Wal Mart Usually Scummy Corp. Does 1 Thing Right by Turning on Christian Fascists

[Ron Burgundy]

Capitalism is not necessarily perfect competition but perfect competition is capitalism.

NOW the thread is ended.

 

[steelrzgirl]

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation came out in 1989 and the scene when Chevy Chase rides that disc down the hill and into Wal-Mart was the first time I'd ever seen one.

Same here. In Tucson, we had Kmart and Yellow Front and some other kind of department store.

I had never really been to a Walmart until I moved to Bakersfield, CA in 92 or 91. There are little Walmarts here that are grocery stores only. Im sorry, I just dont hate them and I dont hate my grocery bill.

 

[oneforthebus]

Perfect competition. It's not supposed to be difficult to impossible for small business to compete but it is, especially in retail. I had a friend that opened a Sony shop 15-20 years ago, I didn't tell him what I thought then, but it's no longer in business.

We do agree monopolies are bad, right? Walmart's not quite a monopoly, but "monopoly" answers a few of your questions. And surely you're not comparing a mom and pop opening a third store to Walmart opening it's 5,003rd store?

Walmart doesn't have anything close to a monopoly. It competes with Target, Costco, dozens of grocery store and pharmacy chains, etc, etc. No, a mom and pop grocery can't compete with Walmart. I can't bake cookies in my kitchen and compete with Nabisco. I have to find my own niche and target my marketing elsewhere in order to be successful. (Mrs. Fields anyone?)

There's a mom and pop grocery store near me that went all chi chi with gourmet local cheeses and meats and homemade baked goods. It's not likely to ever put Walmart out of business, but it's successful. What's the problem with Walmart being successful in one arena (being the cheapest) and other businesses having to find other paths to success? That is exactly where innovation comes from.

What is your proposed solution? What exactly makes a business too big, too successful, what's the criteria and who gets to decide?

Once again I'll see if there's any chance of you actually answering that question

 

[Troglodyte]

Walmart doesn't have anything close to a monopoly. It competes with Target, Costco, dozens of grocery store and pharmacy chains, etc, etc. No, a mom and pop grocery can't compete with Walmart. I can't bake cookies in my kitchen and compete with Nabisco. I have to find my own niche and target my marketing elsewhere in order to be successful. (Mrs. Fields anyone?)

There's a mom and pop grocery store near me that went all chi chi with gourmet local cheeses and meats and homemade baked goods. It's not likely to ever put Walmart out of business, but it's successful. What's the problem with Walmart being successful in one arena (being the cheapest) and other businesses having to find other paths to success? That is exactly where innovation comes from.

What is your proposed solution? What exactly makes a business too big, too successful, what's the criteria and who gets to decide?

I never said I have a solution, just that society was better off before Walmart had a store in every 5 mile radius, and just because it happened naturally via capitalism doesn't mean it was for the best. People seem to have a real problem with that.

But Consumers are as much of the problem as Walmart is. They may still patronize the stores they did before Walmart moved in, but not enough to keep them in business. They buy their meat and produce at mom and pops and everything else at Walmart. By the time they realize what they have done, they're forced to buy Walmart steaks for dinner.

I know, I know... They should innovate but that often takes capital investment which is hard to do when you've been operating at a loss.

 

[Tim Steelersfan]

I never said I have a solution, just that society was better off before Walmart had a store in every 5 mile radius

Please, do justify that statement. And when you do, make sure you lump in JC Penney, Sears, KMart, Home Depot, Lowes, Bed Bath and Beyond and the rest please.

Make sure your response includes a justification as to why, before the big box stores and retailers, consumers were better off paying higher prices with lower selection.

Once again, I eagerly await your reply.

 

[Booted]

But Consumers are as much of the problem as Walmart is..

They should be given a list of approved stores to spend their money. Or maybe a spending limit for each store. That way every store gets a piece of the action.

 

[oneforthebus]

I never said I have a solution, just that society was better off before Walmart had a store in every 5 mile radius, and just because it happened naturally via capitalism doesn't mean it was for the best. People seem to have a real problem with that.

But Consumers are as much of the problem as Walmart is. They may still patronize the stores they did before Walmart moved in, but not enough to keep them in business. They buy their meat and produce at mom and pops and everything else at Walmart. By the time they realize what they have done, they're forced to buy Walmart steaks for dinner.

I know, I know... They should innovate but that often takes capital investment which is hard to do when you've been operating at a loss.

I don't know anybody who's forced to buy anything at Walmart. Maybe in some very remote location where nothing else exists, but it's not the norm. For the most part people shop at Walmart because it's the cheapest place, and that is what's most important to them. If your priority is higher quality goods, or keeping mom and pops in business, or you just hate making someone else rich even if it saves you money, that's your prerogative. In a free society you don't get to impose your priorities, what you personally think should motivate purchasing choices, on everybody else.

There's a market for Walmart, there's a market for higher quality goods and services, there's a market for unique local businesses, for those with enough intelligence and determination to tap into it. There is plenty of opportunity for all, there just isn't any guarantee of success for any. Progress will always continue, those who cannot adapt do not survive.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

There's a market for Walmart, there's a market for higher quality goods and services, there's a market for unique local businesses, for those with enough intelligence and determination to tap into it. There is plenty of opportunity for all, there just isn't any guarantee of success for any. Progress will always continue, those who cannot adapt do not survive.

I get my coffee at a small local shop that roasts the beans right there. Awesome stuff. I get my underwear at K-Mart.

 

[IndySteel]

Aside from a few specialty food stores like our local butcher, I buy most of my stuff from Amazon and others on the internet. My wife gets our bulk items from Costco. There's no locally owned place here that sells that stuff. Someday in the near future there will barely be any brick and mortar stores left. There's already a ton of empty storefronts all over. It would make me happy if I live to see the day where Walmart goes out of business because of the internet. Although, most people who shop there probably don't know what the hell a computer is. **** you, Walmart.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Aside from a few specialty food stores like our local butcher, I buy most of my stuff from Amazon and others on the internet. My wife gets our bulk items from Costco. There's no locally owned place here that sells that stuff. Someday in the near future there will barely be any brick and mortar stores left. There's already a ton of empty storefronts all over. It would make me happy if I live to see the day where Walmart goes out of business because of the internet. Although, most people who shop there probably don't know what the hell a computer is. **** you, Walmart.

You could fling a bowling ball down the middle of the shopping mall near me in the middle of the afternoon and not hit a soul. I don't know how the joint stays open.

 

[Tim Steelersfan]

You could fling a bowling ball down the middle of the shopping mall near me in the middle of the afternoon and not hit a soul. I don't know how the joint stays open.

It's being subsidized by ours then. You can't go to the Walmart near us here in MD at midnight or 6AM and not nearly be run over in the parking lot, in the aisles and at the registers. I hate (HATE) going there with a passion.

It looks like this all the time.

 

[oneforthebus]

Both Walmarts near me are empty a lot of the time but the Wegman's and Costco are packed at all times. If I have to grab one or two things quickly I usually go to Walmart for that reason. I won't go near Wegman's on a weekend or near a holiday, you can't even move through the aisles.

As far as malls I live near two massive ones, King of Prussia and Christiana in Delaware that are always crowded. 2 much smaller ones nearby are mostly empty.

 

[Tim Steelersfan]

Both Walmarts near me are empty a lot of the time but the Wegman's and Costco are packed at all times. If I have to grab one or two things quickly I usually go to Walmart for that reason. I won't go near Wegman's on a weekend or near a holiday, you can't even move through the aisles.

As far as malls I live near two massive ones, King of Prussia and Christiana in Delaware that are always crowded. 2 much smaller ones nearby are mostly empty.

Yeah, Wegmans here near us is just like yours. I love going to a Wegmans for the "experience" and the food, etc. The crowds keep me away though.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

It's being subsidized by ours then. You can't go to the Walmart near us here in MD at midnight or 6AM and not nearly be run over in the parking lot, in the aisles and at the registers. I hate (HATE) going there with a passion.

I didn't say Wal-Mart, I said the mall as in old-school shopping mall. Everyone is at Wal-Mart.

 

[Tim Steelersfan]

I didn't say Wal-Mart, I said the mall as in old-school shopping mall. Everyone is at Wal-Mart.

Whoops, I feel like Trog now Apologies.