Low Wages, I mean Prices...Everyday
OK, I might as well come clean. Over the last several months, I've been engaging in a silent protest of sorts against Wal-Mart. Unless I just absolutely have to, I avoid going there. I prefer the gentler atmosphere, the nicer employees, and overall serenity and retail non-chaos that is SuperTarget (which, in Cordova, makes the decision quite easy. They sit side-by-side, so the only decision is to turn left or right).
First of all, here's why I'm blogging about this. It seems Wal-Mart is engaging in a marketing campaign of atmospheric proportions to clean up their image and "draw [their] own line in the sand". Hmm. Perception is reality, they say (whoever 'they' are). PBS recently ran an hour-long Frontline entitled "Is Wal-Mart Good for America?" So something must be going on, right? Well, in case you're thinking that I'm way off in left field, settle down in your computer chair and read this story of how Wal-Mart screwed the likes of Vlasic pickles, Master locks, and Huffy bikes (Note: This is a pretty long article, but in my humble opinion, it's very thorough, informative, and worth the read). Just to pique your interest, here's an excerpt:
In the years since (former president John) Mariotti left Huffy, the bike maker's relationship with Wal-Mart has been vital (though Huffy Corp. has lost money in three out of the last five years). It is the number-three seller of bikes in the United States. And Wal-Mart is the number-one retailer of bikes. But here's one last statistic about bicycles: Roughly 98% are now imported from places such as China, Mexico, and Taiwan. Huffy made its last bike in the United States in 1999.
So, yes, you can get a good, inexpensive Huffy bike at Wal-Mart. But exactly ZERO Americans were engaged in making that bike. Everytime you buy a Huffy bike, you're giving a job to a Japanese or Chinese or Mexican person. Americans were fired because Huffy's profit margin was razor thin, Wal-Mart's demand was too high, and it was too expensive to pay Americans to work. Bottom line is this: Low prices are great. Nobody would dispute that. But at what cost does average Joe American want them? Long time American employees are out of a job because of Wal-Mart. Companies are losing profit because of Wal-Mart. So go educate yourself. Or just stick your head in the sand, repeat "Ignorance is bliss" 100 times, and say 'Hello' to the 70-year-old greeter the next time you're in there.
So that's why you haven't seen all those patriotic Wal-Mart "Made in the USA" commercials in such a long time.
First of all, here's why I'm blogging about this. It seems Wal-Mart is engaging in a marketing campaign of atmospheric proportions to clean up their image and "draw [their] own line in the sand". Hmm. Perception is reality, they say (whoever 'they' are). PBS recently ran an hour-long Frontline entitled "Is Wal-Mart Good for America?" So something must be going on, right? Well, in case you're thinking that I'm way off in left field, settle down in your computer chair and read this story of how Wal-Mart screwed the likes of Vlasic pickles, Master locks, and Huffy bikes (Note: This is a pretty long article, but in my humble opinion, it's very thorough, informative, and worth the read). Just to pique your interest, here's an excerpt:
In the years since (former president John) Mariotti left Huffy, the bike maker's relationship with Wal-Mart has been vital (though Huffy Corp. has lost money in three out of the last five years). It is the number-three seller of bikes in the United States. And Wal-Mart is the number-one retailer of bikes. But here's one last statistic about bicycles: Roughly 98% are now imported from places such as China, Mexico, and Taiwan. Huffy made its last bike in the United States in 1999.
So, yes, you can get a good, inexpensive Huffy bike at Wal-Mart. But exactly ZERO Americans were engaged in making that bike. Everytime you buy a Huffy bike, you're giving a job to a Japanese or Chinese or Mexican person. Americans were fired because Huffy's profit margin was razor thin, Wal-Mart's demand was too high, and it was too expensive to pay Americans to work. Bottom line is this: Low prices are great. Nobody would dispute that. But at what cost does average Joe American want them? Long time American employees are out of a job because of Wal-Mart. Companies are losing profit because of Wal-Mart. So go educate yourself. Or just stick your head in the sand, repeat "Ignorance is bliss" 100 times, and say 'Hello' to the 70-year-old greeter the next time you're in there.
So that's why you haven't seen all those patriotic Wal-Mart "Made in the USA" commercials in such a long time.
posted by Eric C at 3:08 PM
3 Comments:
"Rocky" special-edition DVD for $7.50. I'm not kidding. If you tell me it was pieced together by three-year-olds in Myanmar (or Burma, whatever your preference), I'll take it back.
I go to Target first and like the experience more, though. Cuter clientele, too.
You don't know how lucky you are to have SuperTarget and Super Wal*Mart next door to one another. I have to drive a half-hour to get to Super Wal*Mart, and Super Target is an hour away.
Yeah, I guess with stuff like DVD's, books, and PS2 games, you kinda have a point.
As far as them being in such close proximity, I think I read somewhere (when SuperTarget first announced the plans) that it was kinda unheard of for them to be SIDE BY SIDE. Certainly they are close in lots of areas (heck, SuperTargets aren't even that common in TN), but a Super Wal-Mart and SuperTarget being adjacent was pretty rare. Hmmm...Maybe I should market T-Shirts or something. Airbrushed, perhaps? Set up a white trailer outside and sell t-shirts and sno-cones.
So what would the shirts say? "Super Shoppers Shop in Cordova!" Get it airbrushed on a license plate for the front of your 85 Camaro.
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