Has Wal-Mart Worn Out It's Welcome?

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deanws

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HERCULES, Calif. (May 24) - A San Francisco suburb voted Tuesday night to use the power of eminent domain to keep Wal-Mart Stores Inc. off a piece of city land after hearing from dozens of residents who accused the big-box retailer of engaging in scare tactics to force its way into the bedroom community.

The overflow crowd that packed into the tiny Hercules City Hall cheered after the five-person City Council voted unanimously to use the unusual tactic to seize the 17 acres where Wal-Mart intended to build a shopping complex.

http://articles.news.aol.com/business/article.adp?id=20060524044809990004&ncid=NWS00010000000001
 
With its cut throat tactics, cheap wages, and the bad press that Wal-Mart has been getting, I think more communities are getting tired of the huge chain. They cut prices deep, run the competition out of business, then raise prices. A look at how Wal-Mart does business has been long over due.
 
I like Walmart. I have a little thing in my flower bed near my front door that says if I am not here, check Walmart. I can usually find what I am looking for at a more reasonable price than most places. They employ a lot of people, especially young people and women who do not want to work full time, when they might not find other jobs available. They may not be high paying jobs but they have helped many people get by especially in small towns. Since they are open long hours, students can work there if they need to and fit it into their schedule. If our town did not have a Walmart, I would drive to a town that does have one.
 
Annie said:
I like Walmart. I have a little thing in my flower bed near my front door that says if I am not here, check Walmart. I can usually find what I am looking for at a more reasonable price than most places. They employ a lot of people, especially young people and women who do not want to work full time, when they might not find other jobs available. They may not be high paying jobs but they have helped many people get by especially in small towns. Since they are open long hours, students can work there if they need to and fit it into their schedule. If our town did not have a Walmart, I would drive to a town that does have one.
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I used to work at Wal-Mart when I was in college. Sam Walton was alive and running it back then. He ran the company totally different than it is being run today. The more I read about them, the less I like them lately. I bet the old man is flipping over in his grave watching what his children have done.
:(
 
My son and several of his friends work there, and enjoy it for as much as college students "love" to work, hehe. Well, the ones that don't work the cash registers like it. The one that works the register hates it, says she hates dealing with rude customers.

It's probably not a terrible place to work if you want part-time work, but if you were trying to support a family on it, that'd be tough, between the pay and benefits (or lack thereof).
 
I keep hearing that they cut prices, run off the competition, then raise prices. I haven't seen the prices go up at the local Walmart or at the one where I used to live and still shop sometimes. From what I have seen, they keep their prices down.
 
I hate Walmart. There is one two miles from my house but I haven't been in it in who knows when. I will pass it up and drive half an hour to Target, where the store is super clean and the employees super friendly.
 
tennessee said:
I hate Walmart. There is one two miles from my house but I haven't been in it in who knows when. I will pass it up and drive half an hour to Target, where the store is super clean and the employees super friendly.
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Super clean. right. i went to Walmart here in Hamburg for the first time a couple of years back and i saw a mouse running round.

when i reported it to a member of staff, they asked me to hush.

hmm . . .

i haven't been back. :woohoo:
 
Count me in as a Walmart lover. IMO, because they are a large business, people love to bash them. We have a lot of locally run businesses that open and close when they want to, act like you are lucky to have them in town and have high prices.

It's amazing that these local businesses are the biggest opposers to the Walmarts and Home Depots of the world, you know, the businesses that cater to the customers.

In addition, the Walmarts and Home Depots pay as much as any other business who hire people with just the basic labor skills. Sorry if this is unpopular; however, I believe that if you want a better job, get a better education and/or training.
 
You can be a large corporation and still treat your employees well. Take Starbucks - they give even part-time employees health benefits, and decent pay. They can be on a track to be promoted.

Look at Whole Foods Company - a great company not only on the stock market but to work for and shop at. No, not cheap, but plenty crowded.

We voted in our suburb not to have Wal-mart; they were going to build a huge super-center. Wal-mart has expanded and multiplied like rabbits, and they are unfriendly to the communities they want to build in, and will stop at nothing to gain their aquisitions. They have a reputation for treating employees poorly; tho that may be changing some.

I shop at Target and Home Depot, because they at least respect and give back to the community. I don't care who shops at Wal-Mart, but not in my back yard.
 
I have no use whatsoever for Wal-Mart. For years, I used to dread even having to go there, and eventually, just stopped. Our local one has added a super market to theirs, but I have never been. Their parking lot is always a disaster and trying to shop there just exhausts me. They junk up all their aisles with merchandise so you can't push your cart through. The store never looks clean, and most of the check-out stands aren't open, thus causing long lines.

Now, Target, is very different. Their store is sparkling clean, with wide aisles, and friendly service. Never a long wait either.

I feel that Wal-Mart uses bully tactics in coming to town and I was happy to read of the one in SF that ran them off! I also feel they are very unfair in their labor practices, taking advantage of the underprivileged.

Can you tell I don't like Wal-Mart?
 
Annie said:
I like Walmart. I have a little thing in my flower bed near my front door that says if I am not here, check Walmart.
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ROFL Annie!!! I'm the same. My girlfriend and myself refer to ourselves as "The Walmart Wives". haha.
 
My nearest Walmart is 20 miles. :p
I can't imagine what it would be like to just drive a couple of miles to shop for anything other than groceries. The price we pay for country living. :crazy:

I do shop at Walmart BUT I do check prices under their little "sale" tags now. A couple years ago at Christmas I made a purchase and when I went to take the tag off to wrap it, I discovered it was a few dollars cheaper under the "sale" tag! :furious:
 
They are bullies. Where I live the nearest WalMart is probably 20 miles away.
We have gone a couple of times and it is dirty and crowded and yucky. My time and money are worth more than that...
They were trying to build one about 5 miles away on a road that is heavily travelled with little space to improve traffic flow.
For years our community has fought it, and for years they have been fighting back...we do not want them....

Now they are about to win all of the lawsuits trying to keep them out of a very nice older established neighborhood. Once again, awful traffic flow and bottom line, the community does not want a WalMart! But bully and fight they are!

Can't wait till the RV's pull up in the lot to visit for awhile...that will make all the folks in the neighborhood happy too :razz: :razz: :razz:

Lynie
 
Well in our area they turned Wal-Mart into a Super Store, with produce, etc. I am not a frequest shopper there but do go in occasionally. It is a little crowded but not dirty and most of the help is friendly, especially the elderly workers!

I think most people know that working for Wal-Mart is generally not going to reap a "living wage" but it is a supplemental income for students, moms (or dads), retirees, etc. Even though their overall sales figures are huge, their profit margin is extremely narrow, which explains their low prices and low wages/benefits. Right or wrong, this is their market strategy. I have heard even if their top execs would distribute some of their millions in bonuses to the employees, there are so many employees that it wouldn't amount to much for them. I heard figures on this as well, but can't remember specifics.

Love it or hate it, Wal-Mart enables a lot people to have clothes and winter coats. Many of my students shop there, for everything. It is usually what their parents can afford. They can get Levi's, etc. for less.

There is a market for Wal-Mart - both in terms of consumers and employment.

Eve
 
I have been to Walmart's that are nice and those that are not.

They do offer employment and low prices but at what cost?
Some people would not NEED employment and low cost had Walmart not put their current company out of business.
And not just other retailers.

Walmart is notorious for hiring contractors to build/ improve... whatever...
Then not paying them .... in turn they cannot pay their crew or equiptment rental fees..
Most would think its a huge blessing to land a contract building a walmart or some part of it...
Really what happens is that then walmart refuses to pay for already agreed upon work.. They claim it is "extra" that they did not approve .. even though it either isn't extra or they did approve it.
For most small businesses they wind up settling for cents on the dollar of the contract because they don't have the financial means to wait or take them to court. This usually translates to either breaking even and making not profit or costing the contractor money.
That is walmarts tactic. If anyone knows someone who potentially would be doing work for Walmart I suggest you let them know if they as much as want an extra nail hammered GET IT IN Writing! Even then expect to take them to court.
 
Annie said:
I like Walmart. I have a little thing in my flower bed near my front door that says if I am not here, check Walmart. I can usually find what I am looking for at a more reasonable price than most places. They employ a lot of people, especially young people and women who do not want to work full time, when they might not find other jobs available. They may not be high paying jobs but they have helped many people get by especially in small towns. Since they are open long hours, students can work there if they need to and fit it into their schedule. If our town did not have a Walmart, I would drive to a town that does have one.
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I agree. We shop at the one by our house every week for something or another. There are certain items I won't buy there such as produce and meat, but the Kroger by my house costs twice as much on canned goods and paper products. I can save over $100 every two weeks during my grocery shopping. I'd rather be spending that money on shoes. :D
 
SewingDeb said:
I keep hearing that they cut prices, run off the competition, then raise prices. I haven't seen the prices go up at the local Walmart or at the one where I used to live and still shop sometimes. From what I have seen, they keep their prices down.
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I grew up in a small rural community in Arkansas, the home of Wal-Mart. They opened the store on the highway there in 1974. By 1977 80% of the small business downtown were shuttered. By 1984 it was 95%. When they started selling groceries in the mid 1990s the two other grocery chains in town folded. Now its 2006 and Wal-Mart is the largest employers in a town of 3000. In 1977 it was 5000. Virtually every other person who shops there works there. Last year Wal-Mart announced they would be closing the store there some time in 2006 because it wasn't profitable anymore, focusing instead on the Super Wal-Mart 25 miles away. That means everyone in my home town would have to travel across county lines to buy groceries, etc. Except for a couple of convenience stores, there is no grocery store in my home town or retail shops, and only one drug store/pharmacy. The Walmart closing will effectively finish destroying the local economy.
 
Sniffy38 said:
I have no use whatsoever for Wal-Mart. For years, I used to dread even having to go there, and eventually, just stopped. Our local one has added a super market to theirs, but I have never been. Their parking lot is always a disaster and trying to shop there just exhausts me. They junk up all their aisles with merchandise so you can't push your cart through. The store never looks clean, and most of the check-out stands aren't open, thus causing long lines.

Now, Target, is very different. Their store is sparkling clean, with wide aisles, and friendly service. Never a long wait either.

I feel that Wal-Mart uses bully tactics in coming to town and I was happy to read of the one in SF that ran them off! I also feel they are very unfair in their labor practices, taking advantage of the underprivileged.

Can you tell I don't like Wal-Mart?
Click to expand...

i feel about the same way, that's for sure....it's like you read my mind!...

i use to buy the "Frosty Blue Creme" drinks at Walmart...they don't have them anymore, so i have no reason to even stop in there...
use to stock up on those drinks, so i wouldn't have to go back there often....only place i could find them...well, there & Bi-Lo...now neither place carries them...
 
Jeana (DP) said:
I agree. We shop at the one by our house every week for something or another. There are certain items I won't buy there such as produce and meat, but the Kroger by my house costs twice as much on canned goods and paper products. I can save over $100 every two weeks during my grocery shopping. I'd rather be spending that money on shoes. :D
Click to expand...

i "go Krogering" for the most part...we just moved to a diff part of town..i miss my old Kroger (but that aside).....i've always found good sales at Kroger...i love the "buy one, get one free"...it just seems there's always a better chance of a deal at Kroger...hadn't really thought about it, till now, but i've been shopping there for ...30 yrs or so...

i have to drive further to get to a Walmart or Target...our Targets don't have a big grocery store involved..(not the ones around us)...i HAVE been known to pick up a loaf of bread & half gallon of milk, while at Target...Kroger's is everywhere here....
 
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