Is Walmart a cross-section of America?

[pornstarwannabe]

I shop at Walmart only occasionally. I limit my visits because Walmart is a depressing place to shop. My observations compared to nicer Supermarkets and Big Box stores like Dillards, Macys, etc:
1. Kids are not as well-mannered
2. Higher percentage of overweight adults and kids
3. Adults purchase way more processed foods than non-processed foods (probably explains #2)
4. People dress like they just rolled out of bed... is it too much to ask them to run a comb through their hair, and shower before leaving the home?

If Walmart is a cross-section of America, we are in deep shit.

 

[tactful]

More like a killer of Mom and Pop stores

 

[Marci_M]

And Wal-Trash (as I call it) is so packed with junk that you can barely find anything without tripping over all the kids running wild there. If you prefer quality merchandise, try Target (always clean and neat) or the big box stores.

 

[ksmybuttons]

I think that Walmart is an excellent example of what's happening in America. The Walton family likes to list their wealth separately, but they are the richest family in the world. Doing Walmart type of retail, it's all about everyone else not getting money - be it their suppliers or their employees - and them amassing a fortune.

Then we have consumerism. Do we really need all that "stuff"? How many shoes do you "need"? How many clothes? If you shop at Walmart, you can have much more. Of course, it's made to last 10 washings so you have to keep buying.

There is so much wrong with the Walmart mentality, it's difficult to not become tangential just within the one thought... .

 

[clutch1]

Sears is where America shops!

 

[pornstarwannabe]

I think that Walmart is an excellent example of what's happening in America. The Walton family likes to list their wealth separately, but they are the richest family in the world. Doing Walmart type of retail, it's all about everyone else not getting money - be it their suppliers or their employees - and them amassing a fortune.

Then we have consumerism. Do we really need all that "stuff"? How many shoes do you "need"? How many clothes? If you shop at Walmart, you can have much more. Of course, it's made to last 10 washings so you have to keep buying.

There is so much wrong with the Walmart mentality, it's difficult to not become tangential just within the one thought... .

But what about the Walmart shoppers? Have an opinion of them? Everyone likes a good deal, but the Walmart shopper, in general, appears to be on the low end of the ladder.

 

[ksmybuttons]

But what about the Walmart shoppers? Have an opinion of them? Everyone likes a good deal, but the Walmart shopper, in general, appears to be on the low end of the ladder.

They're poor. They are doing the best they can with what they have to work with - socioeconomic and intelligence. They are certainly not living what people conceive of as the "American Dream." The things that many can excel at have been outsourced. Of course, I'm placing my values on them. Maybe they are happy. I don't think so, though. There's so much anger out there and ugly behavior to others. Even those that we perceive as having the "dream" aren't all happy.

See what I mean on how easy it is to become tangential when talking about Walmart? I think it's one of the biggest wrongs in America.

 

[Sean]

I have not set foot in an Asda store in the UK since WalMart bought them. Nor will I. Mainly because of their anti-union attitude.

 

[pornstarwannabe]

They're poor. They are doing the best they can with what they have to work with - socioeconomic and intelligence. They are certainly not living what people conceive of as the "American Dream." The things that many can excel at have been outsourced. Of course, I'm placing my values on them. Maybe they are happy. I don't think so, though. There's so much anger out there and ugly behavior to others. Even those that we perceive as having the "dream" aren't all happy.

See what I mean on how easy it is to become tangential when talking about Walmart? I think it's one of the biggest wrongs in America.

I think it goes deeper than that. People can be low income, yet not be low class. Walmart shoppers, in general, appear to be low class. Target has very cheap products too. Night and day difference between the shoppers there and at Walmart.

 

[Marci_M]

Not only is Wal-Shit anti-union, but they also discriminate against women. There's a class action lawsuit against them now.

They should realize that women spend a lot more money there than men do. I never shop there or at Sam's Club.

 

[bronzeage]

Whenever I shop at Walmart, I'm aware all the other shoppers are judging me, so I try to make a nice impression.

 

[ksmybuttons]

I don't shop Walmart because they have nothing I want. I can't stand the smell of cheap plastic - I don't shop at the Dollar Store or Toys R Us for the same reason.

Some people don't have a choice but to shop at Walmart because it's all their community has to offer or they work for them so it's all they can afford. It's like United Health Care. I would never have a health insurance product provided by them, I won't join AARP because they use them for their insurance product, but, if my employer only offered a United Health Care product for my health insurance, I would need health insurance so I would have to compromise my values.

It's great when you have a choice.

As far as their customers being different, I think we always notice people who don't live by our own standard of behavior. There's probably just as many people like you in the store, you just don't see them. Heck, if you are noticing, you are there.

 

[JohnnySavage]

I'm not sure we have a wal-mart near me... I don't recall seeing one, and I'm sure I've never been in one. We have the other big boxes like Target and Dick's (heh... Dick's) and we have a Home Cheapo near by. I think here in Berkley-East the zoning keeps a lot of Americana out.

 

[Wok]

But what about the Walmart shoppers? Have an opinion of them? Everyone likes a good deal, but the Walmart shopper, in general, appears to be on the low end of the ladder.

They are the low end of the ladder because of the low prices. it is not like you are going to find the low end of the ladder buying shoes at Rodeo Drive.

 

[BossMan62]

I prefer Targets over Walmarts for two things:
1 less shoppers
2 cleaner stores

Walmarts has more variety than Targets and lower prices, so I tend to shop at both.

 

[RightField]

I think that Walmart is an excellent example of what's happening in America. The Walton family likes to list their wealth separately, but they are the richest family in the world. Doing Walmart type of retail, it's all about everyone else not getting money - be it their suppliers or their employees - and them amassing a fortune.

Then we have consumerism. Do we really need all that "stuff"? How many shoes do you "need"? How many clothes? If you shop at Walmart, you can have much more. Of course, it's made to last 10 washings so you have to keep buying.

There is so much wrong with the Walmart mentality, it's difficult to not become tangential just within the one thought... .

Be that as it may, WalMart also has lower prices than almost all their competitors and that draws lots of people who are doing everything they can to stretch their pennies. For them, WalMart is heavensent because they can get a little bit more there than they can from other shopping stores.

WalMart can provide lower prices for several reasons. First, as mentioned in the article, they squeeze suppliers as best they can. Sometimes they go too far, but in most cases the suppliers seem to survive (wouldn't be good business to drive them out of business), after all they can freely choose to negotiate to mutual benefit. Second, they have a tremendous logisitics operation that is tight on controls, delivery and quality with minimum of delay between factory and store shelves (which helps on the balance sheet). The third thing that they do is they provide strong guarantees on the goods they sell which helps ensure value.

The only reason that the Walton's are generating wealth is that people are voluntarily chosing to spend their money there, mostly because of the good value provided through the stores. If no one shopped at WalMart, the Walton's wouldn't be wealthy. If it was easy to do, there'd be lots of competitors.

We have a Super Walmart close by (in a wealthy area) which means they carry groceries. The cost of most of the groceries is much lower than any of the local grocery stores, especially the upscale yuppie places. The big brand-name cereral that my daughter likes best is almost $1 less expensive per box at WalMart than the mid-market grocery store a couple miles away. Extended across the groceries a family needs over the course of the month, that adds up to a lot of savings.

The WalMart near me has a wide variety of shoppers. I see as many Mercedes as Plymouth Horizons in the parking lot.

 

[ksmybuttons]

The only reason that the Walton's are generating wealth is that people are voluntarily chosing to spend their money there, mostly because of the good value provided through the stores. If no one shopped at WalMart, the Walton's wouldn't be wealthy. If it was easy to do, there'd be lots of competitors.

They are amassing huge sums of individual wealth. Altruism towards their employees isn't part of their package.

 

[RightField]

They are amassing huge sums of individual wealth. Altruism towards their employees isn't part of their package.

But they are paid a competitive wage or else they wouldn't be able to fill the positions.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Almost all the really rich people I ever met look like paupers; they made their money honestly, and you dont get rich pissing money away. This is confirmed in a book called CLASS IN AMERICA by Paul Fussell.

The really rich dont give a shit what you think of how they dress or what they drive or where they shop. They got the money and youre a sharp dressing pauper one paycheck away from being homeless. Fussell discovered that only the middle class care about brandnames and labels and appearances.

 

[bronzeage]

They are amassing huge sums of individual wealth. Altruism towards their employees isn't part of their package.

Walmarts wealth depends upon on single thing and that is the tremendous amount of government spending on infrastructure which allows thousands of people to drive from long distances in a car. If any Walmart had to depend upon the business of people who live within a mile of their store, 2/3's would close in a year.

 

[JohnnySavage]

Almost all the really rich people I ever met look like paupers; they made their money honestly, and you dont get rich pissing money away. This is confirmed in a book called CLASS IN AMERICA by Paul Fussell.

The really rich dont give a shit what you think of how they dress or what they drive or where they shop. They got the money and youre a sharp dressing pauper one paycheck away from being homeless. Fussell discovered that only the middle class care about brandnames and labels and appearances.

You may have met some "upper class" people. But there is a near zero chance you've ever met someone "really rich"

Of course, in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

 

[Avellan13]

Oh Ive got a lot of jokes about walmart. Here's one that easily describes it.

Here's what a greeted at Walmart should say. "Welcome to Walmart. Good luck finding your shit, we rearranged the store last night."

I swear, they always rearrange the store every time I go there.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

You may have met some "upper class" people. But there is a near zero chance you've ever met someone "really rich"

Of course, in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.

Uh, your ass is blabbering again. You need a soundproof cork to seal it.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Walmarts wealth depends upon on single thing and that is the tremendous amount of government spending on infrastructure which allows thousands of people to drive from long distances in a car. If any Walmart had to depend upon the business of people who live within a mile of their store, 2/3's would close in a year.

Heres anuther one who learned to talk out his ass cuz his mouth is always full of meat.

 

[JohnnySavage]

Uh, your ass is blabbering again. You need a soundproof cork to seal it.

I realize you are just performance art, but you should really try harder. A "really rich" person isn't living like a pauper in a trailer park. They are living in one of several estates they own. Step up your game; Yates and BB are gaining on you.