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Giving Wal-Mart the Finger...

DrMoab said:
I heard an interesting point of view on Wal-Mart the other day.

Basically it goes like this...Every Generation has to have some institution to pick on...This generation its Wal-Mart. Next Generation will most likely be Google. Last Generation it was Sears, Montgomery Ward, and so on.

It kills me that most people on this site (or at least it seems this way) are generally proud Americans who believe in this country and what it was founded on.

Wal-Mart is what they are BECAUSE of American values. If you don't like it then you don't believe in Capitalism and the American way....Sorry.

I shop at Wal-Mart. I buy the things that I can get anywhere else but they have cheaper. I don't buy their clothes. I don't buy electronics. I don't buy anything there that looks cheap...as in not made well.

But when I need a can of paint, sandpaper, or tools I do not shop at Wal-Mart. Nor do I shop at Home Depot usually. I go down to my local True Value store...The reason? Because I like walking in and knowing where I need to go to find what I want. Even though its not even a 1/4 the size of Home Depot I can find almost everything they sell and usually its close to the same price.

I just wonder how many of you who have posted on this thread about how much you hate Wal-Mart and what they stand for are only doing it to jump on the latest popular bandwagon...and then leave to go buy your Nylint wheeler from Wal-Mart.

I agree to some extent. Wal-Mart got big for doing one thing VERY well, finding what people need/want and having it in stock 99% of the time. If the mom & pop stores had done this in the first place there wouldn't have been any room for WM to get as large as they did, but they filled a huge void.

The good I see of it is that now the little stores have to keep stocked up on what sells in order to stay in business, very good for them and the customer- they just got away without doing it before. I think WM's power will fade, they cater to the cheap-shopper these days, and they get more bad press than a crooked rebublican which can't help. Do I shop there? Not often, I'm a lot more likely to shop at Target but I prefer to stay out of such stores altogether.
 
DrMoab said:
I heard an interesting point of view on Wal-Mart the other day.

Basically it goes like this...Every Generation has to have some institution to pick on...This generation its Wal-Mart. Next Generation will most likely be Google. Last Generation it was Sears, Montgomery Ward, and so on.

It kills me that most people on this site (or at least it seems this way) are generally proud Americans who believe in this country and what it was founded on.

Wal-Mart is what they are BECAUSE of American values. If you don't like it then you don't believe in Capitalism and the American way....Sorry.

I shop at Wal-Mart. I buy the things that I can get anywhere else but they have cheaper. I don't buy their clothes. I don't buy electronics. I don't buy anything there that looks cheap...as in not made well.

But when I need a can of paint, sandpaper, or tools I do not shop at Wal-Mart. Nor do I shop at Home Depot usually. I go down to my local True Value store...The reason? Because I like walking in and knowing where I need to go to find what I want. Even though its not even a 1/4 the size of Home Depot I can find almost everything they sell and usually its close to the same price.

I just wonder how many of you who have posted on this thread about how much you hate Wal-Mart and what they stand for are only doing it to jump on the latest popular bandwagon...and then leave to go buy your Nylint wheeler from Wal-Mart.

Well said Moab, there's some things I'll buy at Wal-Mart (sandpaper, spray primer, pants, magazines on occasion, etc...) and other things I refuse to (music CD's for example.) Now I have recently bought american made products there recently, cheap flexable cutting boards and which appear to be made here in Illinois, and a really cheap (less than a $1.00!) plastic dust pan that is about the only plastic dustpan that is actually flat to the ground when you go to sweep things up! As for the illegal thing, the Toy's "R" Us and Jewel/Osco I used to work for always did in the 8-9 years I worked for both companies combined, so don't dump all that on Wally-World here, htere's lots of dirty hands on that one!
 
DrMoab said:
I shop at Wal-Mart. I buy the things that I can get anywhere else but they have cheaper. I don't buy their clothes. I don't buy electronics. I don't buy anything there that looks cheap...as in not made well.

But when I need a can of paint, sandpaper, or tools I do not shop at Wal-Mart.

So then what do you buy there?? :dunno:

I remember when the first wal-mart moved into my area, all their commercials were about how most of their stuff was made in the USA, buy American, yada yada yada. Now I think they are getting close to rivaling the US as the #1 importer of goods from China (not really, but they are up there on the list).

My father in-law sells memory products to large companies. He was offered the Wal-Mart account but promptly turned it down as he saw how they treated the other guy and dictated business.
 
Bradlybob said:
1-The stores around here have become so white trash and section 8 that I hate going into the place. If I see another kid sitting in the cart wearing crappy dirty clothes, unbathed and being told to shut up while his "mommy" Shenequatina, yacks away on her $400 cell phone to her nail lady because one her 2 inch ghetto daggers that she just paid $100 for fell off while she was gettin her man his 40 oz, I'm gonna scream and cry like a baby.

:roflmao:.....but true.
 
DrMoab said:
I heard an interesting point of view on Wal-Mart the other day.

Basically it goes like this...Every Generation has to have some institution to pick on...This generation its Wal-Mart. Next Generation will most likely be Google. Last Generation it was Sears, Montgomery Ward, and so on.

It kills me that most people on this site (or at least it seems this way) are generally proud Americans who believe in this country and what it was founded on.

Wal-Mart is what they are BECAUSE of American values. If you don't like it then you don't believe in Capitalism and the American way....Sorry.

I shop at Wal-Mart. I buy the things that I can get anywhere else but they have cheaper. I don't buy their clothes. I don't buy electronics. I don't buy anything there that looks cheap...as in not made well.

But when I need a can of paint, sandpaper, or tools I do not shop at Wal-Mart. Nor do I shop at Home Depot usually. I go down to my local True Value store...The reason? Because I like walking in and knowing where I need to go to find what I want. Even though its not even a 1/4 the size of Home Depot I can find almost everything they sell and usually its close to the same price.

I just wonder how many of you who have posted on this thread about how much you hate Wal-Mart and what they stand for are only doing it to jump on the latest popular bandwagon...and then leave to go buy your Nylint wheeler from Wal-Mart.

It's not so much that every generation picks something at random to complain about. It's just that no generation will exist without something to complain about. A history of complaining does not negate the validity of the complaints filed. WalMart does suck. So did Sears and K-Mart as well. I won't list all of my WalMart complaints. It would take too long. I can say that they fall into two categories. First is my point above: dwindling selection. There's no real point in going into the store in most cases cause they're not going to carry what I want. Second is customer service. The first category leaves me shaking my head every time I do go into a WalMart. The second just burns my butt. I can't walk into a WalMart without one "associate" or another pissin' me off royally.

As for Capitalism and the American Way...I'd have to start a new thread. Let me just say this: If WalMart is the example of the American Way then Osama can just come on over and blow us all to hell, because I'd rather that than hold up WalMart as the example of the American Way. South Park (once again) hit the nail on the head with their rendition of the WalMart syndrome.
 
I fawking LOVE Wal Mart!
Anytime I start feeling like I'm not so good looking anymore, or that I have too many teeth, or that I smell too good, I just go to Wal Mart and I leave, feeling like a new man.
 
I buy exactly one thing at Wal-Mart: shotgun ammo. They've got both Remington and Winchester 12-gauge for about 40% less than it costs to buy it locally, and they're on a direct line between the range and my house.

Other than that, I don't really care for the place at all and think that 99% of what they sell is shoddy, substandard crap. Having said that, it's always entertaining to walk in there and look at the other shoppers as a cautionary example of how life could turn out.
 
casm said:
........ it's always entertaining to walk in there and look at the other shoppers as a cautionary example of how life could turn out.
Yeah, it looks like a cross between an episode of Cops and an episode of Golden Girls. :wierd:
 
I did my time, just under 2 years as an associate. I can tell you why someone working there seems to always piss you off...they aren't trained. You ask them info about a product, all they can do is read the box. Given no more info than the consumer. You ask where something is..how should they know? My second night I was given the keys to sporting goods and left alone. I was shown how to run the register, and watched the videos about safety and the "evils" of unions. That was my training. If someone wanted to know where something was, I had to look for it with the customer unless I had been asked where it was earlier and had been lucky enough to find it then. NO TRAINING WHATSOEVER. Within a year I was covering 8 high traffic departments for 6 hours straight alone. And then to top it off, there are always plenty of customers that expect you to have all the answers, and are more than willing to take it out on you if you don't. Add that to a job that is designed to make you feel inferior/unimportant in managements eyes, managers that have thier heads up thier arses, and a low pay rate, and then wonder why the customer service sucks. I have been on the inside. Never again. I would do anything over that hellhole. I could go on for hours.....
 
Well, I don't know about you guys, but, as usual, we got it good in Texas. Read on ...


After a protracted and failed battle with North Dallas zoning commissioners a new Wal-Mart that sells women has just opened in Frisco, TX, where a man may go to purchase a woman. Among the instructions at the department entrance, is a description of how the process works.

There are 6 floors to choose from. The attributes of the women increase as the shopper enters a higher floor. There is, however, a catch ... as you open the door to any floor you may choose any woman from that floor, but if you go up a floor, you cannot go back down except to exit the building.

So, after waiting a few weeks until the mad rush at the new location subsides, a typical man goes into the Wal-Mart to find a wife, one-night stand, hoochie momma, mother figure, biker chick, girl next door, love slave, beer wench, maid and cook, he's not really sure. But he's ready to begin evaluating his options.

On the first floor the sign on the door reads:

Floor 1 - These women have jobs, take home more than $85K a year with full benefits and tuition reimbursement. Very nice, he thinks, but of course, man does not live by credit card alone.

The second floor sign reads:

Floor 2 - These women have great jobs and love classic cars and classic rock. “Now we're getting some where,” he murmurs, “a woman that makes money and has her spending priorities in line with mine. Good taste in music, too? Excellent, but heck, why stop here, the instructions say it gets better with each higher floor and this woman only costs $4500. I ain't stoppin' here!”

The third floor sign reads:

Floor 3 - These women have great jobs, like to rock, and are extremely good looking. "I can see it now," he thinks to himself, "this smoking hot babe sittin' next to me in that '67 GT 350. She gets out to check the engine when we stop for gas, sportin' those Daisy Duke cut offs! Wal-Mart ROCKS! I wonder what’s on the next floor?"

The fourth floor sign reads:

Floor 4 - These women have great jobs, love kids or can do without them, are
drop-dead good looking and love doing housework.

"Well, this whole kid thing is very nice. I am a little worried about who's going to do the lawn when I'm too old and tired. Maybe I do need to get some help around the place before it all goes to pot."

Not ready to commit, he goes to the fifth floor and sign reads:

Floor 5 - These women have great jobs, are kid friendly, are drop-dead gorgeous, have their own toolbelt, and strongly believe they were put in this earth to satisfy a man's sexual appetite.

Now, in today's world that's undeniably a great package, difficult to find at any price. “This package seems to have it all,” he says in a calm voice. “Kids or no kids, the house and lawn are good and I swear this whole love slave thing is a must.” Obviously, this man isn't unreasonable, and apparently the price is affordable. He is tempted to enter, but curiosity gets the best of him once again and he off to the sixth floor, where the sign reads:

Floor 6 - You are visitor 3,456,012 to this floor and we have only been open for 6 weeks. Demand for the perfect woman has been tremendous; however, we have scoured the world over and can find no suppliers of a better woman than what you have already rejected.

But, in keeping with Wal-Mart's customer-centric, low-price leader business model, please complete this form detailing what kind of woman you want. As impressive as these women are to most men, we understand that these existing versions we have in stock now, although intelligent enough to excel in various career fields and earn almost as much as their male counterparts, are yet incapable of comprehending touchbacks, infield fly rules and the new two-line pass. We understand that without the potential to understand sporting games in fine detail, any woman is inherently flawed, prohibiting life-long use.

Now, with the data you provide, Wal-Mart will now have the power to renegotiate its contract with God to provide the best possible woman at the best price. She may be assembled in China from parts sourced in various third-world countries, but she will be the best woman at the cheapest price. You have our word on that.

Thank you for shopping for a woman at Wal-Mart.
 
XJ Dreamin' said:
As for Capitalism and the American Way...I'd have to start a new thread. Let me just say this: If WalMart is the example of the American Way then Osama can just come on over and blow us all to hell, because I'd rather that than hold up WalMart as the example of the American Way. South Park (once again) hit the nail on the head with their rendition of the WalMart syndrome.
I didn't exactly say that Wal-Mart is the American way. More to the fact that it got the way it did from Capitalism.

I hate to hurt all the feelings of you types who want to turn America into a "Share the wealth" Country but America has never been about that.

One day I would like to start my own business and I hate the thought that I couldn't get ahead because I might have something better then the "other guy" but because that isn't fair to him, I am not allowed to get ahead either.

I actually agree with you that the way Wal-Mart works things isn't really right however the thing to remember is....They got the way they are because AMERICANS SHOP THERE! If that isn't the basis of what is the American Way I don't know what is.
 
DrMoab said:
I didn't exactly say that Wal-Mart is the American way. More to the fact that it got the way it did from Capitalism.

I hate to hurt all the feelings of you types who want to turn America into a "Share the wealth" Country but America has never been about that.

One day I would like to start my own business and I hate the thought that I couldn't get ahead because I might have something better then the "other guy" but because that isn't fair to him, I am not allowed to get ahead either.

I actually agree with you that the way Wal-Mart works things isn't really right however the thing to remember is....They got the way they are because AMERICANS SHOP THERE! If that isn't the basis of what is the American Way I don't know what is.

:worship:
 
My Snapper rear tine tiller needs a new engine I think, and it's only 18 years old. Could have done better at keeping it out of the rain I suppose.

Got a Yard Man or WTF ever mower from WalMart though. 6 HP big wheel push style for like $199.00. Too much clutter hides under the grass so I go cheap (plus my wife lets the dopers down the street use my mower and they run it over engine blocks and stuff - doesn't matter to them it wasn't their sweat & blood that paid for it). So - first time I use it I hit some chunk of metal something the kids left lurking in a weedy spot around back and from then on it ran like crap until it quit altogether. Turned out the flywheel key sheared and it finally spun out of time enough it woudn't run, plus the blade was bent pretty good. So 50 bucks fixed that and it has worked ok since. I don't think a high end mower would do any better with my white trash lawn care style. Hopefully it's still good to go for it's 4th season coming up. The last person to borrow it said it wouldn't start so I hope they didn't try to fix it or something. I hate it when someone "fixes" something they borrowed from me.
 
DrMoab said:
I didn't exactly say that Wal-Mart is the American way. More to the fact that it got the way it did from Capitalism.

I hate to hurt all the feelings of you types who want to turn America into a "Share the wealth" Country but America has never been about that.

One day I would like to start my own business and I hate the thought that I couldn't get ahead because I might have something better then the "other guy" but because that isn't fair to him, I am not allowed to get ahead either.

I actually agree with you that the way Wal-Mart works things isn't really right however the thing to remember is....They got the way they are because AMERICANS SHOP THERE! If that isn't the basis of what is the American Way I don't know what is.

Sorry. I get reactionary when capitalism is capitalized. Don't get me wrong. I am not a socialist or communist. However, capitalism with a capital "C" is not the orgasmic end-all Utopian nirvana that will cure all the ails of the world if simply left to its own devices, unfettered by burdensome, annoying government regulation. Please accept my apology for jumping down your throat.

My primary gripe with WalMart is their blatant disregard of any concern for their customers. Likewise, their disregard of any respect for their own employees is evident in a number of class-action suits brought against them by their own employees. Yes - thank you for that depressing reminder - Americans do shop there. I covered that issue in my reference to South Park.

When you get your business going, I hope that I have not ruined my welcome to pay your establishment a visit. When I do, I suspect that I will find a friendly, knowledgeable staff, ready and able to help me complete my purchase to our mutual satisfaction. That, as a viable enterprise, is what I would call the American Way.

If the viability of an enterprise can be maintained in America today only by following the WalMart system, then Lord have mercy on us all, because WalMart management certainly will not.
 
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98XJSport said:
I did my time, just under 2 years as an associate. I can tell you why someone working there seems to always piss you off...they aren't trained. You ask them info about a product, all they can do is read the box. Given no more info than the consumer. You ask where something is..how should they know? My second night I was given the keys to sporting goods and left alone. I was shown how to run the register, and watched the videos about safety and the "evils" of unions. That was my training. If someone wanted to know where something was, I had to look for it with the customer unless I had been asked where it was earlier and had been lucky enough to find it then. NO TRAINING WHATSOEVER. Within a year I was covering 8 high traffic departments for 6 hours straight alone. And then to top it off, there are always plenty of customers that expect you to have all the answers, and are more than willing to take it out on you if you don't. Add that to a job that is designed to make you feel inferior/unimportant in managements eyes, managers that have their heads up their arses, and a low pay rate, and then wonder why the customer service sucks. I have been on the inside. Never again. I would do anything over that hellhole. I could go on for hours.....

My sympathies for your time as a WalMart associate. Please accept my apology, on behalf of all associates who have received my wrath. Intellectually, I do place the blame on management. The lack of training is all too evident, and what burns my butt is the total lack of respect from management for both the customer and the employee. No excuse on my part, but it is the associate, not management (not un-coincidentally, I am sure) who takes the heat when I blow up. I have managed to contain my rage during more recent visits by willfully reducing my expectations before entering the store. Expecting the experience to totally suck from the start helps to reduce the frequency of blow-ups considerably.
 
DrMoab said:
I hate to hurt all the feelings of you types who want to turn America into a "Share the wealth" Country but America has never been about that.

People need to earn what they get. Giving it to them with no sweat equity is counter productive. No, I don't believe that America should be a share the wealth country. That does not, however, preclude a measure of compasion and respect. Two elements totally lacking from the post-Sam WalMart management.
 
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Dave in Eugene said:
My Snapper rear tine tiller needs a new engine I think, and it's only 18 years old. Could have done better at keeping it out of the rain I suppose.

Got a Yard Man or WTF ever mower from WalMart though. 6 HP big wheel push style for like $199.00. Too much clutter hides under the grass so I go cheap (plus my wife lets the dopers down the street use my mower and they run it over engine blocks and stuff - doesn't matter to them it wasn't their sweat & blood that paid for it). So - first time I use it I hit some chunk of metal something the kids left lurking in a weedy spot around back and from then on it ran like crap until it quit altogether. Turned out the flywheel key sheared and it finally spun out of time enough it woudn't run, plus the blade was bent pretty good. So 50 bucks fixed that and it has worked ok since. I don't think a high end mower would do any better with my white trash lawn care style. Hopefully it's still good to go for it's 4th season coming up. The last person to borrow it said it wouldn't start so I hope they didn't try to fix it or something. I hate it when someone "fixes" something they borrowed from me.

Same here :laugh3: .

But, even if my yard were perfectly clean, I still would not sink $1,000 into a lawn mower. It's just not worth it. I've got better uses for that kind of money. The last three mowers I've purchased were two Sears push mowers at about $150 ea. Both suck but one of them is still running. The third was a used Murray rider for $200. It runs but it needs a new deck. My last mower purchase was the second push mower. That was maybe 7 years ago. I bend push mower blades on a yearly basis, but I haven't sheared a flywheel key since I gave up on Lawn Boys. The rider blades don't bend. Being belt driven they just stop when they hit something. I hate the direct drive of the push mower. Something always breaks or bends. Fortunately, with the Craftsman Tehcumsa, it's the blade that gives. The belt-drive on the rider covers alot of laziness as far as pre-cut yard prep.
 
flexjay87 said:
some of your points are valid guys, but come on. wal-mart is the McDonalds of shopping, not Olive Garden.
HA! And Olive Garden is the McDonalds of Italian food!
But anyway, when I worked as a distribution center "associate" I always wondered why the culture was so different between the stores and the DC's. At the DC's we made a decent wage, where constantly being trained in our jobs and how the corporation ran, where treated pretty darn good by our managers (for that type of work), had tons of opportunities for advancement, actively recruited the best and brightest women and minorities. It was like they tried to do everything right and moral. When I moved into management I was surprised at how well educated my fellow managers were. Very smart group of people. The DC's spent tons of money on employee relations too.
Then you'd go to the store and see the quality of the floor associates and managers and shake your head. It was like 2 different companys. We asked ourselves frequently why W-M would put such dunderheads on the front lines of the corporation, dealing directly with the people who paid our wages.
But really, I NEED A LIFE OTHER THAN THIS STUPID COMPUTER! I think I'll go work on that pretty new axle now!
 
Its very much a case of you get what you pay for. If everything is cheaper, the employee quality and training usually is too.
 
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