Something's wrong with Walmart

[lxskllr]

i wouldnt exactly classify investing in companies to receive dividends and potential capital gains over long periods of time as gambling, but yeah there is inherent risk. it can be minimized by buying funds which contains essentially the entire market.

do you just use government savings instruments like bonds? or just save cash or invest in real estate?

My problem is it's highly abstracted, with made up rules to extend the concept. The way I see an "investment" is someone who makes widgets approaches me for some money. They could make better widgets if they got machines with tighter tolerances, but they don't have the money to buy them, and banks aren't interested in a loan. I really dig his widgets, and believe in the company, so I give him some money in exchange for a portion of future profit. I want to see the /company/ succeed, because I believe in them. A stronger company means better widgets, and more money for me.

The way it works now is you gamble on a company one way or the other, with what they do, and how they do it being irrelevant as long as you get paid. Many times that creates a weaker company, a weaker society, and worse widgets.

My investments are few. Only a 401k, and some bonds. If I had more money to play with, I'd look into investing in private companies. Their name still means something, and they'll do what it takes to protect it. Probably not as much money to be made, but it's a purer form of investment. I would say land, but I despise development, and you don't make money in land unless you develop. I'd either be a sellout, or have a cache of land sitting around doing nothing. There's not much money in renting to farmers :^D

 

[WelshBloke]

Have you even been to a Walmart? They aren't all the same. Like I said, ours is clean and well stocked. we go there once a month or less, to stock up on most household items. Same brands as sold elsewhere, for less money, sometimes as much as half price. How is that unpleasant?

You did read the first line of the post you quoted didn't you?

The supermarket I go to most is great it costs a bit more but the staff are really helpful. You can also get a little scanner gun if you want and you just scan the stuff yourself as you put it into the trolley. When you finish you just scan a code on a desk at the exit and pay with your card, no queueing at all. Indeed no checkout really.

Mostly I can buy from the local producers though which is both cheaper and better but thats a different issue.

 

[brianmanahan]

I would say land, but I despise development, and you don't make money in land unless you develop. I'd either be a sellout, or have a cache of land sitting around doing nothing. There's not much money in renting to farmers :^D

eventually i want to get enough money to afford 50-100 acres with farmland and some woods, just because i like it. farmland does pay a whole lot but you can usually get enough rent per year to make the mortgage payments and part of the taxes. and then you can prevent houses from getting built all around you!

 

[desura]

You did read the first line of the post you quoted didn't you?

The supermarket I go to most is great it costs a bit more but the staff are really helpful. You can also get a little scanner gun if you want and you just scan the stuff yourself as you put it into the trolley. When you finish you just scan a code on a desk at the exit and pay with your card, no queueing at all. Indeed no checkout really.

Mostly I can buy from the local producers though which is both cheaper and better but thats a different issue.

Eh, there are other costs to going to walmart that you don't quite realize. like, they might be further away, requiring you to burn more gas to reach them, the store is larger and so you might actually end up spending more, you spend more time in there because the store is bigger and so you lose 30 minutes more compared to going somewhere else, etc.

I think what Costco realized is that having a happy staff is worth the investment rather than having inventory rot on shelves. In a way, having good service enables you to invest in volume and offer low prices.

 

[ponyo]

Eh, there are other costs to going to walmart that you don't quite realize. like, they might be further away, requiring you to burn more gas to reach them, the store is larger and so you might actually end up spending more, you spend more time in there because the store is bigger and so you lose 30 minutes more compared to going somewhere else, etc.

I think what Costco realized is that having a happy staff is worth the investment rather than having inventory rot on shelves. In a way, having good service enables you to invest in volume and offer low prices.

When I think of great customer service and happy employees at a retail/restaurant establishment, I think of Trader Joe's and Chick-fil-A. Both have outstanding customer service and employees seem too happy. Both are private firms so maybe that's the key.

 

[desura]

When I think of great customer service and happy employees at a retail/restaurant establishment, I think of Trader Joe's and Chick-fil-A. Both have outstanding customer service and employees seem too happy. Both are private firms so maybe that's the key.

I actually think it's the culture. Chick-Fil-A was founded by a Christian Southern-Baptist man I believe, and Christian values are basically community beneficient values.

Trader Joes is actually owned by Aldi, which is a German company. The Germans seem to be more labor-friendly as a culture.

 

[Staples]

You do realize that Walmart's main demographic is poor people.

I realized this when I was like 7, that there was a huge difference in the clientele of Target and Walmart.

 

[brianmanahan]

what is the clientele of staples?

 

[lxskllr]

what is the clientele of staples?

Teachers and secretaries.

 

[Staples]

what is the clientele of staples?

I've only been in there twice to buy pens. Seemed pretty empty both times.

 

[WilliamM2]

You did read the first line of the post you quoted didn't you?

Of course I did. That's why I wondered how you could have the idea that Walmart is unpleasant to shop at. You've never been to one.