Thursday, December 31, 2009

Targeting Walmart

If you're poor like me, how can you not shop at Walmart? It seems impossible, and with more Federal Reserve inflation on its way, it might seem foolish to abandon the world's largest retailer. That is one thing Walmart deserves credit for, keeping inflation in check with their aggressive pricing.

I needed a new toothbrush (I use those spinning ones) and some shampoo and conditioner. One of my local malls has a Walmart as one of the anchor stores (in the not so long ago old days, the same space was occupied by one of the giants of old school department stores, Montgomery Ward) so I went there for my stuff. I know I really shouldn't. I know I should strive to be a better person. I know deep down how wrong it is. I KNOW, because I KNOW, how Walmart treats their employees. Of course, no one is forced to work there (or anywhere) but that argument carries less and less weight with me these days.

So I go inside and gather my necessities, not even bothering to grab a basket, and when I'm done locating my toothbrush and my 99 cent shampoo I head for what looks like a checkout lane I can live with. Just one other person in front of me, a woman with a kid and only a few items. But the guy behind the register (who still had his light on) tells her (while ignoring me) "Lady, you're my last customer". He was dressed a little better than the other clerks, and looked more like one of the managers or something. I contemplated going to another lane, but instead threw my stuff (okay, Walmart's stuff) to one side and headed for the exit. Walmart takes their customers and their employees for granted, and they can go you know what!

Thankfully there is a Target anchoring the other side of the mall. I walked there and bought all the things I needed. True, I paid at least two dollars more, but I felt better. Not that Target is much better to their employees, but since I don't know anyone who works there and can tell me the horror stories of working for them first hand, I was quite happy to give them my business.

Now, the next time I need something and I'm short of cash (which is pretty much all the time) where do you think I'll do my shopping?

That's right, Walmart!

7 comments:

  1. Good for you.

    A true American patriot.

    Let Walmart die as a really bad idea in the annals of American business.

    Target is much better, and CostCo and a few others are actually fairly honorable employers.

    Thanks for sharing.

    S

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yeah, most of us are in the same boat. We sneer as we pull into Walmart, hating that we have to shop at the monopolizing store of doom. But, where else do you go when all you have in your pockets is the jingling of change and no paper to accompany.

    Good luck on surviving. God knows that is all the American people are doing right now.

    Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Shop at Walmart with a clear conscience

    http://georgedonnelly.com/libertarian/wrong-shop-walmart

    ReplyDelete
  4. I haven't shopped at Wal-Mart in years, but it's not like I would look down on someone who goes there. I won't patronize stores that censor, plain and simple.

    If ones avoids buying anything from any company who mistreats its workers... hopefully you're very handy at making your own things.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks George, and for the link, too.

    ReplyDelete
  6. If ones avoids buying anything from any company who mistreats its workers... hopefully you're very handy at making your own things.

    Not all companies treat their workers equally badly, so it is indeed possible to at least shop where workers are better off.

    Therefore it would not be necessary to be "handy at making your own things" in order to refuse to patronize some stores that you feel are particularly deserving of a boycott.

    ReplyDelete

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