Re: Say NO NO NO to Wal-Mart!!!

"Dan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]:

> Good article on Wal-Mart:
> 
> http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html
> 
> Short term, Wal-Mart is great for consumers. Long term, it's putting
> not only mom and pop places out of business and turning the workforce
> into one un-insured and underpaid mass, it's also putting
> manufacturers in tight squeezes where they have to let people go. Our
> society loves a good deal, but at some point, we have to start asking
> why it's such a good deal. It's because we're buying stuff made in
> China, because American companies can't compete with essentially zero
> labor costs and little/no environmental restrictions. Wal-Mart may be
> cheap, but there are hidden costs for our society. When your negihbors
> lose their job and have to move away, and small communities start
> becoming ghost towns, and everyone can only get a job at Wal-Mart
> 'cause the factory closed down, then you'll start to understand the 
> hidden costs.
> 
> Next time you're there, count how many manufactured goods
> (non-perishable) are still made in the states. It won't be many, and
> the list is getting smaller every day.
> 
> "Bob" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> Just In Time wrote:
>> > Say NO NO NO to Wal-Mart!!!
>> >
>> > Walmart has gotten too big and it uses its power to exert over us.
>> > No one can blame Wal-Mart for being abusive afterall, it's us, the
>> > consumers, who gave the power to them! We are irresponsible and
>> > greedy because we want the cheapest prices! I have to admit that I
>> > am guilty as well as I do shop occasionally at you know where! (but
>> > that's to change from now on)
>>
>>
>> The reason Wal-Mart has done so well and gotten so big is their never
>> ending pursuit of taking care of their customers.  Sam Walton never
>> stopped trying to find ways to improve customer satisfaction, to
>> lower cost and prices, and to provide products the customers wanted. 
>> A major part of Wal-Mart stock belongs to employees, or "associates"
>> as Sam called them.
>>
>> Sam saw the "discount" stores in some big cities and thought that
>> would be good in small towns all across America.  Sam tried first to
>> sell his ideas to the management of Ben Franklin stores where he
>> worked.  They wouldn't let him try his new plan, so Sam quit and
>> started his own store.  The other big chains ignored him for years,
>> not believing that an upstart from some small town in Arkansas could
>> be a threat to giants like K-Mart, Sears, etc.  But Sam kept trying
>> to provide everything you want under one roof, and for a low price.
>>
>> Wal-Mart succeeds while others fail because of their commitment to
>> the customers.  Yes, many other stores have closed because customers
>> to to Wal-Mart instead.  Even Giants like K-Mart have not learned to
>> compete with customer focused retail.
>>
>> Wal-Mart is not evil for serving the needs of people better than
>> anyone else.  Other stores must learn to serve customers or die. 
>> There is a place for other stores, but not for those who put high
>> profit margins and poor selection, what the store wants to sell,
>> ahead of the needs of customers.
>>
>> So go ahead and shop somewhere else if you like, pay more for less,
>> and drive around to 5 or 6 stores looking for what you want.  Bob
>> went to Wal-Mart last night.  We bought bedding, auto parts, food,
>> beverage, RV accessories, hardware, and kitchen supplies all at
>> prices as low or lower than anywhere else.  One trip and we were done
>> shopping. 
>>
>> It's an old formula that Sam's store does better.  Take care of the
>> customers.  Meet their needs.  Provide what people want.  Funny how a
>> dumb hick from some small town in Arkansas had to teach that formula
>> to industrial giants from big cities.
>>
>>
>> >
>> > After reading this article "The Wal-Mart You Don't Know" by Charles
>> > Fishman (Fast Company) Dec 2003.
>> > (http://go.jitbot.com/no-to-wal-mart), you'll know that:
>> >
>> > - Jobs are lost everyday because of Wal-Mart
>> > - Factories / companies die because of Wal-Mart.
>> > - Too much power is given to a single entity, Wal-Mart.
>>
>> As long as nobody else takes care of customers as well Wal-Mart will
>> drive them out of business.
>>
>>
>> > let's stop this madness for a change. Be responsible!
>> >
>> > - As a consumer, be reasonable, there is no need to shop everything
>> > at Wal-Mart. Don't go for cheap...Look for value. Are you getting
>> > the service you want from Wal-mart? Last time I went, I waited a
>> > long line to pay at the cash. When I had to return an item...the
>> > waiting was longer!
>>
>>
>> LOL.  Value often is good products for less money. Same product at
>> 20% less price is a good value for the customer.  And when when we
>> wanted to shop on THanksgiving Wal-Mart was open.  Nobody else was.
>>
>>
>> > - As a supplier, be rational! Increasing short-term sales and
>> > profits by supplying to Wal-Mart, while squeezing your margins and
>> > destroying your brands is the quickest way to brankruptcy court. If
>> > price is the only way you can think of competing, then, you already
>> > lost the war to the Chineses!
>>
>> LOL.  As a supplier Martha Steward hooked up with K-Mart.  It sure
>> helped her didn't it.
>>
>>
>> > - As an Investor, stop buying the stock of WMT if believe that the
>> > long-term effects will bear negative consequences to the whole
>> > economy. There is no pleasure to make money in the stock market, to
>> > find out how many jobs have lost because of you.
>>
>> Most Wal-Mart stock belongs to their own employees.  As investors, if
>> you you don't want to share in the profits, buy K-mart and go broke.
>> Go right ahead.
>>
>>
>> > Don't get me wrong, I am a champion of the free-markets.
>>
>> Like hell you are.
>>
>>
>> > I believe we
>> > have our responsibilities to take. We don't need the government to
>> > step in one day like they did to Microsoft. Let's be responsible
>> > for a change.
>>
>> You are right.  The government ought not protect incompetent
>> merchants who focus on their own profits rather than on the needs of
>> their customers.
>>
>>
>> > By the way, a little more about me, I am a Canadian Chinese, a
>> > business owner (tech-related company and in no way, a supplier of
>> > Wal-mart) and I don't own WMT stocks.
>>
>> LOL.  So you would love to get Wal-Mart out of the way so you can
>> sell products at inflated prices and make more money.  Sorry Charlie,
>> if other companies tried to learn the formula instead of crying over
>> Wal-Mart's success, they wouldn't have had the whole market
>> practically to themselves.
>>
>>
>> > Please spread this word around, it's for our own good.
>> > Cheers!
>> > Jeff
>>
>> Hey, I'll go down to Wal-Mart and tell the associates what you said.
>>
>> One nice thing Bob likes about Wal-Mart is that its the only store
>> that puts the Men's clothing section at the front of the store, not
>> in some hidden corner behind Women's clothing.  Wal-Mart actually
>> wants men to be customers, and shows that attitude by providing
>> products and service for men in an equal way.
>>
>> Bob
>>
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> 
> 
> 

When I go shopping and there are three similar products I now always choose the one 
made in the US (when there is one). We have to start using our powers as consumers to 
support what we believe. If I have to pay an extra 20 cents for something and it will 
help keep an American employed that is what I want. I don't want the best price above 
all else. That would be greedy and selfish for me to do that when I could help support 
American companies. I do often times have to spend a bit more time while shopping but 
thats OK. I have to fork out a bit more money but that's ok. I have a job right 
now....next week who knows? I may be trying to get a job at the place that makes these 
products. If they are still in bussiness.

Regards,
R West