Comments on: Wal-Mart’s $640 Million Christmas Gift http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/24/wal-mart-640-million-christmas-gift/ All about the issues that arise when workforce issues converge with business management. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:19:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.3-2.2.1 By: Mercy Martinez http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/24/wal-mart-640-million-christmas-gift/#comment-31993 Mercy Martinez Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:55:34 +0000 http://workforce.com/wpmu/bizmgmt/2008/12/24/wal-mart-640-million-christmas-gift/#comment-31993 I'm always amazed at the criticism WalMart attracts. The constant criticism is troubling. A woman in our town frequently writes letters to the editor and complains that only "lard butts" shop at WalMart. She also hates the town we live in, so her letters are extremely negative. My belief is that after midnight, she and other WalMart critics don disguises and shop there. WM is not perfect, but in the current economy, it makes it possible to live, and while other companies are going out of business, you'll notice that WM stock is rising. I've read letters to the editor by this woman and others in other cities saying "nobody shops there, why does WalMart keep building new stores." I live within twenty miles of three WMs, one is half a mile from me. The parking lots are jammed all the time. So it's an obvious lie when people say "nobody shops there." Here's another point. My 19 year old nephew moved from California (which claims to be so employee-friendly) to Idaho, with zero retail experience. He was hired by WalMart at over $10 per hour. Two years later, he returned to California. He then had two years of retail experience and the best job he could find in our town was at Safeway, a union shop, making less than $10 per hour. I understand some of the gripes about WalMart. They often have too few cashiers available and yes, it can be hard to get customer service out on the floor. But overall, they are keeping families in groceries during this economy, and providing jobs while others are laying off. Nobody complains about stores where you bag your own groceries in exchange for a discount. Why is this different? I figure the tradeoff for low prices is that I'll have to wait in line longer and forego prompt customer service. When I don't feel like doing that, I go elsewhere and pay more... my choice. My son, who had a dismal work record was given a chance by WalMart, a chance that turned him around. And... after six months had eligibility for insurance that cost less than mine and is pretty good so far. The bottom line is, nobody is putting a gun to anybody's head and forcing them to shop at WalMart. They can go elsewhere and pay more, but probably get faster, more personal service. I’m always amazed at the criticism WalMart attracts. The constant criticism is troubling. A woman in our town
frequently writes letters to the editor and complains that only “lard
butts” shop at WalMart. She also hates the town we live in, so her
letters are extremely negative. My belief is that after midnight, she
and other WalMart critics don disguises and shop there. WM is not
perfect, but in the current economy, it makes it possible to live, and
while other companies are going out of business, you’ll notice that WM
stock is rising. I’ve read letters to the editor by this woman and
others in other cities saying “nobody shops there, why does WalMart keep
building new stores.” I live within twenty miles of three WMs, one is
half a mile from me. The parking lots are jammed all the time. So it’s
an obvious lie when people say “nobody shops there.”

Here’s another point. My 19 year old nephew moved from California
(which claims to be so employee-friendly) to Idaho, with zero retail
experience. He was hired by WalMart at over $10 per hour. Two years
later, he returned to California. He then had two years of retail
experience and the best job he could find in our town was at Safeway, a
union shop, making less than $10 per hour.

I understand some of the gripes about WalMart. They often have too few
cashiers available and yes, it can be hard to get customer service out
on the floor. But overall, they are keeping families in groceries during
this economy, and providing jobs while others are laying off. Nobody
complains about stores where you bag your own groceries in exchange for
a discount. Why is this different? I figure the tradeoff for low prices
is that I’ll have to wait in line longer and forego prompt customer
service. When I don’t feel like doing that, I go elsewhere and pay
more… my choice.

My son, who had a dismal work record was given a chance by WalMart, a
chance that turned him around. And… after six months had eligibility
for insurance that cost less than mine and is pretty good so far.

The bottom line is, nobody is putting a gun to anybody’s head and
forcing them to shop at WalMart. They can go elsewhere and pay more,
but probably get faster, more personal service.

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