"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Tex Houston wrote:
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Ahh, but if you were capable of thinking abstractly, you would realize
that Wal-Mart in many ways *is* dictating your preferences.


I have no Wal*Mart preference but I will shop there when it is
convenient.
I just resent some individual with their own axe to grind trying to tell
me
where to shop. If I want to shop discount store I tend to shop at the
closest at the time.

Let the marketplace decide (Economics 101?).

Tex



As I stated previously, you don't seem capable of thinking abstractly.
Wal-Mart is deciding where you will shop. Think it through. Think of all
the stores that close because of Wal-Mart. Think of all the American
workers out of a decent job because of Wal-Mart. Think of the varieties
of selection diminished because of Wal-Mart.

Got it?


Nope and you don't either. Within 5 miles of my home are at least 20
clothing stores, 5 drug stores, 9 Ace and Tru-Value Hardware stores, 3
nurseries, 7 grocery stores, 4 book sellers, 3 shoe stores, 2 mega toy
stores, 2 super-mega electronics stores, countless gas stations, sundry
independent retailers and two Super Wal-Marts.

I have lived in 6 large and small towns in the last 15 years. In each case
when Wal-Mart/Sam's Club, Costco, Home Depot or Lowe's came to town all the
small INEFFICIENT retails sang songs of woe. In every case, those retailers
who studies their markets and offered selection and service survived and
prospered. Those who had been lazy and grossly overcharging their customers
promptly went out of business; deservedly so.

Tell me again how Wal-Mart has diminished my shopping choices.

--
Dave Thompson

On Fri, 28 Nov 2003, Dave Thompson wrote:
In each case
when Wal-Mart/Sam's Club, Costco, Home Depot or Lowe's came to town all the
small INEFFICIENT retails sang songs of woe. In every case, those retailers
who studies their markets and offered selection and service survived and
prospered. Those who had been lazy and grossly overcharging their customers
promptly went out of business; deservedly so.

Well said.

What also isn't mentioned is that those small inefficient retailers which
gouge their customers often pay their employees LESS than Wal*Mart. Most
pay minimum wage and expect their employees to put in unpaid overtime.
When a Wal*Mart begins construction the first thing the employees at the
dinky little stores do is fill out job applications at Wal*Mart.

A Wal*Mart is opening locally next year. I can predict which local
retailers will die and which ones will survive. None of the doomed ones
will be missed.

In the case of one particular business, I will cheer when it closes its
doors. The owner offended me to the point that I will drive 30+ miles to
get to (what is now) the nearest Wal*Mart rather than buy from there, even
if the cost of the gas is more than the price savings. Needless to say,
that individual is one of the head cheerleaders of the anti-Wal*Mart
group (which just lost their final appeal).

As for the ones that will survive... They're the ones which, when I ask
about something they don't carry, say "We can order that for you, and if
you're in a hurry I can have it fedex'ed here tommorrow." They're the
ones who want to sell me the products that I want to buy (as opposed to
the products they want to sell).

-- Mark --

http://staff.washington.edu/mrc
Science does not emerge from voting, party politics, or public debate.
Si vis pacem, para bellum.