[Discuss] Discuss - Software Engineering union, now officially OT

[markw at mohawksoft.com (Mark Woodward)]

On 04/20/2012 08:29 AM, Matt Shields wrote:
>
> That's not Walmart's only problem.  Walmart has been known for questionable
> purchasing practices.  Let's say you make product X and you're the only one
> who makes that product.  You sell around 100,000 units per month for $10
> each throughout the US from a few small retail locations, to which you sell
> it to those retail stores for around $7 each.  Walmart finds out about it
> and comes to you and says that it will commit to 1,000,000 units/month but
> it wants to but it for $6 each.  This goes on for a few months, which makes
> you happy because you've been able to grow you production and hire more
> people.  Now Walmart comes back to you and says since it's selling so many
> it will commit to 2,000,000/month but it wants it for $5/month.  You say
> yes because you don't want to lose your existing orders and at $5 you can
> still make a bit of profit. But after this, this is when Walmart starts to
> demand that you only sell through them and continues pushing your price
> down further and further to the point some manufacturers have had to go out
> of business.  All because American's want to save a few cents and Walmart
> wants to get more customers and earn a few more cents.
>
> Here's just one of many articles.  I think there was even a documentary
> about what they're doing.
> http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html
>
> If you want to save your job, your income, your American lifestyle, I
> firmly believe we need to be investing more into small local businesses and
> less into these big chains.  Yes you can't get rid of large corporations
> and in some cases we do need them, but there's a lot of times it would be
> more beneficial to purchase local services/goods.
>
> Matthew Shields
> www.sysadminvalley.com
> www.jeeprally.com

I'm so glad you wrote that, it saved me the trouble of finding articles 
about "Master Lock" and "Vlasic Pickles" about their experience with 
Wallmart. A deal with walmart is like the deal with the devil, it will 
make you successful instantly, but it will eventually destroy everything 
you started with. Sometimes, that's OK. Most of the time, not so much. 
Walmart and Target are very destructive to the U.S. economy and jobs, 
and usually devastating to local economies where they build a store. 
They are the worst of corporate america, speak up against them in a town 
hall, you get a SLAPP suit.  Own a small buisiness? pay local taxes? 
Well, your tax money will go to helping walmart build a building. It 
will build roads and infrastructure, and in the end, your tax money that 
you paid for your community will help walmart put you out of business.

Then, what's even worse, if the walmart that your taxes helped build, 
doesn't make a heafty profit, they'll pack it up and shut it down after 
the local businesses have gone out of business. Devastating the local 
community.

But, hey, those low wage jobs were worth it, right?