Walmart

[bhsmte]

I don't think it's possible to objectively define where such a barrier might lie. In any business you will have competitors sooner or later. The market might be big enough for multiple companies to exist in the same field but ultimately you may want to draw business away from your competitors so you can grow your own business.

Personally I think I'd be worried about where my business was going if I found myself doing whatever it took to squeeze a little more profit at every turn even if it meant a relentless drive to the bottom, squeezing staff and suppliers and providing a product of ever-lower quality so I could make a little more. But if the business has a unique selling point of being cheap, it can't do cheap by paying staff and suppliers extra and maintaining high quality. My own preference would be to sell a quality product, but if consumers prefer "cheap" above "good" the chances are the quality product would get squeezed out sooner or later.

I shop at wal mart fairly often and some of their products are of lower quality, but they also sell a great deal of name brand products, which are the same at wal mart, as they would be at any other store.

Any store's goal, is to create a market niche, which will meet the needs of customers, so they can sell enough product to be successful and any store's goal, is going to be to sell as much product as possible.

With brand name products, Wal Mart buys in such mass, they are able to sell the products for less than most of their competitors. The stores are also not fancy, which keeps costs down and some of the employees they hire, likely have trouble finding jobs elsewhere, which allows them to probably pay a little less. All this, adds up to lower prices for consumers, which is good for consumers.

If people want to shop at other stores that are more pleasing to the eye, have employees that are more presentable, than they are free to do so, but in my experience, they will be paying 5-10% more for the same product.

 

[sarxweh]

Sure, but each individual person has their own answer. If you're looking for a universal answer you'll never find one.

When every business owner has their own goals there's no way to come up with a universal answer to "how much is enough". Some people want their business to generate enough money for them to get by. Others aren't happy until their competition is crushed into oblivion, even if the market is big enough to support many others.

That sounds very laudable. Just out of interest how do you differentiate between the customer who truly can't afford it and the customer who just doesn't feel like paying for a quality job when they can get a cheaper job done by cutting a few corners?

I actually don't service customers who don't want quality. I refer them to a wood butcher. When its someone who actually cares, I make it work for them.

 

[grasping the after wind]

Large corporations in many areas. Some have revenues greater than individual countries, and can exert over national decisions and economies, let alone their in own counties too.

John
NZ

That's real persuasive.
Some shadowy boogeymen are doing evil things somewhere. Can't give you any actual evidence or any specific examples of it but I expect you take my word for it anyway.

 

[RDKirk]

I shop at wal mart fairly often and some of their products are of lower quality, but they also sell a great deal of name brand products, which are the same at wal mart, as they would be at any other store.

Any store's goal, is to create a market niche, which will meet the needs of customers, so they can sell enough product to be successful and any store's goal, is going to be to sell as much product as possible.

With brand name products, Wal Mart buys in such mass, they are able to sell the products for less than most of their competitors. The stores are also not fancy, which keeps costs down and some of the employees they hire, likely have trouble finding jobs elsewhere, which allows them to probably pay a little less. All this, adds up to lower prices for consumers, which is good for consumers.

If people want to shop at other stores that are more pleasing to the eye, have employees that are more presentable, than they are free to do so, but in my experience, they will be paying 5-10% more for the same product.

I've been scratching my head about that lately. I sometimes think I can discern a distinctive difference in even name-brand items bought from Wal-Mart as opposed to other stores.

Wal-Mart is large enough that they may very well be able to order slight variants--slightly cheaper, like model ABC123w instead of the ordinary model ABC123.

I don't know that for sure, but there have been a few cases where I've compared what should have been identical items and thought I could discern a difference.

 

[RDKirk]

I actually don't service customers who don't want quality. I refer them to a wood butcher. When its someone who actually cares, I make it work for them.

I have run into that situation frequently in my side vocation and have had to tell people, "No." I don't send them to someone else unless they actually want a different product, not just a cheaper version of what I do. If I thought a cheaper version was acceptable to refer someone to, I'd do it myself cheaper.

Sometimes you have to tell someone, "If you can't pay decent money to have it done well, it's better not to do it at all."

I do offer a no-interest payment plan.

 

[bhsmte]

I've been scratching my head about that lately. I sometimes think I can discern a distinctive difference in even name-brand items bought from Wal-Mart as opposed to other stores.

Wal-Mart is large enough that they may very well be able to order slight variants--slightly cheaper, like model ABC123w instead of the ordinary model ABC123.

I don't know that for sure, but there have been a few cases where I've compared what should have been identical items and thought I could discern a difference.

Well, I can tell a difference and they are not name brand products that have different model numbers like; peanut butter, cereal, yogurt, orange juice, Ketchup, many other food items, cleaning supplies, hardware items, ect..

In my experience, I save about 8-10% on most name brand products at wal mart, vs other stores and I have looked at this pretty closely.

 

[contango]

I shop at wal mart fairly often and some of their products are of lower quality, but they also sell a great deal of name brand products, which are the same at wal mart, as they would be at any other store.

Any store's goal, is to create a market niche, which will meet the needs of customers, so they can sell enough product to be successful and any store's goal, is going to be to sell as much product as possible.

With brand name products, Wal Mart buys in such mass, they are able to sell the products for less than most of their competitors. The stores are also not fancy, which keeps costs down and some of the employees they hire, likely have trouble finding jobs elsewhere, which allows them to probably pay a little less. All this, adds up to lower prices for consumers, which is good for consumers.

If people want to shop at other stores that are more pleasing to the eye, have employees that are more presentable, than they are free to do so, but in my experience, they will be paying 5-10% more for the same product.

I won't dispute any of that. If people are looking for a low price as their primary driver then Wal-Mart will probably be the best option for many of their purchases.

If they want someone to give them product advice, or want something a bit unusual, the chances are Wal-Mart won't be able to help them. When I was looking for a 1/32" drill bit the staff at Wal-Mart were essentially useless in helping me - they led me up and down the hardware aisles before concluding the best they could do was a Dremel accessory kit for $19.99 and then moved to asking why I needed such a small drill bit. In the end I bought two 1/32" bits from a local hardware store for about $2.

 

[bhsmte]

I won't dispute any of that. If people are looking for a low price as their primary driver then Wal-Mart will probably be the best option for many of their purchases.

If they want someone to give them product advice, or want something a bit unusual, the chances are Wal-Mart won't be able to help them. When I was looking for a 1/32" drill bit the staff at Wal-Mart were essentially useless in helping me - they led me up and down the hardware aisles before concluding the best they could do was a Dremel accessory kit for $19.99 and then moved to asking why I needed such a small drill bit. In the end I bought two 1/32" bits from a local hardware store for about $2.

Sure, but the vast majority of the products I buy on a week to week and month to month basis, require zero product advice for me personally.

And product advice is most important to me, when I am making big purchases and in those cases, I do investigation on my own, with independent sources on the internet and don't necessarily trust someone in a store with motivation to sell me something, to give objective advice.

 

[contango]

Sure, but the vast majority of the products I buy on a week to week and month to month basis, require zero product advice for me personally.

Also true. Few people need advice when it comes to their weekly food shopping, so if it's cheaper at Wal-Mart and the quality remains acceptable it's an opbvious place to go.

And product advice is most important to me, when I am making big purchases and in those cases, I do investigation on my own, with independent sources on the internet and don't necessarily trust someone in a store with motivation to sell me something, to give objective advice.

That's a good consideration, although in some areas I've found Wal-Mart sells a load of low-end stuff and if you want better quality products you're out of luck.

 

[bhsmte]

Also true. Few people need advice when it comes to their weekly food shopping, so if it's cheaper at Wal-Mart and the quality remains acceptable it's an opbvious place to go.



That's a good consideration, although in some areas I've found Wal-Mart sells a load of low-end stuff and if you want better quality products you're out of luck.

Sure, It is likely I am not going to buy a flat screen TV at wal mart, because their models are likely outdated. With that said, I would personally investigate the best options for flat screen TV's at a source like consumer reports and if Wal Mart happens to have the model they recommend at a lower cost, I wouldn't hesitate to buy it there.

 

[Deidre32]

I refuse to shop at Walmart. It's horribly managed from the top down. It's a greed filled empire that feeds off the poor to work there, and the poor to shop there. The only folks benefitting are top management and their investors.

They have given society an illusion that they've been helpful to it, but they haven't been. Look at Christmas time, and how people are fighting (literally) in the stores...and the people who are getting paid probably little more than minimum wage are supposed to be responsible for breaking up these dangerous fights? When I shopped there, I'd visit different stores in the area, and in all of them, not a single employee had a smile on his/her face. And all the stores look dirty.

Ugh, I haven't shopped there in about 4 years, now. And never will again.

 

[sarxweh]

I have run into that situation frequently in my side vocation and have had to tell people, "No." I don't send them to someone else unless they actually want a different product, not just a cheaper version of what I do. If I thought a cheaper version was acceptable to refer someone to, I'd do it myself cheaper.

Sometimes you have to tell someone, "If you can't pay decent money to have it done well, it's better not to do it at all."

I do offer a no-interest payment plan.

Quality pays for itself in the long run. Witness: trash in the ocean.

I have had to work for "free" but the payment was (eventually) a good track record which meant stable work and profit - for everyone I work with.

Its tough to be in business, but the ethical stance you take determines what you produce (a cigar is never just a cigar). You reap what you sow.

 

[Albion]

I refuse to shop at Walmart. It's horribly managed from the top down. It's a greed filled empire that feeds off the poor to work there, and the poor to shop there. The only folks benefitting are top management and their investors.

That's your choice, but you know, I've had some connection with a few young friends of mine who are looking for jobs. Retail jobs are normally low-paying jobs. However, Wal Mart does have benefits, and most retail businesses do not offer anything in that area. Be that as it may, I don't see that a case can be made that Wal Mart pays less well than these competitors.

And how Wal Mart "feeds off the poor" by offering them the same goods as cost more elsewhere is a theory that doesn't make sense.

 

[Deidre32]

That's your choice, but you know, I've had some connection with a few young friends of mine who are looking for jobs. Retail jobs are normally low-paying jobs. However, Wal Mart does have benefits, and most retail businesses do not offer anything in that area. Be that as it may, I don't see that a case can be made that Wal Mart pays less well than these competitors.

And how Wal Mart "feeds off the poor" by offering them the same goods as cost more elsewhere is a theory that doesn't make sense.

Walmart, an example of capitalism gone awry, is all about the rich getting richer (their execs and investors) and the poor staying poor. That's what I meant.

There is a price we all pay when a giant retailer like Walmart steam rolls its way into neighborhoods. To me, it has done more damage than good to our economy. But maybe that is a sign of what our culture values these days.
In truth, Walmart doesn't cause people to fist fight over TV sets during Black Friday sales, so maybe it's just capitalizing on how low mankind has slumped these days.

*shrug*

They also make their own brand of ice cream that doesn't melt. Lol A recent story in the media came out about it.
If you're eating something like that, that doesn't sound too good. Walmart doesn't care about its customers or employees. It cares about its execs and investors, and it shows in how horrible the stores look and how on average, the workers look unhappy.there are exceptions to the rule but Walmart in my eyes, is a problem. Not a problem solver.

 

[Albion]

Walmart, an example of capitalism gone awry

'Awry' because it has met the public's needs and also turned a profit?

is all about the rich getting richer (their execs and investors) and the poor staying poor. That's what I meant.

I believe you, but there is nothing immoral about earning a profit.

There is a price we all pay when a giant retailer like Walmart steam rolls its way into neighborhoods.

No Wal Mart does that. The attempt to put one in this town where the people have been asking for one for at least 15 years has been held up by innumerable environmental studies, zoning appeals, and etc. So we still have a vacant lot but with curbs.

There is no "steamrolling" going on here or elsewhere.

To me, it has done more damage than good to our economy. But maybe that is a sign of what our culture values these days.

I agree that this is how it seems "to you."

 

[sarxweh]

If you bought Walmart, what would you change? I mean practically, what's the point of conflict? I don't like it when my waiter itches himself in front of me, so I get the slob worker thing. And I don't like most of the products in Walmart. But I don't see the moral opposition to it?

Any more than having a moral opposition to shopping at target because they support planned parenthood... Its a store. Where's the blood on the hands? I'm not attacking or defending here. I just don't get why its about the store and not the OP.

which was about limiting "success"

 

[RDKirk]

If you bought Walmart, what would you change? I mean practically, what's the point of conflict? I don't like it when my waiter itches himself in front of me, so I get the slob worker thing. And I don't like most of the products in Walmart. But I don't see the moral opposition to it?

Any more than having a moral opposition to shopping at target because they support planned parenthood... Its a store. Where's the blood on the hands? I'm not attacking or defending here. I just don't get why its about the store and not the OP.

which was about limiting "success"

Wal-mart let's put up Salvation Army kettles at their doors, Target doesn't.

 

[Willie T]

See, you say that, but how often do you go out of your way to pay more at an independent retailer?

Very well stated! And an absolute fact in almost every case.

 

[Willie T]

I'm still looking for the photo of a Wal Mart manager holding a gun to an applicant's head, telling they have no choice but to work for them.

 

[bhsmte]

I'm still looking for the photo of a Wal Mart manager holding a gun to an applicant's head, telling they have no choice but to work for them.

I would argue, Wal Mart likely hires many people who have trouble finding jobs elsewhere. Is that bad for society? Absolutely not.

I can afford to shop at Target or other stores, for the same exact products I buy at Wal Mart. But, I ask myself, why shop at Target and pay $100 for the same items I can get for $90 at Wal Mart and they are right across the street from each other.