WalMart; Good or Bad For America

[mnt11592]

I have debated this question many times myself. Walmart is destroying the heart of America, its small businesses. They say their doing good for the communities of America by bringing new jobs, but at what cost. Traffic issues, minimum wage pay that has been proven not to support the current cost of living, and killing small businesses. The list is endless. If it creates jobs, what about the millions of unemployed Americans who lost their job at factories producing for walmart, but the factory just couldn't beat asia's competitive prices. So I'm asking for your opinion: Is Walmart good or bad for America?

[KyleJames]

I could not agree more...A quick google search for "Is Walmart bad for America" brings up 1,880,000 results. I thought this was an interesting read.
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

[pacificfame]

Well one thing Wal-mart does is destroy small businesses.

Wal-mart has a lot of power.

Check out this article it's amazing on what Wal-Mart can cause.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...ikesAgain.aspx

[freedom.project]

Wal-mart has a great business model and i'm all for capitalism. Exploiting people, shipping jobs over seas. You know...survival of the fittest.

In conclusion Wal-mart is an amazing company.

P.S. I'm sure Wal-mart pays its fare well of taxes

[rush1169]

The people of the United States have voted on Wal-Mart and the way it does business and their vote is that they love Wal-mart.

Look, I seems pretty silly to me to be anti Wal-Mart yet support the free enterprise system of the United States. Wal-Mart plays within the system and the consumers of the United States support them. Consumers DEMAND the lowest price at all costs. No matter what, the low price wins in the United States - that's how the system works. That's how Americans demand it work. It honestly does not matter how Wal-Mart brings the lowest price (which we all know is a multi-pronged attack on employees, suppliers, communities, and the like) - the only thing that matters to the person with the wallet is the price of the junk. Let's face it, when it comes to price, Wal-Mart wins. . .

So, to be "mad" at Wal-Mart or even to call them "bad" for a community or America is illogical.

On a side note: I despise Wal-Mart and it's business practices and I even hate the general population of shoppers who frequent Wal-Mart and support Wal-Mart. I do not shop there. Period. Even if they are convenient, closest, easiest, or the only place open. But, it boils down to the fact that I am in the vast minority and enough people love and shop there enough that they are no going away in my lifetime. . .

[ProLogic]

Well it's good and bad. Here is my reasons:

Walmart is good because it brings lots of jobs to communities. It also provides low cost products to poorer families who probably already work at the Walmart.

Walmart is also bad because it takes business away from small locally owned shops. They also abuse their workers by not giving some breaks and discriminating against their workers.

[harrymcwealth]

What do you expect? Wal-mart is a f*ck*ng business. End of debate.

[akula]

I have debated this question many times myself. Walmart is destroying the heart of America, its small businesses. They say their doing good for the communities of America by bringing new jobs, but at what cost. Traffic issues, minimum wage pay that has been proven not to support the current cost of living, and killing small businesses. The list is endless. If it creates jobs, what about the millions of unemployed Americans who lost their job at factories producing for walmart, but the factory just couldn't beat asia's competitive prices. So I'm asking for your opinion: Is Walmart good or bad for America?

I'd say it's normatively bad (i.e. it ought to be bad)

Walmart is a politically influential, price setting, transnational corporation. The existence of these kinds of creatures ought to be bad for the world in general, not just America and it's varied stakeholders

The problem with Walmart is not one of "what harm is walmart causing" but one of "what harm can walmart potentially cause"

In that sense, the problem is that any company like walmark is a wildcard. They are regulation resistant, unaccountable anomalies, irreconcilable with any common notions of "society" or "representative democracy"

The problem with walmart is that we can't can't predict what this corporate "thing" might eventually transform into, and the prognosis on the issue is less than stellar. There's something wrong with a system where the decisions of an anonymous, unelected regional manager potentially affect the livelihood of millions of people.

[dosrotties]

A lot off business fields have a Walmart. Try the oil biz, Construction. every industry has political, fiscal and techincal aspects. If you can't figure them out then you might want to look into a biz that can.
If you dislike Walmart how would you make it better or solve the problem?
Most mom and pop shops might be living pay check to pay check, therefore the problem was there in the begining. There are also so many other service one can provide. When I think of business I never think retail. The mark up sucks, and to handle the inventory, rent, 100's of employees. Walmart can have those problems.

Law suits and politcal spot light.

[hypnotikk]

I read some article on how Walmart does negotiations with businesses. They're pretty ruthless.

[MIKE63]

Let's see:
Walmart-Lowest Prices, convenience, always open, similar practices as other big businesses, etc. ARE WE GOING TO STOP BUYING GAS? I thought this was a forum for youngentrprenuers, we all should want to be the best at what we do so we should understand how business works. To become a walmart you are going to be unpopular with some of your business practices because you will have to do business a whole different way. Let's not be hypocrites here by bashing a company that you and your familiy shop at and who has a bank account balance we all here are striving for. Do you think that you can reach such a goal without stepping on many of toes. Harrymcwealth said it best "It's a BLANKIN business".

I HOPE I AM THE TOPIC OF RIDICULE ON THIS FORUM ONE DAY. THAT WILL MEAN THAT I AM A TREMENDOUSLY SUCCESSFUL BILLIONAIR.

"Breaking The Rules and Making A Name Doing It"
http://www.streetdunkah.com

[KyleJames]

On another note... Have you ever considered the "Walmart Mindset"? This article was written by a business partner of mine. What are your thought's?

http://www.mikedillard.net/mike-dillard-article6.htm

[radreality]

......minimum wage pay that has been proven not to support the current cost of living......

Since when has the minimum wage been a "living wage". This is one arguement I have never understood. The intent of the minimum wage was never to fully support an individual, let alone an individual with dependents.

Walmart is creating competition, which is a fundamental aspect of capitalism. Whenever there is more competition there will always be casualties (other businesses that just can't keep up and go out of business). It weeds out weak businesses that have only been able to stay afloat because they have been charging the consumers more than they actually need to spend.

If you don't like it, don't shop there. If it doesn't pay enough, then don't work there. If you have a better idea, then stop complaining and develop it.

______________________________
Robert Falk
Business Developer / Investor
Self Help & Success Forum

[nudge]

I have an idea, how about we let consumers decide if they they like shopping at WalMart? If they (consumers) don't like it then the company will soon be out of business, if on the other hand they like shopping there then I guess it will be a successful business.

Oh hang on, thats already happened hasn't it!

If you have every "shopped around" for the best price on somthing, I cant see how you can have a problem with a company that does what ever it can to BE the best price on everything..