|
SusanofO -> RE: Walmart - High Cost of Low Prices (4/8/2007 4:30:08 PM)
|
I normally agree w/you on almost everything, juliaoceania, but I am kind of with Ex-Steel, Merc & a few others on this. While I find myself wishing the Wal-Mart stores I've seen were more attractive, and I could do without their flourescent lighting, their existence is something I think is simply Capitalism in action.
As a past Business major in college, I have to say I think Sam Walton was really a genius. He found what people liked, and then figured out how to buy it and market it for the lowest imaginable price possible. It is no secret to me why people love to shop at Wal-Mart, even if they think that possibly some poor Chinese factory worker who supplies the goods is suffering for it, somewhere.
My father has made a little part-time retirement hobby, out of shopping at all of the dollar stores, and really low-priced retailers in town, (including Wal-Mart) even though he doesn't need really to save much money doing it at this point in his life.
He spent some years of his life scrimping and saving, so his daughters could do things like go to college, and take his family on nice Summer vacations, and now for some reason, he still gets the biggest thrill out of going to a store that will sell him something for 90% off a retail department store price. He did this kind of thing as a way of life, when I was growing up, even though my mother sometimes seemed to object (don't ask me why she did, I have no real clue.)
He comes to my house sometimes to show off, and sort of brag about his purchases at these places, and he gets such a kick out of it, I find it hard to be-grudge him his little thrill. Sometimes, he's tipped me off to a sale some place that has saved me some money, too. Who can't use more money in their pocket?
I donate more than an average amount of my income to charity. I don't feel guilty because I shop at Wal-Mart sometimes. If somebody could gaurantee me that some action I'd take was gauranteed to stop things like Chinese child labor, I'd do it, but I really think that their government would find some other way to screw with its citizens, because it has been Communistic for so long now.
China is slowly showing some little teensy signs of possibly becoming more capitalistic, but my guess is it will take decades change in a big, noticeable way, that ends some of the abuses you speak of. I am not trying to sound passive, just realistic.
I think the existence of Wal-Mart is kind of a Catch-22 for many people. But I don't think Wal-Mart is going to go bye-bye. I think it's here to stay, as a franchise anyway.
- Susan
|
|
|
|
