Monday, July 7, 2008

I saw this article on my favorite internet news (who got rid of their entertainment blogs ... ugh!) about how Walmart is profiting off your misery. Way to feed the fire, guys.

Anyway, there's a long list of things that are offensive about this article. Well, maybe only to me, as I've been too poor to snub Walmart my whole adult life.

  1. First we have the "it's too embarrassing/humiliating to shop at Walmart!!" I do it all the time. You will get over it.
  2. The amazement that it's cheaper. I mean, really, can you not read the prices from your high horse?? They have affordable eye exams and glasses/contact lenses, too ...
  3. Product quality. OK, I'll concede that one ... partially. I won't buy their clothes any more, nor would I buy electronics or furniture there. But Walmart is for staples! Toothpaste! Shampoo! They even have an amazing store-brand daytime and nighttime cold medication that costs $3. You can shop around for the other stuff. Correction: you should shop around for the other stuff.
  4. It's not a pleasant shopping experience. This, I'll agree with also. But then again, I don't find shopping for boring stuff pleasant anyway. I'm agoraphobic (OK not really, but internet shopping will do that to you). I shop at odd times, like right after work. Never on weekends. And don't even get me started on the "with such a large store, she said it can seem like a workout to get from the shampoo aisle to the milk case."
Sure, you could work really hard at finding things cheaper elsewhere. Gas prices are pretty much negating all the shopping around you might be doing. Unless you can walk to these stores, in which case I am supremely jealous. And no, they aren't really kind and gentle toward their employees. I'll be the first to admit, though, that I'm pampered by my benefits package. But, with so much turnover and who they're hiring, I can't imagine the headache that causes - it's beyond me. So, consider that before you judge. For some people, saving $10 ends up being a lot of money ... maybe you could use it, too.

No comments: