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Zach
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Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
March 28, 2007 - 06:39 PM
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With all the current speculation of "Wal-Mart" over issues as foreign labor, neighborhood businesses, and employee benefits, lets discuss the PROS and CONS of the world's largest corporation.
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Gerald Derome
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Re: Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
March 28, 2007 - 07:08 PM
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There is only one "pro" and that is for the owners and investors, they are making money!
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Zach
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Re: Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
March 28, 2007 - 10:28 PM
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Yeah, exactly. Well then, let's talk about the CONs of Walmart, and what your opinion is.
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Michael Furdyk
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Re: Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
March 29, 2007 - 02:56 AM
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I think it's sad because the people that benefit the most from the low prices at Wal-Mart will likely be affected the most from offshoring of jobs to obtain those low prices.
At the same time I like the low prices too, but I try to shop there only rarely and to support local companies (at least Canadian ones) to ensure that profits from me go to benefit our country!
The whole situation is quite difficult to get out of.
On the other hand, Wal-Mart does have an opportunity to bring to scale innovations that could make a drastic improvement for the environment, like offering energy-saving bulbs at huge discounts so everyone will buy them.
This is the article that opened up my eyes to WM a few years ago:
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html
Indeed, as Vlasic discovered, the real story of Wal-Mart, the story that never gets told, is the story of the pressure the biggest retailer relentlessly applies to its suppliers in the name of bringing us "every day low prices." It's the story of what that pressure does to the companies Wal-Mart does business with, to U.S. manufacturing, and to the economy as a whole. That story can be found floating in a gallon jar of pickles at Wal-Mart.
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Sierra Jenkins
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Re: Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
April 4, 2007 - 02:18 PM
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Interesting article, thank you for posting the link. I´m definitely inspired to find out more about the innovations and changes Walmart has introduced in the US retail market for better or worse.
When I lived in Portland, Oregon, US, there was a strong liberal community absolutely opposed to Walmart moving into new neighborhoods in the city. Sometimes people just hated corporations because they are corporations however, without looking at the issues a bit more critically. Some in Portland consider Starbucks the devil and treat it like that hip indie band that ¨sold out¨and now embodies everything mainstream (ie: Greenday and most recently, Modest Mouse).
This article in a Portland weekly made me think more about the issue. I still prefer to buy local and go to independent coffee shops, but I appreciate that my relatives in the mid west considered 7-11´s coffee the best in town before Starbucks moved in. I also appreciate that Starbuck´s starting wage is higher than most businesses in town and they provide health insurance, a rarity in many service jobs.
http://www.wweek.com/story.php?story=5137
If I have any major gripe with Walmart, it is how it treats it´s employees - laying off employees after a few years to bring in newbies at a lower payscale, and the more recent development that they were going to make scheduling more diversified so people would practically have to be on call. If anybody has seen a current article on treatment of employees at Walmart, post it if you could.
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Dennis Nyakundi Onguti
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Re: Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
April 4, 2007 - 03:16 PM
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Not all that glitters is gold. Since the opening of the so-called globa market, it deserves that we pay attention to any enterprise that seem soo conumer friendly. We either pay the costs now or the next generations. Economic led markets we know how much disaster they have done to the environment! I just wonder sometimes how a "good quality" item can be so cheap or completely free while we know we have workers to be paid, taxes to be paid, let alone the rwa material and the cost of production incurred.
Young men and women of the world, open your eyes and let us save ourselves from this nice enticements to save our nations and industries that are economic and environment friendly.
What do you say?
Those of you from the international market studies what do you say? Bring your professionalism to enlighten the rest of us.
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Jonathon P. Karelse
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Re: Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
April 11, 2007 - 06:59 PM
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While the apathy of the American voter should not be underestimated - when was the last time a president was elected by more than 50% of those eligible to vote? - the apathy of the American consumer is far greater. WalMart is the world's largest corporation but not because it is the world's most global; it just has a really big piece of the world's largest economy (which is soon to be eclipsed by China). It is not difficult to correlate the influx of Chinese product through low-end distributors like WalMart to America's ballooning trade deficit, nor to draw the corrollary fiscal ill-effects. So why is WalMart still so big and so popular? Because the average American consumer cares more about cheap goods today than having an income tomorrow. And burning gas in a heavy vehicle today than having any gas at all tomorrow. And borrowing money to buy a house he can't afford today than being evicted from it for non-payment tomorrow.
The short-sightedness of the American consumer is directly responsible for nearly every ill that has befallen that economy, and for those about to befall it.
- Jonathon Karelse
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Jessica Lauren
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Re: Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
July 6, 2007 - 09:33 PM
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Walmart is a breeding ground for greedy corporate powerhouses who shift their weight and stump on small business as if they were Fe-Fi-Fo Fum.
I AM PRO family business. I AM NO GO for Wally World.
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vas
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Re: Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
July 7, 2007 - 03:29 AM
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large retailers kill small shops and take their business away causing misfortune to many families.they donot offer anyway to compensate for those who lose out on business.
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Camolot
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Re: Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
September 7, 2007 - 04:01 PM
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All emotions aside, yet aside, isn't it nice to finally be beside something, oh yes, behind the corporate vail of secrecy they lies, lies, unfortunately the lies behind the corporate eyes are watching themselves, they are perverted, in a strangely sadistic way, it seems they are manipulating the truth, apparently this is the actual fact, if the deaf community gets word of the capitalization of the soul the the capitulation of the sensation will soon swell to astronomical proportions, the proposed end the great big red machine is an actual fact, maybe when the blue man group is back in office, some serious distribution of funds will spread throughout all communities, IE VILLAGES, everywhere, hope upon hope, pawn upon dreams, dreams into reality, love view long rhyme.
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nandernc
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Re: Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
September 15, 2007 - 10:20 PM
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I dont like wallmart. they buy out smaller wholesale buisneses and make them expand. The smaller company cant turn down the price.
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RocLaFamilia23
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Re: Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
October 22, 2007 - 03:55 PM
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There are both positive and negative aspects of Wal-Mart and other large-retailers.
Some of the negative things include:
1. they basically kill off local small businesses by attracting the mass with their lower prices
2. the poor employee benefits for the many who work there
3. the foreign labor they hire in order to keep their prices low.
Some of the positive things include:
1. they provide lower prices, which helps people in poorer classes afford more.
2. they provide many jobs opportunities
Basically, this is a very confusing thing to deal with. No matter how many people want to not support Wal-Mart and other such companies, it is a very difficult situation if you don't have the money to do so.
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Caleb Orsini
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Re: Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
October 23, 2007 - 06:11 PM
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A benefit for walmart and large retail stores is that it brings culture and society and money to a city that is ready to be become a low class suburb. these retail stores help the lower classes afford a decent style of living. it makes living "affordable". vise versa it can also turn an upper class neighborhood upside down because the unfortunate migrate to more affordable living areas. not necessarily where there is a wal mart but to places where necesities are neart by and are easy to come by.
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sorcerer
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Re: Wal-Mart and similar large-retailers
December 6, 2007 - 08:01 AM
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mfurdyk wrote:
I think it's sad because the people that benefit the most from the low prices at Wal-Mart will likely be affected the most from offshoring of jobs to obtain those low prices.
At the same time I like the low prices too, but I try to shop there only rarely and to support local companies (at least Canadian ones) to ensure that profits from me go to benefit our country!
The whole situation is quite difficult to get out of.
On the other hand, Wal-Mart does have an opportunity to bring to scale innovations that could make a drastic improvement for the environment, like offering energy-saving bulbs at huge discounts so everyone will buy them.
This is the article that opened up my eyes to WM a few years ago:
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html
Indeed, as Vlasic discovered, the real story of Wal-Mart, the story that never gets told, is the story of the pressure the biggest retailer relentlessly applies to its suppliers in the name of bringing us "every day low prices." It's the story of what that pressure does to the companies Wal-Mart does business with, to U.S. manufacturing, and to the economy as a whole. That story can be found floating in a gallon jar of pickles at Wal-Mart.
I suppose you said it right!
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