, a corporation. The government is a public entity where each of us are "owners." Your comparison makes no sense.
2:01 pm
Stick with the government..that's why you are in the 99%!!!!!!
9:34 am
Maybe we have a problem with both.
1:29 pm
yes thats were the biggest problems lies, REPUBLICANS and their influences together with a US culture/mentality of MORE MORE MORE MORE
10:25 am
I don't understand your point. Walmart does not buy American for the most part, Walmart does not pay wages or benefits that allow its employees to be independent of government programs, so wouldn't the opposite be true?
10:28 am
You are right, I have a huge problem with how the US government is in Wal Marts' puppet! Securing tax breaks,skirting environmental regulations while undercutting US businesses and encouraging /forcing its employees to go after gov assistance…Wal Mart is at the heart of so much corruption! They have the Republicans in a chokehold and have for years.
3:50 pm
um….actually, yes, the US government is pretty screwed up right now.
2:26 pm
thank you, sounds like union criminal activity and they dont have a problem with government because they work with government
12:25 pm
You wrote,”If Wal-Mart was a nation…”, “If Wal-Mart was an army…”. It should be “If Wal-Mart were a nation…”, “If Wal-Mart were an army…”. Such statements are in the subjunctive mood and the verb is always plural. Otherwise, I agree with the premise on Wal-Mart. I travel a good deal in my work and have seen the shuttering of downtown areas of small towns. People are not learning about starting a business because they don’t work their way up through the small businesses that are fast fading from the American landscape
8:09 am
Just like i should say "Nobody cares about your arrogant auto-corrects, you pompous ass" instead of "Nobody cares about you're arrogant auto-corrects, you pompous ass".
9:54 am
I see someone studied for their GMAT!
5:36 pm
shouldn't that be subjunctive mode?
12:17 pm
my goodness! you got the point, didn't you? what a snob!
11:13 am
This is not a case of subjunctive mood, you idiot. Subjunctive mood uses the word "that", i.e., "I suggest that you not post if you are an idiot.." The "If … were/was" case is called uses the past subjunctive form of the verb "to be." Howvever, it is merely a formal use, both forms are grammatically correct. I.e., "If I were you, I wouldn't post comments," or "If I was you, I wouldn't post comments."
1:29 am
In grammar, it's referred to as "tense" not "mood", if you must nitpick English.
1:22 pm
To correct Bacon…If u were to use the word "were' it would correctly be written as "If Wal-Mart were to be a nation." Please look stuff up before you try to correct people, it makes others even more misguided than they were in the first place..If u dont know it, SHUT IT.
2:18 pm
Wlmrt is the whore of babylon, The beast. It should have been busted up like AT@T was in the 70's a long time ago, for everything there is a price and now we are paying it.
8:39 pm
Not the case that the verb is plural. The verb is in the conditional tense.
12:27 pm
If Walmart is an "un-American disgrace," what does that make the people who shop there? They are the ones who demand lower prices by deciding where to spend their money. I think that most shoppers want the lowest price, regardless of the consequences to the American workers. If you can convince the American public to spend more for American produced goods, then Walmart might change its tune and provide them.
9:20 am
You are right. The blame has to be spread not only to customers but to taxing authorities as well. I think everyone is to blame. The members of the Walton family can dictate terms in every aspect of their lives and folks, there isn't anything that we are going to do about it except complain about it as we buy goods from our nearest Walmart. And the beat goes on.
11:19 am
Have you ever seen WALMARTIAN series of pics? I think that may answer a good bit of your question. I for one do not shop there and never will.
1:15 pm
"We did not demand" anything. Walmart forces its way in and demands we buy from them and destroys all retail in the area leaving no options. Without any other options some people have to shop at Walmart or drive 40 miles to some other store.
They first get people there with the bright lights and big wide isles filled with more options then most people have ever seen and before you know it everything else is dead.
Walmart is killing this country's economy.
3:55 am
Walmart will buy American same quality goods when American goods cost them less than foreign goods. Walmart cannot sell for less if it can't buy it for less.
American companies need to find ways to make things for less rather than artificially, through government intervention, making foreign goods more expensive. In the long run government inference in the economy 'to make things fair' hurts businesses and the consumers.
1:23 pm
Yes, that's it – we need slave labor factories here in the U.S.! Just like those in China, we can manufacture goods for sale at Walmart for the same cost, all we need to do is pay workers substandard wages so they have to depend on welfare programs like Medicaid and AFDC and Title 8 paid for by taxpayers (the 53%).
Yeah, that's the ticket.
12:32 pm
The problem is, when shopping at other more expensive stores one needs only to look at the lables and see you are paying more for foreign made objects. It isn't just Walmart, look at the lables of clothing at Macy's. Trying to find US made anything is near impossible.
7:21 am
The expensive stores are also selling mostly imported clothing. Even our olympic uniforms from Ralph Lauren are made in China
10:31 am
Correct. Target and KMart sell just as much cheap Chinese merchandise, but no one’s pointing the finger at them for “destroying America”. Their employees earn the same per hour as WalMart’s, entitling some of them to food stamps and Medicaid, but no one’s raising a ruckus about them.
In 1981, when there wasn’t a single WalMart in this state, I needed a new TV. I called around the county looking for a US-made one and the only one I found was a huge console, too large for either my small student apartment or my small student budget. All except that one were made in Asia. And that was long before WalMart had the size/power to manipulate the market.
9:59 am
Have you ever seem the pics from "The People of Walmart?" Look it up. That is what the people of Walmart are.
"Who needs all This %+€! Anyway. Save your money for retirement and stay off of welfare and out off my pockets. That wiill make America much stronger. So would term limits on all politicians."
9:25 am
Yes. Take a look. Ralph Lauren, J Crews, the Loft. The list goes on and on.
12:36 pm
Hmmm…
WalMart is from … Arkansas.
Bill Clinton is from … Arkansas.
China was granted Most Favored Nation trade status under … Bill Clinton's administration.
Of course this is just a coincidence. Large corporations don't influence our esteemed policitians. Their duty is to the common good, after all.
Yeah – right.
10:10 am
China received Most Favored Nation trade status in 1980. This is reviewed annually. It was denied briefly in 1989 due to the Tiananmen Square massacre. Our human rights record is arguable worse than China's so we have to be careful how we evaluate a nation like China.
11:36 am
Wrong! China received most favored nation status from Newt and Clinton vis GATT and WTO. 2 things Reagan seriously disliked GATT & WTO. Reagan was a Fair Trader and had import tarifs and quotas as opposed to Neo-Con Free Traders. Bush Sr., Clinton, Bush Jr., and now Obama are all Free Traders not Fair Traders. Romney is a Free Trader. Ross Perot, Pat Buchanan, Ron Paul, and Ralph Nader are all Fair Traders and believe in quotas and import tarifs.
From Wikipedia:
"Most favoured nation" relationships extend reciprocal bilateral relationships following both GATT and WTO norms of reciprocity and non-discrimination. In bilateral reciprocal relationships a particular privilege granted by one party only extends to other parties who reciprocate that privilege, while in a multilateral reciprocal relationship the same privilege would be extended to the group that negotiated a particular privilege. The non-discriminatory component of the GATT/WTO applies a reciprocally negotiated privilege to all members of the GATT/WTO without respect to their status in negotiating the privilege.
10:43 am
Pooor Tom I take it you are not a fan of Wal-mart Arkansas or Bill Clinton ! At least when he was in office he created jobs unlike say Haliburton Bush Texas Bush ! Most Favored nation status RICH PEOPLE ! Their duty to keep everyone else POOR ! AFTER ALL !
2:40 am
Ronald Reagan started the trade with China.. Do your homework before you slash the Democrats..
9:26 am
NO, Nixon started trade with China by normalising relations with them. Hense the Vucan proverb,"Only Nixon could go to China"
1:01 pm
Typical Dem cant or don't know how to comprehend anothers opinion and make a mildly intelligent reply nothing was said about who started trade with China………its attitudes and responses like yours that prove this country will continue to suffer.
11:28 am
Wrong! nixon started the trade with China! Do YOUR homework before you slash Reagan!
10:14 am
Wal-mart and Tyson foods owned and operated Bill Clinton. His legacy will continue to have a negative impact on America for generations, as will Obama and his administrations agenda.
This is it people. This is the election where you actually do make a difference. If your an Obamaphile please just stay home. Even if you don't support Romney, understand that Obama MUST GO before he completes his methodical destruction of a system of constitutional government that has withstood all attacks for more than 230 years.
12:37 pm
Perfect! This is exactly what has happened to good paying American jobs. Corporate America has been allowed to destroy our economy all at the hands of government officials looking to sleeze a little money out of these complicit Corporate fascists by turning a blind eye. All in the name of free trade agreements. This is the root of our economic ills and I'm happy to see the independent press finally picking up on this!
1:04 pm
The shame is sadly with those like you, who continue to trade with these companies. You buy their goodies, then whine on blogs. If you do not buy, how can they survive. Better yet, why not push for more American Small Business and then use their product lines to further their growth. When will each of you take some personal responsibility and work to elect those who represent your wishes in government.
Many of you simply like to beitch and frankly you desire what you get. You stay in the problem instead of the solution; I guess that is why most countries see Americans as Sheep and not leaders today; too lazy to get off your ass and do something remarkable.
11:48 am
Careful! I don't shop at Wal-Mart! And, I shop at Rural King, Ace Hardware, Mom & Pop shops and the likes in an attempt to find "Made in the USA" emblems. I voted for Ross Perot and am a Ron Paul supporter. So, I want to know how I am the problem? I continually try to vote out "Free Traders" and I am but a minority that understands the problem. The other day a contractor came to my house because I have hail and wind damage, he gave me an estimate and all was going well until I mentioned his crew. Once he revealed to me that his crew was Mexican; I asked if his crew had an e-verify certification. He said no, and I promptly showed him the door stating that endentured servants and slaves do not work on my house.
12:40 pm
This is a brillant example of what unbridled free-market forces will do… This is also an excellent example of why we need to have better regulation on businesses and what they do to thier surrounding communities.
9:16 am
If Wal-Mart were a government program with the purpose of improving the quality of life for the poor, people would praise it as a great success. Wal-Mart was started by a working class man and has gone from being a small business to an empire in a generation. So the government is supposed to support small businesses, but make sure they stay small businesses so they don't impact other small businesses?
8:55 am
Yes, more government intrusion is always the answer. "Better regulation" leads to warning about not folding up a stroller with the baby in it or not ironing clothes that you are wearing.
2:54 pm
Let's face reality…. The whole world is crumbling and going straight to Hell in a hand basket…..
11:20 am
I can't explain it or fix it. . . . . I just don't shop there.
12:41 pm
Walmart is not the problem. They are a success story. The people who shop there do so for a reason. You are suggesting that we shop small business which means paying more. I suggest that the state and federal government stop making it so difficult for small business to compete by lower taxes and less regulation. The cost of goods unfortunately will out weigh whether the product is made here or somewhere else in the eye of consumers especially in hard economic times. Stop trying to punish corporations that are successful
11:23 am
many of the people that shop there either don't realize or don't care that by buying from Walmart, they are supporting what they say they are against…
10:44 am
I hate Walmart and will only shop there when absolutely necessary. Yes they are a success story but they are only a success story for misrepresenting themselves. They became so large by lying to the consumer and saying "Everything made in America!" As soon as they got large enough they said F@#$ America and started buying everything over seas. I agree with what you are saying about the government making it difficult for small businesses to compete, however Walmart is just plain evil. Malicious, calculating and evil.
10:25 am
Thank you! Only a couple of the 20 items make me even blink. The fact that the Walton family is wealthy is not one of them. They are successful, and there's nothing wrong with that, as much as we hear to the contrary today. It's not wrong to be wealthy or successful. It's a big part of the American dream. So that doesn't fly. There was a time when more of Walmart's goods were made in America. Until we can manufacture affordable goods and the unions can keep their grubby paws out of manufacturing and everything else, I don't see that changing, and I do agree that is a darn shame.
8:25 pm
You will never compete with the wages paid in the third world…….NEVER!
2:44 am
You would change that tune if Walmart cost your income… You make me sick, as long as it doesn't effect you it's not happening… But what you don't realize is it is going effect you …You better wake up and smell the coffee…
8:43 am
They are successful in large part because manufacturers overseas pay extremely low subsistence wages, ignore basic safety, environmental and labor standards that manufacturers in the US have to abide by. The solution is not to turn US factories into third world sweat shops, its to stop rewarding companies that outsource with tax incentives and begin holding countries overseas accountable for things we think are important enough to require in our own factories.
Consumers are forced to shop there because they have low paying jobs and can't afford much else, but small business and domestic manufacturing used to be the major sources of decent working class jobs; their disappearance is a byproduct of the rise of big box stores and foreign cheap labor.
2:15 am
Slavery has been illegal internationally for eons but a new pseudo slavery has come into fashion where repressive regimes often aided by the American military and intelligence services create the conditions that force people into slave labor. and prevent any organized labor activity. Good produced this way should not be allowed into the country. Nor should goods produced that acheive lower costs by wonton polluting. Walmart rewards these and other illegal and immoral practices with contracts and are the most illegal of all. How much of the enormous political budget is to continue these practices? Where are the free market forces at work when Walmart subsidizes their payrolls with welfare, food stamps and medicare?
12:41 pm
No mention of the many regulatory; governmental; legal, and financial obsticals facing small business owners in the USA.
I seldom (maybe once a year) visit, but did buy 3 pairs of Wrangler jeans in Nevada in May 2011. For US$14.99 a pair.
Can't compete?
Tough!
ret expat MD
12:17 pm
But the Wranglers you got are the cheap ones made for WalMart. They don't have the W sewn on the back pockets which indicate they are made of a lighter weight denim. Go to Shepler's or Teener's western stores and you will get the real deal, the good Wranglers we cowboys prefer to wear.
12:41 pm
Slap a 25% tariff on Chinese goods as Donald Trump suggests.
That would at least get us close to an even keel!
8:34 am
I can't wait to pay 25% more (tax) for everything I buy. You really don't know how business economics works, do you?
2:42 am
Amen—- Trump is right, In my opinion, the unions are more responsible for our plight than Wal Mart
12:43 pm
The goverement needs to step in and stop them !!! It is that simple !
10:37 am
…Walmart is the Government!!! Politicians bow and scrape to that type of money, and our politicians are OWNED!!!!!
8:51 am
Yes, let's get more government intrusion in our lives. They mange the country so well. Trillions in deficits and spending money that we don't have. Unemployment still above 8%. A president who promised change and has proceeded to spend almost 4 years running for re-election. The only real change is the vast increse in the deficit.
Yes, the govenment should step in. Bigger government is ALWAYS the answer.
9:22 am
Read Thomas Sowell's book "Basic Economics". You'll find why thats a bad idea. Hell of an education.
2:14 pm
Government is the problem; not the solution.
1:19 pm
3.
I firmly believe in Supply and Demand Economics. If someone can produce and sell a product at a lower price, then that should be the company that survives. If we are failing to do this here in the U.S. we need to create an environment where we can compete with producing goods at a cost that will encourage production here. Reduce the taxes and regulations that impede our ability to compete.
7:25 am
If you want to sell higher-priced American-made goods, you have to show the value. You have to show that they are worth the extra money at the register. If the quality and/or features are the same or similar, people will buy the cheaper one.
7:39 am
WM has the inverse of Supply and Demand. Instead of the end user creating the demand, WM makes Demands and the manufacturers Supply what WM wants. If WM wants to increase their profits, they need to purchase something at a lower cost from a supplier they just pick up the phone and threaten to dump the supplier. Faced with losing a large chunk of their business the suppliers cut corners and jobs to be able to afford their relationship with WM.
8:10 am
Wait, so you mean WM is a business and tries to make a profit? Damn them all to hell. Have you ever paid sticker price for a car without negotiating? Suppliers go "All in" on Wal Mart to their own detriment which leaves them vulnerable to negotiations. Smart suppliers diversify their customer base so when Wal Mart threatens, they can tell WM to piss off.
9:57 am
… Oh for goodness sakes, get off of Walmart's back. What you just described Walmart doing is the same thing Coke, large retail chains, aviation corporations, Pharmaceuticals, manufacturers, and even public schools engage in every day of the week. What people don't get is that the problem isn't Walmart. Even medium size companies screw the little guy by not paying on time. What's a small company or LLC going to do cancel their contract with Coke or a medium size firm because they aren't being paid on time? No, because a $15,000 receivable is needed whether it's late or not by most small businesses.
The end user does create demand plain and simple. If there wasn't a demand for cheap and often poorly designed clothing and goods, then Walmart would be out of business. That fact of the matter is that Walmart is a blessing for many low-incomed shoppers who would loathe having to buy goods from a small independent grocer with sky high prices and small selections. Think back to the hometown hardware and grocery stores of the 70's and 80's… many people don't want to go back to that, and although I like most stores far better than Walmart, If I need a T-shirt to mow the grass in, I don't care if that T-shirt is a poorly made item from China, I just want something that I don't mind getting dirty in. If I'm on a road trip at 2am, I'm shopping for juice, water, fruit, snacks, and other items at Walmart NOT the local gas station that marks up items so high that I think it's a misprint.
Before Walmart the local shops were screwing people with their pricing (many of you aren't old enough to remember those days) but many of you can. Walmart isn't doing anything that hasn't been done by other corps in years past. The same people whining about Walmart are often the same people that will insist on paying a needy teenager $60 to mow an 2 acres of grass because the teen isn't in a position refuse.
Don't even get me started on the "local" retailers being horrible at e-commerce.
8:21 am
You are so right Jack. I'm a small retailer that sells on eBay and if I could make money selling USA goods I would. I survive because I sell "niche" items that the big boys don't want to touch and most are made in China. If I didn't have those goods, I couldn't survive. Let USA find it's niche and produce the goods we have an expertise in. Keep gov't out of business regulation-laissez faire
10:21 am
Jack, if you firmly believe in Supply and Demand economics, then recognize there are 3-4 billion potential labors in the world. Over a billion will work for $1/hr. Can you compete with that? If not, they you do not deserve to "survive" as you stated.
Costs to produce in the US are driven by #1, higher labor costs than most places in the world. If you want cheaper goods produced in the US, labor must reduce their cost. Can you do this? Can you afford your home, car, kids, food and fun on less? Be careful what you ask!
Second, you want to reduce taxes. This reduces public resources so you have to pay for more on your own; yet how can you pay more when you are making less?
Third, you want to reduce regulations. Now that you make less, have fewer public services, you now will have greater pollution in your water and air, less confidence what you buy is safe and greater risks all around you. You've made your household more poor, decreased your overall quality of life and increased risk. Is this what you really want?
11:17 am
I can produce stuff for free, just give me a whip and some slaves! Best bottom line in the world, if you dont mind the misery. Guess what, thats where our stuff comes from now! Miserable child slaves working stupid long shifts in china far away from our perception. Guess who our job sector is competing with? Thats right, children slaves! Guess how low our wages will have to drop to stay competitive? Thats right, $000000. Thats what you're advocating, the total enslavement of all people so you can get your stuff cheaper. Yah maybe less oversight and regulations will fix that.
11:25 am
we don't need a lower price product, we need to stop being a cost only society.. Whatever happened to paying for a quality product that is going to last for a lifetime, not a cheap product that we are going to have replace in 5 years.. They have sold a large part of our population on the fact that "cheaper is better".
7:48 am
Problem is that to compete you would have to go back to the sweat shop days, to bring back jobs that pay 10 cents an hour is a ludicrous idea. What keeps their prices low is just that. Would you work for that wage? Could you keep your house and family alive at that wage? Walmart pays poorly, lost a lawsuit over hours and wages, buys super cheap and finds a price point that is just far enough below the local retailers to draw the customers away from the local businesses, and once the locals are gone, brings the price up again to almost where the business's they drove out sold at. Now does it increase jobs in the town yes, but who can live for minimum wage? Advantage of Walmart, they sell things low at first, employee 100 people or more in the town, but at minimum wage and the prices rise as competition falls. That is the way they are employee the free enterprise system. Buy overseas cheap, pay the least allowed, and rake in the profits at the end that go to the corporate level but not put back into the community.
10:26 am
Your an idiot – so you want slave labor in the US.
10:52 am
That means setting up slave labor camps in the US
10:26 am
Well said. Thank you!
1:22 pm
absolute destruction. Check out the items from China and other countries outside the US. Pathetic
11:33 am
Really, how is it that the waffle iron and coffee machine I bought on line from Walmart, not knowing they both were made in China, work so well? They both had nothing but positive statements made about them by customers who had used them and that is why I bought them.
1:26 pm
Name me any major chain store that does not sell merchandise from somewhere other than the US. Wal-Mart is successful and out scoring their competitors because of better management, marketing, and they are non-union. Being non-union they, the employer, sets the contract for being an employee instead of the union running their business. They also have good quality products at a very competitive price. Their employee are friendly, clean, and appear to like their jobs. The employees are of all ages, ethnic groups, and cultures. They always seem to be busy and the stores are clean. True capitalist company that in my opinion add much to the communities they serve.
7:20 am
Too bad I can only give you one thumbs-down!
7:26 am
If people didn't like their jobs, they would leave their jobs. No one must be offering them anything better.
11:22 am
As long as you dont mind miserable child slaves cranking out all this alleged prosperity, huh? Well capitalism did start with slavery, I guess old habits die hard. How about you grow a heart and stop being so damn cruel.
BTW Walmart takes a life insurance policy out on each employee when they start, so if the employee dies on the job Walmart can marginally reduce some of the legal expenses incurred. The families and survivors of the deceased workers do not collect any of the policy. Yup, clean, friendly, and ready to be recycled into new workers so i bet they appear to like their jobs.
9:49 am
Walmart stop that years ago.
2:50 pm
First of all, where did you get this life insurance info?
Secondly, that sounds like a corrupt insurance company to provide this.
Thirdly, I believe the same thing goes on in Hollywood, insurance policies taken out on Beyonce & Jlo's, booties.
Pfft
1:32 pm
Well Bob, it would seem you are mistaken. If Walmart is so great, why do can't they offer their employees decent wages and decent benefits. Why are so many Walmart employees on welfare and food stamps? They are a success story. Successfully taking corporate welfare. They are a parasitic infection that needs to be eradicated. They are sucking off the government teet. They move in without paying property taxes. Can't say that for small businesses. They make deals with the state so any sales tax they collect, they get to keep. What would happen to a small business if they did that? Your right, Walmart couldn't handle a union. They wouldn't want to pay their employees a living wage. The only reason why they can pay such sub-standard wages is because our government is there to pick up to pieces with welfare and food stamps and medicaid. Tell Walmart to stop privatizing the profits and socializing the losses. Let's be honest, they are welfare queens.
11:30 am
Please define a decent wage and decent benefits. There are military people on food stamps, what does that make the US? They pay all taxes where they are required to, I challenge you to PROVE otherwise. If a state allows them not to pay, then be mad at that state and not at the company. As for unions, they were valuable at one time, and for safety and work rules, they are still an asset, but for everyhing else, wages, benefits, etc., they are a blight to the employees. Ask the workers at the York, PA Harley Davidson plant how good the union has been to them. And lastly, define a living wage? I hate these terms people throw out without any clue as to what it means. Who's idea of a "living wage"? Mine, yours, someone else?
9:50 pm
I would define "Decent Wage" as cost of living. And I AM a Walmart employee. We might be nice to the customers due to the fact we have to, but I know at my store, EVERYONE is wishing these strikers the best and are doing everything we can to get work elsewhere. Hell, I have managers waiting for their chance to jump ship.
I am currently making $190-210 a week take home, they refuse to allow us to work full time and they have a MAJOR thing about hiring retired military as management so they can have a 48 hour, salaried , employ with no benefits due to Tricare covering everything.
4:13 am
the employees hate their jobs i don't know what wal mart you go to
11:26 am
You must not know many who work for Walmart then. They underpay their employees, offer poor benefits, their customer service is among the worst in the retail industry. When a lot of their employees reach the top of their pay scale , the management find a reason to let the person go to bring in new employees at the bottom end of the pay scale. The employees gripe about working there, but in many cases don't have a choice as Walmart has run the small businesses in the town out of business.
2:49 am
Then go to work for them and supprt your family and let us know how that works for you… What a fool you are !
2:51 am
walmart employees Polite? You don't shop at my Walmart!
5:22 am
WOW !! What planet do you live on? These poor employees are working for near slave wages, with no health benefits . As the article stated, many of them are on Welfare and/or Medicaid, and I would wager also on food stamps. "They appear to like their jobs"…They don't have much of a choice, if this is the only place in town they can get a job! Is this a picture of what you want the American worker to look like? And oh by the way, if you know anything about history, you'd know that this country was at it's wealthiest and most powerful in the 1950's….when union strength was at an all time high.
1:08 pm
The stores are clean! What kind of hell hole do you live in? There are too narrow aisles, and merchandise strewn everywhere on the floor, and not enough employees to clean up the mess!
10:20 am
you are one fn idiot you must be the CEO butt-buddie or one retarded fuck
11:16 am
Walmart employees are not the friendliest or appear to like their jobs at the Walmart near me. I get attitude everytime I walk in there. No one smiles, they don't fix their mistakes, and they ignore the customers. They are not being taught how to treat customers!!!! That is poor management.
1:27 pm
Poor slob…still living in the 1950s. Back then it was "automation" and "made in Japan" that were the culprits.
The fact is that competition is already showing up big time for WM…viz Target and WinCo foods, and
almost all of the above 20 reasons can also be said about Costco, Target, etc.
If the local consumers are not tired of being overcharged for food/goods and the lack of personal contact/service, they will stay with the small stores…the successful local small stores have adjusted accordingly. Also, WM and the big box retailers do not stock a lot of items, so the successful local small stores do (they also enhance their presence on the web to attract "mailorder" customers).
This is to say nothing about the quality level of the stock. I too am tired of cheap goods for many applications, but for some uses, the cheap ones will do and you can't take them with you.
Leave retail alone and the consumer and the overall economy will prosper. Start introducing "local" requirements and you will not only stifle competition, you could start a trade war and put our local exporters out of work.
11:59 am
Thanks for your reference to the 1950"s and the "made in Japan" reference. This is history repeating itself, and we just need to be aware and as consumers make considerate decisions.
1:30 pm
I have Costco right next to WM in my area. If Costco wants my visit ( I believe same to many like me), they can just open their doors like WM without membership requirement.
For me go to Costco even a litter bit closer on the distance.
If WM CEO get paid that much, then, that's no good !
WM should share their profit with their hard working employees, and make the employees not to depend on the our government system.
12:43 pm
They do get to share…Every 3 to 4 months if their store does good on everything even inspections they all get a bonus $.. The employee can buy shares into Walmart at a very low cost and very little taken out of pay every two weeks to buy them… In Florida they have a very clean and very nice workers there…The Villages Walmart is awesome…. I do not work for them.. But I will say this I went to the Summerfield Walmart, waited to be waited on while a manager was yelling at them all for 15 to 20 minutes,o we walked away! The manager herself came chasing me down the meat isle! I told her twice to leave me alone and she still came at me! That store is gross and they need to get people in there that work cause they want to work not just for the money! And no I didnt steal anything, just wanted something from the deli and figured if its more important to chew on your workers in front of customers then to wait on customers, so we just left….
3:44 am
If Walmart employees do not like their wages or their working conditions or what their CEO is making they can always quit. I do not see employees chained to their work stations in Walmart. I do not see employee's feet nailed to the ground. The doors are not locked to keep them inside.
Our local McDonalds pays $3-4 above minimum wage to attract employees and the help wanted signs never come down. Our local McDonald's may have to eventually pay $5 above minimum wage to get people to flip burgers. Burgers might double in price so McDonalds can pay the workers a wage people will work for and then they will have a different problem – no customers. That is the way a free market is supposed to work.
9:26 am
Spoken like a true communist.
1:37 pm
Shopping at Walmart IS Un American and filled with hypocrisy. People complain about jobs outside of the country and although Walmart hires a lot of people, it purchases most of its products from outside of this country. Something is wrong there. No small business can conpete with this big box store and people are helping prolong the pain of no jobs for cheaper products.
1:38 pm
Sam Walton is the classic example of free enterprise which is what made America great. He created something that people wanted. If he can do it anyone can. Where are they? Sam did it without unions or government help.
11:24 am
Yup, no unions, no gov help, just lots and lots of slaves! Thats all it takes. Whips and misery. Your hero huh.
3:14 am
Slaves? Watch what happens when Walmart announces a new store and that it is now taking applications. The multitudes of people you call 'slaves' line up and fill out applications to become slaves. Walmart offers jobs. People take them. The people who take them know what the conditions of employment will be. No one forces these people to take the jobs. How can you call a mutually beneficial arrangement slavery? If the employees at Walmart are 'slaves' then every company in our country has 'slaves' on its payrolls.
7:46 am
What Sam Walton created was based upon providing American-made products at the lowest possible cost.
11:17 am
He also did it by hiring desperate people and not providing proper benefits thereby reaping more profits. Are you serious? This should be celebrated?
3:31 am
Have you ever been to a Walmart?
Walmart is brutally efficient in reducing its costs thus increasing its profit and lowering prices to its customers. Who are its customers? Lower and middle class families.
If you and the unions could force by presidential edict (don't laugh with this president it could happen) every Walmart and other big box stores to close tomorrow, what would you have besides 2,000,000 or more people out of work? Prices would immediately rise everywhere. Lower and middle class families would be poorer because they would be paying more for their necessities.
Walmarts are extremely beneficial to a large segment of our population because those poor and middle class people get access to products at the consistently (not always) lowest price available in the market.
Put up an anti-Walmart store where everything is made in the US and employees are paid union wages and work by union rules right next to a Walmart and watch and see which one prospers. I would bet all my money on Walmart.
6:45 pm
Yep !! Your absolutely correct…
10:35 am
The success of Wal Mart is hugely due to local and state government assistance in the form of tax breaks and influence over federal lawmakers who vote on their behalf. Go work for WM if you think they are so great-as long as you are white, male, never get hurt and have a spouse who provides income and benefits for your family!
12:06 pm
and sam walton is dead, it's the children who are running the corporation, and it's not all good. knowing someone who works there, they do NOT care about the grunt employees,,,,,,,,
11:25 am
Perhaps "Sam" did it without unions… but Walmart certainly "does it" with Government help. Since they refuse to pay their employees a living wage, they hold classes for them to sign up for Medicaid and Welfare. The "working poor" This is actually an EXAMPLE of what private industry does when not accountable to it's employees (through a union or other regulation) to provide them with a salary with which they could provide for their families.
Also, Walmarts policies on FORCING local suppliers to cut THEIR prices (decreasing the supplier profits while increasing Walmart's) is the kind of "thuggary" and arm twisting people accuse the unions of. Only in the case of the unions… it may benefit the entire work force… and with Walmart, it only benefits the Walton family.
1:24 pm
Sam Walton paid his employees well enough they did not need welfare on top of their pay to survive. His family has us subsidising the pay of their employees. We pay at the register and at tax time. Don't say Walmart would have continues to grow after he died if it were not for the government help his family takes.
1:44 pm
Wal-mart found a way to beat competition. Congratulations! Such has made America great and lifted up the world. But America once never traded with anyone who used slave-labor, now we do. Wal-mart did what every business is expected to do: buy low, make a profit, increase sales. We need to proceed carefully in a response or we can make matters worse.
I appreciate what unions have contributed, but they have also caused many manufacturers to close their doors and in fact have caused overseas trading to surge and bring about wal-mart and others.
Government meddled way too much, sought to direct and control etc. and here is what we get.
But personal greed and envy is more at the base of all this, from the politician to the unions to each individual, and until that changes there will always be one scenerio or another to deal with.
10:54 am
They based their success on foreign Slave Labor!
1:50 pm
The power of economic ideas viz," The USA can become an information and service society and let the world supply our needs." That was the mantra from the short thinking economists, business schools and the consultants. No voice could be heard from the displaced local manufactures, employees and elected officials. Only now after the horse is gone from the barn do we see a small but swelling wave of dissatisfaction and recognition of the need for local jobs and an economy that is embodies both justice and efficiency. Short term profits without morality produced the Arkansas monster.
1:55 pm
You forgot to mention that WalMart gets corporate welfare also.
2:57 pm
Years ago we had Woodworths and other dollar stores Americans cant afford to go Macys for a pair of shoes dresses they only go where their money is WalMart and Dollar stores are taking over I Shop for my clothes on this Internet . The clothes are better
11:13 pm
The F. W. Woolworth Company To help correct your statement above…. never heard of Woodworths
Frank Winfield Woolworth (April 13, 1852 – April 8, 1919) was the founder of F. W. Woolworth Company (now Foot Locker), an operator of discount stores that priced merchandise at five and ten cents. He pioneered the now-common practices of buying merchandise direct from manufacturers and fixing prices on items, rather than haggling. He was the first to use self-service display cases so customers could examine what they wanted to buy without the help of a salesman.
3:13 pm
I agree with you regarding the damages the practices of predatory corporations (Wal-Mart is one of them) are doing to the American economy. The issue I have is that we (consumers as well as suppliers) have been using cost as the most important valuating metric to a product. Therefore consumers shop at the retailers which provide them with goods of the lowest cost; and likewise suppliers will source from the lowest cost manufacturers. We can't blame corporations for doing what they are supposed to do – maximizing profits. If China were to become a high cost manufacturing country, suppliers would shift their manufacture facilities to other countries such as Viet Nam etc. Blaming corporations or blaming other countries are the the answer. Ask ourselves, why do we need another junk item or junk food? Why can't we produce high tech items such as HDTV, iPad, solar panels in USA?
8:15 am
Amen!
3:15 pm
Wal-mart is not the only company the sells mostly foreign made products. Every big chain store sells mostly foreign made products.
3:21 pm
Instead of complaining about a successful company how about offering the public a choice, How about stores that specialise in American made products, American made products will sell especially to this ol retired military man. just start by having American made products at some other store and do a little advertising and the people will come, Wal-Mart took there made in America signs down about 20 years ago, then was the time to really complaine. Chinese made junk makes me sick, look at stores like Harbor freight they are starting to get some fairly good merchandise, 10 years ago ther products were all junk. Show me a made in America store that i can support and i will be there. wal-mart has helped many more people than they have hurt. DON'T BUY THERE CHINESE MADE TOOLS, DON'T BUY THERE FISH, OR ANY OTHER PRODUCTS, THEY WILL GET THE MESSAGE. I NOTICE LOTS OF FISH PRODUCTS ARE STARTING TO DISAPPEAR FROM THE MEAT MARKET.
12:28 pm
AmericanMadeMatters.com
12:33 pm
"Wal-Mart took their made in America signs down about 20 years ago…"
Sam Walton died 20 years ago. Wal-Mart today is not Sam Walton's vision.
3:22 pm
It looks like this was written with pro union bias. With 2 million employees it looks like Walmart is a job creator, not a job destroyer. You want American suppliers to be more competitive with over seas producers? Lower taxes, remove government and EPA regulations, get the unions out of the shops, and let American industry soar. Until that happens, retailers will continue to look elsewhere to provide product that the average American can afford after "sharing their wealth" with what is left of their over taxed income.
3:37 pm
I don't shop at wal mart and I encourage others not to as well. Remember when GM was THE biggest, or sears and roebuck? Well, wall marts time is coming. All giants eventually fall. Be ready to take up the slack. Hopefully it happens before our country fails….
3:52 pm
Hi would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with? I’m going to start my own blog soon but I’m having a difficult time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your layout seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S Apologies for being off-topic but I had to ask!
3:58 pm
I love Walmart!!! There isn't any merchandise in Walmart that is not found in other stores like Target, or other stores. So much for Walmart buying merchandise made overseas! What has the Gov't got against Walmart? Could it be because it's employees do not want to unionize? This is one store in which folks on a budget can shop.
4:04 pm
I have been saying these very same things for years. I live in a small town in NC. 15 years ago we were a thriving town with a variety of retail and grocery stores. Super Walmart moved in and withing a year we lost every other retail store, our small mall closed down. Now we have a food lion as our only other option to shop for groceries. I hate how you are treated like a shop lifter when they inspect your bags as you are leaving even when you have your receipt in hand. I hate the service and the cheap merchandise. I am still a firm believer in you get what you pay for. Now I drive to the next town over or 35 miles away to a large city to shop. I refuse to give my money to Walmart or be forced to purchase from them as my only option! Our country is sadly falling further down into debt and a total lack of all the things our fore fathers stood for with each passing day.
4:07 pm
I never shop at walmart and hopefully never will. People foolishly think they are saving money but they are not.
I would rather pay more by shopping elsewhere and I find more bargains. Seems no one cares our
country is going down hilL Now let us give walmart a big tax break. They use all the services the government
has to offer and pay for nothing WAKE UP AMERICA
5:39 pm
The world has changed. Get used to it. Walmart has single handedly kept inflation low in the US buy selling those products at a low price. As you said, those profits go to management and the stockholders. Sounds to me like Capitalism. When Sears and Wards came up with new and better marketing strategies, stores that couldn't compete also went out of business. Maybe you would like to tax Walmart in order to make it an even playing field. Sounds like an Obama/socialist idea to me. If their wages & benefits are so low, why do 3000 applicants show up for 300 jobs whenever a new Walmart opens? I'm a little disappointed in you and your understanding of basic economics.
10:33 am
Same reason there is slave labor in China there is fewer options (jobs) to go to…
6:04 pm
They show up for jobs because all the other stores in town closed, when you are willing to work for 10 cents and hour and pay to live in the company housing cubical, then America can compete. Is this the America you want? Or the America where we lived the American life style. Surrender or Fight, I chose to fight. I'll Restore, not Change America when I become your President.
6:16 pm
What most people don't know, and it's not addressed in this info, is that Communist China now owns Wal-Mart and has for the last several years. That's the biggest reason so much Wal-Mart stock says "made in Chijna".
10:02 am
And the conspiracy theories begin…lol.
7:58 am
Until you can prove the validity of your statement I just have to ask …. Are you REALLY that stupid?
11:57 am
Yeah? Bet you heard that France owns Target to.
6:20 pm
Once Walmart enters a community….you can't escape it! When one opened up in my community, I wrote to Costco begging them to please open a store here as I much prefer their store and products. They told me that they would not open a franchise within a 30 mile radius of a Walmart store. Check out your local community and you will find that Walmart usually builds within that 30 mile radius thus blocking a move by Costco to erect one of their stores.
12:28 pm
Well, in my area(which is in SE PA), a Costco has been built that's within about 5 miles of a long-standing Walmart, so that's probably not a corporate policy.
12:00 pm
Hmm, in Neport News, VA Costco opened a store about one mile away from an existing WalMart. And, I'm sure there are many, many, more examples. Someone is not being truthful. And, if it's true that 96% of the population lives within a 20 mile radius of a WalMart, it's going to be awfully hard to ever open another Costco. Just putting a little reality spin on this.
6:58 pm
Wal-Mart has destroyed small business in the USA! The USA is so deep in-debt to China that nothing will
change. I would not be surprised to see the auto-making industry move to China. We consumers have
helped to destroy the USA as we knew it.
7:03 pm
Stop going to Walmart I never shop there because I have dealt with their distribution system and they suck.They are destroying what we worked for. Put them to shame put them out of business
7:05 pm
Absolutely!! They move into a small town, put al lthe mom and pop shops out of business that were providing jobs with benefits, insurance, etc and then move on when all the cities capital is sucked dry. We have seen it too many times in Louisiana in the Greater Baton Rouge area. After their competition is destroyed with preditory pricing (sales below cost of the SKU's), they jack up THEIR pricing.
7:05 pm
hi yolo!__ I read the material on how many jobs the us lost, its also happening in canada because of_ people turning to walmart to do their shopping. i think cheap is not always better when it comes_ to good quality. i support small business, it may cost a little more but-but a much better item in the long run.
7:19 pm
Buy American!
7:19 pm
Walmart started out as a family-owned small business, so what regulations do you propose putting in place to limit the size of a small business so it doesn't grow into a huge business like Walmart???
7:41 pm
When OBAMA gets done with this country you won't be worrying about WalMart.
9:15 pm
It is company's like this that is creating havoc in the USA. The only thing they think about is the almighty buck. The concern is all for the income that can be reaped from the sales. It is not a concern what is happening in this country.
9:54 pm
It is easy to believe most of the article concerning Wal-Mart. However, one thing very seldom mentioned is the benefits people that shop at Wal-Mart receive. It is mentioned above that the average family spends about $4000 a year a Wal-Mart. If there were no Wal-Marts at which to shop, obtaining the goods the average family bought there would probably cost at least twice as much and maybe more. Think of that – if all of a sudden Wal-Mart disappeared – the average family that shops there would probably have to come up with $8000 instead of $4000 a year. Right now most families would be extremely hard pressed to cover the difference.
8:17 am
That's a narrow view, without Walmart,
1) jobs that pay a wage that families can actually live on would still be availabe,
2) there would be higher paying jobs instead of jobs that Walmart provides where the people still can stay on welfare
10:35 pm
You forgot to mention Wal Mart has its own Ship to import goods.
12:16 am
I agree with most everything said here. Walmart sends jobs to China and puts Ma & Pop Stores out of business. They need to be broken up.
12:31 am
This is the biggest collection of hogwash I have seen in years. In my opinion, we wold do far better if Walmart was in charge of the government instead of the present congress and president.
12:43 am
The last few times I shopped at waljunk I found that they were higher than other stores in our community and not as good of quality. I have walked in looked and walked back out. I doubt that I have spent more than $20 in the last year there. I try to buy American as much as I can. I noticed that Sony is now made in China.
4:05 am
What th' heck is th' gifference??? ~ Sony was a Japanese brand to start with!!! ~ Is "Mabe in Chuna" any worse than "Made in Japan"???
2:45 pm
Ummm Sony is located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan founded by Masaru Ibuku and Akio Morita……..may want to google some things before you type TARD…..
1:35 am
I have been in a WalMart store twice. the first time to find a piece of hardware I could not find elsewhere. WalMart did not have it either. The second time was for information which they could not provide. I will never go into a WalMart store again. It was like a mad-house.Going into a WalMart store is almost like an insult.
2:24 am
Greed has taken over, not only in Wal mMerk but the general populsrion.. Sad
3:00 am
Wal-Mart has transformed the United States into an economic wasteland. Whole governmental agencies are going bankrupt and cannot provide even basic civic services to the American family. The politicians in charge are self-serving and pass laws to become the New Rich Class. The Middle Class languish unemployed and become the New Poor Class. The politicians can do this because the American Economy is controlled by the few obsequious, loyal party followers and the Rich Class (the 1%).
The solution to this ballooning Debt Problem is to find responsible, honest leaders who will get those manufacturing jobs back. The U.S. government needs employed American workers to reduce this Debt Problem. The people who can do this is the American voter. The only good politician is an Independent Candidate with a proven history of accomplishments and selflessness. Americans cannot now afford another term of incompetent law makers nor be apathetic voters. Irresponsible Politicians and Rich CEOs must be held liable for their misdeeds. Competent Politicians must pass fair trade laws and safeguard the American Economy.
6:08 pm
I am your Independent Candidate for President. When you are ready to Restore America
2:57 pm
Well is it not WE THE PEOPLE who should take control of this situation? As long as we continue to be stupid and greedy we will continue to suffer. I am so afraid for our children and grandchildren. If this trend continues, in a very short time the majority of the american people will be beggars and the Walmart execs will be the slave masters.
Now let us take a look at Newt. Is he a proponent of taxing the wealthy American companies that ship their jobs overseas and not paying the appropriate amount of taxes due the american government?
Elect him president and increase the suffering.
7:02 pm
Hey, I'd rather take a beating, than go to Wally World. But, what are so many Poor Americans to do; their families have to eat! The Slave Wages at Wal-mart, are no different the the Slave Wages at most all of the Fast Foods. McDonald.s is making a Ton of Money; but, little is shared with the Workers.
This is the way the Rich and Powerful have corrupted the system. The few at the top get most of the growth in GDP; and the rest, get, zippo. Rich employers love Wal-mart, because it represents a place that supply the goods so the Minions can essentially, survive. What would the poor do without Wally World?
9:26 am
Poor people do not have to give their business to W. There are plenty of other stores around where they can get decent deals, and if they are even mildly destitute our current administration will give them everything they need. If people have to pinch pennies today to survive, they need more help than anyone can give them (YES, they have lifestyle problems!). The people who go to W do so because they REALLY don't care if shopping at W is helping to kill the USA. If people would use their brains instead of their pocketbooks for shopping and voting purposes the USA would be thriving today. If W is killing the USA it is because we are letting them. I have not set foot in a W store in years and never will again since hearing how they treat manufacturers.
10:51 am
Until America comes up with a way to help americans that are making minimum wage feed his or her family then wal- mart is the way to go I rather go there than go somewhere else and not have enough for my rent. I bet none of these people that makes these laws ever tried to live on minimum wages
1:05 pm
I only shop at Walmart when I have no choice, and as far as your statement that if a person is really destitute out current administration will give them everything they need—is bull hockey!!! I am a disabled person who worked as a machinists for years and yet I receive a fraction of the amount they list as "poor" and yet I only qualify for $16 a month in food stamps, don't qualify at all for health care! And NO!!!! I don't have a lifestyle problem!!!! I recently had to undergo an emergency surgery and the test alone to determine if I needed the surgery was $2500—I haven't even got the hospital bill yet!!!!
Now if I had a child still in the household I would qualify for much more, but I raised my children as a single mom, without using "the system" to do it!!! And now that I need some help, I keep getting the answer, "Well if you just had a dependent we could help you!"
1:26 pm
I don't know where you get the idea that the current administration is handing out things to people And what is mildly destitute?. In any case the people who make decisions in business and industry made a conscious decision to ship jobs overseas, and Walmart lead the way.. As the biggest retailer they are almost totally responsible for the loss of American jobs. Shop elsewhere? For much of the country there is no elsewhere, and if the goods there were made somewhere with decent wages the prices would be higher. I won't set foot in a Walmart, or Sams Club because they are selling America down the river for greed and greed alone. They should be ashamed.
1:36 pm
"How they treat manufacturers?" Says a lot, Moretruth…
8:05 pm
Sadly, this is true. Most people care about the quick fix, when if they knew better they'd realize that supporting local growers and manufacturers– like the ever more plentiful farmers markets– is much better for them personally and the economy.
It'll all come crashing down when China's economy suffers the same fate as the rest of the world– and it will– and the real cost of food and goods will be staring everyone in the face. Damn shame we as a populace aren't smarter. Flouride in the water over the last 50 years has taken its toll on US avg intelligence?
1:51 pm
Well said.
7:33 pm
Without Wally World the poor would have a real job and could afford to support their families and buy quality long lasting goods made by US manufacturers. It used to be that way, remember.
8:06 pm
Everythibng you stated is correct, but Walmart is only useing the captilistic system. Where do you draw the line as to how much of the system to use? But if you draw it anywhere, you will have engaged in aniticaptilism and instilled socialism. The bottome lline is that true Captilism absolutely cannot work for it will eventually erode a country's economic system. The perfect system would be one where an honest government controlls all necessities of life, but that, of course, will never be.
8:47 pm
Sam Walton is the epitome of what any American do. He did it without government or union help. He had a vision and people responded. We used to call it free enterprise. If he did it anyone can. Where are they?
10:59 pm
I work there, but buy very little there. My money stays strictly local. I have two degrees, but had no choice but to accept, with an internal grimace, the "job offer." The way I figure it, they're using me and the rest of my coworkers to further their agenda (world domination), but I'm using them to further my agenda.
1:31 am
Disclaimer:
I do NOT work for Wal-Mart.
I do NOT own Wal-Mart stock. (Damn!)
I do shop at Wal-Mart.
I do shop at Kohls, Kmart, Sears, Target, and others. …….
It tires and saddens me to read, yet again, another self-accclaimed, socio-economic 'review artist', willing to' expose his strained definition of capitalism, and how the success of an organization, has corrupted life so effortlessly on this planet. Yes, Wal-Mart is a success; FOR LOTS AND LOTS OF PEOPLE.
First, to blame Wal-Mart or the Chinese for our economic woes, exposes tremendous inherent 'grey-matter' deficiency. From Wal-Mart's particular business strategy, savings are passed along to customers here in the US. CUSTOMERS are the beneficiaries. Obviously, this business model works. If we were sufficiently uncomfortable about a Chinese person making our socks — we wouldn't buy from them. But, of course, they too are entity beneficiaries. We don't seem to mind that our brothers 'south of the border', plant and harvest our fields, mow our lawns, repair our problems. The Chinese work for us too, but don't try to sneak onto our shores and bilk us for the government handouts that US citizens SHOULD be getting. We 'appreciate' one another accusing the Chinese of their 'slave labor' policies. Two hundred years ago, a loaf of bread was two cents — IN AMERICA! We were becoming capitalists, we were building an economy. As a 61 year old, and a 31 year union member – I can say that I would certainly prefer a higher employment rate in the country of my birth. This will be done as we, once again, adopt principled policies and more effective priorities.: streamline our business models and get the cost of government involvement out of the way. The planet has become 'SMALL', and we need to compete. Wal-Mart has proved that success can come when the customer is pleased. If you are not pleased by the success of this organization, or don't approve of it's particular equation of cost-effectiveness, buy elsewhere. There are lots of good stores around and most assuredly, there will be one that will meet your fancy. It's just hopelessly unfair, that W/M is so often the chosen scapegoat for all our ills.
I'm 61 years young, but remember the long shopping days years ago, when One Stop Shopping was a 'WISH', that nobody knew enough to even dream!
2:49 am
If we shop at Walmart we should buy only US made items–hard to do but we need to stop buying the Chinese junk. It is poorly made.
10:46 am
So your house doesn’t have a TV, computer, toaster, blender, phone, etc.? I’ve tried and failed to find any of those labelled Made in America.
I’m typing this on an IBM computer … US brand name, but the bottom says “made in China”. The 15-year-old phone I just replaced says “made in China for Radio Shack.” The AT&T phone I bought to replace it says “made in China for AT&T”. NONE of these items were bought at WalMart.
3:21 am
I wish every Wal-Mart would close down. I hate those stores. I always tell people that before I would go into Wal-Mart, I have to take some serious drugs just to be able to make myself go into the store. They are dirty, unorganized, no one knows where anything is located(that is,if you can find someone to even ask. Y_You can't get down the aisles for people with about 4 kids on each side of the cart and they don'
4:40 pm
I absolutely refuse to go to Wal-Mart. For anything. I buy everything from somewhere else. Unfortunately, the Wal-Mart that we see now is NOT what Sam Walton envisioned his company to be. For those that think they can't afford to go anywhere else to buy groceries, think again. There are farmer's markets during the summer that are cheaper than going to WalMart. I realize that farmer's markets aren't open all year, but you can learn to can fruits and vegetables that will last for years if done correctly. Plus home canned fruit and vegetables are MUCH better for you than store bought canned vegetables. Yes it takes a little time to home can, but the pay off is much better. You eat better and save money and it only takes a couple hours to home can a bushel or fruit or vegetables. And you can also can meats that you can get from a meat market (which is also cheaper than WalMart). Do a little research, be willing to spend a little time, get better healthier food, and STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM WALMART!!
5:23 pm
Wal-mart is no different than any other corporation…they exploit employees because of the bottom line. My wages have declined over the last 10 years so I must stretch my dollars as far as they will go and Wal-mart is a must in this equation. Plus, if smaller businesses would find a nitch that Wal-mart can not fill, and provide excellent customer service, which most of them do not, they would still be in business.
5:31 pm
I believe the authors of this article are less than truthful. They claim that they are concerned about small businesses, but if the truth were known, I suspect that the people who wrote this article would prefer to line up all the business men and women (both large and small) and then shoot them in the head, NKVD Gulag style.
7:11 am
I used to preach this when they first started moving jobs outside America, but no one listens to a brain damage vet. When Sam was alive he helped created American jobs and he sold American goods but after his death that all changed.
8:51 am
Greed, plain and simple.
10:47 am
Correct me if I'm wrong….
"Everything we sell at Walmart will be made in the USA"
Sam Walton quote…..the early days
3:22 am
Boycott Wal-Mart and support the small businesses to kill their business if we really want to reduce the importation of cheap goods from China thus giving chance to local manufacturers and also increase the import taxes and sales tax to curb the Chines imports thus slowing down the growing Chines economy.i f high taxes are levied on Chinese import and less for the locally produced goods there will parity and and we will see the growth in the home economy going up.Local manufacturers need to be given tax breaks and those outsourcing need to be hit with outsourcing tax on top of the regular interest and sales tax.
8:14 am
Actually, I happen to making more at Wal-Mart than the little grocery store that I was working at.
9:16 am
Wow, this writer sure as a hard/on for Wal-Mart. So much so that he has woven all sorts of information that is not relevant into the article and, importantly, has failed to convey the entire story. Take items 1, 3 and 8; "The average U.S. family now spends more than $4000 a year at Wal-Mart." To be fair you may wish to share with your readers how much the average US family spends on a Ford or Chevy in a year both, full of imported parts. Comparing Wal-Mart to a country or army, while that serves your cause well, I don't really envision Wal-Mart's employees lining up and going to war against Iran. These trivial comments are designed for those who are easily swayed. The bigger picture, fault, should be clarified if you are sincere about our culture falling apart. Wal-Mart's buyers in Bentonville, are every day presented with products by companies who desperately desire getting their product on the store shelves so that the "Amazingly, 100 million customers" will buy them.
9:17 am
For the most part they are American companies with American employees making these thousands presentations. 85 percent of these American companies are having their products made overseas. They are simultaneously presenting/selling their products to Costco, Target and all chain stores. As for the rich getting richer and poor poorer I believe that Wal-Mart is a publicly traded stock. Perhaps the poor should have paid closer attention in high school economics class. Spend less on fat-saturated foods, beer and cigs and buy publicly traded stock instead. All of the mechanisms to share in the wealth of this great nation are in place. It is up to the individual to take advantage, though. Blaming the successful is simply reminding me that you were probably a doper in high school and its boo hoo hoo why am I so poor (read stupid), but you do have a souped-up Honda with a fart can.
9:33 am
Wall Mart should start thinking of correcting their values otherwise it will go down the drain. Time could be running out and people will start their own corrections.
10:24 am
This is a profoundly stupid article. In terms of jobs lost, the author assumes that because we are losing jobs and manufacturing facilities it means that we are worse off. This is incorrect because rising productivity reduces the need for manufacturing jobs in the first place, and that rising productivity is due to better technologies. The US happens to be a world leader in innovation and the development of technology, and that creates jobs, that typically pay high. We can afford to offshore manufacturing where countries like China can produce it efficiently. Another thing is that companies like Walmart have low prices and as fact 1 states (from a dubious source btw) and that allows families to but their food and other things at lower prices and be better off. Is the author arguing we should have higher prices for the sake of keeping small businesses. In sum I suggest the author takes a course in economics so they can publish articles that are accurate.
10:25 am
I love Wal-Mart and will continue to shop there. I appreciate what they have done to keep prices low and keep money in my pocket.
12:03 pm
Just work at Home Depot a few weeks…(actually the dehumanization process begins during your interview).
I needed (need) a job desperately. While being interviewed, I was treated like a 'wall shelf with brains'…no longer a customer of theirs albeit. I actually pulled up an inch of my top left forearm skin with my right thumb and forefinger during the interview and said, "Hey, I'm human too". This comment went right over the assistant managers head. So begins the way you are 'managed'; if hired. No discounts on products what-so-ever, and a salary of $8.50 an hour. Well boo-hoo for me right? Yes I would say the same except management can call you up a few hours before your appointed start time and say, "Don't bother showing up today, we're cutting hours". They also many times approach you a few hours into your work schedule and say…"You can leave now". There is NO WAY TO PLAN YOUR PAY CHECK THIS WAY!! We're just a dribble of
their saliva floating down to their next bonus check!!!
12:05 pm
I DO NOT SHOP WAL-MART FOR THAT REASON.REMEMBER THE BIG"MADE IN AMERICA"WITH THE U.S. FLAG SHOWN IN THERE ADDS? WHAT A LOAD OF____! THIS IS WHAT ALL THE OCCUPY PEOPLE WERE TALKING ABOUT.SHAME ON THIS FAMILY OF GREED. GO AHEAD AND SHOP THERE, AND WHILE YOU DO HANG YOU HEAD IN SHAME FOR ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS THAT ARE OUT OF WORK BECAUSE OF THESE AUFUL PEOPLE (AFTER THE FOUNDER DIED THE FAMILY AND THERE CO-HORTS WENT NUTS). GREED GREED GREED ,TO HELL WITH EVRYONE ELSE,THATS THE WAL-MART WAY!
12:35 pm
I refuse to shop at Wally World and DON'T. I go in with friends, but I will NOT spend my money in that store. I will spend more money shopping at Publix. Will I get as much, no, but again WILL NOT SPEND IN WALMART. I know in this day and age, a lot of families have not choice, but I do. And glad I don't have to spend my money there. The store in Poinciana is so dirty. The workers their chat too much and can't get their job done. The lines are so bad. I like the service I get from Publix and will continue to spend my money there. I will even shop Winn Dixie and get really good deals there. I support my local mom and pop shops. I even stop at the stands on the side of the road to support them as well. Wal-Mart Sucks, there is nothing in there made from the USA any more. Won't shop there, nope and don't. Sad they have driven all the others out of the area. Nope I will drop deard first before I spend a dime in any Wally World.
12:49 pm
I have a couple of family members that work at Walmart. Yes, their wages are low. Walmart offers health insurance to part time employee's. I don't know of many other companieds that do that. If American refused to buy the cheaper foreign made products, then there would not be a demand. Don;'t balme Walmart for doing what the American people want. Low prices, lots of variety, one stop shopping
2:28 pm
The sad fact is that when you purchase "cheap" products at Wal-Mart you ultimately end up spending more because you need to purchase more often than you would if you purchased something made of higher quality materials. I have worked with companies who have been put out of business by this giant that pretends to be helping those with lower incomes but ultimately is responsible for keeping so many there. I never shop there and try to encourage others not to either. Shopping at Wal-Mart has cost Americans much more than the price of the cheap goods.
1:42 am
If you don't like capitalism, move to Venezuela.
Start your own business and enjoy the wealth that comes with success. Complaining about others who have succeeded in business is seriously pathetic.
2:07 am
Americans need to boycott any product made in China. We need to boycott Wal-Mart and any other business that sell goods not made in the USA. We also have to convince our government to get back in the Space Race, or else the Chinese will control us from outer space. Wake up America.
2:16 am
The other thing that kicks me in the ass, is that if you work for WalMart, the largest corporation on earth, you can't afford insurance, they won't help. My wife got insurance, then found out the deductable was in the thousands.
3:06 am
So being a leading employer in the US is a bad thing? Need to take that one off your list you liberal pussies
4:00 am
The words may not be dishonest but the propaganda message is agenda driven. consumers, poor or otherwise have a choice. Supermarkets who are not small businesses also have options.
Wal-mart does not receive government welfare and obscene benefits like the transnational big oil companies ie; BP [British] Shell [Dutch] Luk oil [Russian] Citco [Venezuelan] Total, on & on. Americans have no choice and must buy gas and oil to survive. ps. Exxon Mobil makes more than Wal-Mart. They are bleeding and polluting this country with what they drain from the American people. That should be the biggest outrage of the corruption of this government before you take away the option from the poor working class.
4:31 am
"In the future, will we all be working for gigantic communal entities that funnel all of the wealth and economic rewards to a very tiny elite? That sounds very much like how communist China works, and red-blooded Americans should want no part of that." This comment proves that you know nothing about how "communist China" works.
4:33 am
Just based upon your own figures, regardless of the fact that I agree whole-heartedly with many of your assertions, it is hardly worth trying only to blame our economic woes on Wal-Mart because they are the biggest. The entire retail industry as a whole is guilty of the same practices – from the non-livable wages to being overpriced on every item that they sell. You claimed that $27B of Wal-Mart's imports come from China… with $421B in sales that would be all of a measly 6.4% of their annual revenues. Assuming that Wal-Mart duplicated their estimated elimination of 133,000 manufacturing jobs during 2001-2006 in 2007-2011, (266,000), they would account for just 3.8% of the manufacturing jobs lost. Further, you also mentioned that Wal-Mart is the nation's largest private employer… 1.4 million jobs have been created by Wal-Mart in the United States, far superior to say that of the jobs that Exxon Mobil has created here. As of 2010, Exxon Mobil employed a whopping 34,953 US workers , with revenues of $355B. If I remember correctly, I paid $3.78/gallon my last fill-up, and gasoline accounts for about 20% of my monthly spending. On Wal-Mart's behalf, they also contributed $958.9M (http://www.walmartstores.com/CommunityGiving/203.aspx) in US communities with only $15.4B in profit and the company also runs a phenominal sustainability program for waste in their stores. Exxon Mobil contributed $161M to local communities in the US (http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/community_wwgiving.aspx) on yet another whopping $35B in profit while also conveniently spilling 80,000 gallons of oil in the Gulf of Mexico near the already hurting state of Louisiana, and they have not yet and will never completely finish cleaning it up!!!. Did I mention that Exxon Mobil did not pay any income taxes in 2009, but actually received a $46M refund? (http://www.forbes.com/sites/energysource/2010/04/07/exxon-says-it-does-pay-u-s-income-taxes)? Even further, at least Wal-Mart does pass some savings onto the consumer, and is demonstrated through the hoards of shoppers that pledge their loyalty everyday… if you eliminate advertising, or at least provide a means for keeping costs of advertising from the absurd amount that they are being sold for, it would also provide a means for lowering costs and therefore prices for the consumer. Food for thought… how many advertising companies are out there, and how many Americans do they employ? Would any company in their right mind resume operating in today's US when they may actually have to think about things like worker's rights? Would they open up shop again only to exploit and abuse workers if deregulation continues? Deregulation cannot be a part of any economic plan for the US – Stand up and fight! Call, write, and know your representatives and demand that they restore humanity and real public service within our government! Big oil is the big fish, and moaning about Wal-Mart either needs to be applied to the entire industry in general (most of whom are worse violators that the big dog anyway), or need to take second, third, or even farther down the line to focus on companies like Exxon Mobil, our outrage over corporate and financial institutions greed. Corporate citizens do not have faces, therefore, lets eliminate the fact that greedy executives can hide behind them. Demand accountability for these folks and ensure proper regulations are put back in place to control their insatiable desire to control a dying population of blue-collar hard-working middle class Americans. This is the only way we can then restore the empty manufacturing industry here. Good luck in your pursuit of a better US.
6:32 am
Why is there contempt for success? Walmart should be celebrated not scorned by people who do not posses the ability or the work ethic to be successful.
8:01 am
None of this should be surprising to anyone. They are out to kill any independent merchants. Walmart sucks and I avoid it like the plague.
8:03 am
And what happened to everything in Walmart would be made in the US? Liars greedy liars.
8:27 am
I try very hard to AVOID Walmart at all costs. I personally do not shop there for several different reasons with the first one being you get what you pay for. Their products are cheaply priced cheaply made. I would never think about purchasing groceries there, theres no telling where the food is coming from. I will continue to shop at the local Winn Dixie, the corner Ace Hardware and Staples. I have never been a Walmart fan.
8:33 am
With the jobs at an all time low you ought to be glad that Walmart has a place for you to work.At least you have a job or would you rather set on your butt and draw a check.I have worked at Walmart for 21 yrs and it has provided me with a home,health insurance,401K and food on the table.I have never been laid off or afraid that the place was going to shut down..Sure our prices are low,,if they were high then you all drawing a check couldnt afford them .You people would complain no matter what,there is no satisfying the public..Its not all Walmarts fault that companys have moved overseas,,those companys are making alot more by doing so.So you who knock Walmart,go ahead but its here to stay and I am sure I will see you out there shopping even though you say you dont..Have a nice day…:))
8:40 am
I think that America should come together and decide on one day a month to just not buy at walmart. let them loose profits for one day of no selling products and they might get the hint or not, knowing them.
8:47 am
Surely Walmart will find a way to avoid providing the new government healthcare to its part-time workers. The poor are forever stuck working at Wally World. But, at least its a job.
9:13 am
Wal-mart does what all successful businesses do – they just do it better. This is free enterprise in action and nothing could be more 'red-blooded American' . Our problems are not caused by private businesses – our problems lie with our governmental institutions at all levels across this great country. Why the anonymous author (The Economic Collapse Blog)? Got something to hide? Envy is no justification for this kind of smear tactic. I am not affiliated with Wal-mart in any way, I just appreciate supply, demand, and competition.
9:16 am
Everyone complains about Walmart but then go shop there – if you think they are so evil, boycott them and eventually the message will get through. Shop at those small retailers that you claim to support – it might cost a few bucks more but why not put your wallet where your mouth is.
I don't shop at Walmart but I also don't believe this union propaganda either. It is sad that smaller businesses can't survive and these stores are changing the fabric of our towns and cities. But clearly that is what most people want considering they vote with their wallets.
By the way, you forgot that Walmart is now being investigated for violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (allegedly paying bribes in Mexico).
9:18 am
Honestly, how is Target or Kroger any different? The only difference with them is that they are not as successful as Walmart. Also, I believe Apple (a product that many of my Walmart hating friends love) has a higher GDP than Walmart and they are mostly (if not fully) made in China. I shop at Walmart because I don't have a lot of time and it is convenient to get my groceries, electronics, housewares, prescriptions/medicines, and auto parts in one location. Also, they are parent / kid friendly with large carts and convenient bathrooms (with changing tables). My local Walmart employs several hundred people, including many disabled and elderly people that could not find work elsewhere. It is not all bad. I do try and buy American made products first.
9:26 am
Nothing here shocks me, except the "sadly" bit about 85% of their products coming from elsewhere. American products are expensive junk. WHY would anyone want to spend more for inferior stuff? It's a global economy people. Keep up or lose. Walmart is obviously keeping up. Maybe it is time a few other US companies did too.
9:36 am
Walmart will one day be the only place to shop, we will have no choices. They will then raise their prices and we will all succumb to their greed. What I say is a warning, 20 years early. They are rich and powerful and will continue to be so unless we take back America!
9:42 am
I am a semi-retired semi driver and had a delivery to make to the Walmart warehouse in Plainview, Texas in the mid-90s. I drove all night long to get to their location and when I arrived, I was treated as something less than human, was denied the opportunity to deliver on the scheduled day and had to reschedule my delivery through my dispatcher losing an entire day of income in the process. During their program of interplanetary expansion I witnessed them with their Gestapo tactics come into an area like an army of storm troopers and monopolize the local economy. I have NEVER shopped at Walmart. I will NEVER shop at Walmart. Even if the Walmart price is 90% less than the price somewhere else, I'll buy elsewhere or I'll go without. I will NOT lower myself to deal with Greed, Incorporated!
9:45 am
Once again, hating the successful in America. Instead of complaining, why don't the other retailers step up their game and compete? Instead of a small retailer complaining about being undercut, change your business model to offer something WM doesn't – customers will come then. If employees don't like the wages or benefits, find a different job. Point being it's a free country and people make choices. WM creates a retail environment that people like and thus people shop there. I know plenty of people who boycott WM and that's their choice too. Just don't hate companies for doing what it takes to build a profitable business.
9:48 am
I don't care for how they conduct themselves anymore than the next guy but at the same time I'm not going to spend more than I need by shopping somewhere else….it is what it is….nothing you can do about it
10:20 am
Interesting dilemma, ask the people to pay higher prices in order to save jobs. Not sure thats good for anybody. How about we get more competitve in the products we make so we can sell through Wal-Mart?
10:20 am
My mom worked for 25 years at a locally privately owned supermarket. She was paid slightly less that the average Walmart worker makes today when you figure in the decline of the value of the dollar over the years. I remember that every time there was an increase in the minimum wage the store owner would just cut her weekly hours the appropriate amount so she only realized the same weekly income but was still responsible to get her weekly work done. Why make Walmart the bad guys here? It just seems like workers get mistreated equally in this level of the economic ladder. If it's so bad why don't they just get a job elsewhere?
10:31 am
Two words that can elevate you out of poverty: "Educate Yourself" I made B's and C's in High School, didn't go to College, taught myself to use computers and now I'm making $30/h 40 hours a week. Nothing will come to you without the effort to educate yourself.
10:34 am
"I not only…..WANT, but I, INSIST on being able to get my eye glasses for $1.50, the medications, for me and my family members, for no more than .50 cents. I "HAVE" to make, in excess of $20.00 an hour and MUST HAVE at LEAST 30 days of PAID vacation, every single year!"
"If I don't like my boss's attire, his or her attitude, or the aftershave/perfume that they wear at work, or if I don't get ALL of the things, listed in the first paragraph…….. I'll go ON STRIKE and sit at home and not work!
I MUST HAVE, not only a 90 minute; "lunch hour", but also 3 periods every day, of at least 30 minutes each, so i can stop of "pray to Allah", while facing east!
I cannot work on Wednesdays, because I'm Protestant. Can't work on Tuesdays, because I'm Baptist. Cannot work on Mondays, because I'm Catholic. I have to have a special locker to keep my prayer rug in.
If you ever tell me…….."Hey! Nice haircut! I'll sue you, AND, the company I work for, for "sexual harassment". (Then, I'll go on strike, too!).
"EVERYTHING", at my place of employment, MUST BE 100% "Politically Correct", or I'll refuse to come to work until you make it so!"
I am ENTITLED, to ALL of these things, because after all………….. "I AM AN AMERICAN WORKER"!
10:34 am
We are all guilty of this. Most hate WalMart but all goes there. We are killing our economic prosperity gradually by patronising WalMart. This is a giant that is consistently killing off competition. The small business owner is eventually forced to close and take up a low-paying job at WM. The smooth politicians talk about "supporting small business" but turn around and take campaign contributions from WM and shaft the small guy.
The only way to halt WM is to vote wisely and elect politicians that REALLY CARE about the small guy. But then, most voters are already dumbed-down and listen to the millionaire radio and TV talking-heads.
Wake up America, before its too late.
10:46 am
Wal Mart is the enemy within. Money creates corruption. I believe Wal Mart is the master of corruption. How many politicans do you think have been bought and paid for by Wal Mart.
I refer to Wal Mart stores as Chinese Embassies. Spread the good word of Red Guard.
Complain in China and you disappear. Complain if your a Wal Mart employee and your gone.
Looks like Wal Mart has learned alot from China.
11:20 am
It’s called the American Dream, Sam Walton embraced the number one rule in this Country- he saw opportunities as avenues for income. We tell our children in schools to seize those opportunities every single day in hopes of reaching their dreams…now we should stop teaching that on the chance they might actually become successful and achieve their dream? No one is stopping all those employees of Wal-Mart from working hard and smart. In fact, Wal-Mart has a ‘promote from with-in’ culture. Everyone in our country has choices- sounds like Walton chose to earn his keep all through his childhood and never stopped; google Sam Walton for his history- this article must has accidently forgot to mention all his efforts. So to answer the question ‘Is Wal-Mart destroying America? No, but you know what is? Propaganda like this article, people giving into this type of propaganda, and people not realizing that they have got to stop blaming ‘the man’ on their problems and shortcomings. So take this challenge-go one day without one excuse, tv, etc… I don’t think Sam had the time for that nonsense while working and you shouldn’t either.
1:04 pm
Wal-Mart
What is universally true about Wal-Mart that is not true of well-run businesses like Publix (which, unfortunately either cannot or do not compete with Wal-Mart's pricing) is that every Wal-Mart you go to, no matter which city in the country, is complete with a parking lot littered with trash. It is the epitome of human laziness and gluttony. I've been in nice parts of Tennessee down to our home state of Florida and every Wal-Mart looks and feels the same: dirty, littered, filled with rude, inconsiderate people, and loaded like a warehouse of Chinese made junk that people trample over each other to buy.
As a kid about 25 years ago I remember my grandfather (WW2 vet now deceased) telling me about this "Wal-Mart" store that was new in their town (we did not have one in our city at the time–those were the days, in retrospect!!). He told me about this guy Sam Walton and how Wal-Mart sold, primarily, only stuff made in the USA. Well, just like Walt Disney World today is about the furthest cry from what it's founder intended, Wal-Mart is hardly that same company.
I don't think it's good for America. I don't think it's good for communities. I don't think it's what it once was and yet the fact that they do extend tax breaks to "lure" and "entice" Wal-Mart into their town is mind-boggling. The last company on earth that needs a tax break is Wal-Mart.
I don't let me wife shop there. I'll shop there occasionally, and yes, it's to save money, but I hate the experience. I don't trust the safety of the place for my wife and kids–period, and these days, we're really getting better with coupons and stocking up on BOGO deals at places like Publix – I love shopping at our Publix. We had an Albertsons that was pretty good and now all but 4 of Albertson's Florida stores are gone (thank you Wal-Mart).
Wal-Mart is probably the only thing in the world that makes this conservative question capitalism! However, the flip side is that in a capitalistic society, we have the ability to speak with our wallet. Problem is, conservative values have gone the way of the buffalo to the point where it often feels like we're the lone voice in our stand for a more dignified, orderly way of living (which certainly could not include Wal-Mart). I lament that Wal-Mart has now proved (largely) the word that makes me cringe every time I hear it spoken by a TV news business analyst (especially on Black Friday, America's biggest and most sacred holiday it seems): "consumer". No longer are people people, but consumers, and Wal-Mart is the perfect fish bowl to see that theory in action.
7:27 pm
And tell me, where do our other retailers buy their merchandise from? It isn't made in the USA either. I don't know of any retailers that actually pay a living wage. If there are any, would love to know who they are.
4:14 am
It's NOT WalMart that has caused small businesses to close, it's the consumers that will gravitate to lower prices and the availability of buying everything at one location. When Sam Walton started out, he was the epitome of the entrepreneur. Now that he's succeeded he is part of evil corporate America! Get Real!
4:20 am
back in high school i did a creative writing piece about a place called "the store" (i was 15, not to great on subtleties) but basically it was how this place had everything you need, sold happiness in bulk. cheapest place, had anything you need. beyond goods/services. emotions, family all that existential stuff. went on how it was destroying the town and its people…classmates and others knew it was about walmart cept they all shat on me cause they said how great it is to be able to get everything in one place so cheap. .*sigh*…..most of them still think that way. seems me you and southpark all had same idea…
5:28 am
Wally World has to start selling American made stuff, this stuff the sale is cheap and it breaks so easy. The clothes they sale dont last long at all. You can only get like 3 or 4 wears out of them so thats why i never buy my clothes there.
I get my clothes at J.C. Penny's or Kohls never at Wally world which is a joke
5:48 am
Maybe the businesses in industry in the US will someday pay skilled labor tradespeople a fair wage and we can manufacture and supply Walmart with items?????
8:20 am
#12 Tens of thousands of Wal-Mart employees and their children are enrolled in Medicaid and are dependent on the government for healthcare.
well, isn't that what the government wants? everyone dependent on the govt for their healthcare? in case you didn't notice, EVERYONE is supposed to have government based coverage pretty soon.
Oh, and "tens of thousands" of illegal immigrants "and their children are enrolled in Medicaid and are dependent on the government for healthcare" right now! and they don't even have jobs!
8:22 am
Walmart is just working with what the corrupt US government has given them to work with. The US is driving small business out of business, not Walmart. If small business had the ability to outsource, they would. Big government and big business are attached at the hip. Big government passes laws that favor big business which helps businesses like Walmart beat samll business. The EPA is one of the greatest examples. The EPA has driven thousands of family gas stations out of business by creating laws that small family stations could not comply with while only large conveninet store chains could. That's just one example. Someone could write ad encyclopedia on all the things the US government has done and is continuing to do to drive small business into the ground while favoring big business.
So, don't blame Walmart!
8:25 am
sad part is, my mom has worked at walmart for close to 20 years…. now they are building a super center, all employees have to re-apply for thier jobs! and they are doing away with full time employees! that means no more benifits! they claim they can't afford to give benifits!!!!!!! what a joke! i try to avoid walmart at all cost! i watched a guy return a bike all beat to crap, it had a flat tire and he wanted the tire fixed. they explained to him that they didn't fix tires. as soon as the guy made a seen, they exchanged the bike for a new one just like it. how many stores do the same crap….this kind of activity adds up. and the can't afford to pay benifits? right!
8:30 am
Walmart is a cancer upon America, they are what's wrong – not what's right with America & the World! America needs a minimum wage of at least $10/hour – greedy scum like Walmart, where a few top criminals in the company get rich – while many workers live in poverty is disgraceful! This is the business model Romney would have for the US, as the brainwashed "righties" cry about "socialized medicine" with Obamacare (same health system Romney has in place in MA & what do you think Medicare, Medicaid, & the VA are?) If Walmart is what capitalism is, maybe socialism isn't that bad?
9:00 am
Unions and spoiled Americans have ruined this country. There are plenty of jobs to be had if you want to do them. I saw a guy on TV the other day that actually said "I've had several job offers but until I get ones that's close to the 100,000 a year I was making I'm not taking it." Unions have driven businesses overseas. Striking over the most ridiculous crap when lot's of people would love to have their jobs. Unions make it to expensive to manufacture in the U.S.
9:22 am
Reads just like the the Union Line. Socialist hate-mongering.
9:36 am
I say boycott wally world shop where they sell american products, we need to be proud to be americans and buy american made products. No one will look after america if americans dont do it. We as a nation need to stop outsourcing in any way we can even if it is just refusing to buy products made in other countries.
9:43 am
As a student of history I would say these comments are very similar to the comments of the early 20th century. Those comments started the union movement.
9:51 am
Very interesting and concern of the entry, any more such.
9:56 am
Slave wages exsist here and all over the world. Walmart owner siblings are multi billionaires, yet all their employees and their customers are poor! What's the ratio % on that? 99 to 1 most likely!
10:01 am
It's easy to attack the top guy – the one who stands out among a crowd. While I don't like many of the things I've heard about Walmart, there are plenty of other companies in the US that also use these same practices. Sears, JC Penney, Lowe's, Home Depot, Best Buy, I could go on and on. When was the last time anyone has seen a television made in the United States? How many foreign cars are on the road today (and yes, I drive one of those)? Look at your desktop pc, laptop, tablet, or mobile phone that you are reading this article with. Where do you think the parts came from that make up that device?
10:01 am
This article sounds more like a Walmart bashing campaign, not an eye-opening article about how we are slowly destroying ourselves as a nation. If we're going to start pointing fingers, we need to start pointing them at each and every person in this country, for American buying habits is what has gotten us here. If we as a nation would take a stand and stop buying these foreign products, then the suppliers wouldn't be able to market them here. That last sentence sound like an easy solution? Next time you go shopping, try to find a handful of items that are made in America and only buy those.
Right.
Get the point?
10:02 am
Sam Walton used to pride himself on selling madr in the USA as much as he could. He is rolling in his grave at what his offspring and wife have done to the company. But then again ask the 1% and they will tell you that its free enterprise.
10:04 am
Ok, site admins. What is the limit on the amount of text that can go into this box? I tried to post my comments but kept getting a message that my '…comment is a little too long. Try shortening it…' Really? By how much?
Oh, and by the way, Yolohub, where are these servers co-located? Somewhere other than the United States? Are you also 'keeping it in America'?
10:50 am
You have convenced me. I admit to being a constant at Wal Mart. But that was before I read this article. Now that I think of it, there are very few things that I cannot buy almost as cheaply other places. Now tell me about Amazon. I have been buying more and more from Amazon. Very easy to find just what you are looking for and have it delivered two days later. I also like being able to read customers reviews on the products. Of course, Amazon does not rent pigs or sell groceries, but they might be your next new car dealer.
11:04 am
Wal-Mart isn't doing anything wrong from a business standpoint, and that's what they are. A business. There is an incredibly easy way to put a stop to this and it would involve our government stepping in and limiting the amount of goods we import from foreign countries. That doesn't look like it is ever going to happen though. To insult a company for going out of their way to get things cheap just makes no sense. Our governemnt sits and watches what is going on and totally has the power to stop it. Until we fix that the problems are always going to be there.
11:20 am
This article is a bunch of BS. You think Wal-mart is the only business that does this then you are severely in the dark. I do work for Wal-mart and have for ten years now and there pay is equal to or more than the any other company in the same classie. Target,K-mart,COSTCO etc. So you people need to pull your head out. I also use to work for another fortune five hundred company named BOEING that has done outsourcing of the parts to other cheaper companies and that is how I lost my job with them. So where is their article. You also do not mention the billions of dollars that wal-mart gives back to the community.
11:21 am
CONT -When hurricane Katrina hit we where the first ones there with trucks filled to help and we were there before any other government help even had a plan to help. I know this because we staged trucks where I worked before the hurrican hit and as soon as it did those trucks were rolling to help. I can tell you story after story of how wal-mart has helped communities and give money back. But the funniest thing about all this is wal-martn started back in 1962 as a mom and pop store and grew from there and it hs grown far more than Sam Walton ever dreamed and it has because of the basic beleifs that he started with like Respect for the individual, Service to our customer, Striving for exellance. I have been in the workforce now over thirty years and the last ten with wal-mart and they have treated me better than any other company I have worked for. So until you actually work for the compnany and open your eyes to what wal-mart has really done for america shut the hell up.
11:41 am
what a shame what wal mart is doing to the US, and they don't care as long as they have the immense personal gain and the big bucks go to them. The same with politics, we will be "owned" by the rich, as it seems the one with the most money "wins" and will run the country and make decisions for the money from people who bought them. all hurts the fading middle class, is not what made America great, the might rich don't care as long as they continue with their life styes.
2:46 pm
I try to avoid WM …have for yrs. They have put local businesses out of business here like everywhere, its so sad. I also hate that they don't allow unionizing. There was one here in Canada that won the right to unionize after a lot of strife and dedication from the employees, so they could have better work conditions etc…their victory was short lived, as that WM closed it's doors, sighting it wasn't making any money in that location anymore…Yeah Right! ..It's very scary and yet, ppl keep shopping there preferring to save a few bucks rather then keep local businesses alive. Their power is far reaching ppl! Wise up!!
8:02 pm
Very well written story. It will be useful to anybody who employess it, including myself. Keep doing what you are doing – looking forward to more posts.
12:45 pm
Walmart wants the cheapest prices. If companies weren't squeezed so tight by the government, they might be able to compete with foreign companies. It isn't Walmart that is killing companies in the USA.
12:48 pm
I say GO WALMART!! MAKE THAT MONEY!
1:00 pm
I do my shopping at dollor store
1:26 pm
Okay, I'm willing to stop going to Wal-Mart to help America. My question is this…Where DO I go to buy exclusively American made products, grocery or otherwise, that won't cost twice as much as I pay at Wal-Mart? If I go to Costco, Target, Kmart, etc., don't they all have a significant percentage of foreign made goods?
1:26 pm
I despise going to walmart. Their products are crappy and the food is crappy. I shop at Kroger so i can trust that the store brand is good and save money. I wouldn't touch the walmart value brand with a 10 foot pole, let alone eat it.
1:27 pm
Hello I am a cell phone store owner and now that Wall-Mart has started selling a full line of cell phones and accessories I have seen my busnisess drop since they have done this .I have had to drop my prices so low just to keep my customers coming back that i cant make any proffit any more thanks to Wall-Mart . Wall-Mart is bad for small busniess and bad for the us soon there will nothing left but Wall-Marts in the us how can that be any good for any of us .If we stop buying form them and going back to the Momand Pops stores we can show them that we will no longer stand for what they are do to us !!!!!!
2:40 pm
Walmart's motto should be:
We create poverty, wherever we go…
2:47 pm
I totally agree, I never shop at Walmart!
2:49 pm
I do less shopping at Walmart now, I have discovered Aldi's & Save-A-Lot if they don't have it, I impervise with something else, plus the fact we go to the fresh fruit & veg stores and flea markets now and these stores are even cheaper and fresher than Walmart and alot of things are made and grown in America. I even stopped buying dogfood and dog treats made in China. I do not want to buy all their Toxic foods & Merchandise. Health wise in the long run I think we will be healthier.
Walmart owners need to stop all their GREED, when is enough money, enough?? How rich do you have to be most people can be happy with just being comfortable.
Doesn't Walmart owners get it, just their company alone can bring back America if they would stop their outsourcing. Amazing how one company can do that and be responsible for bringing America and make a huge difference. Your customers would love shopping at Walmart knowing your products are made in the USA, I for one will be walking through your doors and be proud I did.
2:49 pm
To me this is really stupid. We as a country are hurting so that 4,000 Americans buying groceries and one in four dollars going to Walmart for them is a joke. If many companies could reduce their prices to be competitive with Walmart, Walmart would not be crushing the competition. I am sorry but, long before Walmart got really big, this countries jobs in manufacturing were gone. Mostly by the mid to late 80's. Get one thing straight here Walmart helps to keep people a float financially. If Walmart's grocery aisle didn't exist, my kids would starve.
3:01 pm
I wonder how much the Walton's give to charity each year?
3:01 pm
Wally World is run by an unAmerican Elite who have no allegiance to the US, it's local governments, or it's people. It pays virtually no taxes (gets local property taxes waived by money-starved municipalities, uses immense loopholes to actually get billions in tax refunds from the IRS, etc.), reinvests nothing back into local US communities, is not held accountable for its workers being paid so low (with no benefits) that their workers are forced onto food-stamps and medicaid. Not to mention the billions it cost the US government to provide monies for food-stamps, medicaid, TANF, low-income housing, etc…to Walmart workers and the millions who've lost manufacturing jobs and jobs related to those manufacturing jobs over the past 20 years. Walmart enjoys the benefits of using our highways without paying much in the way of road use taxes. Walmart enjoys being able to pay low wages because it's employees can fall back onto foodstamps, medicaid, low income housing, and TANF. Walmart enjoys side-stepping anti-trust laws by being able to sell cheap foreign-made goods without having to compete fairly with local small businesses because our government, bought by Walmart, does not add tariffs onto Walmart cheap foreign made goods. Tariffs would do two things–1. Allow smaller US businesses and US manufacturers to survive by being able to supply and compete fairly with Walmart. 2. Provide some of the funding for the very social programs mentioned above that Walmart's low wages and manufacturing job destruction for millions of it's workers and laid-off supplier workers are forced to use. Here's what our governments (federal, state, and local) should begin doing soon if America is to survive 5 years from now–:
1. Off-load the costs of all the above social programs back onto Walmart–in other words, force Walmart to pay the billions in Foodstamps, low-income housing benefits, Medicaid, and TANF that's it's workers and laid off supplier workers use every year. Also, DO NOT allow Walmart to threaten it's workers if they use foodstamps, low income housing subsidies, Medicaid, and TANF.
2. Close many of the larger tax loopholes that allow Walmart and it's controlling elite not to have to pay it's fair share of taxes to maintain infrastructure, defense, social programs, etc…It is estimated that Walmart enjoys over $100 billion a year in societal benefits WITHOUT having to contribute one penny to that society (roads, defense, housing, food, medical, etc.). WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! You and I have to pay, but, Walmart doesn't? Walmart would not be able to make one penny without US infrastructure, US social programs, US military protection, etc…
3:08 pm
Unfortunatley this article doesn't shock me and only confirms in more detail what I already knew. I first experienced Walmart in 1994 in Denver, Colorado. I loved it! I remember thinking it was the best place to buy batteries and razors. I know of all things but expensive items every where else and they did and still do have the lowest prices. The store was very clean and perfectly stocked. I had moved there from California where the low cost stores brought people from lower income neighborhoods who unfortunatley helped turn the store in to a disgusting, unorganized, filthy mess. My income is definitely not like it was back then and I'm currently uninsured, underpayed and soon part of of the working poor. I sure don't want to shop at W anymore but I don't know what the alternative is for below middle class. I have to just live for today otherwise kill my self with the stress and concern with all this nonsense!
3:21 pm
This is pure garbage. Everyone has a choice. Nobody is forced to shop in any one place. Businesses offer products and services in demand. People make their own choices one way or another. They are voting with their pocketbook. Corporations do not kill anything. They create value by delivering products and services the public, or other companies, want, at a profit – or they go out of business. No satisfied customers, no business. And we live in a global economy. You have the freedom to make your own choices – without judgement. So does everyone else. Get over yourself.
3:28 pm
Why do we always want to blame others? Let's just put the blame on Walmart. NOT! Walmart would not exist if we did not support them. If America is so concerned about these mega retailers, then don't support them. Don't support them and they go out of business. Apparently, the vast majority of Americans support Walmart, otherwise, they wouldn't be where they are today. All of these small mom and pop businesses could form their own conglomerate and do the same thing. No, we just want to complain. "Oh gee dad, Tommy next door has a bigger bike–that's not fair. He should wait until I can afford a bigger bike too!" I hear the same complaints over and over again. MicroSoft is too big–Apple is taking over. Remember MA Bell? Get over it and get creative.
3:40 pm
If you don't believe that they crush and destroy small business in the US then you have your head in the sand…..Small town main streets have all but dried up if there is a Wal-Mart close buy , the wages and benefits that the employees earn is a joke . They treat their employees worse than the manufacturers they have forced over seas or out of business ….. The middle class is shrinking every day and your dollar is buying less ….
3:57 pm
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU – THE AUTHOR OF THIS STORY – IF YOU ARE AS SERIOUS AS YOU SOUND FOR SUCH INFORMATIVE INFORMATION……. TAKE THIS STORY TO ANOTHER LEVEL AND HAVE THIS INFORMATION PUT ON TELEVISION – CABLE – RADIO – AND WAL-MART EMPLOYEES ON ALL LEVELS TO PROTEST TO MAKE A LOUDER SOUND TO LET – THE GENERAL PUBLIC REALIZE HOW OUR MONEY INTO WAL-MART EXECUTIVES-SHAREHOLDERS POCKETS AND LAVISH LIFESTYLES – ARE DEMEANING THE AMERICAN ECONOMY – TREMENDOUSLY – WITH DECEPTIONS OF LOW PRICES – AND A VERY BROAD SELECTION OF ITEMS TO PURCHASE…….. MANY AMERICANS DO NOT SLOW DOWN ENOUGH TO READ THE VITAL STUFF – AND MORE PEOPLE CATCH THE NEWS IN FRONT OF THEIR TELEVISIONS – CABLE – RADIOS………. STILL MANY PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE COMPUTERS…….. SO BROADEN THE BROADCASTING METHODS – TO GET THIS STORY OUT………….. THANKS FOR SUCH POWERFUL INFORMATION – THIS IS VALUABLE NEWS TO ME………..
4:42 pm
It appears to me that you are making statements about Wal-Mart without any regard for the truth.
1.You claim that Wal-Mart gets most of its products from China, but in 2007, when you state that they imported #27 Billion worth of product from China,their cost of sales was about #264 Billion, so Chinese imports only represented about 10.2% of total product value sold. Hardly "most'.
2.If 80% of all Wal-Mart suppliers were in China,as you claim, that would mean that almost 90% of the value of their products were produced by 20% of their suppliers, all of which were outside of China . Hard to believe!
What is your supporting evidence for what appear to me to be obvious inconsistencies.
6:11 pm
It appears to me that you are making statements about Wal-Mart without any regard for the truth.
7:09 pm
SHOPPING WAL-MART IS A CHOICE. BUT IF PEOPLE HAD THERE JOBS WAL-MART EXTINGUISHED THEY WOULD HAVE THE $ TO SHOP ELSEWHERE. WHAT A TRAP! I BELIEVE PEOPLE CARE, MOST DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A CHOICE.
AMERICA IS LETTING CHINA TAKE-OVER OUR COUNTRY. WE ARE ALLOWING IT TO HAPPEN. FEAR THAT!
7:12 am
The next US Congress needs to Re-enact the Sherman Anti Trust Act and break up Monopolies such as Wal-Mart!
7:28 am
I NEVER go to Wal-Mart. It is beyond me why people shop there. To save a few dollars? In the end we are supporting a few people to live better than kings and the rest of America is becoming poorer and poorer. Stores other than Wal-Mart also have items items I need/want and almost always it declares MADE in China. Cannot locate items that are made in USA. We, as a nation, have to WAKE-UP!!!!!! Why don't the politicians ever bring this subject into political speeches? If it is a worry to me than surely it must be a worry to others!
7:30 am
Save Moneyyy and live better….yeah Baby…it's the American Dream!!! Thanks Walmart!
7:41 am
Walmart is not killing America's jobs…..American UNIONS are killing American jobs….wake up! Walmart is a business, doing what a business does to reward it's shareholders: keep costs down and profits up so it stays in business…..do the blame game all you want, but put the blame where it belongs: Unions that suck their members dry and keep their wages and especially their benefits so high that no manufacturer here in the US can compete….the Union leaders are the bad guys, not Walmart……..you can choose to shop or not shop at Walmart, but a union member doesn't have a choice where his dues go…..seems like a union member would rather have their dues go into their own pockets than line the pockets of the bosses and whoever they want to support politically…..wake up.
8:08 am
After reading this article and the figures I am appalled at their gross money grabbing and deceptive practices. If 96% of Legal Americans live within 20 miles of a Wal Mart isn't that close enough? They should pay their employees a decent salary then maybe some of them will not simply grunt at you in a foriegn gibberish. I hope Sam is rolling in his grave …
8:18 am
Companies are in business to make money and Wal-Mart is good at what they do. The whole problem is free trade. The U.S. does not need free trade. If the U.S. raised tariffs and lowered taxes on U.S. manufacturers, Americans would have jobs producing goods for other Americans. This baloney about how protectionism would hurt the eceonomy is nonsense. The U.S. economy today is bigger than the entire world economy was 50 years ago and we did just fine back then. The Chinese takeover of the world economy can't be stopped by a few well-intentioned boycotters – it MUST be stopped by political action. Unfortunately neither of our current presidential candidates have the wisdom or courage to solve this problem.
9:06 am
I just have to laugh about the part that if Wal-mart were an army, it would be the second largest in the world. I don't think the group of idiots working at my local Wal-mart could collectively find their way out of the parking lot, little lone invade a country! And at least the Wal-mart workers that are on public assistance have had to pass a drug test, unlike the hundred of thousands of others that sit around smoking pot and popping pills while waiting for their check to come.
9:12 am
I really beleive that in years past our government would not have let such a monster exist. look at what they did to Southwestern Bell, ATT&T, General Electric and many other companies. It seems as if allowing a retailor to become so large is intentional. Perhaps Wal Mart is on the way of becoming the comeasary for the US where everyone will spend their food stamps; i do mean everyone because at the rate this country is going we will all be on stamps soon. Sometimes I think the government and Wal Mart are working together to destroy free enterprise and jobs in America.
9:53 am
I wonder if anyone has ever actually performed a price comarison like the grocery stores used to do with each other. My wife & I have & you do not save what you think you do. We took a legal pad & walked the grocery aisles at a local walmart, spending half a day jotting down over 300 different items & prices. The rest of the day was spent comparing to Albertson's & Safeway (our local grocery stores). Walmart has spent billions in advertising. Their message has been hammered into the heads of Americans so much, that people automatically assume that walmart MUST have the lowest prices…because they said so. Our findings would shock many people, but not us…we already knew different and were out to prove it. Out of the 327 products we compared, ony 89 were cheaper at walmart. Many of the 89 were only cheaper by a few cents. Walmart has so many fooled, making them believe that the savings are tremendous! They offer price match guarantees. Hell, if I am at the store with the lower price, why would I drive to the other end of town to let them match the price? I'm going to buy it right there & laugh in walmarts face.
9:53 am
cont'd…….
That's ludicrous.
Anyway, we proved what we set out to. Both to our friends & family. Sadly, the rest of America is so brainwashed or apethetic, that the truth may never sink in. I despise walmart for what they have done to the small businesses in this country. The earlier was poster was absolutely correct. It's really not walmart's fault. It's the fault of the American people for letting it get this far.
9:57 am
Question: When the WM people came to the writer in the '90's and said they were going out of country & they needed his assosciation to match the prices, what was HIS answer – most likely something like "you want what???? hahahahahahahahaha" before calling security to throw them out of his office. It seems like the only compromise was supposed to be on the part of the business not anyone else. As they say "ye shall reap what ye shall sow"
Read item # 9 again and let's all join forces to put Walmart out of business.Then what…. (sound of crickets chirping)?
Don't start the "make the CEO salary the same as an associate" because this is not going to fix it considering there are thousands of WM stores. – maybe they should close a lot of them – right? (see item 9 again).
10:16 am
Wow, I have been calling WM the anti-christ for years they are very hard to deal with from any stand point. I work for a major domestic supplier and they treat our company like we are scum of the earth, I personally shop other retailers any time there is an option. The sad thing is that in small communities there are very few choices sometimes none. I am around WM employees almost everyday and most of them feel the same way about their employer as the people commenting and the author. It is far past time for true Americans to stand up for what is right and launch a large scale boycott against the evil empire.
10:35 am
By principles, I do not buy in Wall-Mart or other large corporations. The US tax for imports must be re-examined if they want to save the small business otherwise just a few mammoths will dominate everything.
10:37 am
CEO of Walmart think about the families that work for your ass! Really?
10:57 am
If we had import taxes to protect American goods in the marketplace, WM would not be able to do what they are doing.
11:59 am
People who are on a limited budget are going to shop where their dollars stretch the most. As a single parent, I have had lots of experience with 'tight' money. Did I look at the label to see where the item was made, yes, but did it change my mind for the clothes or shoes or food for my family, No.
12:10 pm
Just another typical rant article about something going really bad without a shred of a comment on how to remedy the issue. OK, I get the point, WalMart is hurting a lot of businesses and communities. But what do you suggest we do about it?
This is akin to watching a house burn in front of you and writing an artice about how horrible it is without bothering to suggest throwing water on the fire.
12:25 pm
This situation is exactly what Occupy is about. 1% of the population make all of the real money while 99% make shit. While the government is controlled by the 1% things will not change. We must not allow laws to be made by big corporations thru their lobbyists. We are now at the stage we are almost helpless pawns in our own country. Things must change, in other countries it took a revolution. Perhaps that is what we need here.
12:29 pm
paradise belongs to the rich! it is the function of EVERYONE else to maintain paradise. i cant single out wall-mart
12:29 pm
"Most of us love shopping at big, clean stores that are packed with super cheap merchandise"?? Not really. If I can shop ANYwhere else, I do.
12:41 pm
If you can show me a store that doesn't sell Chinese made products I'll shop there. If not, I'll continue to shop WMart.
12:55 pm
I have never posted to any site before but I had to after reading this "opinion piece". I can not believe people in this day and age are so myopic in their views. Wal-mart is simply providing that which the American public wants. Wal-mart' s customers evidently don't agree that they should patronize smaller businesses and pay higher prices to ensure that those business owners can make a living.
The American consumer, in fact the world consumer, has always made his or her spending decisions based on getting the most for the least. To expect that to change is counter intuitive.
When you throw numbers around to make your simple minded case against Wal-mart, you don't talk about the money that the American consumer saves shopping at Wal-mart and other discount retailers and the benefit that accrues to our economy when they then spend that money on other goods and services.
12:57 pm
Take a minute and invent something Wal-mart could sell for you and then you would be making more than the CEO. I take the $ 4,000 I save each year and put it to good use. $ 4,000 times 100 million helps famlies . You left that out. Ideas built Wal-mart and iedas will build the next new big company
1:30 pm
Personally, I am a fan of Wal Mart. They are the polar extreme of many other stores. W allows competition to drive down prices, even amongst their own suppliers, while other retailers (especially grocery) have unions overpaying people for trivial jobs and driving UP prices for the typical American. Also, I don't begrudge China its place in the world market. Americans will adapt and produce in other ways.. we can survive on quality and innovation, while letting other countries survive on labor. We, of course, need a labor force too, and I'm glad W provides goods and services at a low enough cost to keep the lower rungs clothed and fed (through direct purchases or cost-efficient donations).
Many of these stats are *very* misleading. Many (maybe even "most") W employees are part-time, and not reporting that makes much of this look alarming. Of course, hypothetical comparisons (to China's military ) are nothing but alarmist BS, as well. Similarly, facts about imports (China being 80% of W's suppliers) is worthless without the context of what this is nationally or for specific industries (computers, anyone?).
Three kinds of lies: lies, damn lies and statistics.
1:33 pm
What goes around, comes around. Unfortunately, most of us won't be here to witness it come around. Until wages world wide are equalized, this trend will continue. When 3rd world countries are no longer 3rd world, the $$$ incentive to have goods manufacured overseas will cease. Thus jobs would then revert to our soil.
1:38 pm
If Americans would stop being so greedy by selling an item for twenty dollars that they themselves made for maybe two or three dollars then there wouldn't be any need to go to walmart. Products should not cost that much seeing as how they are made here in America!!! It's the greed of America that has us in the poor house right now. Everyone is out to make a dollar and forget everything or everyone else. We cannot blame anyone but ourselves. As a single mother I would rather pay five dollars for an item thats made in China than to pay twenty for an item made in America
2:04 pm
Another slanted bs article.. Probably from a disgruntled shelf stocker..
9:11 pm
I do my very best to stay out of Wal-Mart. I'll pay more because my time is valuable and the place is full of cheap, chinese made junk. People constantly say the poor shops there…why are they spending good money on junk? I was in Ace (unbelievable customer service) once and heard an ancient white haired man tell the sales man, "That lawn mower is cheaper at Wal-Mart – you have to lower the price if you want me to buy it." The sales man kindly explained sales and incentives occur but that particular model was not on sale. The old curmudgeon left. I thought to myself – that's the same old SOB who sits and complains about America going down. We love to complain but when rubber meets the road and we have to put our money where our mouths are…we flinch. I'll pay $13 for Magnesium pills not made in China before I pay $2.46 for Chinese made Mg pills at Wal-Mart. It's just who I am. Try to not buy anything Chinese for a month – can't be done.
5:22 am
Moretruth was this article about wallys world? Or some Ideological rant about the current administration? The rich get richer. Because people are too busy kissing their rear end! Instead of voting their interest! We The People are not assuming or responsibility. We have to demand a change to our trade policies. What's good for the goose, is good for the gander! If our trading partners don't accept it. Then why should we! The people that are elected don't always have our best interest at heart. They are to busy lining their pockets. We the people need to become more informed. and not believe everything we hear!
5:34 am
I shop at walmart once per year,, for school supplies only. Not only are they killing America, they have become unpaid daycare centers for the mulitudes of unsupervised, non-english speaking children screaming and running through the store like wild animals.
5:44 am
In the early 80's my family had a toy store in New Orleans. A rep for Hasbro told us that representatives from Wally World made him set up a meeting with Hasbro executives then excluded the rep from the meeting. He later was told that Wally World would be buying direct from Hasbro bypassing the rep. He lost a sizable amount of his income. He later found out that the execs. from Wally World told Hasbro that they would not by through the rep and they expected his commission to be passed on to WW. If not they refused to buy from Hasbro. Hasbro caved. They did this with numerous manufacturers. WW is the true anti-christ.
6:26 am
WOW, the queer, liberal, left, media agenda at its best. Yes QUEER look it up in websers. The u.s. goverment is responable for the (World Trade Organization in 2001.) not walmart.
1 family now spends more than $4000 at walmart? because i dont have 8000 to give unions ect, raleys, safeway
2 ya, they should headquarters elsewhere and pay taxes their.
3 if they ran our nation IT WOULD WORK, 4 #1 above. 5 #1 above. 6 wow how many thousands employed building them, how much taxes payed, how many jobs. 7. ya it would be much better to have all unemployed. 8. good it would be run correctly, would not be taxpayer paying for bulls–t like iraq, aftganistan. 9 #7 above. 10. B.S.
#18 According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Wal-Mart spent 7.8 million dollars on political lobbying during 2011. That number does not even include campaign contributions.
#19 Today, Wal-Mart has five times the sales of the second largest U.S. retailer (Costco).
#20 The combined net worth of six members of the Walton family is roughly equal to the combined net worth of the poorest 30 percent of all Americans.
6:27 am
11 good, america finist. 12 along with 78% of democractic voters. 13 along with others, u.s. govt included. 14 sadly
but unions and medical are to blame for this. 15 good. 16 ya but only 1 block from liquare store or 7-11.
17 unions and medical 18 wow 7.8 million wow 7.8 million, 100 people in bay area spent 150 million to F— —
calif. wow only 7.8, in last month pedafile supporters gave 100 mill to penn state. only 7.8 million.
19 YOU think maybe just maybe they can run a bussiness?????? 20 good, unless your the queer liberal left agenda
who should and must tell others what to do and think.
I WILL THINK FOR MYSELF. GOT TO GO TO WALMART. LOCAL YES LOCAL MILK 2.00 GAL, SAFEWAY 4.50,
AND SOME WISHBONE FOR MY SALAD 1.56 SAFEWAY 4.69. AND SOME THING NICE
VAGINAL LUBE 1.56 SAFEWAY 7.99 OH YA SAME BRANDS,
6:30 am
Actually, I do not have lifestyle issues, just a large family… We do shop at Walmart for the low prices… I would buy the same product at Walmart cheaper than if I go to family dollar .. it is still the same product manufactured somewhere outside of the us…. I c where u r coming from, but this is just what it is…..
6:53 am
Yeppers, all so very true and similarity so with Japanese trade back in the fifties and sixties era. People must now understand that capitalism has caught up with itself. Free enterprise remains, but fairness in competition no longer exists and free enterprise cannot get a foothold for success because of it.. As in politics, money begets money, and Walmart is a perfect example of what drives American business down the path to destruction. "We will sell a foreign made product if it is not available American made." Does anyone remember that Walmart claim when their store opened…?
I know it is difficult to avoid shopping at Walmart, but I am asking everyone to try harder to do so. Kroger groceries (and surely others) do sell foods at competitive prices and there are other stores selling hard goods at competitive prices as well. Shopping today does take longer and we must be more selective even if buying from four stores as like years ago.
If all we do is to complain about the beast that is eating us, then we deserve the trash they throw at us to survive with. It may cost a little more to buy American made and it may cost a little more in traveling to find, but doing so will guarantee your child and grand-child will have an opportunity for a better life and a better future.
By the way, take a closer look in your Hallmark store when you are browsing for cards and gifts…"Because you care enough to send the very best." is caring for Chinese products, not American. Even the American flags sold at Hallmark are made in China…!
NEED i SAY MORE…? ? ?
7:56 am
The biggest problem to the jobs going overseas,GREED. If you look at the way Americans want to get paid, it blows your mind. With the min wage going up, guess who gets screwed, us. Job owners can't afford to hire anymore, people get laid off, and we end up footing the bill for them. I wish I could claim America on my tax returns. I support half of the lazy scum anyway. I know there are people who want to work but can't because of illegals,and what have you. Come on would it hurt you to work for less and have a job, or gert greedy and not have a job, because no one wants to pay that much.
8:14 am
This is nothing new. Wally world is a jobs killer, under pays its employees, and continues to grow because it has the ability to get away with anything it wants because it owns politicians.The U.S is getting sucked down the drain and until the citizens rise up and stop electing-re-electing the thieves that control us it will not end.
8:51 am
I'm almost getting to the point where I think a full blown revolution is called for, French-style. The 1% sit in their ivory towers and say "let them eat cake". I think it might be time to start literally, really – AS OPPOSED TO NOT METAPHORICALLY – sharpening up the guillotines. Class warfare of the hot variety. Take 'em quick and bloody, before they can wind up a defense….they have the means, but the populace has the numbers. Kill 'em all, and spread out what assets can be spread, and burn the rest to the ground.
9:07 am
Haven't shopped Wal Mart in 30m years or more. Worked at a retail store that had a Wal Mart at one end of the shopping center. Across the street was a subsidized housing project where most of their employees lived. Many of them also shopped with food stamps. They were also scheduled so few hours that they disn't qualify for benefits. I couldn't believe that a company that large had employees that were subsidized by the taxpayers to the extent that Wal Mart employees have always been. When people sang the praises of Mr Sam it made sick. The BUY AMERICA ads were just a brainwashing ploy. Horrible company in every way, except for the heirachy. He started an evil enterprise that has contributed to the downfall of America.
10:17 am
The underlying agenda for this article is revealed with three simple words: "Economic Policy Institute." If anyone, and I mean anyone, actually believes that outfit is "non-partisan," they seriously need to do some research. Big Labor. That's who's behind the EPI.
Other than that, for the most part this is pretty funny stuff. Wal-Mart is evil because they make money, and people actually shop there because it saves them money over shopping somewhere else. Therefore it helps them keep more of the money they earn. Stunning that they would do such a thing.
Oh, and we'd all better be glad those Wal-Mart employees aren't an army, because, you know, they're big enough to rule the world and such. Maybe they'll look into that after they finish up the Medicaid paperwork.
Speaking of which, why is having all those people on Medicaid, and therefore dependent on the government, listed as a bad thing? Isn't the goal to make *everyone* dependent on the government?
And did you realize that 96% of all Americans living within 20 miles of a Wal-Mart is "proof" that Wal-Mart is destroying America? So if all of those folks were to pick up and move one mile further away, the world would once again be safe for democracy perhaps.
And Wal-Mart selling more groceries than any other company…..the abject horror just kind of sucks the air out of your lungs, doesn't it. I mean, it says right there in the Bible that one of the signs of the Apocalypse will be Wal-Mart selling more eggs and milk than anyone else.
The entire list is not only funny, but employs scare-tactics – albeit it not very effectively – and is also purposefully misleading. Rest assured, Wal-Mart isn't destroying America. Or if they are, they have to stand in line behind labor unions, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, and crony-capitalism politicians in both parties. You know, the folks who did so much to get us head-deep in debt to China? The same country repeatedly referenced in this article?
That wasn't Wal-Mart doing that, people. It was the folks supporting, and supported by, the "non-partisan" Economic Policy Institute.
If you want scare tactics, there's one for you. Only difference is, this one is actually valid.
10:35 am
shop for value;
Walmart merchandise is junk! I haven't shopped there in years. Look around to local businesses who care about quality and craftsmanship; they're still out there. People who shop and work at Walmart are mostly losers. It's not Walmart's fault that so many americans are dumb and lazy.
10:57 am
Wow. This is very misconstrued, and given the negative connotation of the article it is to point the finger at Walmart. Walmart only did what any company in the country would have done. The difference is they had the resources to get it done. Walmart is not a bad place to work. Being completely honest, the days of making $18.00 an hour as an unskilled, uneducated shop rat are over. Walmart didn't get caught up with unions, so they avoided having to pay people more than what their work was worth. They are just very good as sustaining what they have, so they can expand in the future. Quit hating.
11:04 am
WAKE UP WHITE AMERICA THE REST DONT CARE
11:15 am
Every one of your points shows why Walmart is a great company that has contributed mightily to the well being of America. It's great success proves that the vast majority of Americans recognize its merits. Walmart has put the less efficient retailers out of business and saved the American public billions of dollars that were wasted by their inferior competitors. Using labor in developing countries has saved their customers boatloads of money while freeing Americans to do higher value-added work that can only be done in advanced economies – this is the well established economic law of Comparative Advantage. Your economic ignorance is staggering. Shut up and read a textbook.
11:22 am
There is no law that says anyone has to shop at Walmart. There is no law that says anyone has to work at Walmart. I guess they do a pretty good job since millions shop and work there every week!
11:29 am
I am conflicted about Walmart; it started at the bottom & worked it's way up to where it is today. That is supposed to be the American dream, right? Must give them credit for that.
12:13 pm
Walmart manufacturers are bullied while their employees are predominantly on government assistance for healthcare and other human services because their low wages are insufficient to pay rent for a two bedroom apartment, never mind anything else.
12:16 pm
I live in a small rural community and the only choice I have is to shop at W for many of my necessities. I don't shop there for my groceries and I buy a lot of stuff on line but even those products are from overseas. If I want a new pair of socks I go to Walmart because it's the only option in town. I could drive 400 miles to a town that has smaller independent retailers but that's not going to happen with the price of gas and the time it takes. I'm sure I'm not the only US citizen that faces this dilemma so Wal Mart needs to be made accountable but how do we do that? There are no easy answers….
12:24 pm
Its called capitalism, get used to it!
12:38 pm
Walmart does not put mom and pop shops out of business. To blame Walmart is like blaming PlannedParenthood for abortions.
Poor people that are given a choice shop at Walmart.
One only has to look at the income level of those opposed to walmart and the customers that shop at walmart to see this is all about rich people trying to keep the poor poor. It doesn't fail that the opposition to Walmart also calls Walmart shoppers ignorant and uneducated, nothing like looking down on your fellow human being for not being as rich as you.If that same ignorant walmart shopper had as much money as those opposed to Walmart they wouldn't shop at walmart either. Rich doesn't shop at Walmart no matter how ignorant/uneducated they are.
I believe a lot of the opposition to Walmart is about ego and fake pride in your town. A Walmart in your town proves there is a substantial poor population. And when the store thrives, proves even further how poor your town is. No one likes having that rubbed in their face.
3:56 pm
instead of BITCHING about WalMart why don't you know it alls get off your a$$'s and do something about it oh thats right you are all talk…
8:12 pm
I never cared for Wal-Mart because tyheir merchandise is cheap, looks cheap and who is buying it? obviously'
people who don't know better so much so that they don't know that by buying at Wall Mart they are wasting their
money and their country!
1:21 am
sad I am not big fan of Wal-Mart but have not much of a choice.
5:42 am
face facts folks… the game is fixed. There is no real difference between the political parties anymore. Corporations run the world. To the barricades!!!!
6:27 am
I have heard for years from Walmart workers about how bad it was to work for them. I worked for them for 6 months when they came to our home town. This was before they had courier service to pick up their money. I went one day with and asst. mgr. to make a deposit. We were discussing me being an asst. He told me what he made and it was only a few pennies more an hour then I was making. Right then I said to myself I am looking for another job.
6:50 am
I boycott WalMart and have done so for a number of years.
7:05 am
i'll buy whatever i want, wherever i go, at the best price. as a person who made a 'mistake' 40 years ago, i cannot find a decent paying job to cover my expenses, neighbors are a bunch of two faced hypocrite christians (no compassion from them), heating and fuel costs never go down, taxes NEVER go down, and with little ability to save or have decent medical, i'll gladly support those hard working Chinese ANY DAY OF THE YEAR rather than these overpaid, over compensated and heartless americans. so sing your song of woe about the loss of 'american values' and the great promises of selfless, giving and compassionate, because they talk from both sides of their mouths. at least walmart has the courage to speak truth, openly, with clear goals and without secrecy. that cannot be said of the class of business's being run as financial goalkeepers in wall street or much of the 'priviledged' minorities.
7:44 am
I quit shopping at walmart over a year ago when I felt they preferred China over America. Chinese trash articles are not my idea of a bargain.
8:25 am
WOW, what a great overview of a highly successful company. I am going to buy their stock!
8:37 am
As consumers let us join our forces. All of us have to reach out to the few USA manufacturers and tell them that we will only buy products made by them in good old USA.
All of us have to sacrifice by paying higher prices, only then we will see the long term benefits of products being manufactured again in USA.
Let us join forces and show Walmart that AMERICAN CONSUMER can move mountains if necessary….
9:15 am
We have a right to choose how we want our country. Vicfedorov.wordpress.com
9:46 am
More anti-Walmart bandwagon FUD. Yawn.
"In the old days, you could actually support a family selling electronics or running a general store. But you can’t support a family working at Wal-Mart. The vast majority of the jobs that Wal-Mart creates are very low paying."
How is this different from any other business paying the same (or more likely, lower) to other people for the same work?
"At this point, more than 40 percent of all jobs in America are low wage jobs and the middle class is rapidly disappearing."
You can't pay people $50/hour to stock shelves or run a cash register. There are more low-end jobs than high-end jobs in the U.S. just as in any other country. Obviously people are needed to do them or they won't get done. Ask any Walmart associate if they are thankful to have their job and find me one that says "no". Go ahead, I'll wait. No matter how bad the job market gets, one can almost always get at least some kind of income from a Walmart store. Perhaps you've always been too privileged and sheltered to understand fully what that means to someone who has just lost their "good" job?
"Shame on Wal-Mart. They are an un-American disgrace."
Same on you for being ignorant and arrogant. Everyone needs a source of income, and not everyone can pay premium prices for everyday goods. It's also unfair to target Walmart just because they are the biggest retailer. Opening a Walmart store in an area is no different than opening a Publix or Costco in the same place.
9:49 am
Interesting statistics, false in most places and misleading in others. My family has a store, as hard as we try to purchase products not made in China, it's near impossible. Probably 90-95% of our products are "manufactured" in China, dispite 70% of the companies being US companies. The false part is the groceries, when including the grocery isles of Walmart (our family does not have groceries in our store), the majority of groceries at Walmart are NOT made in China. I do not go to Kmart here because their customer service sucks, they rarely have the main sales specials in stock and I know for a fact, they pay less than Walmart, matter of fact Walmart pays better than a lot of the store around here. It's hard for a small business to compete with a Big retailer, they have the benefit of cost discounts for volume purchasing, our family knows, we started out very small. I am not defending Walmart, just wondering why so many pick on Walmart when in reality they pay no less, sell the same percent of made in China as most others etc.
12:48 pm
It is really quite simple, Dusty: Unions-of the the true destructive (and flippantly corrupt) forces in US politics and-thankfully rapidly diminishing-business. Wal-Mart has stood up to them and not allowed their workers to be gouged by pointless union dues, unlike most major retailers who pay no more but are infested with the UFCW.
I'm no fan of the monetary and legal policy that allows these massive corporations to flourish-but let's not pretend Wal-Mart is doing anything different than every other corporation. It's no boogeyman.
10:59 am
Dusty couldn't be more correct. Most of the above information in the article is obviously biased. Walmart doesn't buy in China just to destroy American jobs; they buy there because its cheaper and most of the goods bought there are not available in American factories anyway. People go to a "discount" retailer to get the best price. If a WalMart customer wanted to pay $25 for a tee shirt there are plenty of places for them to go; they go to Walmart because that tee shirt is $7.99. The above is lies and biased information; I know beause I worked in the discount industry for 33 years. We were forced to buy in China because the customers demanded cheaper prices and the retailer is only reacting to the customers demands.
11:02 am
Why doesnt this article post numbers for how much walmart pays out in payroll per year as a whole and how that vastly helps and affects american people? Why doesnt this article talk about how many construction jobs and tax dollars a walmart brings to each and every city? Any article can be written to only see whatever side someone wants us to see. Most people will run with what they read and not think about the flip side of this article. Think people!! There is good and bad that comes from large companies and just because the walton family has become successful does not mean they are unamerican.
11:06 am
The I-N-T-E-R-N-E-T is destroying jobs; not W! just think of all the chit that you do on the internet that you used to pay for… that's what I thought… when was the last time that you purchased a map, cd… yes… technology has kicked us in the butt and left us hanging.
11:08 am
OMG
11:09 am
Wow! Thanks for the info! I am all about buying American, and while I have TRIED to stay away from Wal mart, i do find myself going back from time to time.HOWEVER, armed with the info I have from above, I can assure you, YOU WILL NOT FIND MYSELF OR MY FAMILY GOING BACK TO WAL MART! No way, no how! I hadn' realized it had gotten that bad. Thanks for sharing.
11:09 am
This a sad report regarding the tactics that Walmart uses to up its profits. Sam Walton must be turning in his grave.. What is more frightening is that should Mitt Romney get elected and should the House and the Senate be dominated by the Republican Party more and more U.S. jobs will be outsourced. The Republican agenda is to help make the wealthy, wealthier at the expense of the poor and the middle class. Walmart like the Republican party could care less if their employee's survive on minimum wages as long as the states and the federal government provide health care to those same workers that work for Walmart.
11:11 am
What are the statistics of US v China made products at other retailers? And what is the average wage at other retailers v WalMart? Just asking because the same thing happened in my town with small family owned businesses going out of business when Meijer opened…and Home Depot…and Target. So I'm interested in the same information for other large retailers, please.
11:12 am
Wal-Mart: List signs throughout the stores highlighing 'Made in America' products.
Pride n America. Identify 5 manufacturers that could easily bring their jobs back to the U.S. Tell retailers they have 4 months to empty their stock. Tell the manufacturers that America will Boycott the manufacturers products for a mininum of 6 months or until they start moving jobs back to the U.S. selling their products for no more than 20% higher than previously charged.
As each manufacturer rolls over, add another 5 to the list.
11:31 am
If YOU don't want to shop at a store,then choose not to.Don't take away my freedom to shop anywhere I like.The author sounds like he's a fascist.Wish there weren't so many of you in this world.I'm at the extreme opposite of this author.I'm a Ron Paul libertarian.A believer in a higher power and it isn't govt.
11:39 am
The most power and potent way to totally destroy the wealth of a nation is kill the mid-income families income and manufacturers, and that is exactly wal-Mart and all giant cheap goods importers that force the local manufacturer to move to poorest nations and import their goods produced by slave driven laborers that are controlled by few elite that the governments are in cooperation.
America should enact laws to stop monopoly of retail trade: wal-mart and all other giant corporations that are engaged in it.
11:50 am
d to repair my wife's curling iron twice. She had it for only a month. She threw out the packing box and receipt so it cannot be return. Walmart is a scam artist.
11:58 am
I would be interested to see how places like Target (in particular) compare to Walmart. I shop almost exclusively at Kroger for groceries and Target for other stuff. It’s been years since I’ve been in a Walmart, mostly because I think they are gross. Any thoughts?
12:14 pm
Many of these claims are true, however, some are little far fetched and stretched. I live in a small rural town where you have a choice between three grocery stores, one of which is Wal Mart. The other two cannot compare to either the quality or quantity of items sold at Wal Mart and if they do, Wal Mart matches their price. Our town's choice is to either go to Wal Mart at 10 miles away, shop at a smaller store with higher prices, lower standards and less to choose from or drive 30-40 miles away to another store, using more gas money, time and fewer choices, all just to save $10 or so. I do believe that Wal Mart is closing the doors on small businesses and out sourcing to various countries but I do not believe that the fault totally lies on them. It was our government that proposed the Fair Trade Act and allowed countries like China, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Mexico and many others to take away American jobs. Buy a new computer today and chances are it was manufacture in Mexico. A new car I purchased for my daughter two years ago, a Chevy Aveo, was manufactured in Mexico. Didn't Chevrolet come groveling to the federal government for an economic bail out (in their multi-million dollar private jets!) just two years ago and has yet to pay the TAX PAYERS back? An NCAA football outfit I purchased for my grandson (bought online from a different retailer rather than Wal Mart) was made in Morocco, a country that despises the United States! Irregardless of whether you buy from Wal Mart, Target, JC Penny, Sears, Costco or other major retailers, you are buying from a foreign country. Again, the biggest one to blame is not Wal Mart but rather the United States government who is forcing import/export from everywhere except home. How is the problem fixed? A simple four letter word – VOTE! Dispose of what the REAL problem is and enlist REAL Americans that understand what the problems are, not a Washington bureaucrat who is out of touch with REAL people and REAL lives! Just my humble opinions here.
1:00 pm
I noticed after Sam died, the "Buy American" slogan dissapeared from their trucks I read a book he had written [with a ghost writer] just before he died, telling how he started and one of the main themes was the struggle he had and how the "New York Money Crowd" tried to take control when he was small and trying to grow. His other passion was to "Buy American", keep the jobs here, ect. ect. Did he expect this outcome? Hard to say, but his vision of a business that would "Buy American" died when he died.
2:13 pm
Give me a break! – Not a single one of your "20 Facts" comes even close to being "shocking"
So, Walmart is big, has lots of stores, many employees? So what? It is a big, successful company, giving their customers what they want.
So, much of what they sell is made in China? So is much of what you buy in almost any other store today.
So, the CEO makes a lot of money? It's a private company, they can pay what they want, and what the shareholders will approve.
The thousands of employees, all applied for the job knowing the salary and benefits offered. They weren't conscripted.
Go raise "shock" somewhere else, like the hundreds if not thousands of wasteful, unnecessary government departments, agencies, committees and other "bodies" at every level, ALL wasting our hard-earned money, taken from us by FORCE through taxes, duties, fees, etc. You want to be shocked at overpaid, over-benefited employees – just look at Congress, Senate, Cabinet. For what they do and for what they're worth, they are more over-paid than the richest CEO.
2:39 pm
Hi my name is Sandy King owner of Fit For A Queen Antiques And Uniques on the square in Marietta, Ga. Since the recession the last few years business for us has been tough to say the least. My mother and I own our store together and are very good at keeping our operating costs low. However we have counted on our little square a staggering 108 stores go out of business, mostly over the last 3-4 years. This is mostly because the sell new type items, and you cannot compete w/Walmarts volume buying discounts. Our success is in greater part due to the fact that we sell Vintage, handmade local items, mostly re-purposed Antiques and other items. Any way enough about our store. My point here is during the down time I even tried to give in to the temptation of Walmart's cheap prices for groceries for my family to save money. Since then I have been so disgusted with what they are doing to America that I made a conscience effort to buy elsewhere. Kroger, local Food Depot, Publix, ect. And amazingly the result is I have more money left at the end of the month, and the food is fresher and better quality. It is almost like a crutch. You think you need it till you try to go without it. It truly is disturbing how Walmart is killing American jobs, and most people do not even realize it. And most of the time they are not cheaper anyway. Just try to buy local/American made products/Businesses. Thanks for hearing me out. Sandy King.
2:55 pm
The economically emerging Asian region is imparting a balance on the world standard of living. When a Chinese business employing 300,000 employees to make electronics (laptop computers, smart phones, etc.) with an hourly pay of well under $2, there should be no question that a major shift in the world economy is underway. If you want to compete with that company- the world's largest electronics company, Taiwanese Foxconn (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), operates the largest computer fabrication complex of factories with more than 300,000 workers in Shenzhen, China- then be prepared to do as good a job as they do for the same or less pay. Whatever the Chinese make, they can make it and sell it for less, than the U.S. or the rest of the world. The Chinese are not so much working for cars, swimming pools, and the latest video games as in the U.S. They are working for the necessities- food and shelter. I worked for a different but exactly the same type of electronics company in the U.S. which assembled various electronic assemblies for other companies in the the transportation, communication, and medical industries. Our hourly rate in 2004 was not that great for U.S. standards at about $8 for general assembly line workers but that is still 5 times more than the current Chinese employee earns eight years later. Obviously no American Company on America soil can compete with that Chinese company. The Chinese are rapidly becoming proficient in virtually every other industry as well. Just as obvious, the U.S. can not compete and maintain the same standard of living. Are you willing to work for $2 an hour? If not, you just compelled another American company to relocate to China otherwise, it will fail in the global marketplace. When the Chinese manufacturer's have vanquished their competition, they are free to increase prices, at will, for they then have no competition. We will have to compete in the manufacturing arena or not participate. When China (the largest automobile manufacturing country in the world since 2008) manufactured automobiles hit the U.S. market, it will be devastatingly clear that the times are changing and not to our advantage in the U.S. Global economic dynamics have changed. It is no longer a question of fulfilling the American Dream of a house with a white picket fence and savings to put your child(ren) through college- it is a question of survival. The American Dream House is in foreclosure and the Chinese are buying our debt for the interest we pay them on it. Our standard of living goes down as it rises in other countries- a balance. I don't like to see anyone going hungry- Chinese or otherwise, but if we do not face the economic challenges before us appropriately, it will be the U.S. on the receiving end of aid packages. Our unemployed (not by choice) are not carrying their weight so they are a burden on our economy. We must suspend the minimum wage laws or U.S. companies can not compete with China. Some income is better than no income. Either the U.S. employee earns money to buy food and shelter or the government will provide it for them for free- the government will use the working Americans' money (taxes) to pay for the unemployed's necessities. With appropriate labor union and company management involvement, we can regain our global economic standing without imparting undue economic hardship on the U.S. workforce. Wal-Mart is in the ideal position to influence the global economy. It has taken a positive role in censoring inappropriate lyrics in the music it sells (I don't know if it still does this). Wal-Mart has an obligation to effect social justice in its employee and supplier relationships. To have an employee base that qualifies for public assistance is indicative of an employer that either recognizes the U.S. standard of living is too high and seeks to lower it or it simply is not a matter of interest to them. If economic hardship is a Wal-Mart employee reality and they think a better distribution of Wal-Mart wealth is needed- form a labor union and with appropriate union direction- Wal-Mart employees will not qualify for public assistance which means that other American workers will not have to pay (taxes) for underpaid Wal-Mart employees' social benefits.
3:30 pm
It's easy to blame large corporations for the problems that we are having today, but last time I checked, large corporations like Wal-Mart or Shell Oil or General Motors didn't twist my arm to buy their products or shop in their stores. The Market (that's you and I) grow these large corporations into the entities that they are. In many cases (for those of us who are fortunate enough to have jobs with retirement plans such as 401Ks) we are the stockholders of these companies. The next time you look over your retirement portfolio I think you would be quite surprised as to the companies that you are invested in.
With regard to Wal-Mart's wages, I would just argue the point that if there were no one who would take the jobs that Wal-Mart has for the wages they are offering, I would venture to guess that they are not going to be able to outsource retail positions here in the United States to China. Want better pay? Find a job that pays better than Wal-Mart. If everyone does this, Wal-Mart will be forced to pay better or close their stores because nobody will work for them. Yes, market forces work with employment as well.
12:24 am
The way to stop companies like Wal Mart is to pass legislation prohibiting ANY corporation from having more than 500 employees OR owning any other company or subsidiary! 500 employees is a big small company.
This will never happen because big money & lawyers run the world. It's not in their interest to make these changes.
The only way we can steer what happens is by being selective where we buy. I have nothing against free enterprise but small business needs an even playing field. You people who say Wal Mart is just successful capitalism are being nieve. Matching the power of Wal Mart to a family business is about the same as letting your 6 month old baby swim with a Great White shark. The "little guy" doesn't stand a chance. Even on US made goods, Wal Mart forces their cost down far enough to be able to sell profitably below the little guys cost. WAKE UP! Thie are the 800lb gorilla with bad attitude. They need to be shackled.
3:33 pm
I would like to address this notion that Wal-Mart is forcing jobs off-shore. The fact of the matter is that American wages are so high that it drives up the cost of everything. Let's just say that Wal-Mart changes their policies tomorrow. The cost of everything on their shelves goes up 25-50… or perhaps even 100% over what they currently are because now everything is Made in the Good Ole' USA. The problem with that scenario is that most of us struggle to make ends meet from paycheck to paycheck. What we, as a nation, cannot afford right now is to pay more for the same goods that just yesterday were just barely affordable.
7:56 am
I don't blame Walmart. They are only as strong as their customer base. If people didn't shop there, they wouldn't exist.
8:41 am
I have 3 Walmarts with in 10 miles of where I live. After eading this story, it's scary. I don't want to shop there anymore. But when someone else helps with the bills. It's kinda tough to say I want to go somewhere else.
8:50 am
Why didn't you just say what you mean? You meant to say———–I hate winners. To make it fair, lets make the winners into losers and the losers into winners. ———-And the result would be that you will then just hate the old losers. Accept this—-There will always be winners and losers.
8:53 am
What this article fails to mention is that no matter which retailer you visit, be it Target, Cotsco, Albertson, Sears, Kohls, you will notice that must of this retailer's merchandise is also coming from China. The sad thruth is that aside from a few food staples, no matter where you shop this days you will be buying chinese merchandise because is cheaper than anything America produces. And the saddest thing is that must of the jobs offer by any of this retailers is part time so that they don't have to pay benefits living the Goverment to carry that load. Which is the reason people have to go purchase the cheapest products at Wal-mart so that they can feed their families.
10:01 am
ok wall mart has stuff from china every store i go in has stuff from china and all these high priced shoes come from china or Korea I do not remember the last pair of shoes I saw made in usa
you ask a good question why can't usa make things it isn't wall Marts fault
10:18 am
WalMart started by selling made in America, they have regressed to driving small business out of business and sourceing the cheapest product they can get. It is hard to find made in America because so many manufacturers have been forced out of business. Walmart used the system and it worked. Costco employees are the most dedicated of any retailer. WalMart employees are no better than the the people that shop there. People are forced to shop at Walmart either because that is all they can afford or there is no other place because Walmart forced the others out. If Walmart would put something back, such as employee pay and benefits I would think differently. As a matter of fact I am a small business owner that Walmart screwed, failure to pay. I disagree with the whole concept. WalMart Sucks.
10:19 am
Socialist propaganda! Our country was built on Free Enterprise, if our economic system is so bad why does every non-dictatorial, non- socialist country try to emulate or copy us?
Every retailer in this nation sells domestic and imported goods, and if the lower income population chooses to spend its hard earned money there who are you to mandate they can't? The US Auto industry is a perfect example of American made "union" controlled failure and corruption.
I'll shop where I choose, I'll give up that right when you pry my money from my cold dead fist!
10:30 am
The real probelm is "GREED" of coperate culture. All about making more money for shareholders and CEO. Don't blame anyone, it's all greedy people control this country now.
10:58 am
Wal-Mart used to buy Made in USA. After Sam Walton died they gave the CEO job to the executive responsible for opening their Chinese stores. Under his reign Wal-Mart dictates the price they want to buy items at, in the past the manufacturer set the price for wholesale. Wal-Mart can cut you off and make your competition rich in a minute.
11:04 am
I buy cheap jeans at Walmart, having a little bit of a conscience and thinking of my good old days Levis, I checked the tags. Neither the Walmart nor the Levi's are made in the America anymore. The biggest difference between the two is the price. The problem isn't Walmart, they are just a retailer. The problem goes back to the producers who long ago decided they could increase profits by moving off shore. Those jeans are a good example, Levis isn't off shore because they had to be to compete, they still sell for a higher price than the walmart brand. They are off shore because it increased profits at the top. The side affect is that it decreased jobs here. The top guys make more money while the people who used to work for them collect food stamps. We are living in a top guy, multi-million dollar time where every one else takes the short stick. This contributed to the great recession because the economic strength of the nation does not rest on wall street and millionaires, it rests on middle class consumers who produce something, get paid for it, and purchase other things with that money. When millionaires continue to increase their value, it becomes nothing more than a score board until the score doesn't matter anymore and it looses its value.
If Walmart deserves any blame, its for being a ruthless retailer that takes advantage of the situation and pays its workers the absolute minimum possible. It also deserves a certain amount of credit, because in uncertain times, when people are loosing jobs in all sectors, it does provide some employment. I know of several people who are getting by working at Walmart until they can make a new career for themselves.
11:09 am
The disgrace of Walmart isn't their low prices and foreign-made products … it's their stance on not hiring full-time employees and paying benefits. Almost everybody working for Walmart is part-time and don't receive a living wage. Most have second jobs and have to apply for welfare, food stamps and Medicaid.
11:20 am
We don't shop at WalMart unless it's the only place where we can get what we need. When large numbers of employees have to be on welfare to exist, that means that the company is evil. We buy clothes on-line that are made in the USA. The quality is much better and we're putting Americans to work and pay the SAME price for the item! We discovered that most furniture was made in either China or Vietnam when we were looking for a bedroom set. We kept looking until we found an American-made set and the quality is better. It took some time to find it, but at least Americans were put to work. We buy our groceries at three different supermarkets. They are all union, so I know that the employees make a decent salary. The prices are often lower than at WalMart. And I get a better selection–especially produce. I cannot understand how anyone could praise a company that has become wealthy by exporting jobs and treating employees like dirt. It's akin to praising a slaveowner who managed to have his slaves create a beautiful plantation from which only he benefits! We've become a nation of non-thinkers who follow Republican bull.
7:37 am
I try and still shop as little as I can at Walmart. I look to our local suppliers as much as possible. I understand the policies of Walmart and Sam Walton is probably turning over in his grave at this very moment. Ever since his family took over running his company Walmart has gone downhill. I do not shop at Sam's Club and I prefer Costco being that their products are of better quality and usually the same or very close to Walmart and Sam's. The quality at Walmart is pretty bad, clothing is terrible and I would not trust Walmart automotive department to change the oil on my tricycle. Bad quality and bad service is all that Walmart provides and Americans have just gotten used to poor quality and bad service. I am even leary of purchasing the fruits and vegastables being that they spoil much faster than if purchased at regular grocery store. I have seen large pallets of milk sit outside of the refrigerator for hours on end at Sam's stores which does not encourage me to spend my grocery money on the food that Sam's or Walmart sells. Americans should pay attention more and realize that just because the Walmart or Sam's has the cheapest price on something, ask how did they manage to undercut all other stores for the same products. Cheapest is not always the best deal if it spoils faster or even yet makes you ill because it was not handled or manufacturered in safe conditions.
7:45 am
Wal-Mart is not destroying America. American consumers who shop at Wal-Mart are destroying America. Does American want market capitalism or not? Is successful business actually destroying "America?" Or is successful business with open market opportunities the definition of America? When American companies are invested in every part of the world, how can America's economy be isolated?
8:16 am
If there are SO MANY Americans without jobs…Why is it that at the WalMart I shop at on the way home from a late shift at work NEVER has enough associates to help me check out????
8:42 am
Some people here defend Wal-Mart as an example of sucessful free enterprise. But how is it free enterprise when you get unfair tax breaks, and you use the welfare system to supplement your employees' salaries?
8:43 am
Walmart cheap products are a waste. Poor quality. you get what you pay for.
If your rich and can throw away money buy there. We have many family run shops here and we have a new superwalmart. I buy things that last and that cost more its a investment for sure. Unfortunatly walmarts makes lots of business on poor america. sam bought america and sold it with a smile.
10:21 am
I have repeatidly tried to find something American made in any store I shop. Pretty hard to find. So I suggest we quit blasting Walmart (which does aid the lower income people) and start with the Big heavy priced stores that cater to the rich and put American Made in these stores. I have seen every country on the labels, but not one American Made. So lets not call the kettle black til we really researched everything. (Just found out that my Dog Treats – chicken jerky – is made in china).
10:24 am
We have NO ONE to blame but ourselves for choosing to shop at Walmart and not the little mom and pop store that is (was) on Main Street. We all seem to worship the almighty dollar at the cost of our friends and neighbors….
10:31 am
I've stayed out of Wal Mart for more than 20 years. No matter what they are selling, no matter what it costs, no matter whether I can get the product somewhere else or not, I do not shop at Wal Mart. And PS: I watched them put 4 family owned and operated business out of commission in 1 year. When they were hit with anti-trust fines, the WM representative stated publicly that, "It is cheaper for us to pay the fines than it is for us to have competition."
8:09 am
Walmart also charges MORE per ounce for the "FAMILY" size of products than smaller portions.
People traditionally buy bigger sizes because it saves money. (not at walmart)
Walmart knows consumer buying habits so instead of making the bigger portions cost less per ounce they make it cost more. Shame on you Walmart
8:19 am
If we are going to be a free market, then we can't blame WalMart for exploiting their advantages. We can, however, blame our government for making it so difficult to be in business in the USA. Every time we turn around these "representatives" keep coming up with glorious programs to help our citizens by passing on another cost to employers. Everything from mandating health insurance for full time employees to programs like OSHA, etc. If OSHA did what they were supposed to do, that would be one thing, but when they ran out of things to do, they continued adding layer after layer after layer of responsibilities for employers which have little to nothing to do with the safety of the employees. Of course, OSHA had to justify their existence and grow too. Walmart shies away from full time employees to avoid paying insurance costs and others associated with them. Our government, instead of looking for ways to make it better for employees, should instead be looking for ways to make it better for the employers, then we'd all benefit.
8:27 am
The key is #1 The average U.S. family now spends more than $4000 a year at Wal-Mart. If you don't like it don't shop at Wal-Mart. It's a free country. No shoppers no Wal-Mart.
9:05 am
Yeah darn democratic countries with companies that compete against one another. I think this has been going on for over two hundred years and now people don't like it? I remember stores selling cheap products from Taiwan and Japan and if you didn't like it, you didn't buy it. it's called free trade helping other countries economies as well.
9:43 am
Lets talk about their illegal activities. They falsely accuse minors of being trouble makers if all they do is come in & look around but buy very little. A security person follows them around & FALSELY accuses them of taking a picture of him. No picture is found. They take the minors into the security office, interrogate them without a parent being notified or present. Then ban them from all stores nationwide for life. ALL of this based on false allegations that have zero basis.
Wal-Mart also tracks its customers. Not only in the store, but the door & to their cars. They know what car you drive, right down to the color, make AND model.
9:49 am
And I thought Monopolies were outlawed in this country? But I guess with corporations joining up with the Gov't. those laws are now over-looked! On the other hand, last year I bought a pair of house shoes at a high-end store that supposedly sold for $59.95 retail,for $24.95 (ON SALE).When I got home and looked at them,guess what, made in china was on the label!! What happened in this case!? I kept them because if I took them back and search for more shoes the same thing would probably happen!
10:44 am
so, how's NAFTA , CAFTA and basic-SHAFTA doing for us???????..wanna talk damage?????…how's the social thing working for the capital thing??????
10:46 am
How about American workers getting back to working on the job instead of working hard to get out of work or wandering the workplace looking for playmates….and American management working for the benefit of the company(all employees!) instead of their own pockets???
10:46 am
I think the question we should be asking ourselves is … why is it that products made in China, and shipped half-way around the world (i can't imagine that is cheap), are cheaper to buy than products made locally? Don't tell me that China is a nation of working slaves–their poverty rate is with a few % of the U.S.'s.
10:53 am
Wal-Mart is predatory because they trade – benefit to Americans (cheap goods) for – misery of foreign workers.
The goal for them (and ALL business) should be mutual benefit for all affected parties, especially those in their Supply Chain.
Unless laws are enacted to level the playing field with a mandate that MUTUAL BENEFIT is achieved for all affected parties, including consumers and even competitors, it is NOT business, and should be cracked down on for what it really is, in this case, a monopoly.
10:54 am
Free enterprise is one thing and I believe we should all have the same opportunity but this is disgusting!!!!
10:54 am
You had way to many folks state side who refused to lower their prices. They would still be in business had they complied the FIRST time around when asked. Sorry, but this trend is now stuck in America and will forever be thanks to alot of stubborn americans.
11:34 am
Do you want Walmart to offer employees health insurance and a retirement plan? Better pay? Do you want Walmart to buy its products domestically? It's very simple. Give Walmart a tax incentive to do so. Instead, you go on and on about a business that is operating that way it's supposed to — maximizing profit by offering good prices to consumers. But, no. You would rather force it out of business or pay more to the government so the government can buy windmills from China, subsidize unprofitable electric cars, or waste the money in countless other ways. The market works. It's government putting its giant foot on the neck of business which is screwing up the economy.
11:40 am
Wal Mart is competitive due to its inventory control system. Many in business know this. You did not even mention it. It is not China as much as smart inventory management.
Stop bitching.
3:54 pm
We, as Americans, vote every day and in every way with our dollars. Don't take that vote lightly.. Choose wisely the companies and products that we vote for. We have chosen to reward the Walmarts and others as they continue to prove that they are providing what Americans want. This is what a company should do, if you don't believe in thier course then choose not to do business with them.
5:01 pm
As Americans we have the freedom to choose where we spend our money. Sadly there is a lot of ignorance around thsse days and people believe Walmart is always cheaper. I will go out of my way to not buy from Walmart. Check out your options people! The one thing Walmart does do is provide very low paying jobs and create dependency on government programs due to the low paying jobs. However the last time I checked Costco was even better at target marketing once they get you in the store. I don't care what the price is, i will always buy Made in the USA when i can because the cost of not doing that is greater than any penny i could think i saved at Walmart …
3:11 am
You don't like it? Then don't shop there. Companies exist to make money, not build your utopian-fantasy society. I can fully guarantee you that Wal-Mart (and any profitable business) will listen to your every word if you can actually impact their bottom line and customer buying habits. Good luck convincing 100 million people to not buy cheap merchandise…
8:30 am
This whole editorial is simply an anti-capitalist rant.
Wal-Mart succeeds because they do things better than anyone else. They provide better service and prices, and treat their employees better than any mom-and-pop operation ever has. I've dealt with mom-and-pop businesses for many years, and more often than not, they treat workers like dirt!
Also, without Wal-marts' low prices, Americans would have a lower standard of living. Wal-Mart is one of the best things to happen to America.
8:46 am
It's astonishing that this is a list about Wal-Mart destroying America. There's nothing negative on this list. If people don't like Wal-Mart and what it's doing to the country, they should stop shopping there and Wal-Marts will definitely start closing.
9:09 am
So your complaints basically boil down to:
1. WalMart is big and makes a lot of money.
=> Unless you're completely opposed to American free enterprise there's nothing wrong with being big and making a lot of money as long as you aren't a monopoly. Target, Sears, and other major retailers still provide competition – WalMart is not a monopoly.
3. WalMart sells a lot of Chinese-made products.
=> 85% of their products are made in China. Well, you need to provide some comparison for that number to be meaningful. What percentage of products at the mom and pop stores are made in China? What percentage of Target's products are made in China?
=> If Chinese manufacturing is a problem you ought to be suggesitng U.S. raise tariffs, not protesting Walmart.
9:20 am
Walmart hires at or above minimum wage. So what does that say about that if so many are on welfare or Medicaid OR that the statistics are skewed because those people are parttime and it is NOT meant to support a family. Sure would be nice to get the WHOLE story. Wont even go into the cost of labor to produce a product. .
9:29 am
Kudos to hdbpilot, DanielS51, John Carlson, Bob spellman, small business owner, GWR, observer and TomS! You are intelligent people who can see through the original story's hype and scare tactics. It takes a real "thinker" to stop and read between the lines and really unravel a story like this. You aren't gullible, and you don't immediately jump on the bandwagon. I love people like you. Thank you for your comments. Very good.
9:39 am
While this article paints Wal-Mart as the worst company in the world, what should be realized is that far more families benefit from Wal-Mart’s lower prices, than the number of Wal-Mart employees who are getting paid lower wages. There’s nothing keeping a Wal-Mart employee’s feet in the fire. They can work elsewhere if their employer is so terrible.
As times have been tough, many people can’t afford to shop (especially for food) at other higher priced stores. If Wal-Mart supplies goods and services for a defined segment of the population, then they are doing their job and exercising their right as free-market capitalists. I don’t personally know anyone who is willing to double or triple their outgoing monthly expenses, just so American manufacturing jobs will increase. That would be socialism bordering on communism.
Don’t assume that Wal-Mart is the only retailer that sources the majority of their goods from China. Other national retailers like Target, Costco, Shopko, Best Buy, and Sears/Kmart sell huge amounts of products from China. If there truly is a problem, it’s not just because of Wal-Mart. It’s because of American consumers wanting to get more and spend less.
9:51 am
How can you single out Walmart. Target, K-Mart and many other retailers sell the same merchandise "made in China". I would like to see the same study done on other retailers. I'm sure you will find they also have employees on government assistance, as well as the other negative claims you have made against Walmart. Walmart may not be the best paying company out there, but each time a new Walmart goes up, hundreds of people apply for those jobs and Walmart puts people back to work. More than I can say for most of the US Companies these days. And as far as the Walton family and executive pay–every business out there has overpaid, spoiled executives. Walmart is just following the trend of big business.
10:29 am
You blame the low prices for putting people out of work and shuttering businesses…. Well, if we pay less for products, we save money… What do we do with the savings? We:
go to the movies,
go on vacation,
buy a car,
buy a cake,
have my shoes shined,
get a much needed root canal,
I think the overarching theme here is that with the money you save, you employ other people with these resources….
What is wrong with that?
10:41 am
I do not shop at Wallyhell. If I can do it you can, too. I look for the Made in the USA label and support local businesses. I even buy locally brewed beer. You just have to care enough not to be lazy about shopping. I am not rich and live on a tight budget. Give up Wallymarting and feel good about your life and your country.
11:32 am
I am a small business owner who agrees with the article entirely. I'm in the furniture and mattress industry and in my store the only import products are those that cannot be found in America. All our furniture and all our mattresses are SOURCED in the U.S. That means that the foam paddings are made here, the steel and fabrics are all manufactured here. The wood bedroom furniture is all from American facilities. The best products in my industry are still made here and can still be very affordable. Over 70% of the products sold in stores in my industry are actually imported from China and I believe there's a difference between a consumer spending wisely and wasting their money. I've found that when people are educated by the staff in a store about why their products are superior, how they'll save money over time, and keep their money invested in America, they'll purchase that product if it fits their needs.
1:46 pm
Way back Rejected shopping a at Walmart
I tried to shop at all local stores No one followed> I was overcome by WalMart soon there was no more Local stores to shop at. They all went away one by one. First was Safeway, then Herbs super mart, Kresses, . no we only have Country Mart and walmart. all though Walmart was one addvertised as a Made in US but no longer,
1:49 pm
I fear no one will approve my post
evakeck@yahoo.com
1:52 pm
I fear my commit never be approved
7:04 am
I shop at Walmart because I get better merchandise at a better price and it is more convenient. Stop blaming the Walton's for giving us what we want. It is the Unions that destroyed American manufacturing by demanding more than they were worth and driving up prices. It is the government regulations that are destroying small businesses and forcing us overseas. Free enterprise will change the face of shopping every generation, and now should we blame internet shopping too? Why not?
Hey, if you support Obama you know that They didn't do that, Somebody else did it!
8:12 am
You forgot a fact, 98% of Americans are scared for their lives when they shop at Walmart.
8:29 am
Read 'Deer hunting with Jesus'. Written by Joe Bageant in 2007 and based around Winchester Virginia with the decline of Rubbermaid, advance of the sub-prime crisis and the predetermination of the 2009 crash. The survivor? Certainly not Winchester VIrginia or any other town with a Walmart supplier……………
8:37 am
Walmart treats they're workers terrible.I worked there for many years I had no choice my children needed fed and housed.they use a. Minimum of workers go do the job of many.example say its a Saturday about one there may be three cashiers store is packed only about twenty or thirty working they get called to run registers mean while there is no one to help you if you need it
9:18 am
I absolutely HATE going in the WM superstores. They take an act of God to find a parking place not in China, and have gotten to where they are out of a decent percentage of what I'm after. They will pull items off the shelves that are on a really good sale somewhere elso so they don't have to comp price it, They are usually rude and have an attitude if you ask questions.
I worked at WM when Mr Sam was still alive and as soon as he died, things started to change for the worse.Emplyee benefits were changed and superstores became the norm.
10:23 am
You have a choice not to shop at Wal Mart, I shop there for food, the prices are at least 30% less than my local Ralphs grocery store. So please open your own store with at least matching prices and I will shop there. I also shop at Costco. Prices at Wal Mart are the most affordable for the poor, they cant shop at Norstroms like all the folks who put Wal Mart down. I am poor and its all about the $$ with me, sorry you dont like that.
10:43 am
Walmart is a piece of SHIT co. and they treat their employees like crap, pay them low wages, discriminate- look at all the lawsuits. Have a close family member works as higher up person and the things she's seen and put up with is BS- they complain they get fired, most people never sure, but they do have class actions they have settled or lost for a reason. Their products are CHEAP, 80% made in China-lol their products are cheap, and dangerous all around. They can sell their food cheaper because of how they do their biz, but there's GREAT stores that offer far better quality. Go in a bathroom there it's ALWAYS dirty, disgusting and rarely cleaned- their standards are like their prices- EXTREMELY LOW and people with brains and bucks do NOT bother with this store. It's gone down hill EVERY year but it's CHEAP merchandise will always attract someone with the same low standards which they clearly bank on They do SQUAT for communities compared to many other companies- GREED at its FINEST
10:44 am
The facts that are not mentions is that Walmart donates around $5 billion every year. More than any other company! Or that Walmart pays its employees minimum wage! Maybe that is an issue that should be brought to the politicians because most retail stores pay minimum wage…not just Walmart! And jobs were going to China before Walmart was the large retailer that it is today. We cant blame Walmart for finding a way to provide Americans with affordable products. If everything was made in America where we demand high wages then the average person would not be able to afford to eat! This is a very bias article. Where is the credibility in this article? Where are the references? Where are the counterarguments? Im not buying it!
10:44 am
I think your thesis that Wal-Mart is destroying America is incomplete (and possibly complete bogus). The fact is that most of the clothes and products that we buy (in just about any locally owned store too) is imported. Americans have gladly made themselves slaves to Fashion and Consumption. The fact is that Americans will never make money in manufacturing ever again. That ship has done sailed…unless you would prefer an America that manufactures China's goods while they live the high life.
What Americans need to do is to be responsible and realize that to be successful in America, it will take the full development of their minds to support their family. Instead, we don't (really) care if our kids our unemployable when they graduate high school or not. I think your problem statement should be that there are too many Americans doing menial jobs for menial paychecks to spend on menial creature comforts instead of working to be the brain power of tomorrow. Right now Americans are too comfortable being dumb hoping to get rich overnight with 0% work effort. That is the problem.
10:57 am
I understand that there are a lot of manufacturing jobs that have moved overseas because of Walmart. Yet the ignorance of this writer (and many who simply choose to hate Walmart) is amazing. My biggest question is, has anyone actually done the research to see if Walmart has hurt our economy? That would be a huge find, but I doubt anyone will ever find that is true. I agree that Walmart employees are underpaid. That's not right. But, you are choosing to ignore the fact that all the retailers out there don't pay the employees any better. Minimum wage. That is what EVERYONE does, excluding Costco and maybe a few others. I don't think that the average department store employee or grocery employee has EVER made great money. Additionally, Walmart's groceries mostly come from in the U.S., just like every other grocery.
One other thing, people complain about rising prices. Walmart keeps everyone's prices lower. People have to compete with them. If they didn't, prices everywhere would be higher. This means that people's buying power is better.
This is the most ridiculous claim of all. Please don't tell me that Walmart is destroying American life. There are so many other factors that make it impossible to know where Walmart's role stands in quality of life. EDUCATION, LAZINESS, TAXES, and so many other things in our complex society make it impossible to right a truly honest article about its role. Stop the bull, stop wasting out time with your articles and uneducated opinions.
10:59 am
I understand that there are a lot of manufacturing jobs that have moved overseas because of Walmart. Yet the ignorance of this writer (and many who simply choose to hate Walmart) is amazing. My biggest question is, has anyone actually done the research to see if Walmart has hurt our economy? That would be a huge find, but I doubt anyone will ever find that is true. I agree that Walmart employees are underpaid. That's not right. But, you are choosing to ignore the fact that all the retailers out there don't pay the employees any better. Minimum wage. That is what EVERYONE does, excluding Costco and maybe a few others. I don't think that the average department store employee or grocery employee has EVER made great money. Additionally, Walmart's groceries mostly come from in the U.S., just like every other grocery.
12:41 pm
I haven't shopped at WalMart since seeing "The High Cost of Low Prices"….
12:54 pm
can't wait for the day when the likes of Target and WalMart need government bailouts to survive just like GM (Government Motors), Chrysler, Bank of America, etc etc…..I work at a Target, let me tell you, it is not what it is cracked up to be….working conditions are bad, pay is awful, they are cutting back hours to full time employees like me, they make us do ten times more work in a limited amount of time, we deal with screaming babies, idiot customers and overbearing store bosses who make more in one day than I do in a 60 day period….people would say find another job, BUT WHERE ARE THE JOBS? if the current idiot liberal leadership in D.C. would stop going on trips, playing golf and making tv show appearances and start GIVING A DAMN about this economy, then I would have a better paying job which would make me happy, I am not happy, I am depressed, broke and alone….I am sick of big government destroying this country and ruining any hope I have to land a better job, this circle of deception has to stop and it has to stop,,,,,RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW! thank you.
12:56 pm
Some years ago, I'm talking back in the 70's, we were living near a large mall. So I needed a couple of shirts and I decided that I would only buy American made. Couldn't find any! Another time I was in the market for shoes. Same deal – had to be American made. I searched high and low before I finally found some. My point is, this shortage of American made products is nothing new.
12:58 pm
It is a shame about all this however, when a family has hardly any money and Walmart offers sometimes $1 to $2 less than other stores, how can they pass it up? Who's got the answer for them?
1:00 pm
Why down Walmart? Other people just need to get off their asses and become great like Walmart–this is America. They aren't predatory. They are doing business and offer products and prices that people like. Thats why so many people shop there. Duh– any of you ever take Economics????
1:04 pm
Read this article. It explains why US companies have China manufacture electronics. China will do what it takes in the shortest amount of time to manufacture to a company specs, (as little as 24hours). Imagine in the US a company needs a new product "NOW" and it being conceived, designed, and manufacturing starts almost immedieately. With EPA, Unions, OSHA, it can't happen that fast…. Read this very eye opening http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/business/apple-…
1:38 pm
One forced change would resolve this – in time. Simply force companies (not just Walmart) with a significant amount of their workforce using Medicaid to offer the same health care that Medicaid provides. In time I suggest that the price gap will narrow between large and small retailers (it will never be the same – economics of scale…). Then shopping for quality becomes a larger part of the purchaisng decision.
A side note… The company I work for provides great benefits but at the expense of my salary (I could work somewhere else for greater salary but it would come at the cost of losing some benefits). Of 100% of the cost to employ me only about 60% of that is my salary. Can companies that have a majority of their employees on Medicaid say the same. I sincerely doubt that Walmart is anywhere close to this figure…
1:41 pm
The writer of this slanted article fails to mention that the U.S.Government would also be included in this
comparison. Truth is, the only reason Wal-Mart is sucessful is – (drum roll, please) – SHOPPERS LIKE THEM!
Big is bad? Only because people who can't compete – and unions who can't force their will on them.
There was a time in America when success was popular. Now, the pols in Washington want to change that –
so that people who work pay for those who don't. That's exactly how other socialist countries failed – and so
will America if we let it happen.
Remember: Elections have consequences!
2:29 am
My hometown is Ashtabula, Ohio.. In the late 90's there was a new mall ( The Ashtabula Mall ) now Ashtabula Towne Center, shortly after the mall opened a Walmart opened, in just 3 years almost every local business was gone. Today the Mall is in bankruptcy, all the large retailers are now gone, Dillards, Sears, and about 60% of the mall is emptry.. At the time I warned people I knew not to shop at Walmart, of course the town is full of cheap greedy people who don't care about anyone except themselves.. Today there are no jobs in that town, the drugs run rampant and the city is about broke, their tax base is gone, the police department is almost gone as well….
This is what happens to America when you are cheap and greedy and you don't care about anyone except yourself.. America, actually it's too late to back this train up, you deserve exactly what you created..
So , don't blame Obama, this was set in motion by none other than Ronald Reagan and his trickle down economics.. Every time you vote for a Republican you vote to make this country more poor… This is the truth !
4:26 am
How could u possibly blame someone who died so long ago, and did not run our country way before that?????
2:32 am
I like how none of the points make any real sense. If you want to complain about Wal Mart buying overseas, how about all the companies that shift their production lines overseas to avoid having to pay employee wages, healthcare, and retirement benefits in the United States. It's not just WalMart that turned their back on the country, it's every American company that did. Do not scapegoat just WalMart because they are an easy target. Might I suggest watching Pen & Teller's Bullshit to get some facts on WalMart.
2:41 am
Why are you blaming Walmart?? Blame the manufacturing company that took their business overseas because it's cheaper to produce, therefore making them more money. Or blame the government for forcing the manufacturing companies to seek better benefits outside of the US. Hmmm…I wonder why we lost those manufacturing jobs stated above. Dummy, think about it!!!! Some people just don't look at the BIG picture. Why go to Target when I can go to Walmart and find the same thing or something comparable for a lower price. I choose where to spend my money and I choose Walmart because it saves me money. Let me know when Target can provide me with better lower prices and I'll head over there more often (even though most or all their products are made overseas too, haven't you guys ever read the label stating "made in china, malaysia, etc.) Next time take a look at the products you buy at Target, Ma & Pop store, or where ever, see where it's made, eh??
3:38 am
WalMart is a huge bully and will suck your company dry and then spit you out! DO NOT do business with them, it's not worth it. I worked for a wholesale business and I know of horror stories about WalMart's negotiating practices! Their buyers will arrange a single conference call with several competing wholesalers/manufactures for a single product and strong arm them all until they practically get the item at cost! Like I said – they're BULLY'S without a conscience!!! We had a chance to do business with them but they wanted us to practically give them our product! We would have had to bust our butts to make a half a penny on our product! No thanks! Dirt bags!
5:12 am
The bitter irony in all this is that Walmart's low price sales pitch has always been just a half baked truth at best. For example. On unhealthy brand name groceries, you might save 25-50 cents. And generic household items, 2-5 bucks. For no name electronics no smart consumer wants, you'll save 25-50 bucks. But bad low quality items from processed food to cheap gadgets are not even worth buying in the first place. The poor shop there to save nickles & dimes on worthless junk, but it's not worth US economic downsizing or outsourcing of American jobs.
5:18 am
Their phony slogan that We Save People Money So That They Can Live Better is a matter of disinformation. The bitter irony in all this is that Walmart's low price sales pitch has always been just a half baked truth at best. For example. On unhealthy brand name groceries, you might save 25-50 cents. And generic household items, 2-5 bucks. For no name electronics no smart consumer wants, you'll save 25-50 bucks. But bad low quality items from processed food to cheap gadgets are not even worth buying in the first place. The poor shop there to save nickles & dimes on worthless junk, but it's not worth US economic downsizing or outsourcing of American jobs.
5:26 am
It's truly depressing how few people understand or remember Econ 101. Buying cheap goods from China makes both countries richer, not poorer. And as the standard of living rises in China, so too will their prices. This is why we don't have thousands of goods labeled "Made in Japan" anymore. And manufacturing, like farming, is a labor-intensive activity. As our standard of living goes up and the price per good goes down, we need fewer and fewer manufacturing employees to provide the same or more goods than we needed in the past. Today just 4% of the labor force in America is in farming, and they provide way more produce than we need. Our manufacturing labor is in similar decline, and that's a good sign, not a bad one. You know, half these people who are bemoaning the loss of manufacturing jobs today a few years ago would have been complaining about the working conditions in those same plants. Do you make a lot less working at Walmart? Yes, but the work is a hell of a lot easier, too. This is a different discussion, but the reason we have low wages in this country isn't cheap products from China but cheap immigrants from Mexico. Stop the immigration and wages will go up quickly.
8:33 am
Walmart helps millions of poor people — and not-so-poor-people — save money every day. And some people want to shut it down? Amazing.
It's true that Walmart is quite destructive. It mixes things up. Its competitors hate it (this should surprise no one). And it's also a huge positive force for keeping prices down. It saves people money, which they can spend on other things. For the people who want to shut Walmart down or emasculate it with regulations: Do you really want to deny a poor person the right to save money on, for example, groceries, so they can have money left over to pay the rent or buy medicine for their kids?
In a market economy, jobs and businesses get created and destroyed all the time. The difference between this creation and destruction is what we call economic progress. Economist Joseph Schumpeter called this dynamic nature of free markets "Creative Destruction." This is the way free markets work. It looks messy (to many people), but the net result is overwhelmingly positive. Free markets have improved the lives of billions of people and continue to do so every day. Heavy-handed government intervention does the exact opposite. Just look at a list of countries with governments that interfere the most with markets: Cuba, North Korea, Greece, most of the countries in Africa, most of the countries in the Middle East: In addition to having meddlesome governments that interfere with the markets, these countries have one other thing in common: None of them is wealthy. They have another thing in common: With the possible exception of Greece, they are all politically repressive. This is not a coincidence.
For the people who complain that most of Walmart's products are made outside of America: Free trade helps make people better off. This has been shown time and again over decades and even centuries. Countries with free trade get richer; those countries that don't get poorer. The few times governments tried to reverse free trade have been disasters. Just consider the tariffs governments throughout the world enacted in the 1930s that helped cause the Great Depression.
If you don't care for big box stores and don't like Walmart's policies, shop somewhere else. But please don't deny other people the right to shop there and save money.
8:54 am
"The path that America is headed on today is only going to end in complete and total disaster. We are being transformed from a wealthy nation into a poor nation. In the end, we will be dominated by a very tiny elite and everyone else will either be among the working poor or will be totally dependent on the government."
The statement is on target but your choice of villains is wrong. The villain is the US Government led by Obama and the rest of his Marxist friends in Congress. Since Obama took office food stamp use, unemployment and the number of poor has skyrocketed. It's not about Walmart. The Democrats have had policies for decades that were designed to enslave the poorest amongst us into Government handouts. Obama has extended his reign of terror to private businesses and the successful.The goal is impoverish as many as possible and give control to a few elite, it isn't Walmart doing it. Keep electing Democrats and your vision will certainly become reality!
10:36 am
There’s a reason why people shop at Walmart. It’s based on price alone. With the economy still tanking, people are having to do the same with less and less money. You want to get people to stop shopping at Walmart then we need businesses to start hiring more people and start paying higher wages, giving promotions to existing employees and bonuses to them as well. People have little to no disposable income and thus our economy keeps performing badly. Our economy needs luxury goods and services to do well and with people being forced to cut nearly all of that out of their lives due to the increasing prices of necessities like food & shelter (and due to the lack of raises and or being laid off/fired), the economy will not improve until this changes. Businesses have shown they have no desire to fix the problem on their own. The government has to force them to do so. Billion dollar fines for failure to give cost of living raises, for failure to do general raises every 2-3 years, for failure to promote from within, for failure to give annual bonuses to all employees, not just the executives. This would apply to all businesses, not just certain ones. That’s the problem with current laws and regulations regarding businesses, a lot of the culprits get away with things they shouldn’t simply because they have a lower number of employees. I personally disagree with this concept and think business laws should apply to all business, not just certain ones. There also should be labor laws regarding overtime, lunch breaks, vacations, sick leave, bereavement leave, etc.
Until we start paying people a wage they can live off of and support a family with, our economy will continue to suffer. $7.25 is not a livable wage.
10:39 am
I stopped shopping at WalMart more than 10 years ago when I discovered while researching a paper in college that they were getting tax breaks from local governments, even while providing information to their employees about how to apply for welfare benefits.
But the thing that made the decision for me was WalMart's actions while negotiating for land to build a new 'super center' near where I lived. One piece of property they wanted contained a mobile home park that housed mostly older people on fixed incomes. When the community objected to WalMart's plans to evict those people from their homes, WalMart offered each owner $1,000 to move their homes…an amount that wouldn't cover the expense of moving a mobile home, even if there were somewhere to move the home too.
When the WalMart representative was confronted about their offer at the next county planning meeting, the WalMart rep expressed surprise that there were any objections, stating "WalMart prices help people like that!"
The planning commission eventually voted against WalMart, and that 'super center' was not built there.
WalMart eventually found a tract of land in a neighboring county and built there.
10:44 am
Once you get that much power it's hard not to fall victim to low prices and convenience of Wal-mart. I love going to Wal-mart but what the fuck can I do? Shop somewhere more expensive just to make a point fuck that.
11:23 am
It should be no big mystery why jobs are being outsourced to other countries. Manufacturers are mostly union shops and the constant demand for higher wages, benefits, and retirement benefits run up the cost of the goods they manufacture. It's no wonder companies like Wal-Mart must seek reasonable cost of goods somewhere else besides American manufacturers. Don't blame outsourcing on WM!
12:00 pm
eventually it will all crash when noone makes enough money to pay the low prices
12:07 pm
I always refused to shop at Wal-Mart or SAM's Club, because I felt it was a low class trashy business (I'm not referring to any customers here) and didn't treat it's hard working employees with any dignity (the same way workers are mistreated in China). Wal-Mart uses what is called "reverse auction" when choosing the cheapest manufacturer to make their products, pitting 3-4 in the same room to under bid each other just to get Wal-Marts. and Wal-Mart doesn't know how to spell quality, nor they care! Sadly, Wal-Mart exists because of greed, by corporations and customers.
12:43 pm
it always amazes me that blowhard stories like this completely ignore other factors. We have a govt that is going out of its way to make energy as expensive as possible, to make it as easy as possible to sue the heck out of companies, to make it as easy as possible for the govt to fine companies, etc, etc, etc. And then one seriously wonders why companies that can outsource overseas do?
1:02 pm
the 3 most dreaded diseases are 1-Jealousy, 2= Envy and 3- Hatred
1:16 pm
Walmart is big.
Real big.
They pay less than Pa and Ma kettle.
So they undercut everybody.
Great idea.
But really, you folks have it wrong.
Walmart is a Chinese outlet here in America…..and there are more coming
1:24 pm
Our goverment, polititians, are blind and with out feeling. Letting our country slip into this state is shameful. Thousand retailers lose their bussiness and more thousands their jobs, Income tax revenue lost. To open the politians eyes is to take the same percentage from their income as our country loses in deficits to other countries. Laws are laws, the politians claim they have to up hold, Everybody says kick them out. Every election it's the same chronies who are elected and if a new one gets in, it isn't long before their in the same mold. God Bless America and Wal-Mart go to hell,
2:56 pm
I now have two WM about 15 mins from my house. I have seen two hardware stores close one sporting good, and two grocery stores, one was the oldest grocery in Omaha they did a lot of old world stuff like deliver grocery to the sick & old. They did not charge for this service. These buildings now sit empty and are becoming a eye sore. We have WM to thank for this. When they first moved in I thought they were the best thing that could happen to the neighborhood. I now have second thoughts. If I cant find what I want at WM it becomes a all day event. Trying to find someone to help or cares is a joke. I have bought groceries at WM only to find out some of the items have expired. Dont even think about their one hour photo shop. I have seen good stores leave because of WM. These stores would have never treated a costumer like this. I guess that is the price we pay. Empty buildings, poor service, expired food,
3:38 pm
My son-in-law works in China for a large manufacturing company that has moved it's manufacturing
facilities to Southeast Asia. He says the American buyers PENNY them to death, demanding
ever reduced prices for goods, threatening to take their purchases elsewhere for a penny less.
Wal Mart came into our town, reduced prices so low that our local K-Mart went out of business….
then Wal-Mart increased their prices to much higher than K-Mart had been at the beginning.
I, for one, am buying American Made..even if they cost more. American wages are higher than Chinese
wages, and I support American Industry!!!!!!!!!
1:28 am
Never benn in a Walmart and never will…
3:31 am
Yea screw Walmart I miss K-Mart Caldor Jamesway Ames Bradlees and all the other crap stores that tried to sell me Wrangler jeans, McGregor sweatshirts and Spaulding sneakers as a kid. All Walmart did was consolidate all the generic stores of the 90's into one after they all tanked. They sold the same stuff back then as Walmart does now and no small time Mom & Pop store was ever selling that stuff because it wasn't economically feasible to do so. The stores of yesteryear had a stranglehold on the generic goods department long before Walmart came along but that being said I understand the frustrations of a business owner trying to sell ten year old DVDs from a bin for $6.99 instead of $5.99 times must be tough.
3:45 am
I think a large part of this article is true. I so understand how all of this hurts the American economy, however, the real tragedy is that the Chinese and, yes, the American people who have to work for slave labor just so the manufacture's owners/CEOs can get richer. They are the greedy ones and yes the government men and women who take kick backs from these manufactures.
6:17 am
"Our system is supposed to be about open, honest competition."
This is where you lost me. Contrary to what you seem to think, this is EXACTLY what your system allows. Capitalism at its finest. Its a bit late to be crying over milk spilt soooo long ago…
7:35 am
The key word America. Which means Freedom. Freedom to spend and shop wherever we want regardless of price or service level, Walmart is only successful as we as consumers make it. Workers can also gain valuable work experience and work ethic at these lower paying (not rocket science) jobs. They can use the educational assistance as well to get better paying jobs at wal-mart or elsewhere. If we lived in Russia I would be concerned. But both the consumer and employee have to freedom to shop and work elsewhere.
8:14 am
So – what's your point? Walmart has good prices and "choices" that others don't offer. That is what is wrong with this country – people are afraid to compete and want the government to help them! I'm so sick of the mantra "it's not fair" by the "pity poor me" crowd!
8:15 am
I love walmart. Being on fixed income, walmart allows me to stretch my dollar. I have traveled to china and I loved its people. They are hard workers and that is why they have succieded.
What we need in the states is freedom to make things without so much gov intervention and allow people to try and make a living.
8:24 am
Your article points out a huge problem in our country. Foreign competition undercutting home-grown workers. However, you have to realize that if Walmart were to "go away", every remaining retail outlet would have significantly higher prices on everything that we buy, thus adding to the already rampant problem of "rising poverty" in the U.S. And where do you think the remaining stores would purchase their products?….I dare say it would be where they could buy the cheapest ones, because they would still have to compete with other stores. America has had it good for many years, with our average hourly wages far above that of most other nations in the world. Turns out, America, you can't have it both ways……It's not an easy problem to solve, if there is a solution.
8:59 am
i grew up going to k mart and walmart is evil and is run by some very crooked people ! wake up and do the research!
9:35 am
The gov. broke up Ma Bell becouse they were a monopoly,why don't they do this to Walmart?????
10:11 am
Walmart may have it's faults, but in my neighborhood they took an unsafe building that the previous grocery store chain was too cheap to fix up and who treated their employees like dirt, completely gutted the building, and turned in into a beautiful grocery store that the neighborhood can be proud of. The staff there seems very nice, too. I applied for a job there but haven't gotten a call back yet. There's alot of competition for jobs. At the moment. there's alot of younger people working there. Maybe when school starts up again, my chances of getting a job there will get better. There was a small family owned grocer that got driven out, tough. I feel bad for them, but they wouldn't hire anyone but family members.
10:15 am
Look, no one is stopping you to shop a bag that's made in Italy for $1400. The fact is, China makes cheap products because Americans are only willing to pay cheap prices for. If you pay for an IPad (high quality), that's because you paid an expensive price for it.
The root of the problems is that there are no companies out there who are willing to produce / market / sale products that are higher quality, convince consumers of the better investment in good quality products by paying more and get better ROI in the long run.
A good example is I buy more expensive energy saving light bulbs because they last longer, save more electricity and such I don't mind paying them to save money for the long run.
10:20 am
This pretty much sums up what I've been thinking and saying for year. The large corporations of America are not for America. They are for the minority shareholders of their company. If anyone thinks otherwise on what drives large public corporations you'll have to explain it to me. Every public corporation has employees that have to answer to someone above ultimately and not to the consumers. A private corporation only has their reputation to uphold and the consumers will dictate their success. Back to public corporations, the need to answer to someone doesn't stop with the CEO of the company, nor does it stop with the Board of Directors. It's driven by the need to report profits to Wall Street. Profits are controlled by reducing expenses and American corporations have learned there is cheaper labor and materials overseas and they are CAPITALIZING on it.
The world is becoming smaller each year with all the off-shoring. The parts of the world where the USA is finding 'cheaper' is places that have lesser economies. In the grand scheme of things I believe we will be facing what I call the "Great Leveler". Wages, goods, products, services will all have to reach the same level globally in a world economy. This WILL NOT be a case of bringing these lesser economies up the the level of the USA but rather the USA economy dropping to the level of the lesser economies.
Furthermore with a world economy coming it's not all that inconceivable the world will start relying on a more common currency. Look at what happened in Europe with the Euro replacing each country's currency. With the the world economies coalescing to one world economy, does anyone believe the US dollar will be that currency? I think this country needs to wake up and realize that currency most like will be the Yuan!
10:23 am
#21 The CEO travels with a Secret-Service like security team we're told
#22 Walmart wages for non-management employees are very low. You are paid the wages for whatever store you work at and not for seniority with the company. If you transfer between stores you may have to take a paycut for the same job no matter how long you have been with the company.
#23 As a Walmart manager you are told you must be mean to the "associates"
#24 You pretty much just have to have a pulse to work at Walmart.
#25 You don't have to speak, read or write English to work at Walmart
#26 All that matters to Walmart stores at the end of the day is, "how much did the store make?"
#27 (add your own)
10:52 am
Sam Walton was a small business man. He owned a Ben Frankin store franchise. The Corp. Ben franklin crapped on him and took his franchise away because they wanted his store for themselves. Sam started his own store in the building that he owned.His determination and very sharp consumer economics led him into HUGH successes. Now what is wrong with the American Dream ????? Sam had it right. Sell at a FAIR price and give the customers what they want and need. His policy of high customer service, well stocked shelves and friendly sales people in clean, modern, spacious, stores is still growing long after he left this world.
11:10 am
Now , let's look at Sam Walton's compitition. Large Corps. and small local businesses. They both only stock what they want to and can buy cheap, in low quanities, and the sell it for outragious prices. Thier employees are discourtious, RUDE, and don't give a crap about the customers. I buy the type of motor oil I use at WalMarts because the other businesses won't stock it and refuse to even special order it . It is very high quality oil. They say it won't sell and that they stock better products. Well, WalMart stores can't keep it on the shelves. So Much for Local business purchasing intelligence. Sell the customer what they want. Most corp. and local stores are crowded, with narrow ilses, and dirt, dust, and filth, everywhere. Clean up your act, clean up your stores, give customer service,and get freindly employees, then " MAYBE " I'll come back.
11:57 am
From Wikipedia:
In the 1990s, continued "most favoured nation" status for the People's Republic of China created controversy because of its sales of sensitive military technology. China's "most favoured nation" status was made permanent on December 27, 2001.
————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Now, who instituted Most Favored Nation status on China? George Walker Bush, William Jefferson Clinton and Newton Leroy "Newt" Gingrich! Let's get our facts straight. Reagan learned his lessons with South Africa and MFN trade statuses.
7:10 pm
The USA is built on free enterprise which means the guy who makes the best product for the best price gets the most business. Competition is good for the comsumer. As far as the products being made outside the USA, policies of our government have made it attractive (cheap) to ship to us and expensive for us to ship to other countries. If they'd wise up and charge those outside the USA more, the products would cost us more which would make Walmart look more to our local entrepreneurs who might be able to compete. When the government gets so involved, they louse up our free enterprise system and thereby help the other countries. I shop at Walmart a lot because it's convenient to get to and the prices are good – not the cheapest always and they certainly don't have the large selection some other stores do. Their prescriptions are a good buy, too.
3:06 am
Walmart is not the problem. US businesses are the problem. US businesses are the problem because our government is the problem. If US businesses cannot sell goods cheaper than off shore businesses there is a reason. The off shore business's COGS is lower – it has lower direct and indirect costs. The only way US businesses can complete is by increasing productivity at a faster rate than foreign businesses. That is difficult because it requires application of capital expenditures that are, many times, beyond the reach of many businesses and may only be a short term solution because foreign businesses can do the same thing. The only other way for US businesses can complete is if they can reduce or eliminate costs foreign businesses either do not have or have a lower cost.
4:04 am
I spoke with A WM employee missed coming into work be cause of a difference between posted job schedule
on the internet than that posted at the store. Was able to get his job back at a entree level rate after 8 years with the company. (yes they get medicaid)
W
8:25 am
Yes, everything you have said about Walmart is the truth, also when working for Walmart it treats its employees like slaves, they don't train you, and expects for you too know what you are doing, plus after a day of orientation, you may have a dau doing your CBL's (Computer Basic Learning) thats all you get, and from there you are on the floor in your assign dept. And the managers are lazy as hell, its easy to boss around people without any college education. I want too see more of that team work the managers always talking about, form them as well.you are experience in any department, Walmart will not start you at your edxperience rate, plus they don't let you know about the shares, or that its no longer a differential pay for working at nights on the weekend. For parttime no benefits and they get you in on false pretense.
9:55 am
Your article misses the REASON for Walmart's dominance on two points…
1. Americans will ALWAYS pay the LEAST amount for a product. Very few of us are willing to part with our money for a "better" quality product if a cheaper one can be found. Walmart clearly understands this concept and has done a great job of exploiting this business fact.
2. The US Governement's incorrect policies of taxing EVERYTHING that a small business manufacturer tries to create is what is at the HEART of this problem. US manufacturers are moving overseas to build their products "so much more cheaply" because they do not have to BATTLE their own government who forces unreasonable taxes and fees on them every step along the way in the manufacturing process.
10:19 am
Wal-Mart is not only destroying jobs in America, but it is also destroying the small town culture. With so many small businesses closed, the American towns now look boring, its lifestyle is chanding to the empty boring town style. Towns have no attractiveness, people just go to big shopping malls and big storage-type of super stores and spend their free time there. It's becoming American image unfortunately. The government should regulate and demand that these super stores/companies who earn super profits, should increase their workers' wages so they at least can afford their medical insurance!
11:06 am
if I had an option of 2 pieces of merchandise on the shelf, I would pick the made in USA one, but the problem, go to any store, you dont see much selection at all of MADE IN USA products. Im not just talking about wallmart, go to home depot, lowes, target, etc. Most merchandise is made out of USA. is it our fault as buiyers that we only select those products which come from cheap labor? Give us options then!!
11:28 am
I don't agree with Walmart's tactics of profiting on the poor economy. How many people in your own circle of friends and relatives have lots jobs due to this horrible economic crisis??? Or at least can't get into the jobs they deserve to be in ???? They are forced to go with lower paying jobs and those of us that thankfully have kept a job have not had a pay increase in years or had pay decreases!!!!! When prices for food, housing, clothing, utilities…… all continue to rise. Peoples budgets can't afford anywhere except Walmart, or being a coupon guru.
The whole system needs to change.
11:42 am
I boycotted Wal-Mart years ago after talking to a few full time employees without the option of health insurance and minimum wage pay. I believe that Wal-Mart has a responsibility to their employees that they fail to meet. I would be willing to pay more if they treated their employees as they should, I am amazed that the author of this article didn't write about Wal-Mart's Dead Peasant policy.
11:58 am
The book "Wealth of Nation" written near the time of the revolution, a text book on the building of America, has warned us that the greatest threat to this nation comes from succumbing to special interest groups which seeks to dominate the country and rob our soul and livelihood of true democracy. But that is what we have given in to. We let an elite group, Walmart, to wrest control of our food supply and basic home necessities. It is this elite group, not our democray which dictates our future. And that has been forewarned us.
12:18 pm
Not only does Walmart force small companies to send their jobs overseas, but it is the worst place in the world to work. There's an old saying by Walmart employees: "when you work for Walmart, Walmart owns you." You work where they want and when they want. At the end of your exhausting shift, when you're ready to go home, your boss will walk up and TELL you (NOT ask) to work another 3 or 4 or 5 hours, or the next 3 weekends, or whatever they want. And of course they have a rock-solid strict policy that NOBODY works over 38 1/2 hours a week, so they won't have to pay them benefits. I'm not a Communist, for heaven's sakes, but Karl Marx spoke of "the evils of capitalism." Walmart is a perfect example of exactly, precisely what he was talking about.
12:28 pm
Sure, end all regulation, free enterprise and all that B.S. Regulation is exactly what America needs or business like SprawlMart will put America in the ditch. It will take a lot to dig out of the ditch we are already in if it even happens. Walmart is un American and should be shut down.
5:16 pm
I came from the retail sector. No longer there. People cry and complain about Walmart, but the simple truth is whether you shop at Walmart, Sams Club, Cosco, Target or most any other store, you are buying a good chunk of Chinese made product.
Over the years people have yelled and howled about this same thing issue mentioned in the article. The reality is what attracts people is not supporting American jobs, or supporting the principle of bringing manufacturing back to the United States. What guides most people (and has for many years) is low prices. Truly people don't care about a "quality" product, all they truly care about is getting something that looks good, cheap. Even if it breaks in a year, they will turn around and buy another one.
5:17 pm
For example I know of a specific higher end mixer. Saw one at a Mom and Pop store that they had bought direct through distribution. Price on it was $100.00 more than the Big Box version. I was interested so I compared both boxes, bar codes, everything. Only one small difference in the bar codenumber. I called the company, got 6 layers up the company and was finally transferred to a manager. I explained everything and asked what the difference was. He said something like ‘oh it’s the internal parts.’ Apparently one has metal gears and mostly metal parts while the other has plastic gears and mostly plastic parts. I asked which one he would buy his wife. He said ‘the one with the metal gears because it should last 6-8 plus years. The plastic parted one was designed for 2-3 year life span.’
5:18 pm
Same thing with lawn mowers. Briggs Straton (quality motor) had to come up with a “cheap” version of the quality motor so that cheap lawn mowers could be made. There was an article on this awhile back.
The other thing the retailers do is retail prices, discounts and consumer pricing. Even on mark down, or 50% discount, they are still making some money, just may not be as much as they would make at full retail. Most people don’t realize that on many products there is no “set retail price” Some products have a suggested retail price from the manufacturers but that is usually some incredibly artificially high price for looks only. With many products so called Retail is what the big box stores say it is, then they have wide flexibility with discounts etc.
5:18 pm
What the Big Box stores control so to speak is what they actually pay a supplier for something and the big box stores are constantly trying to squeeze the suppliers to work on less and less. Big Box stores will go to supplier X, if you want to sell product on their shelves, you (meaning Mom and Pop or Big Corporation) have to meet the following price break. The Big Box stores will ask for all records including copies of your invoice from your suppliers to see exactly what you are paying and exactly how much profit you are making. Then they go to work trying to narrow that gap in their favor. Sometimes the Big Box stores will go back to your suppliers and hit them up direct. If enough cash is flashed, the suppliers will jump ship.
Bottom line is most people only care about getting something for cheap and they would like to believe they are getting quality, but the only thing that really matters is cheap.
7:56 pm
Wal*Mart is also a VERY discriminatory Company, Sam always Cared for his employees, his kids do not…
12:08 pm
So there's a couple of issues with this article. 1) they list the same thing several times in different ways 2) they say the same thing over and over and make it another listed item. 3) how can employing more people per state than anyone else be a bad thing 4) Walmart isn't the issue – people using the store w/o thinking about it is. 5) America loves cheap stuff. If no one else is supplying it on the same level, Walmart wins. 6) If America is spending an average of $400 a month at Walmart, how much would they have to spend elsewhere:? that said, I vote simply by NOT shopping at Walmart. I buy local whenever possible. I read labels and buy American whenever I can. At the same time, just because it's made in America, doesn't mean it's good.
9:00 pm
Oh my gosh! How ignorant can these disagreeing commenters be? You are pinpoint absolutely correct. Anyone who disagrees with this has got their head in the sand. And yes, the middle class has been disappearing for years now.
10:40 pm
Exactly the way it works trust me iam an ex walmart employee and what ive seen inside the business is beyond belief. They use their employees like the china use theirs. Under paid, no over time pay, and absolutely no health insurance.
2:00 pm
THIS HAS CORRUPTED, STINKING, PATHETIC, CRIMINAL, LOW LIFE IDIOTS, GREEDY, SADISTIC, ANTICHRIST GARBAGE WRITTEN ALL OVER IT WHO ARE JEALOUS AND MAD BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO UNION CONTROL OVER WALMART
6:49 pm
The writer says this as if the 100 Million people has nothing to do with Walmart's success. Sam Walton started with one store. If there had not been a public demand it would still be one store. Put the blame where it belongs – the American public and the US government.
Department of Commerce imposed quotas and tariffs and government bailouts of failed businesses have resulted in decades of unskilled and overpaid labor and unqualified management that is incapable of producing quality products at a competitive price in today's world economy. A prime example is GM. Up to now the Ford Edsel has been the most unsuccessful North American car ever produced. Total sales in the life of the car was about 80,000 units. To date the Chevy volt has sold less than 20,000 units. That is about 1/4 of the sales of the up to now lowest selling car in US history in the same amount of time.
Why can't we produce stuff anymore? Short answer – we don't have the skills to do it competitively.
12:59 pm
Has any of the whiners out there ever seen Sam Walton force anybody into a store with a shotgun pointed at their head.
7:15 pm
It's all about the mighty dollar is all I have to say
4:53 pm
Does anybody out there have evidence that Sam Walmart put a shot gun at the back of an individuals head and forced him/her to shop at Walmart under the penalty of death if they don't?
1:53 pm
If you do not like WM dont shop there. Since the goverment does not give us free medical or food we have to make every dollar count. But if you are from Mexico you get free food , medical care at the expense of those who pay income tax.
9:02 am
I am a current Walmart employee, I hold a MBA in Business Administration and have completed my 22 yrs in corporate healthcare project management field. I have been working at Walmart mainly because there are no jobs available in my area; (Michigan), that organizations are willing to hire. I am 58, white, over educated, a baby boomer being targeted by younger generations as one to be killed off, and apparently the source of all their troubles. America for the most part to the rest of the world is "Fish Bait", like blood in the water to sharks. This is NOT what I desire or have struggled all my life to protect. . . but is a fact. Look around you people at the structure of America its leaders, and the character of the organization we work for. Yes, it is true, Walmart is feeding on the remains of America and when the resources of the area they move into are exhausted; (Labor and Earning power), they will leave and move on. . . .just like every other American corporation, political leader, union or individual. .
3:31 pm
Wal-Mart has already taken over our city. There isn't any other shops with the exception of 2 that groceries or clothing can be purchaed. (our population is close to 12,000) It is really sad for our country.
5:50 pm
schools in america shld require our children to have mandatory domestic and world ecconomics classes at a early start so they can understand why cheaper isnt allways better. it should be like math science and english cant pass with out it
5:57 pm
If the United States can't compete with China, then the United States will have to be turned off. Americans will have to work for pennies/hour. What's wrong with that. Stop using electricity, gasoline, medical care, join the Chinese plan, SLAVERY FOR ALL. Come on America, do you have any guts at all, or will you just complain, until our Leaders? sell us out to the NEW One World Government with slavery for all. Americans, it's time to stand up, take those Second Amendments Rights and retake control of our Government. Never ever reelect any candidate until we get a candidate that's in office to represent the American way of life. Google my name Don Cordell and you will find the answers to our future, if we are to have a future. I'll Restore, not Change America, because I love America, do you?.