Why I Really Don’t Do Wal-Mart
If you’re a regular reader, you’re probably not surprised to find that I don’t shop at Wal-Mart. It’s not just some knee-jerk reaction for me, though. I know Wal-Mart has changed or improved some of their environmental and human resources practices. I know people who work there and have no problems. I know people who shop there and benefit from the low prices.
I also know of several negative issues that lead me not to shop at Wal-Mart. Some of my reasons are personal, and some are more global.
Wal-Mart isn’t very close to where I live. The closest one is 5.3 miles away by car or bike. That’s further than I normally go to shop. I tend to stay within a mile or two of home.
Being inside a Wal-Mart store makes me crazy. They’re crowded, the shelves and excess merchandise tower over you, and the merchandise is often misplaced. The noise level is high, and the lines are long — even in the express lanes.
Wal-Mart doesn’t pay employees enough. There’s some controversy about this. People in some positions say they are getting paid enough. Others think it’s OK, because these jobs are often filled by students, retirees, and other part-timers anyway. I do think people deserve to be paid a living wage, but I’m not sure any more how to judge Wal-Mart in this area. Wal-Mart’s average hourly wage for U.S. workers in 2008 was $10.86.
Wal-Mart sells things too cheaply. What? That’s a problem? But Wal-Mart is providing a service to the community by keeping their prices low. NO. Sorry. There are several things wrong with this. How do they get the prices so low? By underpaying employees, by squeezing their suppliers (who are then forced to cut their costs somehow), and by selling merchandise that’s made in other countries where manufacturing and labor are cheaper (even cheaper than Wal-Mart wages).
I’m not OK with getting lower prices on the backs of other people. Also, people in the U.S. have now gotten the impression that we should always get the lowest possible prices on everything, and that we deserve to have things that are really luxury items at lower prices too. Remember when some people couldn’t afford TV’s, VCR’s, and video game systems? These things are now almost considered a human right in the U.S. Give us the lower prices, environment, salaries and human rights be damned! And meanwhile people wonder where all of the good manufacturing jobs have gone.
With all that said, I’m still shopping occasionally at Target (which is closer) for the things I need. Mostly little things, like contact lens solution and laundry detergent. Because they’re cheaper at Target. I’m told that Target is possibly more unpleasant than Wal-Mart as an employer. Hypocritical? Yeah. Alternative? I don’t know, is Fred Meyer any better?
SOURCES
Barry C. Lynn “Breaking the chain: The Anti-Trust case against Wal-Mart,” http://www.harpers.org/archive/2006/07/0081115
David Nassar, “Wal-Mart’s Wages Increase in China, Rollback in U.S.,” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-nassar/wal-marts-wages-increase_b_113118.html
This post has 15 comments
June 30th, 2009
how does walmart squeeze suppliers? don’t they have the option to sell to walmart or not? greenday choose not to sell to walmart because they did not agree with the conditions and their new cd is doing just find.
June 30th, 2009
Of course they have the option – but I imagine it’s hard to NOT work w/ Wal-Mart since they’ve cornered so much of the market. Green Day made an excellent choice – if everyone did so, maybe it would make a difference.
June 30th, 2009
“Wal-Mart’s average hourly wage for U.S. workers in 2008 was $10.86.” Try living on that. And remember, many of those part-timers would prefer a full-time job and cannot find one. Companies like WalMart use the part time method of not paying benefits. It sucks.
And WalMart does indeed squeeze suppliers. It is too long an explanation for me to go into here, but they actually put some suppliers out of business.
I, too, do not shop at WalMart. I would rather pay more than give my money to them. And I am not wealthy, believe me. My husband is one of those people who lost a full time job, and is now working part-time in retail for shamefully low wages.
For those doubters, wait until WalMart is all you have, and then see how you like it. That is, unfortunately, the way we are headed.
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June 30th, 2009
Too long to explain? Give me a break. There are plenty of suppliers that do just fine without WalMart. In fact, there are some that WalMart has to beg and plead to work with because they have done such a good job of building a customer base outside of WalMart. Do some research on truely organic companies and you will see how true this is. It’s a game of survival of the fittest and the fittest come out on top and the rest complain that it is too hard to compete.
I do agree that $10.86/hr is not enough for my family to live on so I choose not to live on it. (A choice everyone has) I have educated myself, gained valuable experience throughout my working career, and, most importantly, am married to the father of my children – All prerequisites to living comfortably. If I can do it anyone can.
And, for the record, WalMart does offer benefits to part time associates. Call any location and they will confirm this.
June 30th, 2009
I will not bother explaining again to a person who clearly has prejudices about what kind of people work for low wages. Many of us are educated, lives in 2-parent homes, and do all the right things. If it’s a choice, my husband would get his old job bad, and work hard 6 days a week as he had for 30 years before he got laid off. He would not accept the shamefully low pay he accepts because there is no other CHOICE.
Sorry, Kathleen, I’ll go away now.
June 30th, 2009
I meant get his job BACK, not bad.
June 30th, 2009
I would not say I am prejudiced against those who work for low wages. I am just tired of WalMart being bashed from all sides. If your husband has 30 of work experience in his field, a job would exist in WalMart for him. You just have to look for it and be flexible in your expectations. They hire engineers, sales people, hr, pr, programmers, maintenance, customer service, office managers, accountants, clerks, travel agents, cart pushers, pilots – you name it. (If his experience is in the auto industry, never mind. That is a whole other kettle of worms and a whole set of other questions.)
June 30th, 2009
Beth, I’m sure Wal-Mart does hire people for those positions. And it’s also true that there are jobs for qualified people paying more than $10 or 11 per hour. Actually GETTING the job is another matter. These days there are far more qualified applicants than jobs available.
Like I said in the post, maybe Wal-Mart doesn’t deserve a bashing for EVERYTHING they do, but overall, knowing what I do know, I’d rather just not shop there. A choice, if you will.
July 2nd, 2009
Funny that you choose to not shop at walmart but your sight has an ad for them (copied from the top of the page: The Walmart
Walmart & More! 100,000 Stores. Deals. Reviews.
shopping.yahoo.com)
I agree where you shop is a choice each is free to make. I made my original comment to try to understand the squeezed supplier comment. No answer was given so I cannot be convince that this is a valid reason to shop elsewhere.
July 2nd, 2009
I don’t control the ads.
That IS ironic.
July 2nd, 2009
Wal Mart focus on selling goods at the cheapest rate in the market, and they are able to do it only because of their huge inventory, out of city location, cheap labor, and not all that great atmosphere and service.
July 3rd, 2009
For Beth, who challenged me to explain the “squeezing” of suppliers by Walmart, I suggest everyone read this article:
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html
When I said it was too much for me to explain in a comment, I meant I did not wish to hijack Kathleen’s post.
Walmart is clearly a driving force behind the downsizing of America.
July 30th, 2009
I worked for Fred Meyer, and have friends that still do. I think they paid fairly, got benefits after 90 days and pretty much loved my job, with the exception of rude customers and the occasional jerk manager (but you will find that anywhere you go.) The only think that I didn’t like (and it was a Washington thing, not a FM thing) was that you HAD to join the union. I didn’t like that at all.
July 30th, 2009
Thanks for your feedback, Dori.
August 12th, 2009
I don’t shop Walmart. Their meat is awful- packaged out of the area and sent in, usually doesn’t prepare well, produce at local stores is fresher and tastes better, their clothing line sucks. If there is a question, it will take 15-20 minutes to find a person to answer the question. And that is not the employee’s fault, it is Walmart staffing. They are a machine, not a store. And sometimes the client is the one spit out. Also, if you shop with coupons and sales, better, fresher food is available at other stores. Kroger double coupons are great in my area. The tv bought at KMart was better and cheaper than comparable one at Walmart. Laptop the same at Staples, and even better purchased online. Not only are their employee practices terrible, but even with the rising costs of the last couple of years, I save money shopping elsewhere!I eat healthier because vegetables have a longer shelf life, and the meat is safer.