Documentary: Walmart

[JoGee]

We accidentally tuned into a documentary about Walmart stores last night. It was surprising how many negative items came up.

* the employees are shamelessly overworked and underpaid. They compared the jobs at Walmart, to same level jobs at competing stores. (I just missed what they'd said about poor benefits,)

* Walmart makes a big deal about giving (supposedly generously) to local charities; however the competitive stores silently give at least 4x as much. As far as the school vouchers "they" provide, is not to a school of your choice or in your neighborhood, but to religious schools.....so it may not be conveniently located, or your choice of religion.

* Walmart advertises having "the lowest prices", but only 1% of their merchandise is low-priced on sale.

Since we got into the documentary late, that's about all I derived. But it's enough to make me not want to shop there at all. I guess the warning is that IF you shop there, just buy what's really on sale, period.
I only pick up things I want (not necessarily need) that I definitely know I can't get elsewhere.......I know its not "bargain priced" stuff, but comparably priced. (i.e., turkey dogs, Jenny -O. The grocery stores' turkey dogs are short and skinny things. WM has the brand in normal 'dog sizes.)
I started shopping that way there when Customer Service people were snotty about merchandise I'd bought there in the past.

[cookielady]

Oh now you've got me on my lil' soap box. Nexflix has a documentary "Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price"...very eye openning.

I try to avoid them. I don't want to see them go out of business, but to be more honest.

I laugh when I see their ad about their low prices & how they'll match ads. All BS!!! They were a whole 12% lower than a competitor...oooooowwwww....12%......in small print it was compared to Giant Eagle. GE is one of the highest priced grocery stores around. You have to mention an ad price to get the lower price(s). They no longer lower their prices that week trying to compete with their competitors. If you don't know about the sales elsewhere, then you are tough out of luck. Also, they are pretty slick about having products priced a little differently (they sell their oranges as each rather than by the pound) or have manufacturers bottle the product differently (the laundry soap was bottled in 75oz rather than they typical 50oz). I swear this is so when other stores have sales, they don't have to price match because they are exactly the same.

They treat their employees horribly. They work them right under the wire so they don't have to give them benefits. They EXPECT their employees to get their benefits from the government. I laugh harshly when I see the ads now that say they are going to hire military personel coming home. I wouldn't wish that on any of our veterns. It's pathetic if that's all they can come home to & how they will be treated.

[Schmitty]

I agree with you on Walmart Cookie....rarely shop there for groceries... their vegetables and fruit are always higher than most places I have shopped. Do like Giant Eagle for some items...and I have found I like their fat free American cheese the best of anyone's...and their price on it is usually more reasonable.

[spring]

Been boycotting them for years... I used to work there. Many( over 30yrs) ago, I worked there while divorced, and was about to have my pay checked garnished for a car payment that my X was told to pay (in court)...any way he didn't pay, so the car company was coming after me...Walmart bosses told me I needed to quit, because they didn't want the extra paper work it required for my wages to be qarnished. Stupid me...I quit. If I had the money, I'd of fought it in court. I got a job afterwards at a convience store. My wages were never garnished..and I never paid the car company. My X finally paid up. Walmart use to be a good company before Sam died. Now it's horrible. I have had several people in family work there and quit.