Wal-Mart

[pegkerr]

Here is an excellent compilation of the reasons why I never never never shop at Wal-Mart.

Comments

[cedarlibrarian.livejournal.com]

But remember, they don't stock Eminem's CDs or t-shirts with wording on them that *might* be taken as suggestive, or Jon Stewart's book with the naked "pictures" of Supreme Court Justices, because those things are immoral.

[cat-mom.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for your link. I have on occasion stopped at the Wal-Mart Super Center to pick up a few things, even though I generally detest shopping there, simply because it is 1)cheap and 2)convenient. But after reading more about this issue (of which I knew only a little) I've decided never to shop there again. Of course, now they have opened a store in Mexico. A whole new country to exploit. :(

[birds-sing.livejournal.com]

I have done much the same as you. And now, I won't. A little at a time, I guess.

[g33kgrrl]

I want to thank you for posting this as well. This is a good article for people who don't want to read entire books about labor and who are skeptical of Wal-Mart's crimes.

To other people who read this article: Quitting shopping at Wal-Mart is a good idea. If you have time, though, a way to make it more effective is to send a letter to them telling them exactly why you stopped shopping there, and perhaps a letter to the companies you do shop at, telling them you shop there because you want to support fair wages, etc. (Of course that only works if the company does support those things... Unfortunately, many don't, as evidenced by Safeway and Albertson's.)

[baylorsr.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting this, and for posting the article on endings. I'd like to repost both links in my journal, if you don't mind.

I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart in about five years, and don't intend to ever set foot in one again. I was railing against them on New Year's Eve, to a group of family members who say they don't care what goes on with Wal-Mart's employees so long as they keep paying low prices.

Wal-Mart & Stuff

[huladavid.livejournal.com]

I've only shopped a few times at Wal-mart, 'cuz I have an 'economic policy' of shopping a couple of rungs down the "corporate ladder" - rather than going to a chain I usually shop somewhere smaller, or more local. (For instance, there's a chain coffee shop & a neighborhood coffee shop in my neighborhood -truth be told, there about nine places where one could get coffee with in a one block radius of my apartment, which explains why my sister thinks I live in the best of all possible neighborhoods- and I rarely go to the chain shop. Besides, it's only been in Linden Hills for a couple of years.)

A few years back "The Evil Banking Neighbor" decided it would be a jolly wonderful thing to train all us Customer Service Reps to start selling stuff like ChemLawn & Merry Maids when ever a homeowner called in. "We want to be just like WalMart," the trainer said.

To which I thought, "And that's a _good_ thing?"

In the end I switched jobs rather than sell the crap.

[gwendolyngrace.livejournal.com]

It's really something to see it all laid out like that, isn't it?

I have had a love/hate relationship with Wal-mart for years, for exactly those reasons, and the additional citations of censorship they employ (along with shamefaced political agenda they practice).

It's exceedingly difficult to pass up the "good prices," particularly when the item quality is decent enough and there's no "sense" paying more (in some cases, a lot more) for the same kind of thing elsewhere. OTOH, in the face of compelling evidence like this, it's clear to see that there is sense, and that there are hidden costs to shopping from Uncle Sam's megalostore.

I usually only go to Wal-mart for staples, like paper products or underwear, and "big-ticket" items like the special-edition DVDs (if their price was at least a dollar less). In the past couple months, particularly following the election, I had weaned myself off even that.

I can't say I'll never never never shop there. For one thing, I think (hope? fervently pray to my elder gods?) that Wal-mart's day in the sun will eventually pass, and that the company is riding for a fall. It may take a while for it to come, but I can't believe that a company with such practices can maintain its hold on commerce perpetually. When that day comes, it will come whether or not I've shopped there.

But I can say that I'll make the effort to avoid them, on a regular basis.

[nmalfoy.livejournal.com]

I won't shop there either, for many of the reasons listed, and because all their stores (well, the ones I've seen) are just plain nasty. Luckily, it's not an issue for me, since the closest Wal-Mart is way on the other side of town (which in Bryan means a 15-minute drive but it's the principle of the thing). I used to go there to get Harry Potter figurines but now I just get them at other places.

[von-krag.livejournal.com]

All of this info is good but to the mass of worldwide consumers it doesn't matter, just price does. I wish that total cost of items was easier to find and show, maybe things might change. This just makes Costco that more valuable to me.

PS: unless it's a national brand IMO WallyWorlds sucks quality wise.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I've been passing that around for a few days now. Where did you find it?

B

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Arts and Letters Daily.

[elfundeb.livejournal.com]

Heh! I would love to stop shopping at Wal-mart but I've never shopped there in the first place because they will not locate in the inner city, or even the inner suburbs, where I live. I will continue to patronize Target instead, which is happy to locate stores in the evil cities.