Not only does Walmart have low prices.

[Disclaimer]

I'm not straying. The facts are:

1) Woman had a job making ends meet

2) Walmart came in, depressed wages, she no longer has employment that can sustain her lifestyle.

3) Consider the type of lifestyle one can have making $15/hr and raising 5 kids... I'm sure it's not steak tartar each night in their 3000sq ft home.

4) What sacrifices do you make as a parent that wouldn't detrimentally affect your kids?

I get the whole business cycle and capitalism and whatnot, but there comes a point, or a line in the sand, where it becomes destructive to society. We as Americans need to decide if we want the country divided into haves and have nots, part of the country first-world, and part second- or third-world.

I tell you what I don't want - I don't want college education to become a commodity where that's the minimum standard, because that'll make another barrier to enter society in the labor market and saddle people with debt they'll never be able to pay off in their lifetimes. So, in order to keep that from happening, there need to be opportunities for the lesser educated to make a LIVING wage in order to survive without gov't assistance. If they want to better their lives by pursuing further education or opening up their own business, then that's an option, but you don't want the only options to be "welfare or college" especially since there are no guarantees that a college degree == a job or more $$$, and now there's additional debt these people have to pay. Not to mention making all other college degrees worth less because everyone has one... it no longer serves as a tool to differentiate people. Not that a degree is the only rubric for hiring, but it's a differentiator.

I think you struggle with the fact that there are more people like her that are the norm, than people like you.

Edited November 20, 2012 by JRMMiii

[OsuMj]

I think you struggle with the fact that there are more people like her that are the norm, than people like you.

I definitely don't struggle with that fact.

Again, my point was simply that I want facts about walmart, not people's emotions about their situation. I'm not making a profound statement about whether walmart is good or bad.

There are probably quite a few "Walmart came to town, stimulated the local economy and now I have a low paying job, but at least its a job and now I can survive" situations out there as well. So should we play off of those positive emotions too? Most of the time I just hear the negative, so if you're going to use the negative stories to paint a picture, I think you should use the positive ones as well.

Fact would be something like - walmart has directly caused X eliminated jobs at Y income, and only created P number of jobs at Q income.

Emotion (which is a lot of what I'm hearing) is - Sally lost her job and it scared her so she hates walmart. You should relate to her emotions and hate walmart too.

I'm not saying that I don't have empathy for her situation because I know a lot people that I care about (and some I don't so much care about) that have gotten themselves into tight financial situations (including myself) and losing a job would probably tip them over the edge of not being able to get by. Maybe I take too much personal responsibility for my life outcomes.

[TSB67]

There is a minimum wage. If cart-pusher, deli-counter girl or grocery clerk is not a minimum wage job, then what is? If grocery clerk is your end game, then maybe you shouldn't start a family. If cart-pusher starts paying $13/hr with benefits, you better be pretty fucking good at cart-pushing because there is going to be a long line for that job.

[TSB67]

Maybe I take too much personal responsibility for my life outcomes.

:werd:

[Disclaimer]

There are probably quite a few "Walmart came to town, stimulated the local economy and now I have a low paying job, but at least its a job and now I can survive" situations out there as well. So should we play off of those positive emotions too? Most of the time I just hear the negative, so if you're going to use the negative stories to paint a picture, I think you should use the positive ones as well.

Good <--> Bad is on a continuum. I agree there are some short-term positive effects, but they don't outweigh the long term negative effects. I guess that's the point I was trying to drive at. If Walmart comes in and employs 120 new "associates", but displaces 200 other local jobs, then is that a win? I guess it depends on your perspective. The selfish consumer says it's a win because it's "market efficiency" and "lower prices" -- that's what they see, they don't see the hidden costs of their tax dollars now supporting the 200 families that've been displaced (in addition to some of the 120 that don't make a living wage), or if they don't get on the taxpayer dime, they've drastically reduced their discretionary spending (affecting other local businesses), downsized their homes, and now the town has a reduced tax-base because home and property values go down.

Fact would be something like - walmart has directly caused X eliminated jobs at Y income, and only created P number of jobs at Q income.

Life isn't always as explicit as a mathematical formula. These analyses can be performed, but it takes years sometimes to determine whether it's correlation or causation, in addition to statistically eliminating other potential factors in play.

Emotion (which is a lot of what I'm hearing) is - Sally lost her job and it scared her so she hates walmart. You should relate to her emotions and hate walmart too.

And that's not why I'm not a fan. Emotions aren't a factor for me... granted they are for a lot of people which is why people use anecdotes and empathy stories as persuasive devices. Not going to work on enginerds, but not everyone is an enginerd.

Maybe I take too much personal responsibility for my life outcomes.

And while casting judgment, what would you have done in Sally's situation? How do we prevent this from happening in the future or mitigate the effects of this happening?

There is a minimum wage. If cart-pusher, deli-counter girl or grocery clerk is not a minimum wage job, then what is? If grocery clerk is your end game, then maybe you shouldn't start a family. If cart-pusher starts paying $13/hr with benefits, you better be pretty fucking good at cart-pushing because there is going to be a long line for that job.

So, why don't we just take that thought exercise to the point and just say people making less than $50k/yr shouldn't have kids? Or people without the $200k set aside to raise a child BEFORE they have one, can't have kids?

Edited November 20, 2012 by JRMMiii

[wht_scorpion]

A lot of crap that you guys are saying is so true and they are so scared that their will be a walk out on black Friday. because the unions want in and they say no.

[TSB67]

So, why don't we just take that thought exercise to the point and just say people making less than $50k/yr shouldn't have kids? Or people without the $200k set aside to raise a child BEFORE they have one, can't have kids?

Fine by me. I'm sure such an effort would be pretty futile though. Maybe we could start by removing any dependent tax deductions, exempting those without kids from school district taxes, etc.

I didn't mean to make this about kids, although it does piss me off that if you can't afford it, the rest of us end up paying for it via taxes, insurance, tuition, etc.

My whole point is life sucks for most people right now. Don't blame it on Walmart, or Obama, or whatever - you're not entitled to anything. If you think you're underpaid, quit and go somewhere else. If that doesn't work out for ya, you probably weren't underpaid.

[swingset]

Just went to the North end of Newark where Walmart built and started a business boom several years ago (you can search the Newark Advocate for info on stories about that boom, btw).

Before the area of 21st and Deo Drive up to Rt. 13 there was a dilapidated K-mart that was out of business, an old strip mall with a few dead or dying businesses (video stores, nail salons, etc), a Krogers and an aging Meijers. A few gas stations, fast food joints, that's pretty much it.

I just jotted down the businesses I'm pretty sure are arrivals after Walmart set up shop....and this explosion happened very quickly afterwards. There's a couple more local OR guys...Hutch and a few others, they can verify or add to my list.

1. Home Depot

2. Aldi

3. Chipotle

4. Sprint Store

5. Aspen Dental

6. Bob Evans

7. New Car Wash

8. Bake N' Brew (mom and pop)

9. Red Oak Pub (mom and pop)

10. Ollies

11. Big Lots

12. TSC

13. Express Shipping (mom and pop)

14. Old Crow (mom and pop)

15. Steak Escape

16. Super Cuts

17. New McDonalds

18. Pet Supplies Plus

19. Game Stop

20. Pat's Salon (mom and pop)

21. Greetings and Gifts (mom and pop)

22. CVS

23. Walgreens

24. Tobacco store (mom and pop)

25. Two chinese restaurants (mom and pop)

26. Puerto Vallarta mexican joint (mom and pop)

27. Donatos

28. Valvoline oil change

29. Kohls

30. UPS Store

31. Confections (mom and pop)

32. Dollar Tree

33. Upscale Fashions (mom and pop)

34. Check cashing place

35. Roosters

36. The Grill at 21st (mom and pop)

37. Pizza Cottage restaurant (mom and pop)

38. A lumber/surplus construction place I can't recall the name of

39. New car lots (two buy here/pay here's)

Plus, new housing and apartments and a new senior center....new bike paths, and a new park too. Oh, and the businesses inside of Walmart....forgot those. Subway, nail salon, Pretzel place, bank and photo-center...and every year Tax services. Eye care place, and a hair salon.

That's one hell of a lot of jobs other than the many Walmart brought to a dying end of Newark. Lots of local businessmen got in the game. Lots of chains. Lots of new local restaurants. Lots of construction workers, utility workers, landscapers, cleaners, and all the ancillary boom of development.

Oh, and Krogers and Meijers that directly compete with Walmart? They have not died...infact Krogers has expanded twice. Meijers is still competing too.

Don't take my word on it, many of you can pretty easily visit this area of town. Check it out. Hit a local restaurant - there's good riding in the area...hell I'll buy you a beer at Red Oak if you hit me up.

Walmart didn't ruin my area...and their arrival made me re-think the propaganda. They brought other players to the table and it was good for everyone, even Mom & Pops. A few closed, but most were dead or dying anyway and there are many more now than there were 15 years ago.

Check out the east side of Mt. Vernon for a similar explosion in small business. I'm forgetting some of them, btw...that's just what I could jot down while eating lunch.

Edited November 20, 2012 by swingset

[Disclaimer]

Awesome. Now how many employ college grads (or pays a living wage/benefits per the poverty standards set by the gov't)? How much revenue do they bring to the city vs. the burden placed on it? How many employees of those establishment reside in the city that employs them? How is the housing market in that area before and after?

[swingset]

Awesome. Now how many employ college grads (or pays a living wage/benefits per the poverty standards set by the gov't)? How much revenue do they bring to the city vs. the burden placed on it? How many employees of those establishment reside in the city that employs them? How is the housing market in that area before and after?

Predictable. You won't see the good, just flat out refuse.

So, how was the area before? Dead, dying, housing prices slumping and businesses going out instead of springing up. It was a wasteland, and those types of jobs were never here, ever, anyway. It's a smallish town with few white collar jobs. If you can damn Walmart for bringing normal jobs and retail, then you also need to blame tech companies and medical conglomerates for not building high-tech, high-paying places here. Walmart did something good for where I live, but it's not your utopia where cart pushers can afford to raise families on their wage or go to college for free...so it sucks. That's fucking retarded. You're fucking retarded.

What Walmart did was provide shopping, dining and entertainment to a part of the city that needed it. Housing has gone up, not down. Families are moving in, some that work here, some that work in Columbus, some that start these small businesses. Sure, there are a lot more menial jobs than before, but also more managers, owners, accountants, and college-educated people who WANT TO LIVE THERE...regardless of where they work. It's now a nice end of town, and Walmart contributed to that....in addition to helping the same working poor you don't actually give a fuck about have access to cheaper goods and services.

See, you're very transparent. You don't give a rat's fuck about Walmart's workers, or poor people, or mom & pop. All this is to you is anti-establishment bullshit, straight out of the DU monthly flyer. Walmart is bad, because you need them to be. Capitalist, Big Box, Evil, Corporate, a bully, thoughtless, heartless Big Retail! Oh, the horror.

See, Walmart doesn't always do great shit. Neither does Sears, or CVS, or Chipotle, or Apple. I don't pretend to say they're a force for good. They're a business, not an advocacy group. They do what they exist for. They sell shit, they employ people, and in the context of that existence they affect people in good ways and bad. The question of which outweighs the other is a fine argument, but you have to have at least one eye open to do it - and you can't see through the Che shirt pulled over your head.

Mom & Pop were actually worse for working families and first-time workers....healthcare and that mythical "living wage" was NEVER part of that employment, choice was limited, pay and advancement almost never part of the equation. Look at the standard of living for "poverty" households 20 years ago and now...what your money could buy you and the quality of life. It's better now, not worse. College educated people didn't work in Phil's Grocery in 1972, either...you ignore that too and focus only on the damage that Walmart might do, maybe, if you look at it with your blinders. And, in cases like I listed above they actually can and do supplement a communities ability to support Mom & Pop. Not always, not in every city, but it's part of the benefits that go along with some of the negatives.

And, for the 12th time, it's always completely up to the consumer and the communities where they live to decide what they want, what's a better fit for their lifestyle, and where they choose to work and shop. They are the final arbiter of this, and most times they prefer Walmart.

[OsuMj]

Predictable. You won't see the good, just flat out refuse.

JRMMMMMIIIII is a marathon arguer. He will argue with you till you're blue in the face and continue arguing whether he believes in it or not. I actually just got bored with this discussion with him and decided to go study thermal conductivity instead. Yeah, that's right justin, your discussions more boring than phonons .

[jbot]

if you insult his weiner enough, he'll cave like the economy drowning in liberal policies.

[Disclaimer]

I survive on keystrokes and anger. Oxygen and food is for you people.

Getting swingset aggravated enough from my office chair on my day off to say

You're fucking retarded.

And rant on about my perceived views, along with putting words in my mouth - since he knows me so well, just shows me that my work here is never done. I also sense bitterness about education and income level.

Perhaps it's along the lines of "I need these people to keep making minimum wage, so I can feel superior because I make more... the closer these poor people get to my wages, the less I'll be able to judge them". I dunno... perhaps.

Predictable. You won't see the good, just flat out refuse.

So, how was the area before? Dead, dying, housing prices slumping and businesses going out instead of springing up. It was a wasteland, and those types of jobs were never here, ever, anyway. It's a smallish town with few white collar jobs. If you can damn Walmart for bringing normal jobs and retail, then you also need to blame tech companies and medical conglomerates for not building high-tech, high-paying places here. Walmart did something good for where I live, but it's not your utopia where cart pushers can afford to raise families on their wage or go to college for free...so it sucks. That's fucking retarded. You're fucking retarded.

What Walmart did was provide shopping, dining and entertainment to a part of the city that needed it. Housing has gone up, not down. Families are moving in, some that work here, some that work in Columbus, some that start these small businesses. Sure, there are a lot more menial jobs than before, but also more managers, owners, accountants, and college-educated people who WANT TO LIVE THERE...regardless of where they work. It's now a nice end of town, and Walmart contributed to that....in addition to helping the same working poor you don't actually give a fuck about have access to cheaper goods and services.

See, you're very transparent. You don't give a rat's fuck about Walmart's workers, or poor people, or mom & pop. All this is to you is anti-establishment bullshit, straight out of the DU monthly flyer. Walmart is bad, because you need them to be. Capitalist, Big Box, Evil, Corporate, a bully, thoughtless, heartless Big Retail! Oh, the horror.

See, Walmart doesn't always do great shit. Neither does Sears, or CVS, or Chipotle, or Apple. I don't pretend to say they're a force for good. They're a business, not an advocacy group. They do what they exist for. They sell shit, they employ people, and in the context of that existence they affect people in good ways and bad. The question of which outweighs the other is a fine argument, but you have to have at least one eye open to do it - and you can't see through the Che shirt pulled over your head.

Mom & Pop were actually worse for working families and first-time workers....healthcare and that mythical "living wage" was NEVER part of that employment, choice was limited, pay and advancement almost never part of the equation. Look at the standard of living for "poverty" households 20 years ago and now...what your money could buy you and the quality of life. It's better now, not worse. College educated people didn't work in Phil's Grocery in 1972, either...you ignore that too and focus only on the damage that Walmart might do, maybe, if you look at it with your blinders. And, in cases like I listed above they actually can and do supplement a communities ability to support Mom & Pop. Not always, not in every city, but it's part of the benefits that go along with some of the negatives.

And, for the 12th time, it's always completely up to the consumer and the communities where they live to decide what they want, what's a better fit for their lifestyle, and where they choose to work and shop. They are the final arbiter of this, and most times they prefer Walmart.

Edited November 20, 2012 by JRMMiii

[whaler]

I'd shop at Walmart just to thumb my nose at the reactionary, anti-establishment turds that need a big bully to blame everything on. Go type an angry screed about unfair workplace environments on your sweatshop-made Ipad, that'll hurt 'em.

Their customers are poor and tacky. Yeah, Dollar General isn't just as bad....but no one shits their pants when they move into town. They also displace local businesses, but Walmart is the devil? CVS kills pharmacies. Autozone kills small auto parts businesses. Starbucks kills coffee houses. Fine, rail against all that....but no all everyone can focus on is Walmart. Raise your pitchfork, and focus on one germ while all the other ones escape your crusade or worse get your business.

Walmart bullies the locals. They also get protested before they build. And, then the local consumers have no choice and are forced to shop there right? Bullshit, they shop there because it's preferable to what they have. You can't displace businesses that people prefer.

Oh, and they ruin people. Rubbish. Most people's lives are bettered by Walmart coming to town. I saw an interesting study that showed that in most small communities a Walmart represented a 25% raise in pay for the working poor and low-income families for how far their money went and access to more products...not to mention more employment opportunities. Not only that, watch when a Walmart opens...what usually follows? Business development. In North Newark, after Walmart moved in a depressed end of town exploded. Small businesses shot up all over the place, even ones that directly compete with Walmart. Restaurants, local shops, you name it. They brought that end of town to life, and it's not just Newark that this happens to. Mt. Vernon saw the same explosion after Walmart built....and it brought jobs galore.

Speaking of that, Walmart is unskilled labor in big box. It's not supposed to be a "living wage", it's part time and first-time employment. It's meant for people with no skill to enter the work force, not make a fucking career. And, boo hoo they work the holidays. So fucking what? You know it going in, and lots of people work the holidays. Don't like it? Quit. If you unionize Walmart, your beloved poor just pay more and they hire less. That'll fix it all.

They sell Chinese shit. The horror. So does Sears and Target. So does Dick's sporting goods, so does every electronics store. Walmart also sells a lot of made in the USA stuff, if you bother to look. Fact is, people don't really care about that....so blame the consumer.

+++1

[Pokey]

Fuck Wallyworld, I can't stand them and I don't give them my business. They are nothing but big bullies, and I have seen what they have done to my hometown in terms of shutting down all the family business there. Of course the same can be said of Lowes, they put 2 of the local lumberyards there out of business as well. Outer portions of the town has grown, but downtown has turned into a graveyard. Pros and cons to everything I suppose, but Walmart to me is the worst when it comes to not taking no for an answer. They remind me a bit of GE, too big and powerful with allot of clout.

Edited November 20, 2012 by Pokey

[swingset]

Fuck Wallyworld, I can't stand them and I don't give them my business. They are nothing but big bullies, and I have seen what they have done to my hometown in terms of shutting down all the family business there. Of course the same can be said of Lowes, they put 2 of the local lumberyards there out of business as well. Outer portions of the town has grown, but downtown has turned into a graveyard. Pros and cons to everything I suppose, but Walmart to me is the worst when it comes to not taking no for an answer. They remind me a bit of GE, too big and powerful with allot of clout.

Who gave them that clout? If people don't shop there, they can't bully anyone. They could build on every street corner, and promptly go out of business if no one prefers them to what's already there.

They've been a wonderful shot in the arm to Newark, Heath, Mt. Vernon, and I'm sure a lot of other cities. And, in some cities they probably have some negative consequences. The only common denominator is that in all of them people chose to shop there.

[Pokey]

Who gave them that clout? If people don't shop there, they can't bully anyone. They could build on every street corner, and promptly go out of business if no one prefers them to what's already there.

They've been a wonderful shot in the arm to Newark, Heath, Mt. Vernon, and I'm sure a lot of other cities. And, in some cities they probably have some negative consequences. The only common denominator is that in all of them people chose to shop there.

No doubt they have given a shot in the arm for many towns, guess I just hate how they seem to always get their way. Westerville has voted them out 2 different times, and lo and behold they are building a new complex on the South side of town. They have allot of money to throw around, but they are actually doing some nice things to the area and complex they are building over. But many of the folks they attract there......holy shit there are gonna be some weirdos. I guess what bothers me is "how" do they keep their prices so low, and you are correct in saying that we the people are why they continue to be so successful. I still don't like them, and will gladly go to Meijer and pay a bit more instead.

[CleaveTheGreat]

No doubt they have given a shot in the arm for many towns, guess I just hate how they seem to always get their way. Westerville has voted them out 2 different times, and lo and behold they are building a new complex on the South side of town. They have allot of money to throw around, but they are actually doing some nice things to the area and complex they are building over. But many of the folks they attract there......holy shit there are gonna be some weirdos. I guess what bothers me is "how" do they keep their prices so low, and you are correct in saying that we the people are why they continue to be so successful. I still don't like them, and will gladly go to Meijer and pay a bit more instead.

While I generally agree and am not a huge fan of Wal Mart, I have a hard time paying more for something than I have to, which is why I shop there from time to time. I'm just glad that I won't have to go to the one on Morse anymore. Or the Meijer on Cleveland ave. Fuck both of those places.

[swingset]

I'm fine with choosing where you prefer to shop....I do it. I'm ok with communities choosing not to allow them in, if that's really the majority talking. Self rule and all that.

The only cities I've seen successfully fight off chains do so on historical or community standard zoning laws, and in every case I've seen they merely choose to be in an enclave surrounded by development and chains that they in turn drive a little extra to frequent. NIMBY action is one thing, but just pushing it slightly away from the soccer field and supporting it anyway isn't really fighting the good fight. That still has the same net effect on your community, good or bad, just at an artificial arm's length. If everyone in Historic Whoville drives 5 miles to Walmart, then Pop's rustic grocery and hardware will still rot on the vine. When Pataskala was dry, it just kept restaurants out and gave two bars in Summit Station endless business and made for a lot of drunk driving. Clearly, the community wanted booze.

Granville fought like a motherfucker to keep Bob Evans from building at rt16 in their city limits. When Bob Evans finally built, what's the result? You wait for a table every morning. It's packed. People eat there, a lot. They also eat at the local places in town. I think both can exist...even next to each other.

I'd rather the market just be what it is without the hand-wringing. There are examples of good small businesses that do well, and there are instances of big chain stores pulling out of markets where they don't do well. The consumer deserves all the blame or the credit, all the time. Business can only sell what people are willing to buy.

And yeah, the lowest members of your community shop at the lowest prices places. See, that's the rub. Walmart (or Big Lots or whatever) is a reflection of the community you live in. If it draws weirdos, trust me you live with weirdos.

Come to Newark and our Walmart is old people and farmers. Some hill jacks, here and there, but it's fairly nice and clean. Go to Morse Road Walmart and it's like bomb went off in an international airport. Dirty, unkempt, weird fucks in all shapes and sizes, it looks like gangland after 9pm - because that's what's in that area.

It doesn't make Walmart bad for being there, IMHO.

Edited November 21, 2012 by swingset

[jester3681]

As much as I like to say "fuck Walmart" at the end of the day, most of us like to pay as little as possible for the things we purchase. It's the American way. Two decades ago, customer service drove a premium, but in today's society, in general, we will herd up like cattle and get dehumanized to pay $199 for something that's $299 everywhere else. This is what I see as Walmart's legacy. Every time I walk in to a Walmart to buy something, I feel a little ashamed - not because I feel it's beneath me, but because as much as I would like to say "fuck Walmart" when it comes to the bottom line at Jester, Inc. cheaper is cheaper.

Example - we just got our Christmas cards made up there. My wife ordered them through Snapfish - $16/20 right from Snapfish, plus $4.95 shipping. If we ordered them through Snapfish for pickup at Walmart, not only were they $10.50/20 but they were ready in 30 minutes. That's a savings of 30% before shipping. When a company controls such a large share of the economy that they can demand lower prices like this, well... I guess I have to respect them. If I could have gotten them for $12 or $15 at Target, I'd have been in the Red-Circle Express in a heartbeat, but...

Their practices may be deplorable, but the American people has more or less given them a pass, otherwise they wouldn't still be the number one retailer in the world. I mean, it's no secret what they do. It's not like we're uninformed. We just don't care... our society will put up with it because it means lower prices.

[DTM Brian]

As much as I like to say "fuck Walmart" at the end of the day, most of us like to pay as little as possible for the things we purchase. It's the American way. Two decades ago, customer service drove a premium, but in today's society, in general, we will herd up like cattle and get dehumanized to pay $199 for something that's $299 everywhere else. .

Quoted for the truth.....

[max power]

I am in and out of every devils box store in central Ohio on a regular basis and I will say that in most cases, they are definitely a reflection on the community they are in. The issue is when they are in a nice part of town (CW) and there isn't another one in the next town(groveport and the SE side). Their rif-raf frequents the place making it a very undesirable place to be and brings crime to an otherwise quiet town. I'd prefer to not have them in my backyard.

[wht_scorpion]

And if people and Walmart are so confident in the "vote with your dollars" argument, why are they so scared of a couple peaceful protests within peoples' Constitutional rights?

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/19/business/wal-mart-files-with-nlrb-to-block-union-backed-protests.html?pagewanted=1&ref=business&_r=1&

• Because if walmart workers unite they are going to have union walk right in and tell management how workers should be treated because management are on a power trip make the worker heads go every which way and cut hour for full time to 35 hours no over time and hire more part timer so they don't have to pay them holiday pay and medical. Ive heard of them fire 10 year workers and then in the same breath offer them to come back in 30 days at lower wages. If you are a outside and work for the company and transfer from another store don't think you will move up it wont happen.
  

Edited November 21, 2012 by wht_scorpion

[madcat6183]

Customer service...

I get the same customer service at Giant Eagle that I get at Wal-Mart' date=' and WM is far more economical to do business with.. when my checkbook is concerned. Now, if the "better" stores had something to offer of value that could offset the cost difference, then I'd go there instead. Unfortunately, nobody offers any sort of reasonable customer service, so my mindset is to get my shit and get out as soon and cheaply as possible.

This doesn't just apply to groceries. Customer service is a thing of the past. Until somebody else can provide it, I won't pay a premium to not have it.[/quote']

Definitely hear you on the CS aspect of stuff. For instance, I go to the local hardward store as much as I can, but their hours blow, 8:00-5:30p, however their CS is the best ever. Smal town, know the owners and workers and they are always willing to help and do everything they can for you.

On the opposite spectrum, I sent my wife to HD 2 weeks ago to get some hose and clamps for the TH so I could do a minor repair and she was gone almost 2 hours even with the store being 8miles from home. Reason; she couldn't get anyone to help her that had a clue, even the older gentlemen who should have had a clue, wouldn't help her. I was pissed, and this is exactly why I try to go to the mom and pop stores whenever I can. Granted I use "mom and pop" to cover a few things, like we have a little Kroger in Groveport, think 6am-11pm little style, no stores inside of it, no mega hours etc. I also go there because if I need soemthing I know all the management and all the supervisors and just ask. I've had them order dog for in for me next day, and had them get me boxes for moving things etc.

But yes, I agree that CS is really important to me.

[max power]

They ordered dog in for you? Is Kroger run by Koreans?

If Walmart workers go on strike, they will only have one register open. Oh wait, normal day at Walmart. NM.