Wal-mart: We love it and hate it
Wal-mart is a store that consumers love to hate. They are in the news once again regarding payment of bribes in Mexico to grease the wheels for preferential treatment. It appears that management was aware of this situation. Am I surprised? No. Are you? I doubt it.
Wal-mart has a history of being the store that Americans love to hate. It is not just that they make an attractive target but that they pretty much deserve to be a target. They have a history of poor treatment of their employees and suppliers. I know because I worked for a supplier.
Wal-mart has been in the news over the years regarding health benefits, proper payment of overtime as well as treatment of some employees. I am sure it must be hard to run a business as large as Wal-mart. They are one of the largest employers in the country. Even so, we expect them to be above board in the way they do business. I imagine that even though there are laws against bribery in Mexico and elsewhere, it is widely accepted. Money can grease the wheels of commerce.
So, how do you feel about Wal-mart? Do you shop there? I do and I have a bit of a love/hate thing going there. I do like the low prices. I feel kind of depressed when I leave a Wal-mart. I am not sure if it is because I left a large chunk of money there or how they do business and treat employees. I am sure there are wonderful stories of people who have risen in the ranks and are very happy with the opportunities Wal-mart has given them. We usually only hear the bad stuff. If newspapers only printed happy, cheerful stories, no one would read it. We love to look at a headline and turn away.
I certainly have mixed feelings myself. I would prefer for their employees to have better hours, to get paid for their efforts and for them to to be on a level playing field when it comes to opportunities.
How did Wal-mart get to be such a force in our country? Sam Walton was a tough businessman and Wal-mart grew to be an empire under his guidance. They got fairly large and everyone wanted their products in their stores. Unfortunately, getting your product in Wal-mart can be a money losing venture for many. The problem is that you, as a business, want your product in a national company. Part of their success was that they owned the company that moved their product. It was a way to control costs and they have been brutally successful.
It is my belief, that, Wal-mart has hurt this country more than it has helped. Yes, we want low prices but at what cost? Wal-mart has created jobs in one area by hiring at the lower end of the scale while high paying manufacturing jobs are shipped overseas.
At one time, Wal-mart was beating the drum of "buy American". Consumers demanded lower prices and, unfortunately, Wal-mart could no longer make huge profits and keep prices low using many American products. We, basically, did it to ourselves and we blame Wal-mart. Now, just about everything, in our homes, are made in China. I think I have some safety matches that say "Made in USA".
Now Wal-mart has been caught cheating, bribing people. Seems as though their management knew about it. Does this make any difference in whether you shop at Wal-mart? If not, just chant as you walk down the aisles, "In spandex we trust."
Michael Kaynard is a local photographer who lives in West Ashley. His photos can be seen at http://kaynardphotography.webs.com. He can be reached at mkaynard@gmail.com.
Jonathan Allen
11:49 am on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
I too have a conflicted view of Walmart. For years I've avoided shopping there for a number of reasons, some dealing with stories of ill treatment of workers, some dealing with the sheer size of the stores and the impacts that big box development in general has on a local ecology and environment, some dealing with the quality of the merchandise on their shelves, etc. But in recent years my view of the company has softened a bit, and I feel it's important to give the company praise for what I view as positive decisions regarding corporate policy and the effects those decisions have caused. Walmart, despite its baggage in other areas has been at the forefront of reducing packaging waste in the retail sector. This is not something the company decided in a completely altruistic and pro-environment mindset, rather it realized it was spending a lot of money moving unnecessary amounts of plastic and cardboard while shipping products from its distribution centers all across the country in 18-wheelers, so for several years Walmart has been requiring its suppliers to minimize their packaging. That means Walmart can move more product per truck, but it also means the consumer is throwing away less packaging material and our landfills aren't filling up as quickly. Secondly Walmart has committed in writing and in advertising to move to 100 percent renewable energy for its stores and distribution centers. Of course it remains to be seen if the company reaches that goal.
Jim Uchneat
8:57 am on Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Wal-Mart has been a tremendous force for positive change in our country to keep us competitive. Their focus on innovation and driving down prices has forced most of their suppliers to drive down costs. I worked as a consultant with one of the largest suppliers of Wal-mart. That company said that Wal-mart forced them to do things in their business processes that were good for them and that they knew they should do, but were not. Another supplier told me that Wal-Mart was their most profitable customer because of the things Wal-Mart did with them to drive down costs. You may not realize but anti-trust laws prohibit Wal-Mart from getting a better price than anyone else unless there are clear cost differences. Wal-Mart has also been an industry activist in advancing cost cutting industry standards saving money for all retailers. They are a leader in sustainability and continue to push the envelope in technology innovation. All of that is good for the economy. Wal-Mart is competitive, aggressive, and smart. They are good for the US. I for one am surprised that Wal-Mart paid bribes. That was not smart.