Walmart facts

[tg Shannon]

WAL-MART - some interesting facts

1. Americans spend $36,000,000 at Wal-Mart every hour of every day.

2. This works out to $20,928 profit every minute!

3. Wal-Mart will sell more from January 1 to St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) than Target sells all year.

4. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot + Kroger + Target + Sears + Costco + K-Mart combined.

5. Wal-Mart employs 1.6 million people and is the largest private Employer, and most speak English.

6. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the World.

7. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger & Safeway combined, and keep in mind they did this in only 15 years.

8. During this same period, 31 Supermarket Chains sought bankruptcy.

9. Wal-Mart now sells more food than any other store in the world.

10. Wal-Mart has approx 3,900 stores in the USA of which 1,906 are Super Centers; this is 1,000 more than it had 5 Years ago.

11. This year 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur At a Wal-Mart store. (Earth's population is approximately 6.5 Billion.)

12. 90% of all Americans live within 15 miles of a Wal-Mart.

You may think that I am telling you all of these facts to set you up for my complaining, but I am really laying the ground work for suggesting that.....

MAYBE we should hire the guys who run Wal-Mart to fix

[rissababynta]

I...fucking...love...Wal-mart...

You know how Whitie was obsessed with the mall in Eight Crazy Nights? Yeah...Wal-mart is my mall...

[12voltman59]

Not a big fan of the Wally World stores.

I am of the opinion that the way they have done business since the death of store founder Sam Walton has done more harm than good.

No doubt----they sure have brought down the cost of many consumer goods and food to the buying public, but I ask: "low prices at what cost?" when you consider the long term effects of the post-Sam Walton era Wal-Mart corporation's goal to offer the public: "the lowest prices, always!"


Some of the negative aspects of Wal-Mart stores and its model of doing business:

http://walmartwatch.com/pages/wal_marts_negative_impact_on_local_communities/

The one thing this site does not much discuss in its various links---to a large extent---Wal-Mart played a very large role in the wholesale transfer of tens of thousands of US manufacturing jobs to places like China that offer low production costs to manufacturers.

Some more stuff:

http://sacramento.bizjournals.com/sacramento/stories/1998/02/09/editorial1.html

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

[Raysallover]

I cant understand this entire walmart culture/thing, we don't have a single one in holland. In fact we don't really have a lot of big things, especially these kind of "we offer everything"-stores. In Holland things seem to be more separated, food stores, clothing, shoes etc. it's not packed in one bit megaworld. I like it that way really. Megastore scare me:P it's like once you get in, you'll never get out!
also these facts sound like Walmart is going to eat the world:eek:

Their formula seems to work though.. then again the Netherlands did just without megastores, the only thing we need is Albert Heijn & HEMA, I love AH and HEMA^^

[chulainn2]

I think I might move to Holland, I hate mega stores, they give me anxiety and I am not much of a sport- shopper. I know what I want to buy and I want to get it and get out. PLus I am nearly 100% Dutch anyway.

[tenni]

I do not buy much or even go into a Wal mart.

I think that you have to look at the morality and values that are behind this movement. It seems to be pretty cut throat and win at all costs. There are probably other values. Even the idea that it is all about money and the lowest price seems a bit shady. Who do you have to walk over or destroy to get that lowest price?

I certainly do not want my country being run on those values. I'm much more in favour of having my government operate with the idea that they are there for the people....the humanity values rather than "the bottom cost" line value. We are people who should care about other people. We should care about the planet that we live on and money does no one any good once you're dead.

[Lonestar_Northstar]

What's the difference between Target and Wal-Mart?

When you leave Target, you don't feel like you need to take a shower.

[Raysallover]

I think I might move to Holland, I hate mega stores, they give me anxiety and I am not much of a sport- shopper. I know what I want to buy and I want to get it and get out. PLus I am nearly 100% Dutch anyway.

You should! I hate department stores too, we have V&D in Holland, their stores are horrific, I just don't like how everything is there, if I want to buy clothing from Mexx, I'll go to a Mexx store. I always feel like department/megastores are trying to hard, like you'd be trying to play 50 instrument perfectly at the same time, it just doesn't work. I have never in my live seen a department store that actually provided excellent service on all areas, there's always something wrong. If the furniture deparment is great, the restaurant is sloppy etcetc..
and there are always mums shopping with children strapped into their buggy wearing a 100 layers of clothes, no wonder they cry.. I'd cry, thank god my parents never did that to me:rolleyes:

Btw, if may be so free to ask, how come you're almost totally Dutch? Do you have family in Holland?

[_Joe_]

Nobody has linked Peopleofwalmart.com (http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/) yet ?!

[darkeyes]

Wudn shp at ASDA (uk Wal-Mart) if the stuff they sell wos free.. or it wos las shop on earth... betta supamarkets..betta stores for owt they sell... from eggs 2 clothes.. soz..rags..shoes (that wotya call em???) 2 leccy guds an plonk..an ther biz practice stops me shoppin ther even wer they r cheapa than ne wer else...

[rissababynta]

Nobody has linked Peopleofwalmart.com (http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/) yet ?!

SIGH....some people are just...well...I don't know haha. Who just carries around a saw?! WTF!

[roy m cox]

I'm Not a big fan of the Wally World stores.

take a antique car in for an oil change and watch what happens, i did and i am sorry i did cost me over 2000$ in damages what they did is mess around with the carburetor and engine overtightened bolts and so on theirs to many things to list what they did but the oil was not changed 0_o and yeah i tryed to sue the them but being a big corp their lowers say it was my fault um yeah is was for taking my car in for an oil change :/

so yeah I'm Not a big fan of the Wally World stores.

[rjr1227]

I use to love wally world...we have 3 or 4 in my town if Lincoln Nebraska, the one i use to love going to just did a HUGE re-model of there store, now, its so ugly..(grey-blue), its like you walk into a prison now... It also looks very....cheap.. PLUS, one night i went in looking for something, and nobody could give me an answer,,then 45min later after looking for myself,(i was also shopping) the first person i asked found me and told me they were not going to be getting in anymore of these items till nexy season, (i was looking for snow boots and a sled for my kid).. now come on wal mart...get your shit together ,,,this is winter in NEBRASKA,,,HELLO!!!!! So, after leaving my 1/2 full cart of stuff...i drove 12miles across town to our AWESOME super-target, and found everything i needed PLUS... NOW, i drive all the way across town, (im 5min from wally world, and 20min to supertarget) to do my shopping... Super-Target has it ALL....
So, in MY opinion...Wal-Mart can kiss my ass!!!!!

[onewhocares]

We live in town ( of 12K) in Massachusetts that has a SUPER Walmart and there is on going litigation with the company about putting one on the other side of town. I live within a mile of the place. I can not stand to go in there.....never find what I need. I wonder how they do their brand selection. For example, they sell Sure solid deodorant but not spray. One brand of chocolate milk but not the companies regular milk. God forbid that you ask for help.

The last time my husband was in the store with me we waited 45 min in line. He was furious. If it were not for the fact that our daughter needed the items for a school project the next day ( I know I am bad for waiting till the last moment) we would have left. He has never returned to the store since.

I try to be a shopper of the "mom and pop" stores whenever I can as we owned our own store and saw the big box stores take over our lively hood...husband was a florist...not sure if I would have liked to have seen the flowers for a wedding or funeral that the Wally World folks would do.

Just my thoughts...

Belle

[12voltman59]

I know that Wal-Mart spends a heck of a lot of money now on PR designed to spin just how good a corporate citizen they are, about how much their "associates" are like family and all that---but that is all BS.

It has been documented in many instances that Wal-Mart actually has told employees, that for health care----they should go to public hospitals and declare indigency.

There are many economic studies that clearly do show----having a Wal-Mart in a town--at least smaller ones----does not help the community prosper----it is a net economic loss for communities.

The other ways that Wal-Mart rips off communities and the taxpayers in them--the local government leaders--whoring themselves to get a Wal-Mart in their town---will give huge tax incentatives via things like tax abatements stretching out at least a decade or more--which means that instead of paying their fair share for things like the infrastructure improvements the communities had to build to get the store--and also cheating the local school districts from the taxes they should be receiving------Wal-Mart takes a walk on such things--not even paying their fair share of local taxes--guess who makes that shortfall up???

Joe and Jane taxpayer, that is who.

Wal-Mart sure does know how to "game" the capitalist system---they have no trouble with getting a form of "corporate welfare"--but are sure against it for the poor schmucks who work for them or shop there.

Wal-Mart also fights tooth and nail--in a very nasty fashion--any attempt to unionize their workforce.

The another thing that Wal-Mart is famous for in relation to taxes--they will close a store before its tax abatements are done to build a new generation store---while not so far away from the now empty space----they seem to like to make sure the new store is in the next town--sometimes that new location is also in the next county.

Now--they just opened a new super Wal-Mart in the township next to mine---and it is in the same one the old store was in--but the shopping center the old Wal-Mart vacated this past fall-- that plaza has bascially died----out of maybe 20 or 30 stores that were there---there might be ten or so left---and most of them are places like "Checks Into Cash"

Sure not a big fan of Wally World!!!

[rissababynta]

The one thing I don't like about Wal-Mart is that for some reason it seems that all the rapists and murders like to pick targets there. In every state I've lived in every store by me seemed to have several attacks (whether someone was killed or raped or they were simply mugged). It's kind of bizzarre...day or night...doesn't matter. But other than that, I have always found everything I've needed at Wal-Mart, they have more of a selection and half the time better prices than the commisary or PX here on base which is pretty good, and my husband was once employed there a few years ago and they were excellent employers the whole time.

I still love Wal-Mart :-)

[chook]

I cant understand this entire walmart culture/thing, we don't have a single one in holland. In fact we don't really have a lot of big things, especially these kind of "we offer everything"-stores. In Holland things seem to be more separated, food stores, clothing, shoes etc. it's not packed in one bit megaworld. I like it that way really. Megastore scare me:P it's like once you get in, you'll never get out!
also these facts sound like Walmart is going to eat the world:eek:

Their formula seems to work though.. then again the Netherlands did just without megastores, the only thing we need is Albert Heijn & HEMA, I love AH and HEMA^^

All these big stores whether its Walmart K-Mart Woolworths Coles or Target...all they have done is corner the market and put the little fella out of business and I mean from your local butcher to the poor bastard that sells shoes, they just squashed the competition.....So much for a fair go far all.

FUCK THE LOT OF THEM I SAY


Cheers Chook :bigrin:

[shaftmngr]

First of all I don't really understand why this discussion is going on on this site. This site is about bisexual and other sexual activities and that is why I am here. That being said, why are you so against Walmart? This is a free interprise society. The reason Walmart is successful is they provide a service that the masses want. If you don't like them don't shop there. If enough people felt the same they wouldn't have the customer base to stay in business. We as Americans demand a high wages while at the same time want low prices for products. Those two desires don't mesh.

[_Joe_]

Bisexuals sometimes want to talk about non sexual stuff...crazy I know!

[chook]

First of all I don't really understand why this discussion is going on on this site. This site is about bisexual and other sexual activities and that is why I am here. That being said, why are you so against Walmart? This is a free interprise society. The reason Walmart is successful is they provide a service that the masses want. If you don't like them don't shop there. If enough people felt the same they wouldn't have the customer base to stay in business. We as Americans demand a high wages while at the same time want low prices for products. Those two desires don't mesh.

First up let me say that I actually worked for a big retail company HERE in Australia for the best part of 20 years and I have seen what your beloved free enterprise has done to hundreds of little shop owners, if you read what I was trying to say is that the big powerful companies who decided that you should buy everything under one roof as long its in their store where all the monies go to their profits and everyone else hasnt got a fucking hope of competing with them.....all I basically was trying to say is that while a few big companies have got the market cornered everyone else is fucked.....if you dont believe me just try setting up a business next to one of them.

Cheers Chook :bigrin: :rolleyes:

[12voltman59]

First of all I don't really understand why this discussion is going on on this site. This site is about bisexual and other sexual activities and that is why I am here. That being said, why are you so against Walmart? This is a free interprise society. The reason Walmart is successful is they provide a service that the masses want. If you don't like them don't shop there. If enough people felt the same they wouldn't have the customer base to stay in business. We as Americans demand a high wages while at the same time want low prices for products. Those two desires don't mesh.

I didn't start this thread, I obviously bloviated a few times though. Topics like this do go to show--on this site--while sex is a main focus of what happens here--its not all about sex. We do have lives that involve things other than sex too.

I am glad that this site deals with not only sex--but other matters as well.

[bret5668]

First of all I don't really understand why this discussion is going on on this site. This site is about bisexual and other sexual activities and that is why I am here. That being said, why are you so against Walmart? This is a free interprise society. The reason Walmart is successful is they provide a service that the masses want. If you don't like them don't shop there. If enough people felt the same they wouldn't have the customer base to stay in business. We as Americans demand a high wages while at the same time want low prices for products. Those two desires don't mesh.


This topic is being discussed here because first and foremost we are all people to begin with, not under any umbrella or label.....the word "forum" implies just that, a forum to convey our thoughts regardless of the topic of those thoughts. There is plenty of sexual discussion going on around here, the "off sex" topics are simply a welcome addition to the site for most of us. Sorry to hear you don't happen to agree, but then again it is a "public" forum.

[AlaskanGirl]

i work for a big corp. and don't get me wrong some of their theories are a lot like wal mart. But, for starters my opinion of that shit whole of a company is that they are a bunch of idiots. Yes they make tons of money each minute. But when they actually tell their employees that they shouldn't have insurance and on top of that some of the biggest law suits come from Wal mart about women's rights. I know a female that worked for them and hates it more then anything. She is talked down to and plain disrespected. This is a place that people spend their money?
And if you really wanna start about the lack of attention from the customer service that is partially due to their employees, not the store. It takes both sides to make a successful store. That is something that the place i work for taught me. I hear all the time how people love to see us, because they know that they will be greeted when they walk into a department and helped as soon as we can get to them :)
That is all i am really going to say about the whole situation. i don't support Wal mart and i think that its a waste of time and gas to go to a store where you are not appreciated as a customer.

-AG-

[MissLadybug]

Walmart is okay but I still prefer Target.

I find Target has better quality clothes and items.

They may be a little bit more pricey than Walmart but I feel I get my money's worth better at Target.

[drwilsontx]

What's the difference between Target and Wal-Mart?

When you leave Target, you don't feel like you need to take a shower.

x2, 5 charcters to appease the internet gods