I happened upon a book review for The Wal-Mart Revolution: How Big Box Stores Benefit Consumers, Workers, and the Economy. I've read the book. It's good. It does not change my anti Wal-Mart bias. I will not shop at Wal Mart. I will not buy their shoddy products. I will not camp in their parking lot, nor will I smile at the senile greeters. Every experience (all two of them) have been life altering digressions into banality and frustration. I will not go back, ever. I'll even pay more for my paper towels. I don't care. Wal-Mart sucked the life out of me. it will never happen again. I don't care if Richard Vedder and Wendell Cox think otherwise. Wal-Mart sucks.
3 comments:
Also a good read is "The Wal Mart Effect". I read this while watching my MIL die so I don't remember all of it but I have a better appreciation of how Wal Mart's growth affected and continues to affect the global economy, both good and bad. It's mostly bad, IMO, and I still won't shop at Wal Mart. Oh and it's going to be grinding to a halt soon, if the author is right - there's just no more left to cut.
The town I live in used to have a couple of very nice grocery stores. Now that a second large Wal-Mart opened, we have virtually nothing besides Wal-Mart. I hate it too, but there simply isn't an alternative for some things. All I can do is make a point of going elsewhere for everything I can find elsewhere. I certainly know how you feel.
The reach of the great Wal extends up here to parts north in Canada also. News of its coming struck fear and loathing into the hearts of the local store owners with main street priorities. I've stopped by a few times and been ritually accosted by the "hi how are yah" automaton at the door. It has leached some action from local businesses for sure, but I don't think their famous savings are close to the hype. Maybe in the states the price cut advantage is more apparent. In fact Canadian Tire and Zellers often undercut the Wal on some items.
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