
Anyone remember Wal-Mart before they were evil?
Then again you may be saying Wal-Mart is not evil, it’s cheap.
Before 1990 the town I grew up in, Lincoln, NE (Pop 200,000), did not have a Wal-Mart.
We had K-Mart, all 3 K-Marts are closed now.
Now my Mom LOVED the Wal-Mart craft department so from time to time we would drive the 30 miles to Seward, NE (pop 6,300) to shop for needlepoint.
The city of Lincoln would come up with any excuse necessary to keep them out, “That dirt is too brown”, “too much sun on that property”.
At the time I wondered WHY? Wal-Mart Rocks! Today Lincoln still keeps their Wal-Mart’s (2) in check neither has a self checkout to keep those jobs they would replace.
So why do I think Wal-Mart is evil?
Every time I shop at Target I think of how much nicer it is than Wal-Mart.
Then I think about the prices, food is MUCH more expensive sometimes 30% more than Wal-Mart. So I try to justify the 30% and come to the conclusion that I am not really helping solve anything by paying the inflated price.
Anyone remember the scene in National Lampoons Christmas Vacation where Clark (Chevy Chase) and Eddie (Randy Quaid) are at the “Store”?
Obviously they are in a Wal-Mart by the design of the signs and layout, in particular a clear as day price tag over an isle pallet with “Made in America” as Eddie loads the cart with Dog Food.
Each time I see this movie I remember the stink over Wal-Mart buying China goods and the PR campaign to quell public resentment that came with it.
Where is that now? Where are those signs?
You see we decided to accept the low quality China goods; problem is Wal-Mart moves so much of it no matter where you shop it’s all you can buy.
Those American jobs are long gone, plants shuttered.
So if you are getting a warm fuzzy shopping at Target, you’re still buying the same crap, with a different label, in a building with higher rent.
Target is not nearly as efficient as Wal-Mart so in reality you’re helping a small sector with your increased cost.
People such as the Marketing department, your local TV affiliate running Target ads, and the property owners.
So is Wal-Mart evil? Not really, we did it to ourselves.
I have no idea how many jobs have gone to China to support Wal-Mart, we bought the stuff it’s our fault.
My Mom who loved the needlepoint is in risk of losing her manufacturing job she has had for 30 years, even with 30 years on the job she has trouble holding a day shift position because of jobs that have moved out of the US.
Last night I was doing the traditional fireworks extravaganza and as 50% of them were duds or malfunctions and I thought, where did this crap come from, China? Duh. They don’t even care about Fireworks anymore; these are probably the crappy of the crappy jobs now, where 20 years ago it was a great export for China. Stupid American burn his face off HAHA!
Watch that candy on Halloween and Easter, read the labels because if it’s not a name brand, it’s from China.
That’s the last stand, we can make our own damn food, don’t buy Chinese candy for Christ’s sake.
I don’t think we can fix this now, we can’t make anything ourselves. We have to hit rock bottom before it will get any better and who knows where that is. Companies who made our electronics, such as Motorola are about to fold.
Heck Wal-Mart is even killing the Sunday paper and competition in general.
There was a time when you would look to see who had what on sale before you went to buy it.
No longer necessary because 9/10 times Wal-Mart’s everyday price is the lowest, why shop around?
Wal-Mart doesn’t have sales.
I watched a Dateline type news program a few years ago when they asked a Wal-Mart exec “Would Sam Walton Be Proud Of Wal-Mart Today?” What do you think?
Wal-Mart made it ok to buy China, they let us give up on American goods.
You can’t buy American even if you wanted to, and when you can Wal-Mart has dictated the price and killed the quality in the process.
So even if you buy that can of Green Beans at Target, Wal-Mart made the manufacturer drop their overall standards to save you a dime.
Target just stuck you with a $0.30 up charge for the pretty store.
They rotted the core, there is no coming back.
Wal-Mart is like Cancer, there is no cure.
Screen Capture Credit To TripleJ THANKS!