I am curious: Who here doesn't use Wal-mart? Why??

[THEFAN]

Not only do they drive local businesses under, but they started the whole migration of manufacturers to China. On top of that their clothing is very cheaply made with a few brand name exceptions.

They opened a store 7 miles from us in Elizabeth. They had to make concessions though. No tires or automotive, no optical, limited groceries. We already have a Safeway, Big O tire and 2 opticals in town. What is weird is that there is a Subway in the store and one in town. Must be owned by the same person.

I wonder what subsidy/political pull they got in exchanged for the concessions????

Probably no taxes for 3 years or so. Bought the Mayor a new house and the city council new pick up trucks.

LOL... Yea neva now!!! Follow the money

 

[Augustmomx2]

I avoid Walmart whenever possible. I usually only shop there two or three times in a year. The main problem for me is the parking and the CROWDS of stupid people. Our Walmart is a super center and we also have a Sam's Club nearby. Sam's is better. I still can hardly stand it.

I totally agree, I do not frequent Walmart for the same reasons. Not to mention, all of their items are made in China...I don't care if its made in Paraguay...just NOT China

 

[Beekissed]

I shop Wallie-World!

ETA: Oops! Forgot to mention why......because there are only a few grocery stores within a 45 mi. radius here and they have absolutely horrible and high priced produce compared to WM, bad pricing on dog food and they don't have any clothing, etc. that I like to buy in one stop.

For me it's purely financial and lack of good alternatives in the area.

 

[FarmerChick]

I shop walmart all the time.
I have no problems with their stores, the employees are friendly and nice, service is great....products are good.
They have alot of what I need in one shop at good prices.
I do not hate walmart at all.

If you think walmart is a big bad corporation, you best google the top worst corporations in this world and you find just horrifying corps. out there commiting assisinations, killing employees and raping entire countries for minerals and etc. etc. etc.

So I can't go there with Walmart being the big bad meanie.....while walmart is big here, it is a pitance compared to what is going on out there in the world.


But to each his own to spend there own dollars anywhere they choose.

 

[k0xxx]

We shop at WM when we have to purchase items not otherwise available in our rural area. However, we make a big effort to buy from the small, locally owned stores, even if it means paying a little more. For most produce, when it's in season, we try to buy exclusively from local growers.

We just feel that it makes more sense to try to keep the money in our community.

 

[me&thegals]

I shop WM but feel guilty about it and try to avoid it more often than not. I don't know if their policies are changing at all, but a store as huge as that one should definitely be held more accountable for their employee's treatment. In my state, the largest group of people on state-funded healthcare (as in, you're too poor to afford other health insurance) was WM employees. That's one way to make money: Shift your costs to the states!

I love WM's prices--duh.

I just think it's insane that their employees make SO little with SO few benefits when the owners are crazy rich.

 

[bibliophile birds]

i go to wal-mart for two things only: holiday decorations after said holiday and localish produce in the winter.

there are no local businesses that sell holiday decorations so i hit up the after holiday sales at wal-mart and get things i want.

when i'm not being very good about sticking to eating produce in it's correct season, i go to wal-mart and buy it. when the Farmer's Market is closed, it is actually a little better to go to wal-mart because they have a selection that actually comes from my state. the local grocery chains do not.

but i still feel guilty afterward. i do not like what they stand for. i give them a lot of credit lately for their push towards being "green" but that just won't make-up for the harm (environmental and social) they have caused in the past, and still cause today.

one day i will be free of them altogether. like maybe next year after i've harvested my own produce!

 

[Ldychef2k]

I don't buy a lot of things any more, but when I do, I go to WalMart or Big Lots. Target is too expensive. Sometimes I can find a gift at Ross, but it had better be important. I have a house full of nearly 60 years worth of stuff, so if I don't already have it, I bet i don't need it.

 

[On Our own]

I flatly refuse to shop Wal-Mart. I would go hungry first. (In fact I have!)

I hadn't stepped one foot inside Wal-Mart in ten years when DDs GS troop was assigned there to sell cookies. Ugh! But, off I went, but the day of the sale it was like 20 degrees out and I had three 7 year olds! I asked the store manager if we could move the table inside the entryway. Their entryway is huge and I am amply versed on fire code so I knew it was acceptable use. They said no, not only no but the manager said, "And I don't want them all trooping through here to use the bathroom either."

I said, "Glad I bought snacks so I don't need to bring them in here to buy snacks or lunch or any supplies whatsoever."

I know there are horrible corporations out there. Target is almost as bad. Monsanto is evil incarnate. But, Wal-Mart I can choose to boycott.

 

[reinbeau]

We shop at Wal-mart, our wallets tell us to. I don't grocery shop there, I go to a local health food store, because I buy organic as much as I can. The local Wal-marts carry the milk I like, my Kashi cereal is cheaper there, the cat litter liners, a few other things. I prefer to shop local, but the local shops just don't carry these particular items. BJ's is where I buy other staples. We heard all about the evils of Wal-mart pushing out local businesses, yet it didn't happen here. It may be because the population is higher, and the local pay scale is higher. I can see a huge Wal-mart pushing out small businesses in small towns where there's little else for competition.

I spread what little money we have around, Wal-Mart isn't the only place I shop. As for the employees, I have never once seen anyone treated badly, nor are the employees looking downtrodden or surly. They're always pleasant and seem happy enough. Up here there was a lawsuit just settled, however, where Wal-mart had to pay current and past employees somewhere from $400 to $2500 because of timesheet manipulation. I'm very happy they got caught at it and lost.