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The baby killer...

More Mom & Pop shops by the wayside because of this beast.

Do I enjoy a good deal on tupperware? sure , why not...?

But do I enjoy a good deal on plastic bins, particle board cabinets, a crap load of picture frames, cheap lamps, and socks that tear up in a month? Not necessarily... So, why do I buy them anyway...? Cause the cheapness has proved to be cost effective.

For example: I go through about 2-3 MR. Coffee pots a year. I pick up a 4 cup unit for $9.00 bucks...The heating plate on it gets rusty in three months; the heating element burns out in 4-6 months. I throw it away and replace it with a brand new 9 dollar unit. Easy as that.

Now, if we have a 9 dollar coffee pot that performs a primary function with designed obsolescence, and it doesn't kill me to pay another 9 bucks... why on earth would anybody ever pay 150.00 for a coffee pot?

People say we live in a throw away society. I disagree. We live in a "Perks-Disregarded" society. The 150 buck machine makes kick ass lattes and other wild, exotic hot beverages and it carries state-of-the-art cooking & preparation design for the culinary masters.

Walmart has figured out that I am not a culinary master. So my problem of a $150.00 dollar expense is solved.

However, in the absence of that choice to have the $150.00 machine, Walmart is effectively telling me... Not only am I not a culinary master, but I shall "never" become one either (as long as I submit to Walmart goods & services and their associated savings.)

Now here's the punchline. That "savings" should afford me the ability to buy that $150.00 dollar machine later. But the guy that made those machines is out of business now. (seems he got undersold by Mr Coffee products)

So maybe, to make up for it, I'll spend my savings on other products at Walmart, realizing that anything better may not be out there to be had.

Walmart did do one good thing... They bridged a gap between Poor and Middle Class consumers, where the poor could now enjoy the goods & services enjoyed by the Middle class, albeit through alternative production costs.

So, now when you mix Poor and Middle class economies, It is bound to result in a de-escalation in America's overall standard of living. We now have more "lower" middle class standard of living and expectations by consumers than we ever had before...

At the end of the day, the guy in the trailer and the guy in the 4 bedroom brick house, both live in a match box apartment now. But, they both got some pretty bad-ass Tupperware to show for it all.

Most of the junk sold at Walmart comes from China and third-world countries where the average monthly wage is less than what a lot of Americans make in a day. Children work 16 hour days so that you buy this junk and have the illusion that you're middle class.

Now who's the baby killer?

http://www.politicalravings.com/everyth ... china.html

This ship brings goods from china in enormous quantities to a walmart near YOU, and get this it goes back empty!

DOG,,, You gotta stop breaking so many coffee pots. You alone are individually responsible for our huge trade deficit with China. On top of that you are wrecking your retirement fund. Now quit that stuff.

Interesting thread.

About 20 years ago I had the brief pleasure of sailing in the Santa Barbara to King Harbor race with John Walton (son of Sam Walton) on one of his F-27s. He was a very bright guy who even thought the Wal-Mart success was "a little crazy". I found out later he was ranked as the 4th richest man in the world. Whew!

Some might say that people tend to buy what they want to buy.

jimmydanger wrote:Most of the junk sold at Walmart comes from China and third-world countries where the average monthly wage is less than what a lot of Americans make in a day. Children work 16 hour days so that you buy this junk and have the illusion that you're middle class.

Now who's the baby killer?

My use of the term "Baby Killer" has nothing to do with adolescent labor. Its a term in business that depicts corporations , who stomp out America's start-up businesses. As you prolly know..Walmart is notorious at doing this in small towns...

Now, the illusion of middle class doesn't originate with Walmart. You remember that cheap lime cologne that came out many years ago called "Hai Karate" LOL!
That was the beginning of the decline of the "solid Middle class" That cologne targeted the Ripple Wine drinkers , but got absorbed by miserliness middle class cheap-skates and thus arose the dawn of "Marginal Substitute" marketing. (My Theory Anyway)

I'm looking forward (and praying) that some filthy rich entrepreneur opens a large "American Made" department store where EVERY product is made BY AMERICANS right down to the packaging. I think there's a real niche to be filled. This department store would have ANY type of product. I'm a fishing fanatic and it kills me that the vast majority of lures are made overseas, mainly in China. There's a few exceptions. Bobby Garland jigs are made in the USA (they are awesome by the way). I'm not sure if any crankbaits are made here. Most Fuller Brush products are still made here (I'm an independent distributor). I wonder if there's a website where everything they sell is made here (hmm need to check it out). I can't stand Walmart. I rarely shop there.

GlenJ wrote:DOG,,, You gotta stop breaking so many coffee pots. You alone are individually responsible for our huge trade deficit with China. On top of that you are wrecking your retirement fund. Now quit that stuff.

This is a No Shitter: I was in Hong Kong back in 1986-87. One fine day, I decided I would buy a "china" dish set. Seeings as I had no transportation to my ship, I had to walk about two miles with this big-assed box on my shoulders... That was painful...and for the sake of this telling...it was then, when I realized what the weight of china on my back felt like (literally )

lol @ Paperdog.

"weight of China on your back" That's hilarious.


WALMART, however is not. We have 2 Walmarts within spitting distance of each other.

The original is in Clinton, NJ. It's always been a decent place. They treat their employees like sh*t, but Walmart has always done that.

The food is good, the prices are ok and they always strive to do the best job with what they are given.

The new one is in Flemington, NJ. and what a dump it is.. !!!!

The food is not good, the prices are far worse, the employees are surly and the stock is lucky to make it to the floor so you can find it and buy it.

I spoke to the manager about his break even costs vs individual unit pricing. He seemed in a fog. Is someone sleeping at the wheel again?

I told him that his pricing was crap compared to the other Walmart just 20 minutes away, forget stock issues. He seemed awake then.

I offered him a comparison of pricing vs availability of common products in the 2 stores. After that he seemed angry and hostile.

I told him as I left I would attach the excel file to the email I sent to corporate. He started to stick his finger in my face and it was then I let him know that if he didn't remove that finger, more than likely he was about to lose it.

f**k Walsquat. They only care about your $.

Two Walmarts within spitting distance of each other? Not doubting, just interesting. Must have markets to steal. A suggestion, if you don't like them that close together is put Glen (one N) between them until people run out of spit. I would go to both Walmarts to take advantage of each.

No one complains much about the fact that Walmarts low pricing has caused others to significantly lower their prices in order to compete, and by that consumers benefit whether they shop at Walmart or not. I just bought a new washer from a mom and pop store. Perhaps I could have made a better deal, but I didn't ask for one, and I am sure I could have made out better purchasing from a chain store.
I enjoy the fact that Sears, Target, Shopco, and the other chains have Walmart to help hold down the prices of the things that I need.

After this regime gos through my wallet there isn't much left to buy anything that isn't sold at bargain prices. And it isn't getting better. Every dollar they are printing has unlawfully taxed my savings along with every dollar I have earned.

PaperDog wrote:

GlenJ wrote:DOG,,, You gotta stop breaking so many coffee pots. You alone are individually responsible for our huge trade deficit with China. On top of that you are wrecking your retirement fund. Now quit that stuff.

This is a No Shitter: I was in Hong Kong back in 1986-87. One fine day, I decided I would buy a "china" dish set. Seeings as I had no transportation to my ship, I had to walk about two miles with this big-assed box on my shoulders... That was painful...and for the sake of this telling...it was then, when I realized what the weight of china on my back felt like (literally )

I missed that one dog, but that was funny.

A ten percent tariff on all foreign goods would fix this problem in just a few years.

But as long as our presidents are campaigning on foreign " donations " it will never happen.

No one is laughing here..

Walmart outsources their jobs to out and away people not from here..

They under cut the going rate and refuse a regular guy 40 hours because then you are f/t and able to claim bene's.

Worst of all, the original Walmart for us in Clinton is a way of life. You research what you are buying and if they have it for less, maybe you buy.

They are talking about getting rid of the good one we had only to be replaced by the sh*t hole in Flemington.

Even Walmart can go chapter 11, as far as I am concerned.
We never needed it before and now that they want to stick us with the crap one, it may do just that. Too soon to tell !!!

Crunchysoundbite wrote:Two Walmarts within spitting distance of each other? Not doubting, just interesting. Must have markets to steal. A suggestion, if you don't like them that close together is put Glen (one N) between them until people run out of spit. I would go to both Walmarts to take advantage of each.

Crunch, I am sorry you are such a sad pitiful person. You know I can say a prayer for you, cause as a man of God you have taken a real bitter turn in your attitude. You misunderstand when some of the guys like Jimmy or Gt get into a nasty discussion, even when they get personal it don't mean squat.
Jimmy is a tough mother, but he also is a proven great musician.
The only thing you play is is the dribbles running from your mouth.

Remember "The Tale of Two Cities"? "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"
Which one do you want to pick? Right now you are leaning to the dark side, and you have this silly Idea you are going to hurt me. WRONG. You and guys like mike nobody make this place more fun than the evening news.

BRING IT ON MY MAN OF GOD!