WalMart To Takeover Livonia Mall Site, Plans Detroit Store?

Bearinabox · May-31-10, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I bet you all shop at Sam's Club.

You got me. I love me some twenty-gallon jugs of ketchup.

**Jimaz** · May-31-10, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by Bella

Advocates say with Detroitâ€™s unofficial unemployment rate nearing 50%, jobs at Walmart are a golden opportunity.

The problem with that analysis is that Walmart's obvious strategy of driving competing local employers out of business exacerbates the overall employment problem in that locality which is what should matter most to Detroit.

I've only bought four items ever at Walmart. Each time there was no other option. I don't like doing business from within a trap so each time I found a way to avoid that trap in the future by stocking up beforehand.

**Bella** · May-31-10, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by BShea

. I didn't feel exploited.

They are talking about potentially paying these kids $4.25 an hour for the first 90 days.

**psubliminal** · May-31-10, 02:14 PM

Originally Posted by R8RBOB

For the record, I like to refer Wal-Mart as China-Mart since most if not all their goods come from China.

It's not just them; I was at Macy's the other day, looking for clothing that didn't come from China. It wasn't easy.

**Zacha341** · May-31-10, 02:35 PM

Hah! I don't have an account with Sams or Costco.... maybe once a year I will go with someone who has a card to pick up a cake. That's about it.

Originally Posted by Bearinabox

You got me. I love me some twenty-gallon jugs of ketchup.

**Zacha341** · May-31-10, 02:36 PM

You'd be nude and with bare feet trying to do that one. Sadly...

Originally Posted by psubliminal

It's not just them; I was at Macy's the other day, looking for clothing that didn't come from China. It wasn't easy.

**reddog289** · May-31-10, 02:49 PM

I don't think Wal Mart sells anymore Made In China then any other major retailer, For the most part I am surprised when I do see something made in the USA.
I have never worked for Wal Mart yet when I do stop in there, The workers don't seem happy. My shopping choices are limited due to my work shift. I generally go to Meijer or Super K. One thing I do find annoying at all of the places I shop at lack of cashiers. I hate the U scan.

**Wykkidx** · May-31-10, 02:50 PM

Yes you can get almost everything you need from a walmart from birth to the end
Like this The end

**reddog289** · May-31-10, 02:59 PM

I thought that was kinda creepy at first when I saw coffins at Costco, I guess thats one item you have laying around that you might need one day.

**Meddle** · May-31-10, 03:16 PM

Responsible, ethical adults don't patronize the Walton clan.

neighbor · May-31-10, 03:27 PM

My favorite it that Wal-Mark kills local retailers when it moves in to a town.

No it doesn't. The town does by shopping at Wal-Mart.

Price trumps everything.

I like Wal-Mart for certain things like groceries, socks, and cat litter because it's the same and anywhere else and a lot cheaper an unlike Costco you don't have to pay a B.S. membership fee.

However if you go the one on 12 Mile in Roseville late in the afternoon on a weekend it looks like Katrina is coming. That places is a disaster. Shelves will be stripped.

**Hermod** · May-31-10, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I bet you all shop at Sam's Club.

Costco hs been granted corporate sainthood by the loony left. They want everybody to shop at Costco.

**jams** · May-31-10, 03:52 PM

...because Walmart generally wins the competition battle. Of course, we've seen the alternative: centrally-planned economies with massive regulation and controls...

Explains much about some of your postings.

Explain how big corporations are any different from big government in the establishment of impersonal bureaucracies. In your mind is a private Bureaucracy superior to a Governmental Bureaucracy?

**Hermod** · May-31-10, 04:39 PM

Originally Posted by jams

Explains much about some of your postings.

Explain how big corporations are any different from big government in the establishment of impersonal bureaucracies. In your mind is a private Bureaucracy superior to a Governmental Bureaucracy?

While to the person suffering its ill effects as a customer or as an employee, any bureaucracy is bad.

A private bureaucracy does have limits on total stupidity because the business can collapse from an excess of bureaucracy.

Both types of bureaucracy survive because there are a high enough percentage of the employees who "grease the wheels" and keep it going.

As we used to say in gummint, it is easier to get forgiven than it is to obtain permission.

**Gistok** · May-31-10, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by rid0617

I have been boycotting Walmart for over year. I'm old enough to remember the Walmart commercials saying if more than 3 are in line they'll open another register. Now you can stand 10 in line.

Disgusted I asked a manager if it would affect his bonus too much to schedule more cashiers. This morons suggestion was I try the self checkout. I asked him if he was working for free and of course he replied he wasn't.

I then asked him why should I work for free then and train for a part time job in the process. I now willingly pay more to stay out of big box corporate stores.

I don't get it when folks refuse to use the self serve option at stores??

Apparently a lot of folks are too young to remember the days when there wasn't "self-serve" gas stations [[only the pump boys could pump your gas)... or before the days of "touch-tone" phones, when all calles were placed thru an operator.

Get used to it...

With some of your logic... when you go to Aldi's [[a German discount store carrying lots of European as well as American products)... that 25 cents you have to put into coin slot at the outdoor shopping cart corral... when you get your 25 cents back after you've returned the shopping cart... you could have put a grocery bagger out of work....

**jams** · May-31-10, 05:04 PM

A private bureaucracy does have limits on total stupidity because the business can collapse from an excess of bureaucracy.

Hmmm, too big to fail is so soon forgotten?

**Hermod** · May-31-10, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Apparently a lot of folks are too young to remember the days when there wasn't "self-serve" gas stations [[only the pump boys could pump your gas)...

"Pump jockeys" was the operative terminology.

DetroitDad · May-31-10, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by neighbor

My favorite it that Wal-Mark kills local retailers when it moves in to a town.

No it doesn't. The town does by shopping at Wal-Mart.

Price trumps everything.

I like Wal-Mart for certain things like groceries, socks, and cat litter because it's the same and anywhere else and a lot cheaper an unlike Costco you don't have to pay a B.S. membership fee.

However if you go the one on 12 Mile in Roseville late in the afternoon on a weekend it looks like Katrina is coming. That places is a disaster. Shelves will be stripped.

I'll pay the extra cents for better customer service and/or quality. Poor quality and poor customer service do not an efficient retailer make.

**East Detroit** · May-31-10, 05:36 PM

Originally Posted by neighbor

Price trumps everything.

Even your future?

**Roq** · May-31-10, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by n7hn

Ive never bought from a Walmart....I dont like their way of doing business with their suppliers. Too much like a retail bully and It chips away at our standard of living. Plus the one time i went in one, it was like hanging in the welfare office. Im not fancy, but Im not spending my cash in that atmosphere.

I'm with you. I have never set foot in one nor do I ever plan to. They treat their vendors and employees like shit.

I hope they are forced to pay the MAX in this case:

http://www.walmartclass.com/public_home.html

**canuck** · May-31-10, 07:13 PM

The most important stuff I bought at Walmart through the years broke or just disintegrated quickly.
A cheap bike I bought for my son didnt last a year. I bought cheap tires for my old vulva wagon and
regretted it, had flat tires which even if you get replacements for a few extra bucks arent worth a crap. I bought vinyl blinds that split early in their life. I guess I could have bought cheap crap anywhere for more but that doesnt excuse the throwaway mentality that goes with buying there. Costco has some defective stuff also. I wont buy tools there because there just isnt an important difference in price to warrant buying from a non-specialist. There are also very few areas where Costco is cheaper except on special. I do like that they treat their employees better than Walmart. Better pay and work schedules. I also think that the fairness to their suppliers is very important. I havent been to Walmart in 4 years.I go to a dollar store and get chinese stuff real cheap which sells for 5, 6 times as much at a home depot; foam paint rollers at 3 for a dollar, or storage hooks. I find that they stock a fair bit of canadian made products like stationary and jams and juices etc...

**Pam** · May-31-10, 07:14 PM

Yeah, everytime you turn around these guys are getting sued by employees. No thanks.

http://walmartwatch.com/issues/labor_relations/

neighbor · May-31-10, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by East Detroit

Even your future?

So, I should pay more and hope somehow my job will be saved? I'd rather save some now and if I do lose my job at least I'll have some in the bank I didn't spend.

I already get paid less now than I did a few years ago. Therefore I have less to spend so my money must go further. Doesn't matter to me who gets it.

Wal-Mart and other big box stores don't bus people in from China or Mexico to work at the stores. People, local people are free to take jobs and quit their jobs there if they want.

If a Wal-Mart opens and nobody applies that would send the best message that the community doesn't want one.

**313WX** · May-31-10, 07:29 PM

Oh my, it seems like since I posted earlier this thread has spiraled into a shoot yourself in the foot fest. Wal-Mart is Capitalism after all and people always want to claim how great of a system it is until Wal-Mart is brought up. I personally have no problem supporting a true American company instead of a mega government-run Focus: Hope [[which is the alternative of course).

All of that said, what does any of this whining have to do with Wal-Mart opening a store in Detroit? THE CITY HAS NOTHING TO LOSE AND EVERYTHING TO GAIN! Compared to some of the smelly, poorly lit, ill-stocked, rat-infested Arab markets all over town, Wal-Mart would be a god send for Detroiters. Some have already brought up the unemployment issue, but any job is better than no job, especially in this economy [[unless it's a Wal-Mart job I suppose in this case, eh?). If you don't like it, then just stay unemployed and keep sucking off your neighbor's tax dollars. In the nation's most impoverish and crime-ridden city one can't be picky about it at all. Additionally, all businesses sell Made In China crap. It's a part of that great Free Trade thing everyone loves [[low tariffs equal low prices, right?

). After all, would you trade the exremely low prices you're getting low for a significant mark-up just to see a Made In USA tag [[most honestly wouldn't)? I just don't see why Wal-Mart seems to receive crap than any other business.

DetroitDad · May-31-10, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by canuck

The most important stuff I bought at Walmart through the years broke or just disintegrated quickly.
A cheap bike I bought for my son didnt last a year. I bought cheap tires for my old vulva wagon and
regretted it, had flat tires which even if you get replacements for a few extra bucks arent worth a crap. I bought vinyl blinds that split early in their life. I guess I could have bought cheap crap anywhere for more but that doesnt excuse the throwaway mentality that goes with buying there. Costco has some defective stuff also. I wont buy tools there because there just isnt an important difference in price to warrant buying from a non-specialist. There are also very few areas where Costco is cheaper except on special. I do like that they treat their employees better than Walmart. Better pay and work schedules. I also think that the fairness to their suppliers is very important. I havent been to Walmart in 4 years.I go to a dollar store and get chinese stuff real cheap which sells for 5, 6 times as much at a home depot; foam paint rollers at 3 for a dollar, or storage hooks. I find that they stock a fair bit of canadian made products like stationary and jams and juices etc...

Heh, I'm on my third DVD player from Walmart in the past couple years [[two were gifts, one we bought). I've gone through a shaver in the past year [[gift). The last time we got an oil change there [[mother-in-law noticed we need an oil change when shopping with wife and decided she'd take it while they shopped), the "mechanic" dumped his soda all over the interior. All we got from the guys was a shrug and a "sorry, one of the guys accidently dumped pop all over your passeneger floor because your cup holders wern't big enough to hold his big gulp".

<----- Me when my wife and mother-in-law told me.