The Wal-Mart Embargo

[Danksi]

Don't need to boycott Wal-Mart, just the video download service. Shouldn't be differcult, as it seems to be a ripoff anyway, not that I feel the iTunes Store is value for money either.

We try to shop 'local', which means supporting the smaller shops first, then Wal-Mart, which still employs local people who, as others have pointed out, may not have jobs otherwise.

Shopping for best value is fine on face value, but must have fall-out somewhere.

 

[FleurDuMal]

Where do you shop then? I'm from the US and I think I like Asda more than Sainsbury, and Waitrose is too expensive. Haven't been to many Tescos yet.

Personally, I think Asda is much nicer than Walmart, although each targets a specific demographic. The food is infinitely better at Asda...but kind of pricey.

Sainsbury's is the place for me. I used to shop at Morrisons, but some of the own brand stuff was awful. All the Sainsburys own brand stuff is quite reasonable quality, if not a tinier bit pricier than Morrisons. Plus it never seems as packed as Morrisons.

Waitrose is just silly. Silly, silly, silly. The foods alright but those prices are absurd.

 

[Kingsly]

If this forum was in the politics thread I would go on the biggest rant about Wal*Mart and China and their effect and dangers to the U.S. Economy and, believe it or not, National Security... but it's not, so I wont.

 

[Queso]

Waitrose is just silly. Silly, silly, silly. The foods alright but those prices are absurd.

Give me Waitrose over anything else. They're the only chain in my area that has proper supermarkets rather than overgrown lower-range with higher-prices convenience stores.

And the food is definitely better quality than Tesco and Sainsbury's.

 

[FleurDuMal]

Give me Waitrose over anything else. They're the only chain in my area that has proper supermarkets rather than overgrown lower-range with higher-prices convenience stores.

And the food is definitely better quality than Tesco and Sainsbury's.

I always thought you lived in Camden? And that has the best Sainsburys ever.

Or did I just make up that you lived in Camden

If money was no obstacle, then I'd probably shop at Waitrose, simply because they're really nice to their employees in comparison to the other supermarkets, which are amongst the worst places to work in the UK. However, I will never forgive Waitrose for selling me a scotch egg with loads of gristle in it. That's never happened at Sainsburys

 

[4nr-]

So you consider when Wal-Mart drives numerous mom & pop stores (see small business) out of town (out of business) that, that's good for competition?

Take that to your president. Your whole economy is built around large corporations. If it's wasn't wal-mart it would be somebody else. It's the harsh truth.

 

[shikimo]

Walmart is big, nebulus and (worst of all) they make lots of money. They're easy to hate and poseurs never miss an opportunity to make an uniformed stand.

The evidence is incontrovertable. Walmart is good for the economy. They have the clout to force suppliers to sell to them at a discount (my wife used to work for a large household consumer products company, and she always complained about Walmart's control of the supply chain.) But you know what? They pass those savings on. Target comes close, but Walmart is significantly cheaper than everyone else in the market. And do you know who benefits the most from that? The poor, becasue they are the ones that shop there. You all complain about how awful Walmart is, and how the people who shop there are idiots - well, I think that is just some upper-class elitism sneaking through. You "care" for the poor, but you don't want to shop at the same place as them.

Mom and pops? It is clear that in almost every case, a Walmart in a new town creates more jobs than those mom and pops. Also, beleive it or not, they pay more than those stores, in both salary and benefits. Also, have you ever gone to one of those mom and pops? Esepcially in the "marginal" neighborhoods? The prices they charge are confiscatory. Several dollars for bread or milk or other staples. There is a reason why Walmart wins. And I'd like to see your supporting evidence for price hikes. Walmart prices are fairly well standardized across the country, it is part of the whole effiencies of scale.

So boycott if you want. I actually prefer Target. But Walmart is not evil, and I just hate illinformed claptrap. And don't link to some screed on the DailyKos or Mother Jones (or even the NY Times) refuting that. Find something in the real media if you want to make a point.

Now lets get back to Apple talk. Where's my Leopard?

You're not entirely wrong: Wal-Mart does produce jobs in the small-medium sized communities it targets. And it does generate more raw economic numbers than the small stores it erases. But please tell us how having peoples' shopping options reduced to one, with that one being a cheap import, is good for quality of life? And how having a company with such "clout" as to be able to dictate the terms of business to all elements of the allegedly free vertical market is good for a business community? And again, what happens in the towns where the numbers indicate that it's better to open a Super Wal-Mart 30 miles away, 5 years after that business opens and crushes the local competition? Short-term numbers are good for the economy, but so are variety and competition, two things that are antithetical to the Wal-Mart business plan. And what about the manufacturing jobs that go overseas? Does Wal-Mart employ enough Americans to make up for them?

And regardless of the debate, Don Ditty is right: when did any of us suggest that we were too good to shop alongside "poor folks" (as if you are aware of other posters' economic situations)? In fact, it's the folks who are forced, by economic conditions beyond their control, to shop there and live their lives with crappy sweatshop products when they should have a choice who suffer the most. Having only one store to choose from is a marxist way of looking at commerce and clearly not the result of the free market upon which any pro-Wal-Mart argument is based.

And you are right about one other thing: its consumers who decide what stores stay open and what stores close...which is the point of this whole debate: is it or is it not responsible to shop at Wal-Mart just because the prices are lower? This is not 'ill-informed claptrap': it's a legitimate discussion with real consequences. If you want to argue your side, great; if those of us on the other side of the question piss you off so bad, don't read the thread, ay?

 

[Teh Don Ditty]

Take that to your president. Your whole economy is built around large corporations. If it's wasn't wal-mart it would be somebody else. It's the harsh truth.

If I had the opportunity to talk to the man, I wouldn't. Since this isn't in the political thread, I will refrain from what I really think of him.

 

[dmw007]

No problem I'd never go in a Wal-mart anyways

Same here, I don't go to Wal-Mart as it is, so my joining in the Embargo will have little effect I am afraid to say. But I will gladly join in anyways.

 

[Queso]

I always thought you lived in Camden? And that has the best Sainsburys ever.

Or did I just make up that you lived in Camden

Borough of Camden, yes, but way down the bottom of it. Closest landmarks are UCL and the BT Tower, so both the Brunswick Centre and Marylebone High Street are closer than Camden Town. And both the Brunswick and MHS have Waitrose

 

[mick4394]

What does any of this garbage have to do with Apple Hardware, buying tips, advice and discussion?

Great, we in the hardware forums, now know that someone else hates Wal-Mart.

I'll say it again, this thread should either be locked or moved.

 

[flyfish29]

I agree- this should be moved- originally it was about buying of movies- although that is not hardware, the original poster probably clicked on the buying advice link which it was buying advice, albeit not hardware.

MOds...Please move this thread to the proper place- although I don't know where it should go really...


(I admit it- I am guilty of writing slightly "off topic" parts of this thread...sorry MacRumors Hardware forum browsers.)

 

[leekohler]

Wal-Mart is even more foul than Starbucks. I won't go to either. They both disgust me.

 

[bousozoku]

I would stop shopping there for other reasons but I don't normally shop at Wal-Mart but I do shop at Sam's Club. There are better reasons not to deal with Wal-Mart.

Target is better on groceries for what I buy. Other products' prices are somewhat higher but the quality of the products are usually better too.

In any case, a lot of people have no other local place to buy. I noticed this in parts of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona along I-10, as well as other parts of the country. There are little towns that just don't have the resources for any stores and, if Wal-Mart is there, it's actually a good thing. Should people have to drive an hour or two to get groceries?

 

[siurpeeman]

i try my best not to shop at wal-mart. it's fairly easy to do since target is so much closer to me anyway. but i just had to buy myself a game boy micro; it was black friday, and i was weak! forgive me?

 

[Teh Don Ditty]

Sam's Club is owned by Wal-Mart.

 

[bousozoku]

Sam's Club is owned by Wal-Mart.

Do you have a point?

 

[Teh Don Ditty]

No, I was just saying. I didn't know if you were aware of that or not.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

I'd love to boycott Wal-Mart, but I have no choice. I live in a tiny town that has nothing more than a Wal-Mart. Their business practices are disgusting. Their latest thing was after a huge ice storm in Missouri last month that left people without power for days and weeks, the Wal-Mart over here raised prices on refrigerated and frozen food knowing that people who had no power would have to buy a ton of food to replace everything that spoiled, so they decided to cash in. I hate that hellhole, and everything it stands for, but I have no choice and still shop there

isn't that illegal to do. I believe price gouging is against the law and it also is an unethical.

My problem with walmart is there unethical business practise and they have gotten nailed for it several times. One example is they have come in to small towns and intentionally sold there items at a loss just to drive out the competition and as soon as they put them out of business they jack there price back up to some more expensive because who cares, no one can come in now that they have control over the market. They been fined and sued for it and walmart does not really care because they do not have to give up the market control they illegally got.

 

[3nm]

i actually like the idea of having walmart entering the vid d/l service. competition is always good for consumers.

Now that Wal-Mart has entered the video download service, with an awful Windows only model, after threatening studios who might do business with Apple and whining about loss of DVD sales, which it seems they are not too worried about now that they are doing it themselves, it seems it's time to fight back at Wal-Mart.

Simply said: don't buy anything from Wal-Mart. No DVDs, no groceries, no clothes, nothing whatsoever.

at the end of the day, we should perhaps ask ourselves why it'd be okay to shop at target but not at walmart. spread the word.

Go to Target, SuperTarget, K-Mart, Best Buy and all the like. Just don't buy anything from Wal-Mart.

Because at the end of the day, it's more than just their DVD sales they should be worried about.

Spread the word.

 

[shikimo]

I would stop shopping there for other reasons but I don't normally shop at Wal-Mart but I do shop at Sam's Club. There are better reasons not to deal with Wal-Mart.

Target is better on groceries for what I buy. Other products' prices are somewhat higher but the quality of the products are usually better too.

In any case, a lot of people have no other local place to buy. I noticed this in parts of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona along I-10, as well as other parts of the country. There are little towns that just don't have the resources for any stores and, if Wal-Mart is there, it's actually a good thing. Should people have to drive an hour or two to get groceries?

You are exactly right, of course they shouldn't; that's a big part of the argument. It's Wal-Mart that made it that way in many instances. It's small town Americans that suffer most. I can't imagine how much that would suck, to have to buy 90% of my goods from Wal-Mart.

i actually like the idea of having walmart entering the vid d/l service. competition is always good for consumers.

at the end of the day, we should perhaps ask ourselves why it'd be okay to shop at target but not at walmart. spread the word.

Target has a much better track record than Wal-Mart in almost every measurable category, from customer care to employee treatment to corporate growth strategy. They're still a giant corporation who ultimately responds to profitability at the end of the day--nothing wrong with that--but they've done it with a different corporate blueprint.

Free market competition is only good for customers when the winner isn't chosen before the game starts.

 

[bousozoku]

No, I was just saying. I didn't know if you were aware of that or not.

Yes, thanks. Practically everything I see has both logos on it. I suppose many people still don't notice it, though.

You are exactly right, of course they shouldn't; that's a big part of the argument. It's Wal-Mart that made it that way in many instances. It's small town Americans that suffer most. I can't imagine how much that would suck, to have to buy 90% of my goods from Wal-Mart.
...

I've spent some time in towns where they don't have chain grocery stores and the stores were charging people much more than Wal-Mart ever did. I thought that prices in cities were high but they're obviously not that bad in comparison.

 

[pseudobrit]

I promise not to buy my next Mac from Wal-Mart.

 

[sushi]

What's wrong with Wal-Mart? I go there when I am back in the states. They are a great place to find many things quickly.

And now with the new cheaper drug program. Great!

Anyhow, if you want to combat Wal-Mart's music download system, buy more songs off iTMS. Vote with your $.

Competition is good!

 

[3nm]

interesting point of view. care to cite some sources how target has a "better track record" than walmart? what's "better"??

"diff corp blueprint," or wolf under sheep's skin?

Target has a much better track record than Wal-Mart in almost every measurable category, from customer care to employee treatment to corporate growth strategy. They're still a giant corporation who ultimately responds to profitability at the end of the day--nothing wrong with that--but they've done it with a different corporate blueprint.