Auld Yin

It's oh so very easy to pontificate about the evils of shopping in Walmart when one is in a high five/six figure family income bracket which I suspect is the fact with most people on this site. For seniors on fixed incomes/Government pensions, those on welfare, unemployed and disability payments and $15/hour income people it is an entirely different matter. For many such people survival is the name of the game. Getting to the next cheque is what's important to them not if the item they buy/need is made in China or Timbuktu.
There's no doubt some of the company's buying/merchandising/personnel policies are somewhat questionable but these are, IMO, overshadowed by the service and price it provides for lower income people and the many not-so-low who regularly shop there.
Its success speaks for itself. The statement "build it and they will come" speaks to its success.

Trophy

So what is basically being said is that you need to be low income, overweight with/without tattoos and wear pyjamas to shop in Walmart????

I'm surprised nobody mentioned inbreeding as well, or does that come later in the argument?

I am not of low income, have no tattoos and don't own a pair of pyjamas, though I am slightly overweight. I am quite happy to shop in Walmart, just as I shopped in Asda in the UK.

Most of the drivel in the article linked by Fled shows that most of the issues were raised by NIMBYs, Union Reps and those after a quick buck through compensation if they could get it.

I wonder do they sell step ladders big enough to allow those of you who seem to dislike Wallyworld so much, to get down from your high horses.

Cheap git and proud of it, never pass a bargain by.

Auld Yin

I made no such suggestion. I was suggesting that those who pontificate against Walmart need to examine their position. I am fully aware that it's not only low income people who do/should shop there and said so in my post. I shop there myself from time-to-time and I am anything but poor/low income. I was merely pointing out that persons of low income cannot afford Starbucks coffee @ $16 per pound a bar of soap from Body Shop or kid's clothes from The Gap and Walmart provides good shopping for such people along with non-such people.
I was railing against those who have a one-dimensional view of Walmart, that is an entity of the utmost evil and beyond redemption.

Trophy

I understood that from your post, that's why my post was aimed at the non pyjama wearing, non tattooed 6 figure salary types who feel it is beneath them to shop there.

fledermaus

There are plenty who don't have that income on this site and $15 an hour is a lot of money in this area.

Was that link drivel? There are plenty of articles out there, that was just one of them. Walmart in the USA has definitely been fined more than once for flouting labour laws. The Government of Norway Pension Fund audit wasn't too happy about Walmart's employment practices.

We sometimes shop in No Frills which as I mentioned in an earlier post has a similar demographic to Walmart, as does Giant Tiger which is another cheap and yucky place I shop at so snobbery doesn't come into it.

I quite understand that when you are very poor you don't really have much scope for ethical shopping and when we first arrived we did buy some stuff in there. Now we earn more so that I don't have to watch every penny I chose to go elsewhere. We certainly don't earn the $$$ that Auld Yin mentions.

Trophy

We also shop in No Frills, Real Canadian Superstore (which also sells back bacon) and other stores, some dearer than others, some cheaper than others.

A lot of the time the fresh veg in Walmart is of superior quality for a lower price than some of the other stores, so it's not just a matter of cost.

I just choose to get dressed when going shopping, and as mentioned earlier don't have tattoos or possess a pair of pyjamas. I still can't see why some people are snobbish about shopping at Walmart.

Got a bargain last weekend too from Best Buy, Shaw were advertising their 1Tb expander for $100 while BB were still charging $150 for the same piece of kit. I printed out Shaw's price, took it to BB and got it under their price match guarantee for $95 + tax.

Auld Yin

Being fined for flouting labour laws is far from unique to Walmart. I fail to see what is so unethical in shopping there. It employs thousands of people, including seniors thereby providing dignity and income, rather than Government support schemes/handouts. They work in a clean, modern building with a well-lit parking lot. If one has issues with the ethics then, by all means, make a statement by not shopping there, but, IMO, it is not appropriate denigrate those who do.

mandymoochops

Oh awesome so now there's a dress code for Walmart - must find a 'non' decent pair of pj's and i'll fit right in then.

Doesn't bother me shopping there, if I need / want it and they sell it, then i'm buying it.

fledermaus

Quite, have I denigrated anyone for shopping there?

Auld Yin

I was not referring to you.

fledermaus

Good

lmartin999

Anyone have one of Heston Blumenthal's Waitrose Xmas puddings? Willing to pay top $$.
Seriously, if there is anyone moving here soon and can bring one - PM me.

Oh, I forgot. Canadian supermarkets are still all crap and depressing. Some are slightly less so, but not by much. I wouldn't buy meat in one if you paid me. Or booze, not that I can.

Novocastrian

Top dollar, eh? I can chain the OH to the mixer for a while and guarantee a better product than Waitrose.

PM me with your best offer.

Oh, and f*** Christmas.

ducktastic

Ah Waitrose, found an old receipt in my handbag the other day and had my first pang of homesickness.

Ordered all my Christmas booze online today from a place in North Van, got a MUCH better deal then going to the store

caretaker

Doctor: How long have you had this delusion that you are a pig?
Patient: About a weeeeeek!

If I thought Walmart was going to be full of women in pyjamas I'd be down there. Anyone who's had a look at Regina in winter would realize how implausable that is.