Posted on 01/29/2005 9:23:51 PM PST by Former Military Chick
I have never noticed any prices at Brooks Brothers that I would characterize as a bargain.
You've put your finger on it exactly. What I've seen in the small towns which Wal-Mart is supposed to have "destroyed" is that Stein is right - the sudden price cut in all consumer goods has the effect of raising everybody's disposable income. This means that now that people can spend a lower fraction of their income on Pampers and cereal, they have more money left over to buy baseball cards, quilting supplies, specialized auto parts, used video games, personal computer peripherals, gourmet foods, and so on.
The canny retailers have opened boutiques instead of general-merchandise stores. Wal-Mart sells everything, but they don't sell the highest quality of anything, and they don't sell the complete range of anything. A thousand niche markets have suddenly sprung up, and everybody now has the money to afford niche goods.
Ben Stein works in the entertainment industry. The kind of people he hangs out with consider Brooks Brothers a discount store, because it's off-the-rack.
Customer Service Center? That doesn't even exist at my Walmart! I've complained in the store and no one speaks english well enough to understand me, so I figure the situation is totally hopeless. The Best Buys store is almost as bad. Half the people speak english there, but no one even knows the names of their managers or where they are located. There is no such thing as good service in these large stores.
The language problem may have more to do with the area of the country you live in. I live in central Illinois and haven't had that problem with anybody but doctors.
I not only know of one, I have one. It's an AMERICAN MADE SUNBEAM!!!
Oh, they're not made in America any more?
Well, I knew something was wrong, because it is 55 years old and it still works as well as it did when it was new. No chineeeeeeze-made piece of junk will ever equal that, I'll betcha.
I guess Ben is right. (again)
Half SE Asian and half Central American immigrants. I'm in a very, very poor part of the country with a large immigrant population.
You need to quit climbing the Eiffel Tower.
Man.
You've been a naughty boy.
You've let your face grow long.
I am the eggman.
bttt
Huzzah, good article!
Detroit Bulls? You mean he had a Bulls top and Pistons shorts or something?
You must live in a tough area. The 20-odd Wal-Marts I've seen (all in the Pacific Northwest and Canada) have all been fairly clean and bright with native English-speaking staff and reasonable waiting times at the checkout.
Flagstaff, AZ, City of Endless Annoyance, is in the process of passing a "Big Box Ordinance" to protect the local cartels which already have their feet in the door. I drive 60 miles (one way) to shop at the Cottonwood SuperWalmart. Even allowing for $1.89 gas, I still come out 10 to 20% ahead and don't pay Flagstaff's extortionate sales taxes either (which go to support bike paths and "municipal art" for liberals).
This is simply not true. I work for Walmart part-time while I'm in school getting an RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician) Associate's Degree. Wal-Mart has a very strict policy about working off the clock and taking breaks and such. You can't even make up hours that you missed or called in sick anymore. Real strict policy, Wal-mart has cracked down on that stuff.
No, Congress and their policies are the reason. Stop blaming Walmart for problems caused by high taxes and punishing regulations.
Well-put. Amazing how the free market works.
There's no way a American worker can compete with a $.28 an hour worker. It's Labor Arbitrage, plain and simple.
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