Posted on 10/26/2005 8:43:00 AM PDT by devane617
Some Uncomfortable Findings for Wal-Mart At a gathering sponsored by the retailer, economists will present studies of the giant's economic impact -- not all with flattering results Is Wal-Mart good or bad for the U.S. economy? A group of economists is attempting to answer that question. And the surprise is that the economists' studies, which aren't all complimentary to Wal-Mart (WMT ), are to be presented at a Nov. 4 conference sponsored by the giant retailer itself.
(Excerpt) Read more at yahoo.businessweek.com ...
I thought this was interesting. The reports, when made public, will show details.
http://jibjab.com/Home.aspx
Go to jibjab.com and click on Big Box Mart. It says it all.
What kind of country is it when we start to ask questions like 'is it bad that they offer minimum wage jobs'.
Businesses are not charged with employee well being, or peace of mind, they aren't babysitters, and shouldn't even be obligated to handling your post work retirement matters, they sure as hell can't be blamed when you take a crappy low pay job with them, you're certainly free to take work elsewhere.
Take anything from Business Week with a pile of salt.
I'm soooooo tired of the folks who only go after Walmart. It's starting to look like they have a liberal/union adgenda. What do you think? Union scum or not?
"So the $5 T-shirt you pick up at Wal-Mart isn't worth any more than that, while the $10 one J.C. Penney (JCP ) sells is better made and worth twice as much."
And he knows this how? Does Wal-Mart only sell ONE T-shirt? How about JC Penny? When I can walk into a store like Wal-Mart and buy a B7D drill for 20% less then I can get it at Sears or Home Depot then I will do so. No one forces people to buy anything from any store. It is the oldest and worst form of criticism to claim the competition sells "garbage" as a way of explaining your own higher prices. I actually had a clerk in a local hardware store tell me when I questioned the price difference between his toaster oven and a similar one at KMART, tell me that KMART and the other big discounters sell refurbished products as new so they can sell cheaper. Needless to say I walked out and do not shop there anymore.
I saw that and did not know whether to laugh or cry.
I shop there every week. Why? Because it's the only store in town and it does consistently provide me with low prices. Sure, if Walmart were'nt there maybe some "Mom and Pop" type stores would hire those people. But those stores never could afford to pay more than minimum wage AND oftentimes offer absolutely NO health benefits. I think there is a big Country Mouse vs City Mouse factor when speaking of Walmart. Walmart has invested heavily in rural areas.
For time immemorial, people have given duplicate labels to the same product. Volvo is now a Ford product. Mazda Navaho = Ford Explorer. Dodge Dart, Plymouth Volare, you know the drill. My wife has a 1987 Chrysler Conquest TSI. It is a Mitsubishi Starion. Now EVERYBODY LOOKS ALIKE.
WalMart is my choice for a lot of needs. I like the prices. Mty life is not so hurried, that I can't stop and visit with the employees. Sure, most are not my neighbors. But, many of them, I would prefer to some I've got.
I can't think of many Chinese items I buy from them. Most of theri stuff is American made. I know that they have plenty, but so does Radio Shack. RS built the factories in China, to make their gps's and other electronic, or computer items.
It's a store. God blessed Sam Walton. He blessed us, with Wally World... and ALWAYS low prices, not junk! "You can't make a silk purse, from a sow's ear!"
BTW, did you know that WalMart (and Sams) are one of the few companies to allow Salvation Army Kettles? Target bans them from their doors, along with too many others.
Wal-Mart Is Good for the Economy
BY JOHN SEMMENS
in The Freeman: Ideas on Liberty - October 2005
Ideologues who rant against Wal-Mart do not understand economics. In a market economy, success goes to those businesses that best and most efficiently serve consumer
needs.
From an economic perspective, when all the claims are dispassionately evaluated it looks like Wal-Mart promotes prosperity. The company is helping consumers get more for their money. It is providing jobs for willing employees. It is stimulating its suppliers to achieve greater economies in manufacturing. It is encouraging trade with less-developed economies, helping the inhabitants of Third World nations to improve their standards of living. Far from “disregarding the concerns of small communities,” Wal-Mart offers an appealing place to shop and work.
Wal-Mart is doing all these good things and making a profit of around $9 billion a year.This is a profit margin of less than 4 percent.That’s mighty efficient.To call Wal-Mart a “corporate criminal” is slander.Wal-Mart is a model of how successful capitalism is supposed to work. It is a company that should be emulated, not reviled.
read more...
http://www.fee.org/pdf/the-freeman/1005Semmens.pdf
Well put and on the money. Yes I knew about Target and the others who won't allow the Salvation Army collections. I only do business with them as an absolute LAST resort.
Wal-mart is there for the shopper.ive told shoppers where to go for their item, if wal-mart doesnt have it.We employeees have a bit of leeway there. Making someone we encounter happy,is more important than one lil ole sale.So ill tell a shopper where to get that item locally if i can.
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