Just watched the Wal Mart documentary.

#1
milohimself

milohimself

RIP CITY
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#1
Just wanted people's serious opinions on how Wal Mart operates as a business, as well as what you think of their ethics.
 
#2
#2
I think their distribution system and business model of being a category killer that sells everything from gasoline to TVs to Cheerios is pretty amazing.
 
#3
#3
When Sam Walton died most of Walmarts ethics died with him.
You will never seen signs made in America on most of the goods again.
 
#4
#4
Hard to say if they've had a net positive or net negative. There's a positive for every negative and vice versa.

Clearly a strong business model that has transformed the global economy.
 
#5
#5
They dominate, not sure if that is good or bad, probably some of both.

Personally, I hate going into one, probably go to a Wal Mart 2 or 3 times a year at most.
 
#6
#6
Agreed . . . I'd rather take a beating than go to Walmart.
 
#7
#7
<- never shopped at a WalMart... There's only a couple in Oregon, most towns end up taking legal action to run them out. The ones that did end up getting a WalMart did just about become ghost towns.
 
#8
#8
GAVol said:
I think their distribution system and business model of being a category killer that sells everything from gasoline to TVs to Cheerios is pretty amazing.
Click to expand...

I prefer Sams myself. I could spend hours in that place.
 
#10
#10
If you only spend $100 then you are getting off pretty cheap compadre. The deep freeze that was suppose to save me cash is actually just a "hole" in the garage into which I throw money.
 
#11
#11
oklavol said:
When John Walton died most of Walmarts ethics died with him.
Click to expand...
The spin the company gives associates on this statement is ''now we are able to make decisions based on competeing in the global market, as opposed to placating the customer.''
 
#12
#12
GAVol said:
It costs me $100 no matter what when I go to Sam's.
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This is why they netted 10 billion in profits last year, after all bills were paid. They actually made us gather and showed us a film bragging about this. That and self insuring themselves with insurance that basically if your kid wakes 2 am with a high fever a emergency room visit could cost you 1500 out of pocket before they pay a penny, only 40% of wal-mart associates sign up for the insurance, thats a fact.
 
#13
#13
I'm not ever going to rip a corporation for making a profit but the health insurance issue is definitely tough on some people. But being in the insurance industry I can tell you that this is not something that is exclusive to Walmart.

I wonder if the 40% figure is due to poor benefits or just a matter of low utilization from a lot of lower income workers?
 
#14
#14
dan4vols said:
This is why they netted 10 billion in profits last year, after all bills were paid. They actually made us gather and showed us a film bragging about this. That and self insuring themselves with insurance that basically if your kid wakes 2 am with a high fever a emergency room visit could cost you 1500 out of pocket before they pay a penny, only 40% of wal-mart associates sign up for the insurance, thats a fact.
Click to expand...

That is a pretty standard deductible for self insurance plans these days, unless the patient actually works for and is treated at the hospital that insures them.
 
#15
#15
Lexvol said:
That is a pretty standard deductible for self insurance plans these days, unless the patient actually works for and is treated at the hospital that insures them.
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Yep . . . That's what my deductible is. The days of a $500 deductible in an indemnity plan are over.

Thank goodness for ye olde Flexible Spending Account.
 
#16
#16
I dont know much about it really, although Ive heard some stories that were fairly discouraging. Does the documentary tell the snappy lawnmowers story?
 
#17
#17
Another thing that jumped out at me was WalMart supposedly openly encouraged their employees to use government healthcare programs.
 
#18
#18
milohimself said:
<- never shopped at a WalMart... There's only a couple in Oregon, most towns end up taking legal action to run them out. The ones that did end up getting a WalMart did just about become ghost towns.
Click to expand...

Oh really? On what grounds could legal action be taken?!?!

Their business model is amazing, so amazing in fact that another place that people love which has based their model on Wal-Mart is... Home Depot.

Now, I could agree with attacking WM for how cut-throat they have become, but it isn't any different than any other major corporation. What concerns me most is the crooked politicians who allow wal-mart to coerce them into using emminent domain to get a place to build a store... but I place most of the blame for that on the politicians.

I worked at two different stores for a total of about 2 years and never had a complaint as an employee. :dunno:
 
#21
#21
Automotive. :hi:

Seriously, it wasn't a bad job if you don't mind WORKING. The pay was pretty poor in McMinnville, but it was STILL better than fast food pay. It was MUCH better in Murfreesboro.
 
#22
#22
rwemyss said:
Oh really? On what grounds could legal action be taken?!?!

Their business model is amazing, so amazing in fact that another place that people love which has based their model on Wal-Mart is... Home Depot.

Now, I could agree with attacking WM for how cut-throat they have become, but it isn't any different than any other major corporation. What concerns me most is the crooked politicians who allow wal-mart to coerce them into using emminent domain to get a place to build a store... but I place most of the blame for that on the politicians.

I worked at two different stores for a total of about 2 years and never had a complaint as an employee. :dunno:
Click to expand...
I didn't take that movie as the gospel truth. Just some interesting points to be made, it definitley is a cut-throat business. Home Depot is also pretty ruthless, but is not as bad as WalMart, because 1) it is limited to just home improvement and 2) there is other reasonable competition in stores like Lowe's.

I suppose it's up to the town about whether or not they want a business being run there. Lots of towns out here see the kind of effects WalMart can potentially have on local business, and go against it. I'm not sure how it's worked, but it has.
 
#23
#23
The local effect is hard to measure as well.

People lament the loss of Mom and Pop businesses but in many cases, those businesses just had a few loyal customers and the rest either found other sources or had no choice. Wal-mart certainly brings the cost of products down to people in those markets. Clearly though,

While some good businesses get gobbled up or forced out since they can't compete, I think many of the nostalgic customers only valued those Mom & Pops after they left though. Change always causes stress.
 
#24
#24
Super Target for me thanks, i rather spend a few extra dollars, but Super Target is nice and clean, and u don't have to fight the crowds and illegal immigrants that swarm walmart
 
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