Only because Stihl was brought up in the topic. Do they sell TRW parts, Honda equipment, Milwaukee, Yamaha receivers, Abel fly fishing equipment, or thousands of others?
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Is Wal-Mart good for America?
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AgaBoogaBoo
Lifer
:laugh:
AccruedExpenditure
Diamond Member
So Satan is shareholder #1?
GTFOOH
AccruedExpenditure
Diamond Member
Uh, no... Walmart wouldn't buy Loews or Home Depot... That just isn't how Wal*Mart Operates...
Wal*mart is responsible for keeping prices low thoroughout the consumer inflation... I read in an academic thesis for econ that prices for basic consumer goods would be 10 to 15 percent higher over the last decade if it wasn't for war*marts ubiquitous market pressure...
Try that on for size you fvcking socialists... Get over it, Wal*Mart is great, if you don't think so, go buy stuff from crate and barrel.
BurnItDwn
Lifer
In the short run, Walmart is good for most Americans. We get stuff cheap.
In the long run, Walmart has already caused many Americans to loose jobs and will continue to do so if they maintain their current buisness practices.
(companies selling things at less then cost go out of buisness. American companies often can no longer even break even manufacturing products to sell at Walmart. These companies stay afloat by massive job cuts, and outsourcing. Some have lowered the wages of their work forces and many have enacted pay freezes.) If the average American worker is getting laid off, or taking a pay cut, or no longer receiving pay increases, then that is definatly bad for America.
The middle class will continue to dwindle away to a shattered fragment of what it once was. The wealthy will continue to make their money work for them. They will continue to get wealthier. The divide in income between blue collar Joe American and Big time investors will continue to grow.
Unfortunatly, it's already starting to get to that point i'm afraid.
Look at the number of manufacturing jobs in the country now vs 10 years ago.
Look at inflation vs median wage over the last 10 years.
Look at the amount of hours people are working in order to afford things. Compare that to 10 years ago.
You will see that there are less jobs, we are in stagflation, people are devoting more of their lives to their employers then ever before.
I think it would be a good idea for the fed to step in and break apart Walmart. They may not be a monopoly on the national level, but they do have a monopoly in many regions/towns.
I'll take an extra 1% inflation per year rather then the slow collpase of our national economy.
EDIT: I really really really really really really really really really Hope I'm wrong. I perhaps am just a pessimist and am seeing only the worst of things rather then the best of things.
In the long run, Walmart has already caused many Americans to loose jobs and will continue to do so if they maintain their current buisness practices.
(companies selling things at less then cost go out of buisness. American companies often can no longer even break even manufacturing products to sell at Walmart. These companies stay afloat by massive job cuts, and outsourcing. Some have lowered the wages of their work forces and many have enacted pay freezes.) If the average American worker is getting laid off, or taking a pay cut, or no longer receiving pay increases, then that is definatly bad for America.
The middle class will continue to dwindle away to a shattered fragment of what it once was. The wealthy will continue to make their money work for them. They will continue to get wealthier. The divide in income between blue collar Joe American and Big time investors will continue to grow.
Unfortunatly, it's already starting to get to that point i'm afraid.
Look at the number of manufacturing jobs in the country now vs 10 years ago.
Look at inflation vs median wage over the last 10 years.
Look at the amount of hours people are working in order to afford things. Compare that to 10 years ago.
You will see that there are less jobs, we are in stagflation, people are devoting more of their lives to their employers then ever before.
I think it would be a good idea for the fed to step in and break apart Walmart. They may not be a monopoly on the national level, but they do have a monopoly in many regions/towns.
I'll take an extra 1% inflation per year rather then the slow collpase of our national economy.
EDIT: I really really really really really really really really really Hope I'm wrong. I perhaps am just a pessimist and am seeing only the worst of things rather then the best of things.
The world is in shambles in the buisness world. Think walmart is bad? Look at Japan, their whole country is riddled with debt.
The only way we can be at peace with ourselves and each other is to quit wanting material goods.
Look at the Middle East, as long as they have food/water/clothing they are fine. They don't need half the things at walmart to satisfy their lives.
The only way we can be at peace with ourselves and each other is to quit wanting material goods.
Look at the Middle East, as long as they have food/water/clothing they are fine. They don't need half the things at walmart to satisfy their lives.
yes it is. you guys always forget this part: Walmart'sinternational segment consists of retail operations in eight countries and Puerto Rico, and generated 19.7% of Wal-Mart's fiscal 2005 sales. This is the fastest growing segment, and in time will account for most of their sales.
This is a complicated subject with no clear yes or no for america. A discussion for another time is why people need such generalized and potentially ambiguous anserws to questions like "Is this good?". Well define "good" please. A better question would be "will walmart's business increase or decrease the value of the US dollar?", for example. The problem isnt wal-mart, the problem is people asking oversimplified questions and going on emotions rather than cope with real details to identify and solve problems. I bet a factor in why the levees broke was because someone in power asked "is the levee good?" versus "can the levee sustain a category 5 hurricane?". But like I said, that's a topic for another time. I just want people to be rational.
A couple points on wal-mart, based on comments i'm hearing.
Walmart is the market leader for departments stores, but they are not a monopoly. They control something like 12-20% market share for their segment (in the USA). Contrast to companies like Intel or Microsoft, that are legitimate monopolies, but obviously in a different industry. As far as retail goes, Walmart can get a LOT bigger before we have to worry about monopolistic practices (raising prices). My point is we're not there yet, so let's not complain about it like we're even close.
It is true that manufactures close because they can't get cheap enough for walmart. To me, this isn't a bad thing. So what if people lose their job. This is america, go find a new job. I am more concerned about companies that can charge based on what they can get and not on what their costs are. Walmart squezzes the margins on manufacturers so the inefficient ones die out and we, the consumers benefit. Now, I am concerned about walmarts margins and where they're profit goes since, in a perfect world, there would be 10 equal competitors to walmart to squeeze them. My point, in general US companies aren't squeezed by market forces and they get to fsck over the consumer as much as they can get away with. To me, that's the real problem.
China is a big problem in general for the US. Globalization is the next big thingin business and unless we pull some miracle change in the country, I see us twlighting to china this century. Our values are all screwed up and we are not poised to continue to be a super-power as technology-levels equal out around the globe. Not sure how this ties into walmart, but one thing is for sure: it's complicated.
In general, balance is best in all things. Concern yourself with the long run and not the short run hot-button issues of "they took my job!" Keep an eye on walmart, but it's hard to say if they are "good" or "bad" for the usa. It is impossible to know.
A couple points on wal-mart, based on comments i'm hearing.
Walmart is the market leader for departments stores, but they are not a monopoly. They control something like 12-20% market share for their segment (in the USA). Contrast to companies like Intel or Microsoft, that are legitimate monopolies, but obviously in a different industry. As far as retail goes, Walmart can get a LOT bigger before we have to worry about monopolistic practices (raising prices). My point is we're not there yet, so let's not complain about it like we're even close.
It is true that manufactures close because they can't get cheap enough for walmart. To me, this isn't a bad thing. So what if people lose their job. This is america, go find a new job. I am more concerned about companies that can charge based on what they can get and not on what their costs are. Walmart squezzes the margins on manufacturers so the inefficient ones die out and we, the consumers benefit. Now, I am concerned about walmarts margins and where they're profit goes since, in a perfect world, there would be 10 equal competitors to walmart to squeeze them. My point, in general US companies aren't squeezed by market forces and they get to fsck over the consumer as much as they can get away with. To me, that's the real problem.
China is a big problem in general for the US. Globalization is the next big thingin business and unless we pull some miracle change in the country, I see us twlighting to china this century. Our values are all screwed up and we are not poised to continue to be a super-power as technology-levels equal out around the globe. Not sure how this ties into walmart, but one thing is for sure: it's complicated.
In general, balance is best in all things. Concern yourself with the long run and not the short run hot-button issues of "they took my job!" Keep an eye on walmart, but it's hard to say if they are "good" or "bad" for the usa. It is impossible to know.
I don't like Wal-Mart, but in the end it is the consumer's fault. The average American is stupid and lazy. They rarely think very far into the future and will take a short-term gain even if it means a larger long-term loss.
Wal-Mart is merely taking advantage of these stupid people.
Wal-Mart is merely taking advantage of these stupid people.
DragonMasterAlex
Banned
Wal-Mart deals in HUGE volume, far beyond what anyone else does. It only makes sense that they should get huge discounts. Anyone who's actually shopped at a Wal Mart knows, too, that WM DOES pass those savings on to the consumers. I have a close friend who's a teacher, and every year she buys packs of crayons, pens, paper, notebooks and other stuff in bulk at Wal Mart because the schools don't always provide adequate funding, particularly for those kids with f*ckups for parents. Every year she tells me she wouldn't know what to do without Wal Mart, because she wouldn't be able to afford to provide for those needy kids without WM's prices.
Wal Mart does a LOT of good for a LOT of people who otherwise wouldn't be able to afford much of anything. Are they unilaterally good across the board? Of course not, no one and nothing is unilaterally good. Everything has a downside. In spite of the naysayers, the whiners, the anti-corporate buffoons who'd prefer to see people shackled by outrageous regulation than be free to build a successful business as big as Wal Mart, the fact--FACT--is that WM does do a LOT of good. Anyone who says otherwise is just plain dishonest.
Jason
DarkKnight69
Golden Member
I have now read through this entire thread and have come to realize that none of you have or do work at Wal-Mart. A few things clarified:
1. At least in canada, working conditions are not bad. I get more breaks then legislated, i get fair market wage, and I get a full benefits package. I am not sure where the bad part comes in.
2. Wal-Mart does not take profit on every item they sell, in fact, most of the food products they take losses on. Why do they stock them?? So if you are on your way home and decide to get a gallon of milk, you might be tempted to buy that t-shirt too.
3. Wal-mart sells many brand names for good prices and have decent warranty. I bought a samsung wide screen HDTV and it was cheaper then best buy by $50.00 and it features a 1 year warranty in which i bring it back, place it on the counter and I get a new one...30 days at best buy?? Bull
4. Walmart is designed for the lower-middle class shoppers who cannot afford to spend more than 5 bucks on a t-shirt. It allows people who do not make enough money to have some decent quality stuff without breaking the bank!!
If you are interested in the other side of the story, read this article here http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/busin...cle.jsp?content=20050725_109503_109503.
As well, it says something when the UFWC union has been trying to get into walmart stores in canada for years...They have only succeeded in getting into one store and that was without a vote or support from the employees. Every vote we have had has been cut down brutally!
1. At least in canada, working conditions are not bad. I get more breaks then legislated, i get fair market wage, and I get a full benefits package. I am not sure where the bad part comes in.
2. Wal-Mart does not take profit on every item they sell, in fact, most of the food products they take losses on. Why do they stock them?? So if you are on your way home and decide to get a gallon of milk, you might be tempted to buy that t-shirt too.
3. Wal-mart sells many brand names for good prices and have decent warranty. I bought a samsung wide screen HDTV and it was cheaper then best buy by $50.00 and it features a 1 year warranty in which i bring it back, place it on the counter and I get a new one...30 days at best buy?? Bull
4. Walmart is designed for the lower-middle class shoppers who cannot afford to spend more than 5 bucks on a t-shirt. It allows people who do not make enough money to have some decent quality stuff without breaking the bank!!
If you are interested in the other side of the story, read this article here http://www.macleans.ca/topstories/busin...cle.jsp?content=20050725_109503_109503.
As well, it says something when the UFWC union has been trying to get into walmart stores in canada for years...They have only succeeded in getting into one store and that was without a vote or support from the employees. Every vote we have had has been cut down brutally!
AnonymouseUser
Diamond Member
Those f*ckups likely work for WalMart and thus can't afford to buy their kids the supplies they need. On top of that, if not for the local and state governments having to pickup the healthcare tab for the majority of WalMart's employees, they would likely have more funding to cover those costs.
WalMart = Lose/Lose
AnonymouseUser
Diamond Member
AnonymouseUser
Diamond Member
AnonymouseUser
Diamond Member
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