Abolishing Wal-Mart serfdom

[Fish80]

If you shop at Wal-Mart the terrorists have won. Oops, sorry - I though I was back in 2002.

I think that old guy Sam is the leader of a sleeper cell.

[captmojo]

I think that old guy Sam is the leader of a sleeper cell.

Right now that cell is six feet underground and he's probably too busy doing double back flips within, due to his descendants, that run the show now, dropping his policy of selling only that which is "made in the USA".

[alteran]

Right now that cell is six feet underground and he's probably too busy doing double back flips within, due to his descendants, that run the show now, dropping his policy of selling only that which is "made in the USA".

Amen. His body wasn't even cold when they started undoing that policy. Sad.

Although I think his policy was closer to "sell what's made in USA when you can, all things being equal."

Walmart always had certain flaws, but it was a better place in many ways when Sam was still around. Too bad the apples fell very, very far from the tree.

[throatybeard]

I boycott Walmart because, thank God, there isn't one in the City, and I elect to spend my sales tax in the city and not in the sprawlburbs when possible. I prefer to support the organism and not the parasites; I am not financing the infrastructure of another sprawling sack of ocean-size parking lots and ugly balloon-construction houses with garages nailed to the front.

We do have a Target in the City but don't go to it much. I honestly don't see how Wal-Mart, Target, CostCo, and chain grocery stores are much different from an ethical perspective. Wal-Mart is more irritating to be inside.

I will say this though. You get back in small town America and you've got next to no choice. I was back in Starkville MS this past summer, doing fieldwork. Needing this and that, we ended up in Walmart at least twice a day. And we tried to avoid it. It's killed all but two grocery places in Starky, and anything like a general store. That's to say nothing of the smaller places in MS.

It is very nearly impossible to live in the US and live anything like an ethical life when it comes to consumption, but that's a topic for the PPB.

My main shopping difficulty in Saint Louis is that either Schnucks or Diehrbergs has some sort of deal with Kroger where Kroger doesn't come within about a 45-mile radius of the City. This means that every time I'm out of town, I have to buy about a dozen Kroger house brand jars of peanut butter. No other peanut butter is acceptable to me.

[elvis14]

I'm in Wal-Mart a couple of times a week. It's on my way home. Actually, I could take another route and Harris Teeter would be on my way home but I don't like getting fleeced by HT. Do I love Wal-Mart? Heck no, I often hate the place. I shop there for one simple reason, day in day out when you go in and buy stuff, it's cheaper. Yes you can pick and choose and find a few things cheaper elsewhere sometimes...if that's worth your time and you feel like driving around to different stores. But the bottom line is when I buy Jif or Peter Pan (the only 2 peanut butter brands worth buying ) and other things that are basics like cereal, you pay less at Wal-Mart. Harris Teeter is the most expensive grocery store around here (RTP) and I only go in there if I need to pick up a couple of quick items and I'm right there at the store. Don't even think about buying a box of cereal at HT. It's very nice in HT but the box of cereal that's $2.50 at Wally World is $3.50 at HT. Grab a bunch of stuff and it adds up. I always have sticker shock when I get to the register at HT (same for Target). If you are spending $100 a week at HT, you'd be spending about $80 a week at Wal-mart. I agree, however, that the customer service at HT is better than that at Walmart but I really don't need customer service to buy a box of cereal, a gallon of milk, Eggo waffles, Diet Coke at $3 per 12 pack, and a box of Zone Perfect bars so I'm OK with that.

The tradeoff is that you're in a Wal-mart and it can and does suck in there. I can, however, enter a Wal-mart, recognize that it sucks in many ways, be surrounded by idiots and still be OK. If fact, at times I'm actually quite amused. It's kinda like driving by a wreck, you just have to look. And if some poor guy was talking on his cell phone and rear ended and ice cream truck with flashing lights and a big clown on top, you'll get amused! Wal-mart is THAT wreck. But make no mistake it's still a wreck. I understand 100% when people say the won't shop Wal-mart because it can suck out your soul. It doesn't suck my soul out so I'm OK but if does that to you, yes pay extra some place else and be happy. I'll be in Walmart with a few extra $$ in my pocket, a stupid grin on my face, talking on my cell phone and looking out for clowns!

[allenmurray]

I agree that HT is more expensive. However, the more concious we are of not buying prepared foods the less difference we see in prices between stores, and the lower our grocery bills are in general.

The difference in price between Wal-mart and HT on a box of Uncle-Ben's-Country-Inn-Style-Chicken-and-Herb-Rice-Mix is enormous from one store to the hext. The difference in price between plain rice (prepared in chicken broth instead of water, with some fresh chopped onion) is minimal from one store to the next, and a whole lot healthier as well (processed/conveneince foods = salt). In general, the less conveneince foods you buy the less the price difference between stores (on produce, meat, and milk/eggs they are all pretty competitive).