Are you shopping at Walmart? This article at MSN talks about 5 reasons people are shopping at Walmart. We all know that Walmart was the only retailer last quarter to post a profit amongst everyone else losing money. Granted, the spending was lower than expected because people were watching their pocketbooks. However the 5 reasons we’re shopping at Walmart?
- Economy
- Price
- 1-stop shopping
- Quality
- Going Green
So apparently what it is that consumer want the most bang for their buck. They are concerned about driving around for deals so they are trying to shop at the cheapest place with the best quality. Isn’t that what we should have been doing all along?
The article suggests that when times are good, people are willing to forgo their savings for convenience. However, with the economy the way it is, people are pinching every penny and counting every buck. Now it matters if it costs a $1 more.
But I wonder if even Walmart will survive this Holiday season? Do you know what it’s called Black Friday? It’s the day of the year when all stores used to go into the “black” or break even for the year. This year, I wonder if stores won’t be in the red permanently?
6 responses so far ↓
1 Barb1954 // Nov 23, 2008 at 1:33 pm
I refuse to shop at Walmart on principle.
2 fengshui // Nov 24, 2008 at 1:36 am
I will second Barb’s comment. I haven’t set foot in a Wal-Mart in 10 years. I’ve watched mom and pop stores all over in small towns get eaten up by Wal-Mart. Hundreds of thousands of jobs have been sent overseas because of Wal-Mart. Many bankruptcies have been caused by Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart dictates what it will pay it’s vendors for their goods. Wal-Mart is the single largest importer of goods from overseas. The list goes on and on…. I gladly pay a little bit more to get the bulk of my groceries, cleaning supplies, and personal care items from my local co-op store.
3 Kristy // Nov 24, 2008 at 5:52 am
I have always shopped at Walmart. It is convenient for me to do so and it’s a one stop shop. It is cheaper as well. I haven’t changed where I shop in this economy, however, I have changed where I eat out.
4 Meg // Nov 25, 2008 at 4:11 pm
I too shop at Wal-Mart, their Neighborhood Market is near my house and their groceries are much cheaper than alternatives. I’ve found myself going there more often (and foregoing other high priced grocers) now that the economy is faltering.
And for the record I don’t have a single problem with their business principles. People love to hate the big guys – Wal Mart, McDonalds, etc – but the truth is that they do worlds of good for Americans – and has in fact invigorated many local economies which I have personally experienced. When Wal Mart comes to town it legitimizes many small towns and usually brings lots of growth.
Besides, Americans vote with their dollars – and it’s not like WalMart has some monopoly on food, toys, clothes, and electronics. If the products weren’t better and cheaper than local alternatives, people wouldn’t shop there. If the wages and benefits weren’t better than local alternatives, people wouldn’t work there. If they were really evil corporate dictators who ruined the environment and sabatoged entire local economies, people wouldn’t give them their dollars.
5 fengshui // Nov 26, 2008 at 3:43 pm
People either love or hate Wal-Mart. I just happen to live in one of the most liberal areas of the country aside from Berkely or San Francisco, Cali and no one in my zipcode shops at Wal-Mart, so I’m sort of immersed in the ultra liberal culture of pro-union/ co-op/ buy and eat organic/ shop local/ buy only US made items/ etc. I wish that more companies could stay in the US, and we can employ more people here to manufacture items instead of sending jobs overseas, etc. I can see how some people in small and rural areas may possibly benefit from Wal-Mart because of their prices, but I personally just don’t like Wal-Mart because they don’t support local and US vendors and are the largest importer of goods from overseas, and then there is the whole welfare/ medical card subsidizing of employees aspect. A small business owner of 5 employees may not have the profit margin to help the employees with benefits, but a corporation as large and profiting as Wal-Mart most certainly can. To me, it is a matter of principle and social justice. I am disgusted by greed, but I am realistic because I know that it is all around me, so I am defeated.
6 LivingAlmostLarge // Nov 27, 2008 at 12:29 pm
I don’t live by a walmart so I don’t go. It’s inconvient, with the closest one being 15 miles away. At it’s not like it’s a super walmart, that I hear about anyway.
Otherwise I’d check it out.
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