So it's no secret I don't like Wal-Mart. Almost 2 years ago, I came across a website called "Wake-Up-WalMart.com" I began learning how WalMart paid men more than women, they denied their employees health benefits, and imported more products from China than any other superstore or chain in America. I started boycotting and refused to buy anything at Wal-Mart. Yes, it's more annoying, but I somehow feel like I'm changing just a little part of the world by not supporting the monster that is the "Big Box." It's okay if you don't agree with me. It's okay (i guess) if you choose to support Wal-Mart. I just hope it's a little harder after reading the facts about the company.
I'm not technologically savvy so just copy and paste the links for some anti-walmart videos done by Wake-Up-Walmart.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvxaA3h0iPs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCxcH5q7qDA
http://www.wakeupwalmart.com
-the news section is overflowing with stories of ex-employees and their experiences during and after working for WalMart not the least of which is the brain-damaged woman in Missouri who now owes WalMart almost $500,000. What a world...
8 comments:
Hey Cara, I saw your blog on facebook, but I thought I would congratulate you on boy-cotting Wal Mart. yay. People roll their eyes when I go on my soap box about it... needless to say, I agree. (plus they encourage their employees to go on welfare rather than offering benefits/working people full-time. boo. Somewhere Sam Walton is rolling in his grave)
Anyhow, you should see the documentary "WalMart: The High Cost of Low price" if you haven't already.
Hate to burst the bubble of good intentions, but ANY store you shop at is going to contain a higher % of imported goods these days. Doesn't matter where you shop - a mom and pop type place is still going to purchase from the same manufacturers as Wally World, and those manufacturers (I work for one of them) are constantly acquiring a higher % of components, parts, packaging and sometimes entire products from China, India, Taiwan, Japan, you name it. Why? To make a profit, of course. As a manufacturer you have to cut the fat anywhere you can in order to turn a profit, so that Wall Street will be pleased and you make your stockholders happy. Nothing sinister about it - just business. That's the ONLY thing driving companies these days - if you don't make a profit, you have to become a non-profit charity. Simple Biz 101. As far as Wal Mart mistreating it's employees - entirely possible. I haven't researched it personally, but I suspect you should look into both sides of the argument thoroughly to make sure you aren't being fed an urban legend. I always start with Snopes.com - they seem to do the most thorough research regarding supposed scandals.
Personally? I can't stand Wal Mart. As a consumer, I prefer the merchandising techniques of Target - wider aisles, less junky presentation, better vendors/suppliers (although they carry many of the same as WM) but they do have better variety. Also, I don't get accosted by nasty, angry people - WM always has n'er do wells slouching around the entrance and exit.
Target? Just as tough as Wal-Mart and just as nasty (from a vendor perspective - my company sells to both of them.) The brass at both companies are cut-throat, but again, they have to drive a profit in order to please stockholders. I understand why they are the way they are.
Sorry - posting a dissertation here - but here's a thought: If there are multitudes of people like yourself who would prefer to purchase American-made products, why not start your own business? You could start an on-line store that caters to 100% Made In America items only. Who knows? Might be a goldmine.
One small difference is that mom and pop stores (and other stores) don't advertise their products as "Made in America.' for years (and even today they graffitti their stores with "made in America" signs) WM ran ads portraying their store as a large supplier of American goods, which isn't entirely true. Obviously, more stores are carrying higher percentages of imports now.. it's just annoying that Wal-Mart seems to want their shoppers to think that they sell more American made items than they do imports.. and that's just false.
Day-nick-uh,
Wal Mart no longer uses that slogan. That's a by-gone ad campaign from the 1990s, and yes, was proven to be misleading. They dropped it, thanks to public pressure and some reports on ABC, I believe. Either way, same result. You want to purchase a toy at a Mom 'n Pop or Wally World, or Target, Kmart, or online, chances are similar products through ANY outlet will have most or all of it's components, if not the entire unit, imported from elsewhere.
Yes, but mom and pop don't sue brain-damaged employees for half a million dollars that they don't have...
I hate Walmart too, but unfortunately there isn't a lot of other options in Oklahoma. :(
it depends on what part of Oklahoma you live in. I think if you looked hard enough, you could find other options...it probably just means you can't "one-stop-shop"
thrift stores, antique stores, farmers markets.
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