Wal-Mart Planning to Carry iPad 'Later This Year'

[tigress666]

Feel free to express your own judgment, but DO NOT put words in my mouth that I did not utter.

Thank you very much.

Sorry, I went back and re-read the statement. I apologize.

But that example still does point out one of the reasons I try to avoid Walmart myself as I really think they are a good example of when a company becomes too succesful and is able to overcome the checks and balances of capitalism.

 

[Little Endian]

It's a global economy dude. A town doesn't have to rely on Mom and Pop spending the money they earned from the town. You think that WalMart profits are hoarded in 1 town. Profits from everywhere in the country fuel development and accomplishment everywhere in the country (e.g. more Walmarts). If there's one thing we can be sure of, it's that PROFITS ARE GOOD.

Maybe society can benefit from skilled people fulfilling needs that aren't already accomplished better by Walmart. Walmart has got retail covered. We don't need thousands of mom and pop stores with highly paid cashiers supplying us the same goods less efficiently. Maybe if you don't make a lot of money in retail, there is another need of society you can fill. In a free market, profit is ONLY an indication of a need fulfilled. So if you can't profit anymore mom and pop, you're not fulfilling a need.

How Cute... Someone must have passed econ 101. Love your logic its so simple yet elegant

 

[Xtremehkr]

It's a global economy dude. A town doesn't have to rely on Mom and Pop spending the money they earned from the town. You think that WalMart profits are hoarded in 1 town. Profits from everywhere in the country fuel development and accomplishment everywhere in the country (e.g. more Walmarts). If there's one thing we can be sure of, it's that PROFITS ARE GOOD.

Maybe society can benefit from skilled people fulfilling needs that aren't already accomplished better by Walmart. Walmart has got retail covered. We don't need thousands of mom and pop stores with highly paid cashiers supplying us the same goods less efficiently. Maybe if you don't make a lot of money in retail, there is another need of society you can fill. In a free market, profit is ONLY an indication of a need fulfilled. So if you can't profit anymore mom and pop, you're not fulfilling a need.

Your singular idea that profits are good neglects to realize just about everything I outlined about why Wal Mart is eventually destructive to the economy at large.

This is my least favorite kind of discussion, a vigorous debate with someone who doesn't even understand the premise that they are arguing against. Instead, I just get the rah rah Wal Mart is god of capitalism rhetoric.

A healthy economy requires that consumers have money to spend. Money to spend on goods and services from other people who are also looking to earn and spend money.

If there is money circulating in the economy, there is money to be earned. For there to be money in the economy, there needs to be good paying jobs.

If companies are starting to monopolize sectors of the economy in the manner that Wal Mart is, they are hurting the economy in the long run. Wal Mart takes money out of the economy by replacing good paying jobs with poor paying jobs. This eventually takes money out of communities, which is bad for the local economy.

If you don't understand that in order for an economy to function in a healthy manner, people need money to spend. If you can't understand that very simple concept than there is no point in even trying to explain why eventually people are going to look at Wal Mart as a company that ultimately harmed the economy, not helped it.

 

[newyorksole]

Wow, Apple is REALLY getting mainstream... time to find another eclectic off-the-map company to follow...

Seriously?........

 

[JediZenMaster]

It's not discrimination dude.

Yes it is. If you treat someone diffrently because they like members of the same sex that it discrimination

 

[shervieux]

Is this a joke?

If it is then I'm sorry for asking...subtle humor doesn't always translate too well over message boards.

I don't think he was joking and here is why. While Walmart is great for lower prices and one stop shopping, their market strategy can be considered a monopoly and really evil. when walmart shows up, the have products that sell to the local region at drastically reduced prices. This forces all the little mom and pop shops, and smaller chains out of business. then once they are gone, Walmart jacks up the prices.

You really also need to be an educated shopper. Walmart prices some items higher than other places as they know "since we offer everything, you will more likely buy a higher priced item while you are here picking up your discount items." People do not like to go to 2-3 different stores anymore, but if they did, then the will save even more money.

On the other hand, this could be a good thing for apple to get into Walmart and Target. Why? Because I feel really bad for those who go to walmart to by a computer. The Walmart in my area carries only sub-$700 machines and if you really look at the specs, they are 2 year-old technology. Even the Dells are not spec'd well for the price. Most of the time if I overhear a walmart employee giving computer advice. I but in and correct their mistakes. I once watched a walmart employee almost sell someone a computer that was not what they needed. the employee said "yeah this one does DVD's." Problem is, the person wanted to burn DVD's - the computer had only a CD/DVD-ROM. it would read a DVD, but could not burn one.

PLus this might be a good thing - many people will not walk into an Apple store. too crowded, think they could not afford an apple, think apple will not work as they are coming from a windows background with little tech skills. Seeing an apple next to other computer may give them the edge to really look at one.

Also, would save apple money from opening all these stores - if they agree to put one or 2 apple specialist at walmart to help with purchases. Also Walmart and Target seem to be selling a lot of netbooks lately.

 

[smarch]

Um, that arguement is BS.

I live with a male roommate. I'm female. We are just roommates. By your arguement they shouldn't offer benefits for anyone's significant other cause it could be just roommates taking advantage.

And if you say that well me and him could marry and prove that we're partners, the only reason gays can't is cause of small mindedness from people who keep claiming that it some how threatens the "institution of marriage". I'm sure they would happily marry if they could and that would solve this problem of worrying about if it really is a domestic partnership or just roommates taking advantage.

If you want to eliminate gender roles in our society go ahead:

No benefits for any partner, married or otherwise, until you are pregnant or have a kid. Married couples without kids, just like homosexual couples without kids, get no special treatment over single people with friends.

I, for one, do consider marriage (and traditionally associated benefits) as an institution that is condusive to encouraging the formation and success of stable family situations for raising children and has been pretty damn successful for the human race as a whole.

However, like I said, if you want to eliminate gender roles, and if you want everybody to be absolutely equal. Start complaining about the rights that married people without children have that single people and "gay partners" do not. That is the real inequality in the world you imagine. Unless Jedi has a kid, I don't think he's any more discriminated against than I am.

so no, my argument is not BS

 

[smarch]

How Cute... Someone must have passed econ 101. Love your logic its so simple yet elegant

never took an econ class.

Your rebuttal was quite moving though.

 

[kas23]

Nope it's not a joke. Walmart runs smaller mom and pop stores out of buisness...

Exactly how this a bad thing?

Sure, we like the personable service from these Mom and Pop stores, but Walmart certainly employs a lot more people than any Mom and Pop store out there. And the managers at Wal mart probably make a higher annual salary than a Mom and Pop store can provide. Secondly, the prices at Wall Mart are much cheaper than Mom and Pop stores. This allows people who don't make a lot of money to afford food and common household items.

 

[smarch]

Yes it is. If you treat someone diffrently because they like members of the same sex that it discrimination

see my response to tigress

 

[mtwilford]

This will NOT happen. iPad was deliberately launched only in stores where customers can get a great introduction to iPad from trained staff who can explain what it can do. Best Buy has an Apple employee in the booth. Wal-Mart is the farthest thing from that. Wal-Mart is not competent to sell any Apple products besides iPod.

Ya and Best Buy has the greatest employees

and and by the way all Apple employees know thier products

 

[kas23]

It's a global economy dude. A town doesn't have to rely on Mom and Pop spending the money they earned from the town. You think that WalMart profits are hoarded in 1 town. Profits from everywhere in the country fuel development and accomplishment everywhere in the country (e.g. more Walmarts). If there's one thing we can be sure of, it's that PROFITS ARE GOOD.

Maybe society can benefit from skilled people fulfilling needs that aren't already accomplished better by Walmart. Walmart has got retail covered. We don't need thousands of mom and pop stores with highly paid cashiers supplying us the same goods less efficiently. Maybe if you don't make a lot of money in retail, there is another need of society you can fill. In a free market, profit is ONLY an indication of a need fulfilled. So if you can't profit anymore mom and pop, you're not fulfilling a need.

I agree. And Wal-Mart filing for bankruptcy would have a very negative effect on our current society and financial system in general.

 

[JediZenMaster]

see my response to tigress

I saw your response and i can't belive someone could say something like that. Let me ask you something. When you walk down the street holding your girlfriend or boyfriends hand. Do you get stares? Do you get people giving you nasty looks? Probarly not.

Walmart didn't have a non discrimination policy for a long time for their gay and lesbian employees which ment that they could use unethical ways to fire people.

At least big companies like IBM which has this policy in place since 1975, Apple, Even adobe,Microsoft, AT&T not to count others. Want to make sure that all employees are protected and feel comfortable. Because just like you can have your other halfs picture on your desk or whatever at work. I should be able to have my partners picture for example. Without have to worry about some type of recourse.

So to you since you obviously dont get it. It may not mean anything. So spend your money there. But im not going to spend money at a company that has the audacity to treat their employees like that.

Your obviously straight so you don't get discrimated against because of who you choose to love.

 

[tigress666]

Exactly how this a bad thing?

Sure, we like the personable service from these Mom and Pop stores, but Walmart certainly employs a lot more people than any Mom and Pop store out there.

Uh, but a retail slave does not make much money. I'm barely making out as is and I don't have a family or some one else to support. Retail really doesn't pay enough to live on, least not when you have a family to support.

Mom and Pop stores may employ less people, but more people are owning them and actually having the part that makes the money (if they are succesful, it is more of a risk than just being employed by some one).

So, yeah, one store employs more people at crappy wages. Replacing lots of stores owned by people who were making more money with their own business than they would being employed by Walmart (and there is only so many of those manager jobs to go around. And honestly, being manager does not mean you get paid that much more than a non manager. You gotta be one of the higher up managers to start making a decent wage). Which means more people with money to put money back into the local economy.

Even replacing smaller chain stores means you are replacing more manager positions with just the regular retail positions cause they aren't going to have the same ratio of managers to employees as a smaller store. And yes, Walmart does seek to eliminate not just the mom and pops. They quite eagerly target other chains as well. I just don't want to see them get as successful as what they're striving to be. Cause you know what, they won't be cheap when they have no competition (shoot, they've already shown that prices will go up once the competition is gone). And they'll be able to pay people whatever they like cause who else are you going to be employed by when they are the only game in town? Capitalism only works if there is competition to keep each company in check.

 

[JediZenMaster]

Exactly how this a bad thing?

Sure, we like the personable service from these Mom and Pop stores, but Walmart certainly employs a lot more people than any Mom and Pop store out there. And the managers at Wal mart probably make a higher annual salary than a Mom and Pop store can provide. Secondly, the prices at Wall Mart are much cheaper than Mom and Pop stores. This allows people who don't make a lot of money to afford food and common household items.

Yes it is a bad thing because Wal-Mart drives up real estate costs as well when they become anchor tenants in shopping centers. Mom and pop stores don't do that. Also some items costs more at walmart sometimes.

When Target comes into an area it doesn't kill buisness. Why do you think people protest alot when walmart comes into some area?

 

[tigress666]

Your obviously straight so you don't get discrimated against because of who you choose to love.

Honestly, in my opinion, being straight doesn't mean you shouldn't care. Personally, I think the better thing to say is, a decent human being would want other human beings who aren't doing anything to harm some one else to be treated equally.

 

[cvaldes]

Sorry, I went back and re-read the statement. I apologize.

But that example still does point out one of the reasons I try to avoid Walmart myself as I really think they are a good example of when a company becomes too succesful and is able to overcome the checks and balances of capitalism.

Apology accepted.

Discussing the world's largest bricks-and-mortar retailer can be a polarizing conversation (heck, it already is here), but I have little to add and am frankly doubtful that anything I write here would persuade anyone to act a particular way.

It is my wish that people who spend a large portion of their paycheck with a particular retailer learn more about where their money is going. Admittedly, many people don't really care, as long as they get their stuff cheap and fast.

 

[RalfTheDog]

Exactly how this a bad thing?

Sure, we like the personable service from these Mom and Pop stores, but Walmart certainly employs a lot more people than any Mom and Pop store out there. And the managers at Wal mart probably make a higher annual salary than a Mom and Pop store can provide. Secondly, the prices at Wall Mart are much cheaper than Mom and Pop stores. This allows people who don't make a lot of money to afford food and common household items.

Walmart likes to move in to a small town well out past the boondocks. They sell their products below cost until the local stores go under. Then they close up the shop and the locals need to drive 50 miles to the closest Walmart. They are known to make deals with small manufacturers. The deals look good at first, however do to fine print, Walmart quite often gets the products for free, running the manufacturers out of business.

Walmart is not efficient. They are just big. This lets them take money from one market, and use it to kill the competition in another one. I don't like shopping at Walmart because they rip off the communities they infect. I also don't like the way they limit our choices in what we can buy. I do not like the way they under staff their stores so it takes much longer to get out than other stores.

The only reason I go to Walmart is that they are open at 3:00 AM when I tend to finish up at the lab.

The few small dollars you can save at Walmart are not worth the cost.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Personally I have no prob. w/ Walmart except that its so far away from my house. But I was just there last week picking up some Pretzel M&Ms and Pina Colada Tic Tacs. Yum. I think its great they will be selling them. They had some great deals on the Touch over the holidays.

 

[Tones2]

I'm by NO MEANS an Apple fanboy - in fact I'm very critical of most things Apple.

I just HATE superstores of any kind, and not just Walmart - whatever that makes me. I don't want to buy my clothing, food, electronics, furnture, hardware, etc all in the same store, and crappy quality at that. Superstores are OK as long as they SPECIALIZE, like Best Buy. That's because you get better depth of selection and better quality at similar prices at specialty stores.

Tony

 

[Chupa Chupa]

I'm by NO MEANS an Apple fanboy - in fact I'm very critical of most things Apple.

I just HATE superstores of any kind, and not just Walmart - whatever that makes me. I don't want to buy my clothing, food, electronics, furnture, hardware, etc all in the same store, and crappy quality at that. Superstores are OK as long as they SPECIALIZE, like Best Buy. That's because you get better depth of selection and better quality at similar prices.

Tony

If you think you are getting a higher quality product at BestBuy you have fallen into something a lot more dangerous than Steve Job's reality distortion field. Wake up. It's the same junk, made in the same factories. The only difference is maybe the trim is different w/ a new SKU so they don't have to price match.

 

[smarch]

Your singular idea that profits are good neglects to realize just about everything I outlined about why Wal Mart is eventually destructive to the economy at large.

This is my least favorite kind of discussion, a vigorous debate with someone who doesn't even understand the premise that they are arguing against. Instead, I just get the rah rah Wal Mart is god of capitalism rhetoric.

A healthy economy requires that consumers have money to spend. Money to spend on goods and services from other people who are also looking to earn and spend money.

If there is money circulating in the economy, there is money to be earned. For there to be money in the economy, there needs to be good paying jobs.

If companies are starting to monopolize sectors of the economy in the manner that Wal Mart is, they are hurting the economy in the long run. Wal Mart takes money out of the economy by replacing good paying jobs with poor paying jobs. This eventually takes money out of communities, which is bad for the local economy.

If you don't understand that in order for an economy to function in a healthy manner, people need money to spend. If you can't understand that very simple concept than there is no point in even trying to explain why eventually people are going to look at Wal Mart as a company that ultimately harmed the economy, not helped it.

wow, I don't even know where to start. You treat "jobs" like some magical gift from Gaia that big companies are stealing from us. I love that liberals ignore the trajectories of individual minds and accomplishments, in favor of managing the collective. The problem with managing the collective is that it only accounts for what exists now. What makes this economy healthy, what creates that magical money flow you speak of, is entrepreneurship and resulting innovation that consequently makes society more efficient with the available resources, fulfilling the needs and wants of individuals ever more easily. You can construct any rational you want to treat everybody around you like babies, but the fact remains, a free market is fair, sustainable, and successful, while a managed economy is none of those. I don't care if you accuse me of being an Ayn Rand-spouting lunatic. All the accusations in the world can't change the facts.

 

[guru_ck]

It'll be priced $3.03 less than Apple retail

 

[Andronicus]

I'm by NO MEANS an Apple fanboy - in fact I'm very critical of most things Apple.

I just HATE superstores of any kind, and not just Walmart - whatever that makes me. I don't want to buy my clothing, food, electronics, furnture, hardware, etc all in the same store, and crappy quality at that. Superstores are OK as long as they SPECIALIZE, like Best Buy. That's because you get better depth of selection and better quality at similar prices at specialty stores.

Tony

Well I never even used the words "Apple Fanboy" so I dont know why you're bringing that up at I just find it odd what things people are "PROUD" of, really, you're proud of never being inside of walmart??? yah, the world salutes you. Also I never said you were an arrogant, snobby, douche bag, but if I had to bet money....oh and did you know the iPhone/iPods & eventually ipads they sell at walmart will have the EXACT same hardware as ones you will find at an Apple store?? Only difference? It will be a few bucks cheaper. So they whole lower quality argument sorta fails you there....

 

[Small White Car]

Nope it's not a joke. Walmart runs smaller mom and pop stores out of buisness. There was an issue the class action suit that a group of women filed for wages. And they are just way too big. And for a long time walmart was not gay friendly while other large companies like IBM,Time Warner,Apple were and even offered domestic partner benefits.

And your theory is that Target doesn't put local businesses under?

Ok, now you are messing with me.