Walmart reading
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EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
I heard the author of the pickel story on an interview on the radio talking about this story. He said vlasic makes so much money on their other products they sell at walmart that they are forced to sell the gallon jars at a loss to keep their other business. Is it really bad for us consumers that vlasic isn't making money on this product when they are doing well on everything else? Is it our job to make sure the suppliers are makeing a profit? Vlasic isn't losing money overall, and is in fact doing quite well as a company. They aren't complaining either, it's just the press who's making story out of this.
Snapper wants to seel $500 walk behind mowers and is pulling their brand from walmart. They think they can do better on their own. I think it's suicide, but what do I know. I do know that if I want a quality walk behind mower, I'm going to Lowes or Home Depot and buying one with a honda engine for $300.
I'm a fan of walmart, but realize that if I want top quality, I need to shop someplace else.
Eddie
Snapper wants to seel $500 walk behind mowers and is pulling their brand from walmart. They think they can do better on their own. I think it's suicide, but what do I know. I do know that if I want a quality walk behind mower, I'm going to Lowes or Home Depot and buying one with a honda engine for $300.
I'm a fan of walmart, but realize that if I want top quality, I need to shop someplace else.
Eddie
riptides
Super Star Member
Ahh the ol' WalMart note....
Let's see here ....
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm a fan of walmart, but realize that if I want top quality, I need to shop someplace else.)</font>
Based on the pickle, I would go there to get a gallon jug, Quality of brand comes to mind.
In a pickle for a lawn mower.... well I just don't quanitify those articles brands as durable. Indeed the article goes to great lengths to give the reader opinion on disposable products.
And to me - disposable products have a price point. Mine may be different than yours. In other words my 300 dollar lawnmower may be the curb queen because it will not start, yours may be in the shop, or you may be fixing it.
The product price point may have a lot to do with how disposable it becomes to an individual.
-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Let's see here ....
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I'm a fan of walmart, but realize that if I want top quality, I need to shop someplace else.)</font>
Based on the pickle, I would go there to get a gallon jug, Quality of brand comes to mind.
In a pickle for a lawn mower.... well I just don't quanitify those articles brands as durable. Indeed the article goes to great lengths to give the reader opinion on disposable products.
And to me - disposable products have a price point. Mine may be different than yours. In other words my 300 dollar lawnmower may be the curb queen because it will not start, yours may be in the shop, or you may be fixing it.
The product price point may have a lot to do with how disposable it becomes to an individual.
-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
BB_TX
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Ahh. The Walmart bashing never ends. The media especially loves it as they love to stir controversy. "They are destroying all our jobs" they scream. But just go to Sears, Pennys, Kohls, Best Buy, you name it store, even your local merchants and look at the labels and tags and then tell me how much you find made in the good ol USA. They all do it without apology. Look at the labels inside your own clothing, shoes, caps, household furnishings, tools, etc. and see how much of your stuff is imported.
In fact, it raises our standard of living. The imports force domestic producers to keep their prices low. That means whether we buy domestic or imported we have more buying power. The more buying power we have the higher our standard of living. "But look at all the lost jobs" they say. True there are jobs lost. But the unemployment rate is at or less than 5%. That ain't bad. And there are jobs to be had if someone wants to work.
In fact, it raises our standard of living. The imports force domestic producers to keep their prices low. That means whether we buy domestic or imported we have more buying power. The more buying power we have the higher our standard of living. "But look at all the lost jobs" they say. True there are jobs lost. But the unemployment rate is at or less than 5%. That ain't bad. And there are jobs to be had if someone wants to work.
CarlGlas
Gold Member
Wouldn't it be nice if petroleum based fuels, natural gas and electricty worked that way too? /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
turbo36
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Your logic is based on the assumption that wages will remain the same as the cost of products or services go down, however in my occupation (manufacturing) we have watched wages go down dramatically in the last four years. So our standard of living has been lowered not raised. I hope when you retire your pension is safe or I will see you at Wal-Mart greeting me at the door. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Jagmandave
Veteran Member
Manufacturing wages have gone down dramatically?
Not here in Kansas, although they haven't risen all that quickly either. Maybe a little in relation to the COLA, but I don't think so.......
I run a manufacturing plant, and I pay more now for hourly wages than I did 5 years ago, not to mention the associated higher employer costs too.......
Might be different in certain industries, but none was specified......
I think Mr. Weir of Snapper did a very brave thing, tossing away 20% of his national sales (this year, could have been much more as time went along) but I agree with his reasoning. His choices seemed to be to cheapen his product and make far less money per unit sold (in fact losing money on some % of units) vs. making a fair profit on a smaller number of units, but having lower overall manufacturing cost, the ability to keep his quality control under control (vs. offshore manufacturing) and probably keep his warranty costs in line - plus the added benefit of keeping the dealers who make up 80% of his business happy and profitable too. sounds like a good business decision for him and his company..........
Not here in Kansas, although they haven't risen all that quickly either. Maybe a little in relation to the COLA, but I don't think so.......
I run a manufacturing plant, and I pay more now for hourly wages than I did 5 years ago, not to mention the associated higher employer costs too.......
Might be different in certain industries, but none was specified......
I think Mr. Weir of Snapper did a very brave thing, tossing away 20% of his national sales (this year, could have been much more as time went along) but I agree with his reasoning. His choices seemed to be to cheapen his product and make far less money per unit sold (in fact losing money on some % of units) vs. making a fair profit on a smaller number of units, but having lower overall manufacturing cost, the ability to keep his quality control under control (vs. offshore manufacturing) and probably keep his warranty costs in line - plus the added benefit of keeping the dealers who make up 80% of his business happy and profitable too. sounds like a good business decision for him and his company..........
CarlGlas
Gold Member
Wages have gone down or they haven't been adjusted ?
If my employer lowered my wages, I'd be looking for a new employer.
(of course if they were any lower, I'd be paying them) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
If my employer lowered my wages, I'd be looking for a new employer.
(of course if they were any lower, I'd be paying them) /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
CarlGlas
Gold Member
My profession is a kind of a necessity, so I don't see them decreasing our salaries. While we normally receive a 3%COLA about every 2-3 years, we haven't received a pay raise since 1999.
I drive 80 miles a day to and from work, not to mention the other miles I may drive while there. I could work where I live but they can't compete with the salary and benefits of a larger county.
So, I do understand.
I drive 80 miles a day to and from work, not to mention the other miles I may drive while there. I could work where I live but they can't compete with the salary and benefits of a larger county.
So, I do understand.
Unclebuck257
Platinum Member
After all is said and done, Wal-Mart in general is just handling business the way that's best for them. If it wasn't for the American public, Wal-Mart couldn't do what they've done already, and are doing now, to their suppliers, employees and to their customers.
I'm not defending Wal-Mart, just merely stating the American way of free enterprize! When you become the largest retailer in the world, you definitely gain barganing power over your suppliers. Your suppliers either do what's required or they don't and are no longer on Wal-Mart shelves.
Years ago, Wal-Mart was a big client/customer of mine, back in the early 90's. Even back then they were a huge entity to deal with and had vendors clamering to do business with them. They were so big that they limited "vendor days" to only Tues and Thursday. That was a sight on Tues and Thursday too! All the vendors they dealt with had either one of those two days to call on their particular, assigned Wal-Mart buyer. The room where the vendors waited to see someone was crowded and no sitting room left. More and more oriental salespeople, representing foreign copmpanys were seen as the months rolled on. The handwriting was on the wall at that point, and the foreign vendors did what Wal-Mart demanded too! The Americans had no choice but then to fall in line too.
Is Wal-Mart a good or bad thing? I think Wal-Mart is both but there's no stopping them now unless the American public revolts and I don't see that happening. Wal-Mart gives the American public what they want and the American public has responded accordingly.
Many a good company has been put out of business because of Wal-Mart simply because they cannot compete price wise. That's the advantage to the huge buying power Wal-Mart has. Personally, I shop at Wal-Mart for certain things, but I will also try to shop and buy at local businesses too whenever I can.
I'm not defending Wal-Mart, just merely stating the American way of free enterprize! When you become the largest retailer in the world, you definitely gain barganing power over your suppliers. Your suppliers either do what's required or they don't and are no longer on Wal-Mart shelves.
Years ago, Wal-Mart was a big client/customer of mine, back in the early 90's. Even back then they were a huge entity to deal with and had vendors clamering to do business with them. They were so big that they limited "vendor days" to only Tues and Thursday. That was a sight on Tues and Thursday too! All the vendors they dealt with had either one of those two days to call on their particular, assigned Wal-Mart buyer. The room where the vendors waited to see someone was crowded and no sitting room left. More and more oriental salespeople, representing foreign copmpanys were seen as the months rolled on. The handwriting was on the wall at that point, and the foreign vendors did what Wal-Mart demanded too! The Americans had no choice but then to fall in line too.
Is Wal-Mart a good or bad thing? I think Wal-Mart is both but there's no stopping them now unless the American public revolts and I don't see that happening. Wal-Mart gives the American public what they want and the American public has responded accordingly.
Many a good company has been put out of business because of Wal-Mart simply because they cannot compete price wise. That's the advantage to the huge buying power Wal-Mart has. Personally, I shop at Wal-Mart for certain things, but I will also try to shop and buy at local businesses too whenever I can.
BB_TX
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Well said, Jim.
DrewL
Gold Member
One of the rules of this forum is no politics. This topic CAN NOT be effectively discussed without politics being brought into it. After all, that IS the beef /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
<font color="blue"> One of the rules of this forum is no politics. This topic CAN NOT be effectively discussed without politics being brought into it. </font>
I had no intent of talking politics when I made the post and there are lots of other posts on this forum about Walmart/Home Depot etc...the one reason I made the post was the discussion on other threads about John Deere selling through Home Depot and the discussion of why,now we have an exec.refusing to sell Simplicity through Wal mart and saying why he will not continue to do business with Walmart and why.
If it gets out of hand the moderators can lock the thread.
I had no intent of talking politics when I made the post and there are lots of other posts on this forum about Walmart/Home Depot etc...the one reason I made the post was the discussion on other threads about John Deere selling through Home Depot and the discussion of why,now we have an exec.refusing to sell Simplicity through Wal mart and saying why he will not continue to do business with Walmart and why.
If it gets out of hand the moderators can lock the thread.
EddieWalker
Epic Contributor
I've often wondered how Walmart is responsible for the small business's closeing down, mom and pop stored going out of buisiness and the general decline of the small town squares.
Nobody seems to feel the same way about the other stores who do the same thing, or the ones who were doing it before walmart. Sears and the local mall was responsible for dozens on small business's closing down and the vacancies in downtown Hayward, where I grew up.
Home Depot, Lowes, Kmart, Sears, Penny's and the list goes on and on. They have all closed down more small stores than we can count, but they get a pass. Only walmart is the bad one.
Eddie
Nobody seems to feel the same way about the other stores who do the same thing, or the ones who were doing it before walmart. Sears and the local mall was responsible for dozens on small business's closing down and the vacancies in downtown Hayward, where I grew up.
Home Depot, Lowes, Kmart, Sears, Penny's and the list goes on and on. They have all closed down more small stores than we can count, but they get a pass. Only walmart is the bad one.
Eddie
Spiffy
Veteran Member
To throw a guess out:
Walmart is the "Kleenex" of the discount department store.
So by the time you here people refering to them specifically and generically....well that's at lot of Walmart discusion /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
Walmart is the "Kleenex" of the discount department store.
So by the time you here people refering to them specifically and generically....well that's at lot of Walmart discusion /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
riptides
Super Star Member
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Home Depot, Lowes, Kmart, Sears, Penny's and the list goes on and on. They have all closed down more small stores than we can count, but they get a pass. Only walmart is the bad one.)</font>
When your number one everyone takes shots at you. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Even bad press is ..... press... and sooner or later someone else will go take a first hand looksie.
-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
When your number one everyone takes shots at you. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Even bad press is ..... press... and sooner or later someone else will go take a first hand looksie.
-Mike Z. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
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