Can Wal-Mart take over the U.S.?

[Skip Towne]

Considering that any one of their stores can make a man fabulously wealthy, what's to stop them from taking over.

[Mile High Mania]

Who says they haven't already...

[Skip Towne]

Who says they haven't already...
That's true. I guess they wouldn't really need an army but I'll bet they could come up with one if they wanted to.

[Deberg_1990]

They are pretty much the Microsoft of the retail world. I think they are now wanting a bigger piece of the grocery market as well. Ive seen a few Wal-Mart Grocery stores aroundl.

[Soupnazi]

Well, they already do a better job of slowing inflation than the Fed does...

[NewChief]

They've started up some new propaganda website (can't remember the URL right now) to counterspin all the negative publicity they've been getting lately. It's like thetruth.com or some crap. Lee Scott announced it yesterday at the corp. offices over the broadcast system.

[Kerberos]

That's true. I guess they wouldn't really need an army but I'll bet they could come up with one if they wanted to.

Wal-Mart has ruined it for ALL of us in any job we get ... EVERYONE wants everything for as cheap as they can get it and to be able to return it if it doesn't work or after they have used it and just want to return it because they can.

Then we have to hear then b!tch about everything that is wrong with thier lives at our jobs cause wal-mart has made them that way ...

IMHO Walmart has already brought our society to a different level of thinking and sometimes it is NOT for the better ...

BTW: Going to wally world after work with the kid and WU !

:)

Cliff

[Mile High Mania]

I can say that Wal Mart is without a doubt one of the top (if not the #1) companies that a sales rep does not want to deal with... good lord.

[MichaelH]

Wal Mart is good for cheap stuff. If you value quality more than price, Wal Mart isn't for you. I think they've taken a large chunk of the retail market, but there's always specialty stores. For instance, I wouldn't buy any stereo or home theater equiptment there. I wouldn't buy furniture there. I wouldn't buy pets there. I do my grocery shopping there, but there's always things we need like good cheese, wine and beer that Wally World can't provide.

[Deberg_1990]

Wal Mart is good for cheap stuff. If you value quality more than price, Wal Mart isn't for you. I think they've taken a large chunk of the retail market, but there's always specialty stores. For instance, I wouldn't buy any stereo or home theater equiptment there. I wouldn't buy furniture there. I wouldn't buy pets there. I do my grocery shopping there, but there's always things we need like good cheese, wine and beer that Wally World can't provide.

Very well said. Why is it we all bad mouth them but all of us go shop there in a heartbeat to get like 2 cents off a gallon of gas and 3 cents off of a DVD ???

[Skip Towne]

They are pretty much the Microsoft of the retail world. I think they are now wanting a bigger piece of the grocery market as well. Ive seen a few Wal-Mart Grocery stores aroundl.
Although many of the Supercenters sell groceries, they have dedicated grocery stores in NW Ar. They call them "Neighborhood Markets". It wouldn't surprise me to see them start popping up all over the US.

[Saulbadguy]

Nope, just Arkansas.

[Saulbadguy]

Wal Mart is good for cheap stuff. If you value quality more than price, Wal Mart isn't for you. I think they've taken a large chunk of the retail market, but there's always specialty stores. For instance, I wouldn't buy any stereo or home theater equiptment there. I wouldn't buy furniture there. I wouldn't buy pets there. I do my grocery shopping there, but there's always things we need like good cheese, wine and beer that Wally World can't provide.
Since when did Wal-Mart sell pets??

[Saulbadguy]

I can say that Wal Mart is without a doubt one of the top (if not the #1) companies that a sales rep does not want to deal with... good lord.
Because Wal-Mart is one of the only companies that can dictate the price of a good to the manufacturer. Quite amazing, actually.

[NewChief]

Although many of the Supercenters sell groceries, they have dedicated grocery stores in NW Ar. They call them "Neighborhood Markets". It wouldn't surprise me to see them start popping up all over the US.

They're going to have to improve them, though. The Neighborhood Market in Fayetteville pretty much sucks for selection. If you're going to specialize in grocery, you've got to offer more food selection. As is, the Supercenters have a better grocery selection than the NM. The only benefit of the NM is that it's easier to get in and out of.

[beavis]

Considering that any one of their stores can make a man fabulously wealthy, what's to stop them from taking over.
Well, it's a well known fact, Sunny Jim, that there's a secret society of the five wealthiest people in the world, known as The Pentaveret, who run everything in the world, including the newspapers, and meet tri annually at a secret country mansion in Colorado, known as The Meadows.

The Queen, the Vatican, the Getty's, the Rothchilds, and Colonel Sanders before he went tits up.

[siberian khatru]

Wal Mart is good for cheap stuff. If you value quality more than price, Wal Mart isn't for you. I think they've taken a large chunk of the retail market, but there's always specialty stores. For instance, I wouldn't buy any stereo or home theater equiptment there. I wouldn't buy furniture there. I wouldn't buy pets there. I do my grocery shopping there, but there's always things we need like good cheese, wine and beer that Wally World can't provide.

Agreed.

We do major grocery shopping (family of four) every two weeks, and since we switched from Publix to the new Wal-Mart Supercenter that opened near us we're saving $40-50 on our grocery bill. That's $80-100 a month. That's real bucks.

Now, I rarely buy meat there, as well as some specialty items. And I prefer doing non-grocery shopping at Target, whose stores are cleaner, brighter and easier to maneuver around. But I can't deny the savings Wal-Mart offers.

[MichaelH]

Since when did Wal-Mart sell pets??

My mistake, they only sell fish. Not dogs and cats, yet. Every Wal Mart I'm in has dead fish in every tank.

[Deberg_1990]

Although many of the Supercenters sell groceries, they have dedicated grocery stores in NW Ar. They call them "Neighborhood Markets". It wouldn't surprise me to see them start popping up all over the US.


Ive seen them in Kansas as well.

[Saulbadguy]

They're going to have to improve them, though. The Neighborhood Market in Fayetteville pretty much sucks for selection. If you're going to specialize in grocery, you've got to offer more food selection. As is, the Supercenters have a better grocery selection than the NM. The only benefit of the NM is that it's easier to get in and out of.
I'd like to see a better selection of food at the Wal-marts we have here, especially produce. They have no specialty items as far as fruits and veggies, just your standard fare. I have to go to the local stores (local as in Dillons, kroger brand) to get different kinds of fruits and veggies, and even meats!

[Saulbadguy]

My mistake, they only sell fish. Not dogs and cats, yet. Every Wal Mart I'm in has dead fish in every tank.
The Wal-Marts here don't sell fish. Live ones, that is. Thats odd.

[Skip Towne]

Nope, just Arkansas.
So far.....

[MichaelH]

The Wal-Marts here don't sell fish. Live ones, that is. Thats odd.

They have enough stores in that sell fish in the southeast to rile up the PETA people. I don't follow PETA, but I know they're always complaining about the terrible conditions the fish at Wal MArt are living in.

[Red Dawg]

Wal-Mart for president.

[NewChief]

Ive seen them in Kansas as well.

There's one on Metcalf in Overland Park. It's actually pretty nice. KC has some awesome groceries though. The Hen House is sweet.

[NewChief]

I'd like to see a better selection of food at the Wal-marts we have here, especially produce. They have no specialty items as far as fruits and veggies, just your standard fare. I have to go to the local stores (local as in Dillons, kroger brand) to get different kinds of fruits and veggies, and even meats!

The veggie selection at the stores in Arkansas is actually pretty decent. The new big thing that Wally world is supposed to be trying out is "locally grown" produce. So, in Wisconsin they market WI apples, in Maine, blueberries, in Arkansas tomatos, etc.

In Arkansas, at least, much of the selection depends on the customer base of the store. Store 1, in Bentonville, has an awesome selection of hispanic groceries because they have a large hispanic customer base. One of the stores in Fayetteville has a lot of "gourmet" groceries (cheeses, spreads, gourmet sausages, and shit) that the other doesn't.

I'm not sure that they've diversified their stores as much nationwide as they have here near the Hive.

[Mile High Mania]

Because Wal-Mart is one of the only companies that can dictate the price of a good to the manufacturer. Quite amazing, actually.

Exactly - that's why I made the comment...

Wal-Mart does a great job of picking their markets and serving them well. They do a fantastic job for many families and their customers are loyal.

[Kerberos]

, and even meats!

Don't know about your neck of the woods ... but here in Central KS the meats at walmart SUCK ... The only thing I will buy meat wise is ..

Chicken (hard to screw that up), pork, and premaid things like Johnsonville Brauts, lunchmeats, hotdogs, etc etc etc

The rest I buy at Food4Less ... thier meats rock here ... compared to Dillons and wally world

If you look at thier Beef here it litterally has NO BLOOD in the package ... I want to see a sh!t load of blood on my beef if i gonna buy it !!

I like my beef rare baby !!

:)

Cliff

[Boon]

Don't know about your neck of the woods ... but here in Central KS the meats at walmart SUCK ... The only thing I will buy meat wise is ..

Chicken (hard to screw that up), pork, and premaid things like Johnsonville Brauts, lunchmeats, hotdogs, etc etc etc

The rest I buy at Food4Less ... thier meats rock here ... compared to Dillons and wally world

If you look at thier Beef here it litterally has NO BLOOD in the package ... I want to see a sh!t load of blood on my beef if i gonna buy it !!

I like my beef rare baby !!

:)

Cliff

Most of the pork and some of the beef sold at our Wal-Mart is "Enhanced". I stay away form this crap. It is basically cured meat. Water, nitrates, salt, etc. The price per pound is cheaper, but your paying for the weight of the brine. When I buy pork, I want to pay for meat, not water.

[Rain Man]

It's interesting, though, that Wal-Mart doesn't provide benefits to most of their employees. A lack of health coverage in particular then leads many Wal-Mart employees to go to public hospitals for care that they can't pay for, which is then funded out of tax dollars. Wal-Mart is therefore subsidized to some extent by the taxpayer so they can offer those low prices.

This is true for all employers that don't offer health care, but Wal-Mart is so big that it adds up to enormous amounts of money.

[cdcox]

I do my grocery shopping there, but there's always things we need like goat cheese, wine and beer that Wally World can't provide.

No one will every replace the planet for providing goat cheese.

[NewChief]

It's interesting, though, that Wal-Mart doesn't provide benefits to most of their employees. A lack of health coverage in particular then leads many Wal-Mart employees to go to public hospitals for care that they can't pay for, which is then funded out of tax dollars. Wal-Mart is therefore subsidized to some extent by the taxpayer so they can offer those low prices.

This is true for all employers that don't offer health care, but Wal-Mart is so big that it adds up to enormous amounts of money.

This is exactly the kind of crap they do that they're hoping to spin with their new PR campaign.

Lee Scott made this big announcement how they're "fighting for their workers to get the truth out" about the company. How about fighting for the workers by offering some decent, affordable benefits shmuck!!?!?

[Boon]

It's interesting, though, that Wal-Mart doesn't provide benefits to most of their employees. A lack of health coverage in particular then leads many Wal-Mart employees to go to public hospitals for care that they can't pay for, which is then funded out of tax dollars. Wal-Mart is therefore subsidized to some extent by the taxpayer so they can offer those low prices.

This is true for all employers that don't offer health care, but Wal-Mart is so big that it adds up to enormous amounts of money.

Very true. They opened up a new "Super" wal-mart here last year. The city put in a stop light on the street to make access safer and easier. Wal-Mart will pay for the light and new intersection ($60,00 I think) in get this-----five years!!!! They could have paid for it with one day's receipts..... Corporate welfare at its best.

[Herzig]

No one will every replace the planet for providing goat cheese.
ROFL :LOL:

[Mr. Kotter]

They already own Arkansas, don't they?

[Deberg_1990]

Oh well... shopping at Wal-Mart sucks. I dislike people in general... and there's lots of people clogging the aisles at Wal-Mart.

It's the opposite of convenience.

this is why i prefer Target over Wal-Mart if given a choice. Their stores are much cleaner and they dont put pallets of junk in the middle of their isles.

[Boon]

They already own Arkansas, don't they?


Yeah and they can have it...............

[Mr. Kotter]

Yeah and they can have it...............

My thought; but of course, many would say the same about SD. :shrug:

[Boon]

My thought; but of course, many would say the same about SD. :shrug:


And Kansas.

[teedubya]

I'd like to see a better selection of food at the Wal-marts we have here, especially produce. They have no specialty items as far as fruits and veggies, just your standard fare. I have to go to the local stores (local as in Dillons, kroger brand) to get different kinds of fruits and veggies, and even meats!

Saul likes to have a large selection when it comes to his meats. He likes a variety of meats... so I hear.

[RNR]

It's interesting, though, that Wal-Mart doesn't provide benefits to most of their employees. A lack of health coverage in particular then leads many Wal-Mart employees to go to public hospitals for care that they can't pay for, which is then funded out of tax dollars. Wal-Mart is therefore subsidized to some extent by the taxpayer so they can offer those low prices.

This is true for all employers that don't offer health care, but Wal-Mart is so big that it adds up to enormous amounts of money.
A buddy of mines wife got written up for working too many hours. She thought she was to get off a hour later than she was supposed to. Her boss informed her this had put her in fulltime status for that week and don't let it happen again.

[Rain Man]

That stinks, RnR. They're gaming the system. I see why they do it, but it sure implies that the system needs to be changed.

[Saulbadguy]

I don't.

My new apt in Tucson is right next to a Wal-Mart, so I've been in Wal-Mart more in the past month than I probably have in the past couple years. Only because I'm too f*cking lazy to drive 5-10 minutes away to another store... (plus, that's kinda stupid... with a store right next door).

I forgot what the hell my point was.

Oh well... shopping at Wal-Mart sucks. I dislike people in general... and there's lots of people clogging the aisles at Wal-Mart.

It's the opposite of convenience.
Do they have self-checkout lanes at yours? Those are awesome..don't have to deal with a checkout person, and generally don't have to wait line. Plus you can re-use coupons.

[Kerberos]

It's interesting, though, that Wal-Mart doesn't provide benefits to most of their employees. A lack of health coverage in particular then leads many Wal-Mart employees to go to public hospitals for care that they can't pay for, which is then funded out of tax dollars. Wal-Mart is therefore subsidized to some extent by the taxpayer so they can offer those low prices.

This is true for all employers that don't offer health care, but Wal-Mart is so big that it adds up to enormous amounts of money.

Does anyone else remember Walmart being investigated or constipated or something like that about the Corporate office was putting large insurance policies on thier elderly or older employees that already had one foot in the grave all accross the country and then they are dying left and right and walmart is the beneficiary so they were cashing in on all of these deaths one after another ... big $ scandal if I remember right.

The had it in small print when you signed your paperwork to work for them that they held the right to do it !

????????????????????????

Cliff

[teedubya]

just wait until the RFID's hit Walmart sometime this year... mainstream Walmart in next 2-3... everything with a radio frequency ID in it that when you go through the check out aisle, it scans your cart and tells you your total.

Its here folks. Buy stock in teh RFID WalMart contract winner.

[cdcox]

just wait until the RFID's hit Walmart sometime this year... mainstream Walmart in next 2-3... everything with a radio frequency ID in it that when you go through the check out aisle, it scans your cart and tells you your total.

Its here folks. Buy stock in teh RFID WalMart contract winner.

OMG, the taking over the world by Walmart was foretold in Revalation!

[Rain Man]

Do they have self-checkout lanes at yours? Those are awesome..don't have to deal with a checkout person, and generally don't have to wait line. Plus you can re-use coupons.

We've got those at our grocery store. They rule.

The only problem is that they were retrofitted in, so the line to the self-checkouts goes up the cereal aisle, which creates two problems. First, it's a pain to pick out cereal when it's busy. Second, you'll have a line of eight people or so waiting in the cereal aisle, and one time in ten someone will wander down the main front aisle right as a checkout opens up, and they won't see the line and will just cut right to the front. I've seen a couple of instances where it's caused some unpleasantries as they are either treated rudely by the people in line, or they're rude when they're informed about the line.

That aside, self-checkout is awesome.

[Frazod]

Walmart sucks ass. They destroy small town businesses/economies as effectively as bombs. Go to the downtown area of any small town within 30 miles of one of those f#cking things and try to find an open business. Good luck.

Where I live, the local Walmart is a piece of shit anyway - it's one of the older ones, is cramped, dirty and packed with scumbags. I've only set foot inside it once and will never go back. Target is much better, and certainly less evil.

Of course, I'm fortunate that I live in major metropolitan area and have the option to say no to the Beast.

[Calcountry]

Since when did Wal-Mart sell pets??
They sell fish.

[Mr. Kotter]

Walmart sucks ass. They destroy small town businesses/economies as effectively as bombs. Go to the downtown area of any small town within 30 miles of one of those f#cking things and try to find an open business. Good luck.

Where I live, the local Walmart is a piece of shit anyway - it's one of the older ones, is cramped, dirty and packed with scumbags. I've only set foot inside it once and will never go back. Target is much better, and certainly less evil.

Of course, I'm fortunate that I live in major metropolitan area and have the option to say no to the Beast.

Americans save thousands of dollars each year by shopping there. As someone suggested earlier, they have also managed to help hold down inflation in the retail industry.

Tell the average consumer that is bad for them.

[Mile High Mania]

Walmart sucks ass. They destroy small town businesses/economies as effectively as bombs. Go to the downtown area of any small town within 30 miles of one of those f#cking things and try to find an open business. Good luck.

Where I live, the local Walmart is a piece of shit anyway - it's one of the older ones, is cramped, dirty and packed with scumbags. I've only set foot inside it once and will never go back. Target is much better, and certainly less evil.

Of course, I'm fortunate that I live in major metropolitan area and have the option to say no to the Beast.

True, but you can say that about any large mall destroying "mom and pop" stores. Same for Home Depot and Lowes. It happens. Sucks for the companies they knock out of business, but the consumer still wins.

[stevieray]

It's scary, as a consumer, to think that evenually most of the goods you need can come from two places, Walmart and Home Depot..especially if we are headed towards a cashless society.

Sometimes it's like convienence is becoming more a curse than a blessing.

[Mr. Kotter]

It's scary, as a consumer, to think that evenually most of the goods you need can come from two places, Walmart and Home Depot..especially if we are headed towards a cashless society.

Sometimes it's like convienence is becoming more a curse than a blessing.

And if that happens, and they honestly and egregiously abuse that public trust.....and consumers suffer, the government will, and should, step in.

[KC Dan]

It's scary, as a consumer, to think that evenually most of the goods you need can come from two places, Walmart and Home Depot..especially if we are headed towards a cashless society.

Sometimes it's like convienence is becoming more a curse than a blessing.
As long as they keep their prices low for us little people to live comfortable lives. Take me to your master..... but with a full shopping bag.

[Mr. Kotter]

...the consumer still wins.

And in the end, that's truly the ONLY thing that really matters. Sorry mom; sorry pop.

[stevieray]

As long as they keep their prices low for us little people to live comfortable lives. Take me to your master..... but with a full shopping bag.

Rep.

BTW, the background is done on your painting, working on PH this weekend.

[Mile High Mania]

It's scary, as a consumer, to think that evenually most of the goods you need can come from two places, Walmart and Home Depot..especially if we are headed towards a cashless society.

Sometimes it's like convienence is becoming more a curse than a blessing.

Funny that you mention that... I live close to one area that has a Home Depot / Sams / Wal Mart all within the same 1/4 mile radius, sharing the same street.

I live close to another area that has a Lowes / Wal Mart in the same situation.

[KC Dan]

Rep.

BTW, the background is done on your painting, working on PH this weekend.
:thumb:

[Frazod]

True, but you can say that about any large mall destroying "mom and pop" stores. Same for Home Depot and Lowes. It happens. Sucks for the companies they knock out of business, but the consumer still wins.

As long as the consumer isn't mom or pop, or mom and pop's landlord, or an employee of mom and pop, or the guy who owns a restaurant next to mom and pop who loses walk-up business because mom and pop go out of business, and so on, and so on.

But they can all find minimum wage/no benefit jobs at Walmart, right? :shake:

And when Walmart succeeds in running EVERYBODY else out of business, do you really think the prices will continue to stay low?

[Calcountry]

They have enough stores in that sell fish in the southeast to rile up the PETA people. I don't follow PETA, but I know they're always complaining about the terrible conditions the fish at Wal MArt are living in.
Peta is a terrorist organization. They harass Walmart, ONLY because they are a big target. KFC, big target.

[Mr. Kotter]

...And when Walmart succeeds in running EVERYBODY else out of business, do you really think the prices will continue to stay low?

And if they abuse the public trust, and gouge consumers....that's what government regulation is all about.

Ask Standard Oil, ask Bell Telephone, and many similar such companies.... :)

[Mile High Mania]

As long as the consumer isn't mom or pop, or mom and pop's landlord, or an employee of mom and pop, or the guy who owns a restaurant next to mom and pop who loses walk-up business because mom and pop go out of business, and so on, and so on.

But they can all find minimum wage/no benefit jobs at Walmart, right? :shake:

And when Walmart succeeds in running EVERYBODY else out of business, do you really think the prices will continue to stay low?

It's the world we live in ... nobody said that big business had a heart.

I know there are many examples of what you have typed. But, it's not just Wal-Mart.

[stevieray]

As long as the consumer isn't mom or pop, or mom and pop's landlord, or an employee of mom and pop, or the guy who owns a restaurant next to mom and pop who loses walk-up business because mom and pop go out of business, and so on, and so on.

But they can all find minimum wage/no benefit jobs at Walmart, right? :shake:

And when Walmart succeeds in running EVERYBODY else out of business, do you really think the prices will continue to stay low?

Exactly.

[Calcountry]

Don't know about your neck of the woods ... but here in Central KS the meats at walmart SUCK ... The only thing I will buy meat wise is ..

Chicken (hard to screw that up), pork, and premaid things like Johnsonville Brauts, lunchmeats, hotdogs, etc etc etc

The rest I buy at Food4Less ... thier meats rock here ... compared to Dillons and wally world

If you look at thier Beef here it litterally has NO BLOOD in the package ... I want to see a sh!t load of blood on my beef if i gonna buy it !!

I like my beef rare baby !!

:)

Cliff
I will be sure to let the cows now when you are coming by so they can hide.

:p

[Calcountry]

No one will every replace the planet for providing goat cheese.
Goat Cheese ?

[Mile High Mania]

Wal Mart, for the most part, gives the consumer what they want. Go to any Wal Mart and it's rarely empty... so, they're filling a need and their customers are loyal.

[Calcountry]

As long as the consumer isn't mom or pop, or mom and pop's landlord, or an employee of mom and pop, or the guy who owns a restaurant next to mom and pop who loses walk-up business because mom and pop go out of business, and so on, and so on.

But they can all find minimum wage/no benefit jobs at Walmart, right? :shake:

And when Walmart succeeds in running EVERYBODY else out of business, do you really think the prices will continue to stay low?
What is a low price?

Someone has to be high in order for someone to be low? If they knock everyone out of business, they will be the ONLY price. At that point, the whole concept of LOW price will be irrelevant. Just ask Kmart.

[Hoover]

A Client of mine who is an expert in on the banking industry said their next move is banking. Each checkout will be like a bank teller.

Come buy crap give them your paycheck.

The Company Store.

[ChiefsCountry]

Speaking of Wal-Mart, my hometown has the smallest Wal-Mart in the world. And the only reason we have Wal-Mart is because Bud Walton, Sam's brother and second in charge lived here.

[Mile High Mania]

A Client of mine who is an expert in on the banking industry said their next move is banking. Each checkout will be like a bank teller.

Come buy crap give them your paycheck.

The Company Store.

They are doing a lot of things online as well - DVD rental, stuff like that.

[Baby Lee]

Well, it's a well known fact, Sunny Jim, that there's a secret society of the five wealthiest people in the world, known as The Pentaveret, who run everything in the world, including the newspapers, and meet tri annually at a secret country mansion in Colorado, known as The Meadows.

The Queen, the Vatican, the Getty's, the Rothchilds, and Colonel Sanders before he went tits up.
http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/diamond/diamond.html

[KC Dan]

Well, it's a well known fact, Sunny Jim, that there's a secret society of the five wealthiest people in the world, known as The Pentaveret, who run everything in the world, including the newspapers, and meet tri annually at a secret country mansion in Colorado, known as The Meadows.

The Queen, the Vatican, the Getty's, the Rothchilds, and Colonel Sanders before he went tits up.
Rep! Loved that movie!

[Kerberos]

As long as the consumer isn't mom or pop, or mom and pop's landlord, or an employee of mom and pop, or the guy who owns a restaurant next to mom and pop who loses walk-up business because mom and pop go out of business, and so on, and so on.

But they can all find minimum wage/no benefit jobs at Walmart, right? :shake:

And when Walmart succeeds in running EVERYBODY else out of business, do you really think the prices will continue to stay low?


All I know is that as long as they sell SH!T computers from $199.99 and up to $589.99 and so on I will have job security ... If you averaged the computers I work on in one months time I can tell you without looking that over 50% of them are wal-mart HP's or Emachines ... They suck AZZ and are built as disposable systems as far as I am concerned ...

YOU get what you pay for and most of Wal-marts CRAP are seconds or are made to walmarts SH!TTY specifications to keep the prices low and quality down !

That is the ONLY reason you will still have specialty stores cause you can't buy REAL nice stuff at wal-mart as far as everday living things, furniture, housewares, anything that is manufactured JUST for wal-mart is made cheaper and that is a fact!

Cliff

[Pitt Gorilla]

Granted, I don't shop at Wal-Mart anyway (too dirty, too many strange, smelly people), but I would NEVER buy produce there. Seinfeld:\ Have you seen this crap? I mean, have you SEEN it? /:Seinfeld. I can't believe anyone would shop in their meat department either. Basically, I get all of my groceries at the mom and pop place down the street and if I need something else, I go to Target (all the way across town).

[gblowfish]

Because Wal-Mart is one of the only companies that can dictate the price of a good to the manufacturer. Quite amazing, actually.BIGGER BETTER CHEAPER FASTER....NOW!!!!
(And God Forbid you try to build it in the USA...no chance in Hell).

[htismaqe]

As long as the consumer isn't mom or pop, or mom and pop's landlord, or an employee of mom and pop, or the guy who owns a restaurant next to mom and pop who loses walk-up business because mom and pop go out of business, and so on, and so on.

But they can all find minimum wage/no benefit jobs at Walmart, right? :shake:

And when Walmart succeeds in running EVERYBODY else out of business, do you really think the prices will continue to stay low?

Our town got a WMSC 2 years ago. Our town square is BUSIER THAN IT'S EVERY BEEN!

Why?

Because the local HW store, the shoe store, and the like got replaced with a health food market, an exercise gym, a Chinese restaurant, a coffee shop...you get the drift.

Wal-Mart doesn't KILL small town business. It forces them to SPECIALIZE. Why the hell would I want to pay $12 for a hammer just so I can say I bought it from my local Joe HW guy?

[Skip Towne]

True, but you can say that about any large mall destroying "mom and pop" stores. Same for Home Depot and Lowes. It happens. Sucks for the companies they knock out of business, but the consumer still wins.
No, the consumer does not always win. Wal-Mart put stores in Nowata, Ok and Pawhuska, Ok and ran them for several years....long enough to run off all the smaller stores. Then they built a SC in Bartlesville, 20 miles from both towns and closed the smaller town stores. Now the residents of both towns must drive 20 miles to shop.

[Ultra Peanut]

Wal-Mart is the ****ing devil.

[Saulbadguy]

I don't believe they do...

The grocery store nearest me does, tho. Sometimes those things can be a bigger pain in the ass than they are convenience, tho. If you're just buying one or two things, they're awesome... but, if you're buying a whole week's worth of groceries... the scanner isn't always reliable... then every once in awhile the whole machine decides it needs the intervention of an employee for some mystery reason... and, of course, if you're buying booze, you gotta wait for the dude to come over and card ya.
I'm a single guy like you. I always manage to fit a couple weeks worth of groceries in 2 bags. Also, with larger items they allow "skip bagging" up to 4 times, until a wal mart drone comes to verify you are actually buying the items.

Also, I would never buy booze at Wal-Mart here in Kansas.

[Saulbadguy]

Walmart sucks ass. They destroy small town businesses/economies as effectively as bombs. Go to the downtown area of any small town within 30 miles of one of those f#cking things and try to find an open business. Good luck.

Where I live, the local Walmart is a piece of shit anyway - it's one of the older ones, is cramped, dirty and packed with scumbags. I've only set foot inside it once and will never go back. Target is much better, and certainly less evil.

Of course, I'm fortunate that I live in major metropolitan area and have the option to say no to the Beast.

They destroy small town businesses while offering more jobs than the small businesses offer.

[Skip Towne]

I'm a single guy like you. I always manage to fit a couple weeks worth of groceries in 2 bags. Also, with larger items they allow "skip bagging" up to 4 times, until a wal mart drone comes to verify you are actually buying the items.

Also, I would never buy booze at Wal-Mart here in Kansas.
:LOL: Wal mart drone

[Cannibal]

It's interesting, though, that Wal-Mart doesn't provide benefits to most of their employees. A lack of health coverage in particular then leads many Wal-Mart employees to go to public hospitals for care that they can't pay for, which is then funded out of tax dollars. Wal-Mart is therefore subsidized to some extent by the taxpayer so they can offer those low prices.

This is true for all employers that don't offer health care, but Wal-Mart is so big that it adds up to enormous amounts of money.

I didn't know that, and if true that REALLY pisses me off!!!!

[Cannibal]

Granted, I don't shop at Wal-Mart anyway (too dirty, too many strange, smelly people), but I would NEVER buy produce there. Seinfeld:\ Have you seen this crap? I mean, have you SEEN it? /:Seinfeld. I can't believe anyone would shop in their meat department either. Basically, I get all of my groceries at the mom and pop place down the street and if I need something else, I go to Target (all the way across town).

I never buy groceries at Wal-Mart either, we go to Dillons for groceries. But my wife and I have recently started a boycott of Wal-Mart as well. We also drive out of our way to go to Target.

[Saulbadguy]

The Target here isn't a Super Target. I wish it was, so I wouldn't have to drive to Wal-Mart. I have no problem with Wal-Mart other than its crowded. And its not crowded with what you would call "normal" people, either.

I'm not a thin, trim man by any means, but I hate it when Big Bertha wheels by in her squeaky cart loaded with ding dongs and ho ho's, with her litter of screaming children running around tearing up the place. I usually turn around my cart and head full speed to the health food section, where I know I will be left alone.

[Saulbadguy]

I also find it kind of ironic we have a Target distribution center here, but no Super Target. I really really wish we had one. The regular Target is within walking distance of my home.

[Deberg_1990]

The Target here isn't a Super Target. I wish it was, so I wouldn't have to drive to Wal-Mart. I have no problem with Wal-Mart other than its crowded. And its not crowded with what you would call "normal" people, either.

I'm not a thin, trim man by any means, but I hate it when Big Bertha wheels by in her squeaky cart loaded with ding dongs and ho ho's, with her little of screaming children running around tearing up the place. I usually turn around my cart and head full speed to the health food section, where I know I will be left alone.

hahaha..hilarious! BTW, whats with the proliferation of portly people driving around stores in those go-kart things these days?? Everywhere i turn i run into one it seems? I dont remember them when i was a kid??

[Rain Man]

I didn't know that, and if true that REALLY pisses me off!!!!

I was just in a meeting yesterday where a client discussed a study of it. It's true.

[Saulbadguy]

hahaha..hilarious! BTW, whats with the proliferation of portly people driving around stores in those go-kart things these days?? Everywhere i turn i run into one it seems? I dont remember them when i was a kid??
They had those when I was a kid. I always wanted to ride them, but my mom would never let me. I didn't understand why. Now I do.

I applaud Wal-Mart (the one here) for having alot of those available, and in good shape.

[Cannibal]

I was just in a meeting yesterday where a client discussed a study of it. It's true.

I guess that even though I go out of my way to keep my money out of the Wal-Mart coffers, I am still giving them money via indirect means through the government.

The media needs to be covering this IMO.

[Calcountry]

Our town got a WMSC 2 years ago. Our town square is BUSIER THAN IT'S EVERY BEEN!

Why?

Because the local HW store, the shoe store, and the like got replaced with a health food market, an exercise gym, a Chinese restaurant, a coffee shop...you get the drift.

Wal-Mart doesn't KILL small town business. It forces them to SPECIALIZE. Why the hell would I want to pay $12 for a hammer just so I can say I bought it from my local Joe HW guy?
Exactly, why the fug do I care if someone mentions the words Wall Mart to me in my store.

[Pants]

Although many of the Supercenters sell groceries, they have dedicated grocery stores in NW Ar. They call them "Neighborhood Markets". It wouldn't surprise me to see them start popping up all over the US.

We got some in KC.

[Pitt Gorilla]

I was just in a meeting yesterday where a client discussed a study of it. It's true.It is true; Ron's IGA in Parsons, Kansas is going out of business there because they can't compete. However, they will continue to give their employees benefits for a while because, even if Wal-Mart hires them as new employees (Ron is pushing to have that done as much as possible), W-Mart doesn't offer them the benefits.

BTW,
I guess I should support Wal-Mart given the unbelievable amount of money they give to MU, but I still can't stand their store. Oh well, all you KU people should at least continue to shop there...:thumb:

[Skip Towne]

I think banking is in Wal-Mart's future as well. They are already in it....sort of. I don't think they are officially affiliated with Wal-Mart yet but it is run by family members and financed with company money. It is a chain called Arvest Bank. They are all over NW Ar and NE Ok. When I moved from Bartlesville, Ok to Rogers Ar., I didn't have to change banks. It and the Neighborhood Markets appear to be pilot programs designed to work out the kinks before going national. BTW, Arvest is the best run bank I have ever dealt with. Very customer friendly and particularly friendly to senior citizens (who control one hell of a lot of money).

[Herzig]

I think banking is in Wal-Mart's future as well. They are already in it....sort of. I don't think they are officially affiliated with Wal-Mart yet but it is run by family members and financed with company money. It is a chain called Arvest Bank. They are all over NW Ar and NE Ok. When I moved from Bartlesville, Ok to Rogers Ar., I didn't have to change banks. It and the Neighborhood Markets appear to be pilot programs designed to work out the kinks before going national. BTW, Arvest is the best run bank I have ever dealt with. Very customer friendly and particularly friendly to senior citizens (who control one hell of a lot of money).

I also bank at Arvest and I agree with you. They are the best bank I have ever been with. Their hours run from 7 to 7. Online banking there is great. Here's a blurb from the net:



The Waltons are using their money to build up a banking empire, which apparently would give them one of the largest banks in the United States and the world. They have anchored this quest, which is two decades in the making, upon Arvest Bank, which is family owned, and secondarily, through Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

The Walton family has carefully shepherded its Arvest Bank Holding Company—which owns its Arvest Bank—into a bank with $6.6 billion in assets, and $5.4 billion in deposits. It is already one of America's 75 biggest banks, but that is not good enough for the Waltons. The bank is chaired by John Walton, and has grown through gobbling up other banks. For example, on Dec. 11, 2003, Arvest put the finishing touches on its acquisition of Superior Financial Corp, which has 22 locations in the state of Arkansas. Arvest now operates more than 200 branches in four states, and has the second highest bank market share in Arkansas and the sixth largest bank market share in Oklahoma. It is building on the same rapacious principles by which it built Wal-Mart, starting in Arkansas and neighboring states, and spreading out from there.

[Pitt Gorilla]

They should at least let you guys TOUR our new arena or something.

[Mr. Kotter]

I also bank at Arvest and I agree with you. They are the best bank I have ever been with. Their hours run from 7 to 7. Online banking there is great. Here's a blurb from the net:



The Waltons are using their money to build up a banking empire, which apparently would give them one of the largest banks in the United States and the world. They have anchored this quest, which is two decades in the making, upon Arvest Bank, which is family owned, and secondarily, through Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

The Walton family has carefully shepherded its Arvest Bank Holding Company—which owns its Arvest Bank—into a bank with $6.6 billion in assets, and $5.4 billion in deposits. It is already one of America's 75 biggest banks, but that is not good enough for the Waltons. The bank is chaired by John Walton, and has grown through gobbling up other banks. For example, on Dec. 11, 2003, Arvest put the finishing touches on its acquisition of Superior Financial Corp, which has 22 locations in the state of Arkansas. Arvest now operates more than 200 branches in four states, and has the second highest bank market share in Arkansas and the sixth largest bank market share in Oklahoma. It is building on the same rapacious principles by which it built Wal-Mart, starting in Arkansas and neighboring states, and spreading out from there.

Darwin....Carnegie....

"Survival of the Fittest." :hmmm:

[Skip Towne]

I also bank at Arvest and I agree with you. They are the best bank I have ever been with. Their hours run from 7 to 7. Online banking there is great. Here's a blurb from the net:



The Waltons are using their money to build up a banking empire, which apparently would give them one of the largest banks in the United States and the world. They have anchored this quest, which is two decades in the making, upon Arvest Bank, which is family owned, and secondarily, through Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

The Walton family has carefully shepherded its Arvest Bank Holding Company—which owns its Arvest Bank—into a bank with $6.6 billion in assets, and $5.4 billion in deposits. It is already one of America's 75 biggest banks, but that is not good enough for the Waltons. The bank is chaired by John Walton, and has grown through gobbling up other banks. For example, on Dec. 11, 2003, Arvest put the finishing touches on its acquisition of Superior Financial Corp, which has 22 locations in the state of Arkansas. Arvest now operates more than 200 branches in four states, and has the second highest bank market share in Arkansas and the sixth largest bank market share in Oklahoma. It is building on the same rapacious principles by which it built Wal-Mart, starting in Arkansas and neighboring states, and spreading out from there.
I hadn't seen this blurb but it is dead on accurate according to what I've been told. I've been watching this situation for 3 years.

[Herzig]

I also bank at Arvest and I agree with you. They are the best bank I have ever been with. Their hours run from 7 to 7. Online banking there is great. Here's a blurb from the net:



The Waltons are using their money to build up a banking empire, which apparently would give them one of the largest banks in the United States and the world. They have anchored this quest, which is two decades in the making, upon Arvest Bank, which is family owned, and secondarily, through Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

The Walton family has carefully shepherded its Arvest Bank Holding Company—which owns its Arvest Bank—into a bank with $6.6 billion in assets, and $5.4 billion in deposits. It is already one of America's 75 biggest banks, but that is not good enough for the Waltons. The bank is chaired by John Walton, and has grown through gobbling up other banks. For example, on Dec. 11, 2003, Arvest put the finishing touches on its acquisition of Superior Financial Corp, which has 22 locations in the state of Arkansas. Arvest now operates more than 200 branches in four states, and has the second highest bank market share in Arkansas and the sixth largest bank market share in Oklahoma. It is building on the same rapacious principles by which it built Wal-Mart, starting in Arkansas and neighboring states, and spreading out from there.

I used to bank with Superior when I lived in Fort Smith, AR(birthplace of PRIEST)....I didn't know that Arvest/Walmart bought them out too.

[siberian khatru]

hahaha..hilarious! BTW, whats with the proliferation of portly people driving around stores in those go-kart things these days?? Everywhere i turn i run into one it seems? I dont remember them when i was a kid??

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's noticed that. It used to be, I'd see maybe one a month. In the last 2-3 years now I run into 2 or more each time I'm at a store.

[Herzig]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's noticed that. It used to be, I'd see maybe one a month. In the last 2-3 years now I run into 2 or more each time I'm at a store.

Well, we are the fattest nation in the history of mankind. Maybe it has to do with Walmart selling cheaper food so people can afford to eat more. Hmm...in this day and age, I smell a lawsuit on the horizon
:hmmm:

[Skip Towne]

Well, we are the fattest nation in the history of mankind. Maybe it has to do with Walmart selling cheaper food so people can afford to eat more. Hmm...in this day and age, I smell a lawsuit on the horizon
:hmmm:
Grocery stores cause obesity. If the fatasses had to hunt to get food they wouldn't be fatasses.

[Manila-Chief]

Grocery stores cause obesity. If the fatasses had to hunt to get food they wouldn't be fatasses.

Or at least drive to different stores to get their stuff.... too easy to get it all under the same roof.

I hope there is a Target near where we will retire. I'll spend more money not to support Wal-Mart. Plus, it will be a much nicer shopping experience.

Plus, Glass has not produced a winner yet at Royal's Stadium!!!!

[badgirl]

Considering that any one of their stores can make a man fabulously wealthy, what's to stop them from taking over.


Nothing can stop them. Yes Walmart will one day take over the world :p

[Wile_E_Coyote]

at some point Walmart employees will have to make a stand

[RINGLEADER]

Considering that any one of their stores can make a man fabulously wealthy, what's to stop them from taking over.


It's funny, in the early drafts of Joss Wheadon's Alien: Resurrection script it had Wal-Mart taking over the <I>universe</I> via a buy-out of Weyland-Yutani. Didn't make the final movie though...

[WilliamTheIrish]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's noticed that. It used to be, I'd see maybe one a month. In the last 2-3 years now I run into 2 or more each time I'm at a store.

Try working in a hospital. It's lard-ass central. People come into the ER complaining of knee pain, while weighing in at 400#.

Well no shit. It's a knee joint, not a support girder for a goddamn hi-rise building, you bon bon eating machine.


Wish I'd have gotten in on the ground floor of that motorized wheelchair company.

[Hammock Parties]

It's funny, in the early drafts of Joss Wheadon's Alien: Resurrection script it had Wal-Mart taking over the <I>universe</I> via a buy-out of Weyland-Yutani. Didn't make the final movie though...

Nerd alert! For future reference please throw Ringleader in the NERD category. Thank you, that will be all.

http://www.pvponline.com/archive/2005/pvp20050112.gif

[badgirl]

Try working in a hospital. It's lard-ass central. People come into the ER complaining of knee pain, while weighing in at 400#.

Well no shit. It's a knee joint, not a support girder for a goddamn hi-rise building, you bon bon eating machine.


Wish I'd have gotten in on the ground floor of that motorized wheelchair company.

I understand where your coming from. I used to work on the med surg floor of the hospital and when I would get to work we would get our list of patients, and I would sometime get 2 morbid obesity patients, who had their stomachs stapled, one lady, it took 4 of us to get her out of the bed to walk her.

I don't understand how they can let themselves get that big!! If I get really busy and don't eat very much for a couple of days I lose about 5 pounds. Can't they see they are getting fat before they get out of control with their weight? :banghead:

[Skip Towne]

I understand where your coming from. I used to work on the med surg floor of the hospital and when I would get to work we would get our list of patients, and I would sometime get 2 morbid obesity patients, who had their stomachs stapled, one lady, it took 4 of us to get her out of the bed to walk her.

I don't understand how they can let themselves get that big!! If I get really busy and don't eat very much for a couple of days I lose about 5 pounds. Can't they see they are getting fat before they get out of control with their weight? :banghead:
Just kill 'em all.

[badgirl]

Just kill 'em all.

Yea, I agree, Kill 'em all and let God sort their fat-asses out', see Skip great minds do think alike. :p

[Deberg_1990]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who's noticed that. It used to be, I'd see maybe one a month. In the last 2-3 years now I run into 2 or more each time I'm at a store.


yea, it makes me sick to see these people driving around the store in those things. Its different if its Grandma Johnson driving it, but when its Aunt Betty whos like 40 years old and weighs about 350, it makes me sick to my stomach just a little bit.......I see more and more of these people everytime i go out.

[go bo]

As long as the consumer isn't mom or pop, or mom and pop's landlord, or an employee of mom and pop, or the guy who owns a restaurant next to mom and pop who loses walk-up business because mom and pop go out of business, and so on, and so on.

But they can all find minimum wage/no benefit jobs at Walmart, right? :shake:

And when Walmart succeeds in running EVERYBODY else out of business, do you really think the prices will continue to stay low?:shake: :shake: :shake:

[badgirl]

yea, it makes me sick to see these people driving around the store in those things. Its different if its Grandma Johnson driving it, but when its Aunt Betty whos like 40 years old and weighs about 350, it makes me sick to my stomach just a little bit.......I see more and more of these people everytime i go out.


and usually they have their oxygen tank hanging on the back. Lazy asses, they need to walk and try to lose some of that weight, I guess how they got there to start with Lazy, Lazy. I guess they think to themselves they are handicapped, probably even got a handicapp tag. :cuss:

[siberian khatru]

Try working in a hospital. It's lard-ass central. People come into the ER complaining of knee pain, while weighing in at 400#.

Well no shit. It's a knee joint, not a support girder for a goddamn hi-rise building, you bon bon eating machine.


Wish I'd have gotten in on the ground floor of that motorized wheelchair company.

Frazod stole WTI's log-in. ROFL