Wal-Mart loses $187.6M worker break case

You've already had big stores run out the small ones. Controlling the population growth is your only hope...good luck with that.

WayneH wrote:

BearMtnHIB wrote: I have no loyality to Walmart- I like companies that sell their products for less than their competition.

So you're for big box stores running mom and pop stores out of business? You'd rather have a Walmart up here than all the smaller stores?

Well sure, if he can buy his made-in-China junk cheaper....

So you're for big box stores running mom and pop stores out of business? You'd rather have a Walmart up here than all the smaller stores?

I guess I could turn that question around and ask- so you are in favor of supporting mom and pops at the cost of paying more for products?

I'm not.

I believe that there's plenty of room for mom and pop stores up here - who are involved in business that is competitive. If your going to sell the same stuff that a walmart sells- better be sure you are competitive with walmart prices- otherwise look to be in another business, one way or the other.

I don't buy the argument that we should support mom and pops higher prices - just for the sake of the mom and pop store. I like to use my grandparents town in the Ozark mountains for example- the town folk were so used to getting ripped off by the mom and pops- a fishing pole would cost twice what it should. When walmart came in- the few places that went out of business as a result were not as important to the whole community- as being able to buy a fishing pole at the correct competitive cost. The same fishing pole was now half price to the whole community.

It's more important to the economy - that we get products priced correctly- than it is for a mom and pop outfit to continue overcharging.

So yes- I'll trade a few overpriced mom and pops for a walmart that benefits the whole community.

so you are in favor of supporting mom and pops at the cost of paying more for products?

I prefer doing business with stores that have good customer service and I don't mind paying a little extra for for the service. That usually means mom and pop stores over big box stores, but not always. Some local restaurants seem to buck that trend.

If your going to sell the same stuff that a walmart sells- better be sure you are competitive with walmart prices- otherwise look to be in another business, one way or the other.

Or have better customer service than Walmart does...

WayneH wrote:
Or have better customer service than Walmart does...

Exactly, price is not the only driving force behind where people shop....I'll happily pay a little more to get good customer service and to support my town and it's small business entrepreneurs.

I like customer service at Walmart. They have that nice old man that greets you at the door and smiles, how can it get any better than that?

Anyway, who needs customer service to buy a pair of jeans, sneakers, some 10w30 oil, and some cheap junk food? I just need someone at the check-out lines who is not on another break.

Don't be fooled Joe, they appear to be greeters, but they are gray haired ninjas hired to enforce corporatism. :woo hoo:

Joe wrote: I like customer service at Walmart. They have that nice old man that greets you at the door and smiles, how can it get any better than that?

Anyway, who needs customer service to buy a pair of jeans, sneakers, some 10w30 oil, and some cheap junk food? I just need someone at the check-out lines who is not on another break.

How about when you are wanting to buy a large item, like a flat screen and need some advice on which one would best suit your needs, or when it has something slightly wrong with it and you need to get it fixed?

I agree, buying jeans, sneakers and motor oil doesn't require much customer service, although with motor oil, some people might have questions about the merits of one over another. Try getting a Walmart employee to explain that to you.

How about when you are wanting to buy a large item, like a flat screen and need some advice on which one would best suit your needs, or when it has something slightly wrong with it and you need to get it fixed?

There are plenty of resources around to do research on flat screen TV's- heck there's probably even web sites dedicated to this topic. I do not go into a walmart- or a mom and pop shop and rely on a salesperson's opinion when there are real experts evaluating products and publishing the results thereof.

If it's a big item- I would rather buy it from a big retailer - that mom and pop shop could be belly up next week- if somthing goes wrong I wouldn't wanna be left holding the bag because I bought from a small mom and pop shop.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard that story on Tom Martino- appliances bought- problems pop up 8 months later- store is out of business.