1.

Binary Dollar
November 30th, 2006 at 2:48 pm

Walmart gives a lot of jobs to people though.

Walmart employs the 2nd most number of employees in the United States. Who’s in 1st? The U.S. Government.

2.

David
November 30th, 2006 at 3:25 pm

Wal-Mart is surely my #1…they put small businesses out of business, cheat employees out of healthcare by keeping their hours down, force manufacturers to cut corners in order to meet price points…it goes on and on….ugh. What people dont understand is that by shopping there, they are actually contributing to a long chain of poverty that goes on behind the scenes, from the store workers to the suppliers to the manufacturers to third world countries..all to get a big screen TV for $12.88. In the long run, I think we will see that they have been real bad for the economy and people around the world. I could be wrong, but its my personal opinion. Good choice for the list!

3.

Tabby
November 30th, 2006 at 7:14 pm

Walmart isn’t responsible for this, but I’ve noticed a few people I know that are addicted to shopping at Walmart. There’s just so much stuff there that they go to shop to see what they can buy. Things a person didn’t realize they needed or could use or wanted–see it at Walmart while shopping and Bam! ya gotta have it. I know some women that budget part of their paychecks for treat days at Walmart. Crazy. I guess it’s like Tupperware parties. Lived fine without the stuff, saw it and then hadtohaveit.

4.

Lazy Man and Money
November 30th, 2006 at 8:40 pm

I’m on the fence about WalMart. Like Nick, I shop there even though I know I shouldn’t. It seems stupid to pay more for the same item elsewhere.

That said, I realize they employ a lot of people, Simple Dollar, but their existance takes away jobs too. If it didn’t exist other companies would be selling stuff just like them - and they’d need employees.

I understand what David is saying, but it’s basically capitalism in action. I hate the NY Yankees, but you know what? They play within the rules of the game and more often than not, win a lot of games. Should either change a strategy that is more or less working? I don’t really know.

5.

jim
December 1st, 2006 at 8:26 am

I’m fine with Wal-Mart because there are good things that come with the bad things, both of which you’ve noted. I know it’s unfortunate when mom and pop business are put out when they come into town and they’ve had a history of mistreatment but a lot of low income families rely on Wal Mart’s low prices to survive.

The only compassion I would have are for those mom and pops, I could care less about their suppliers because they know what they’re getting into.

6.

beloml
December 1st, 2006 at 10:53 am

On the other hand, there’s what Ben Stein wrote:

“Here’s a shocker. I love Wal-Mart. I know it’s almost always on the receiving end of bad press. It ruins neighborhoods. It puts small businesses out of business. It wrecks the balance of trade. It pays its workers poorly and treats them mean. It makes overseas workers into slaves. That’s what the news says. The truth is that Wal-Mart is a major blessing for most Americans who live close enough to one to shop there and for the people who work at them. My smart friend C.L. Werner in Omaha made the point really clearly. When a Wal-Mart opens in a town, he said, it’s as if everyone in the town got a raise. That’s because the stuff at Wal-Mart is so much cheaper than that same merchandise was anywhere else. This is not a trivial thing. Now, don’t get me wrong. Target and Sears and K-Mart and J.C. Penney and Brooks Brothers also sell good stuff usually at bargain prices, but they do not have the same reach of stores, the same astounding prices that Wal-Mart offers every day. This makes the people who shop there richer. Price matters a lot to most people.
I am sure Wal-Mart is stiff competition for the stores and supermarkets across America. I feel bad for the people who lose their stores because of Wal-Mart. But not everyone is a store owner. Everyone is a consumer, and Wal-Mart is about as good a friend as the consumer ever had.Is Wal-Mart ruining the balance of trade? Well, let me put it like this: I buy American whenever I can find it.

But there are a lot of things that are just not usually made in the USA any longer. Toasters. Hot pots. Color televisions. Underwear. Since the goods are almost always made overseas, why not buy them at the best possible price? By the way, if someone knows of a good American made toaster, please stand up and shout.

Is Wal-Mart wrecking small towns? Not the ones I see, which are mostly in North Idaho. Those towns are booming. And the closest you get to a town square is the Wal-Mart, where neighbors visit with neighbors in the aisles all day and all night, in air conditioning, out of the rain.

Is Wal-Mart impoverishing third world workers in sweat shops? Heck, no. Conditions in those places are far from ideal. But they are far better than working on the farm or begging in the streets or selling themselves into prostitution or whatever they were doing before they came to work for foreign suppliers of US stores. The gains in prosperity in the developing countries because their people can sell to America through Wal-Mart are astounding. As to the people who work at Wal-Mart, they seem to me to be bright, alert men and women who work there because it’s the best they can do in their town or at their age. Plus, they seem happy. The usual clerk at Wal-Mart gives a lot better service than the clerk at Tiffany. I would like it if they were paid more, but they are in a competitive labor market. And what about those greedy stockholders? A lot of them are those same Wal-Mart clerks, many of whom got rich from their stock.

In the real world, Wal-Mart is as much of a boon to the American shopper as the Sears catalogue was long ago.

Jeer at it all you want, all you cool people, but, it’s progress, big time.”

7.

Andrew
December 1st, 2006 at 2:15 pm

I personally hate being inside Wal-Mart stores. They are drab and crowded. Best deal or no, I’d rather spend my time in a Target or other comparable store. But I don’t think Wal-Mart is evil at all. I’m with beloml. Check http://www.mises.org/story/2377 for more on the pro-Wal-Mart sentiment.

8.

The Sarcasticynic
December 3rd, 2006 at 8:30 am

Love Walmart or hate it, buying Walmart stock, (as well as shopping there each and every Sunday,) has worked for me.

http://1sttimeinvestor.blogspot.com/2006/02/walmart.html

9.

paigu
December 3rd, 2006 at 9:20 am

Forgive me for being unsophisticated and for being pro-Walmart. I live in an area where people really do think of Target as “Tarzhay” and Walmart as “ugh, I’d never set foot in there.” But you know what? Sometimes I just want to be able to run into a store, grab some groceries, folders, and socks in one swoop, then go, without being distracted by huge BRIGHT red signs and dots and ads full of smiley uppercrust white folks cavorting around with their luxury Target items. I don’t need a store that tries to improve it’s own image by using models to sell toilet paper. Walmart is nofrills shopping, convenience, and low prices.

10.

John
December 4th, 2006 at 4:50 pm

I agree w/ Mr. Ben Stein up there. It employees millions of people, and I believe Walmart actually helps keep inflation lower due to the price control they have over the retail market…

11.

LivingOK
December 6th, 2006 at 8:39 am

Many things are cheaper at my (Norman, Oklahoma) wal-mart than the cheapo food store (Value Foods).

Some food items: Raw Almonds. Yogurt. Rasins. Bananas.

Other items like car oil or paper products are cheaper.

Maybe Aldi (in a nearby town of Moore) would be cheaper on food but the drive would eat up the savings.

All in all I am very pleased that Wal-mark exists. It is like getting a raise & being a frugal person, I actually put the modest cash from the food savings into stock via DRIP.

I still go to the other stores (well two other ones) for loss leaders and to keep up my price book. Sometimes wal-mart’s food prices are higher on some items but not for very long.

The wal-mart fresh meat department sucks as far as I am concerned though so I buy it elsewhere. Some of those prices are not so good or even higher (e.g., chicken).

12.

Jenn @ FrugalUpstate
December 7th, 2006 at 7:55 am

Convenience is the big selling point for Walmart-for our church Angel tree this year they specifically asked for Wal Mart Gift Certificates, so the families can purchase clothes, toys or food with them. At the one Walmart they could even fill the car up with gas using the same gift cert.

Of course, they could just go out and buy beer and cigarettes with it, but that is the chance you take donating to these things. . .

13.

Bob Uhl
December 18th, 2006 at 10:59 am

You right there mentioned why it doesn’t deserve to be on a list of evil companies: because people can’t afford to shop anywhere else. In other words, Wal-Mart enables poor folks to feed and clothe themselves.

I don’t really care about the mom-and-pop stores put out of business: they were inefficient and didn’t provide the market what it wanted (people apparently prefer prices over service, which is their right). As for their employees, apparently they find it worthwhile to work there (if they didn’t, they’d leave). ISTR that the presence of a Wal-Mart actually raises wages in the area, as other employers are forced to pay more or face seeing their employees go over to the retailer. And regarding their suppliers–they know whom they’re dealing with. Take a firm line (as Snapper did) or get sued to being walked all over.

My sole concern about Wal-Mart is that America really doesn’t need any more superstores at this point in time. We need more walkable cities, not more stores one needs a car to use. Energy independence isn’t helped by Wal-Mart–but it’s hardly the only or the worst here.

14.

Andrew
December 18th, 2006 at 10:04 pm

I for one like Wal-Mart. It’s only kook liberals that hate it.

It’s a great institution for poor people. The low prices and many jobs help them. If you can’t understand that, I don’t feel like explaining it to you.

15.

Lou the Libertarian
December 18th, 2006 at 10:04 pm

Oh Nooes!! Big Business!! Come on, WalMart employs tons of people, and if they screw their employees over, tough. If they force small businesses out, tough. They provide discounted items to people who probably couldnt afford to pay more. Not everyone is so fortunate or well off financially to be “better off without walmart”. Sounds a little elitist to me; but whatever. Its capitalism at its best and thats the way it should be. Since when do we punish people for having a successful business plan?

16.

getreal
December 18th, 2006 at 10:35 pm

Have any of you noticed that where there is a Wal-Mart there are several other stores. Many of these stores sell mechandise that competes with Wal-Marts merchandise. When I have gone to those other stores in the ‘Wal-Mart’ malls they seem to be doing pretty good business. Before the Wal-Mart come by to anchor the mall it was frequently just an empty field of weeds. Have any of your compared the tax reveues generated by Wal-Mart and its companion stores in the mall to the combined tax revenues of the ‘mom and pops’ that were ‘put out of busness’? This would seem to be an improvement for the whole community as the cities and towns would have better revenue streams to maintain infrastructure.

Quit trying so dam hard to be politically correct. Get real, count your blessings, and just enjoy life to the best of your abilities.

17.

Liberalone
December 19th, 2006 at 11:31 am

I for one am strongly anti-Walmart. I find the argument that it’s capitalism at it’s best and all of us “kook” liberals should just shut up and stop being such “PC” babies condescending and ignorant.
Ben Stein’s assumption that a foreigner is better working in a sweatshop than living as a farmer shows just how conceited and arrogant the pro-Walmart, pro-business, “Capitalism Rules” stance really is.
Walmart does not drive up wages nor raise tax revenues in the communities were it is based. Studies have shown that Walmart does not come to town unless it gets tax breaks and concessions. It does drive other tax-paying stores out of business and does not replace the lost revenue.
Walmart pays the lowest wages possible and encourages its employees to join state-funded, taxpayer supported Medicaid programs since Walmart tries to limit employee participaticn in its own healthcare programs. This is Walmart’s way of bringing low prices to everyone.
We may not pay for it at the cash register but we are paying for it, somehow, someway, the bill for $19 DVD players and $.50 socks is getting paid, by each and every individual paying taxes in America today.

18.

lynn
December 29th, 2006 at 8:11 am

I hate ‘bix-bix’ stores…They are full of way too much stuff we don’t need…Won’t shop at Wal-Mart unless it’s the last and only store left to shop at…I try to support all the local businesses as much as possible…Why? Because in the long run, it’s a better way to live…I haven’t had an income for quite awhile now…and I still don’t ‘need’ to shop at Wal-Mart. There are too many stores around here as it is…
Buying cheap stuff, is not ‘cheaper’ in the cost to the natural environmnent or for the health of future generations in the long run…No-one seems to care about what our insane over-consummption and our insane economic system is doing…
…”What you are seeing in America is two different watersheds. And what you see in the poor sections of American cities is what I call unhealthy economic watersheds. A healthy watershed—what does it do? It absorbs water quickly and releases it slowly into the environment. The retention of moisture, streams, and lakes in an environment maintains and creates the conditions for life. And what is a sick watershed? It’s a clear cut. It absorbs water very slowly, and it runs off very rapidly. You see exactly the same economic phenomenon in cities. Cities have become unhealthy economic watersheds. The money comes in, it’s gone. If you go shop at a big box retailer, 95percent of the money is in London the same night. The rest of it goes to staff and employees. And it is not just Wal-Mart. It is every big box retailer, every small national retailer too. In/out. Bye. See you later.”…
http://urbanhabitat.org/node/511

19.

ray chestnut
January 10th, 2007 at 12:41 pm

Sprint sells a package at one price and charges you another price. The price change is in their favor. Their area of coverage is not that great also.

20.

Ed
March 2nd, 2007 at 4:37 pm

I love walmart. I make $120K a year and shop there all the time. I can buy a cart full of groceries for about 20% less than what would cost me at my local Von’s or Albertsons’ Same products, why pay an extra 20%? Despite what liberals think, not everyone shopping there is in poverty. Next time you’re at a Walmart take a look at the cars in the parking lot and you’ll see a lot of $50K cars parked there. High income people like saving money too.

As for their employee “practices”, give me a break. Of the 1.2 million WM employees, not one of them is forced to work there against their will. You don’t like the conditions or pay at Walmart, go work at Target or Von’s or Sears or wherever. But please shut the f**k up that WM is unfair to you. I used to work for a crapy company too. I went 18 months without a raise and my boss was an a**hole. You know what I did? I quit and went somewhere else where I got more money and worked with better people. What I didn’t do is sit around and bitch or start websites where I invited other to bitch about my employer.

Liberals hate WM because it is a US success story. It is capitalism at its finest and they can’t stand it. They can’t stand the thought of a company being successfull and without government help. Liberals are also hypocritical. They claim they want to help the poor yet want to destroy WM which has done more to help the poor through low prices than any liberal government program ever has.

Imagine if all of a sudden that grocery bill shot up 20%. For me it would be almost insignificant. For someone making $18K a year it would be devastating. Think about that next time you’re sitting around Starbucks drinking your $5 latte and coming up with new strategies to hurt this company.

21.

~CF
May 1st, 2007 at 1:08 pm

For grocceries, ALDI is the best value in America. It’s far cheaper than WAL-MART. If more WALMART customers were aware of this, WALMART’s groccery business would suffer, badly.