Walmart among retailers to add stores, expand offerings in 'food deserts' | The Columbus Dispatch

The great thing about America is "It's my money and I can shop where I want." That drives the progressives crazy. My money. My decision. My rights.

There will be a Walmart off every exit ramp in America before it's over.

Local food grower wrote:

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The only reason companies like Walmart exist is because a small handful of powerful people are making the big bucks off of it. It's not helping the "average joe" or even the "slightly-above-average joe."

While I don't disagree with the idea of growing more locally, to fly in the face of reason and suggest that Walmart only exists because of powerful people is just plain silly. Walmart exists because quite literally, millions of shoppers walk through their doors yearly and purchase significant amounts of goods. Those consumers had the option to choose elsewhere and in the end they chose Walmart. You don't have to like that, but that is reality. No dollars, no Walmart. Yet despite the Walmart hate out there, someone is buying at Walmart in significant numbers. Likely the "average Joe" is feeling like Walmart is helping quite a bit considering how they vote with their dollars.

Parents need to get their kids of their ass and make them go outside and play, not sit in the house and play games. Do schools even have gym classes anymore? And you say people don't sit down and have home cooked dinners anymore, could it be that it takes both parents working to make a living anymore?

Consumer Demand wrote:

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While I don't disagree with the idea of growing more locally, to fly in the face of reason and suggest that Walmart only exists because of powerful people is just plain silly. Walmart exists because quite literally, millions of shoppers walk through their doors yearly and purchase significant amounts of goods. Those consumers had the option to choose elsewhere and in the end they chose Walmart. You don't have to like that, but that is reality. No dollars, no Walmart. Yet despite the Walmart hate out there, someone is buying at Walmart in significant numbers. Likely the "average Joe" is feeling like Walmart is helping quite a bit considering how they vote with their dollars.

Yeah, but ever notice how the loyal Walmart shoppers complain after each trip? I don't shop there and never will, but know lots of folks who do. They like the one-stop-shopping and low prices. Yet, there is never an associate available to help. Lines are long, there's no more layaway, kids are running around unattended, shelves are not stocked, etc. etc. Walmart's model may have been family friendly at one time, but now it's all aobut the $$$$. After the Westerville location opens, the complaints will begin. People have become increasingly lazy and Walmart has preyed on that trait. You can go to the bank, get your groceries, wire money, get your tires and/or oil changed, get a manicure and at some locations get an eye exam. We want everything under on roof, so we have to deal with the greedy giants and "The People Of Walmart" freaks.

punkazz wrote:

<quoted text>Yeah, but ever notice how the loyal Walmart shoppers complain after each trip? I don't shop there and never will, but know lots of folks who do. They like the one-stop-shopping and low prices. Yet, there is never an associate available to help. Lines are long, there's no more layaway, kids are running around unattended, shelves are not stocked, etc. etc. Walmart's model may have been family friendly at one time, but now it's all aobut the $$$$. After the Westerville location opens, the complaints will begin. People have become increasingly lazy and Walmart has preyed on that trait. You can go to the bank, get your groceries, wire money, get your tires and/or oil changed, get a manicure and at some locations get an eye exam. We want everything under on roof, so we have to deal with the greedy giants and "The People Of Walmart" freaks.

The complaints don't matter. They still shop there. People complain all the time. If their behavior does not change, then the complaints are simply not real enough to motivate them to do something else. I don't disagree the service is poor. I'm not sure about the lazy idea. Mostly I see busy, often self inflicted with taking on too many activities, work, and family obligations. Human beings have always liked convenience. Even our earliest ancestors chose to live closer to food and water sources. Why would we be different? This just makes sense. Walmart may be taking advantage of that, but in general we as a group like it. Eventually, another company will come along and do it better. Right now, Walmart is a retail king and thus receives the maximum hate for the success it has had. As a business person (small retailer), I always find this topic interesting. Walmart is doing everything right to hit it's target market and grow. I only wish I could be so successful then I could be hated too! Please "dislike" us small retailers as much and shop often!

Consumer Demand wrote:

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The complaints don't matter. They still shop there....As a business person (small retailer), I always find this topic interesting. Walmart is doing everything right to hit it's target market and grow. I only wish I could be so successful then I could be hated too! Please "dislike" us small retailers as much and shop often!

I'm really suprised to hear this from a small business retailer -- Walmart serves itself to push businesses like yours out of the community. Countless stories. They crush the little man by driving vendor prices so low as to make it impossible for small business like yourselves to compete. They use guerilla tactics in order to FORCE vendor prices down so as to make the vendor need to downsize and put more people out of work with no money to spend in the market place. Many of their employees, who are forced into part-time jobs with no benes need to go on welfare. You wanna praise them for being hated??? That's insane. They're hated for the blight they cause in the community, not because of their success. Us "libs" or "progs" or whatever you wanna callus this week celebrate success -- the key word is RESPONSIBLE success. Responsible is not the Walmart way.

Progressive Ohioan wrote:

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I'm really suprised to hear this from a small business retailer -- Walmart serves itself to push businesses like yours out of the community. Countless stories. They crush the little man by driving vendor prices so low as to make it impossible for small business like yourselves to compete. They use guerilla tactics in order to FORCE vendor prices down so as to make the vendor need to downsize and put more people out of work with no money to spend in the market place. Many of their employees, who are forced into part-time jobs with no benes need to go on welfare. You wanna praise them for being hated??? That's insane. They're hated for the blight they cause in the community, not because of their success. Us "libs" or "progs" or whatever you wanna callus this week celebrate success -- the key word is RESPONSIBLE success. Responsible is not the Walmart way.

The hate comment was more than a bit tongue in cheek. I do find it amusing that when Walmart applies simple business principals, they are trying to crush the little man. Walmart is good at what it does. It is that simple. It does not set out to cause small businesses to go under. The small business either has to figure out a way to compete or it goes under. This is an unfortunate side effect of being in business and having competition. I have felt this pressure myself at times. If I had not adapted and changed the way I did things, my business would be another one of those gone. Business is very much adapt or die. This is not Walmart’s fault and long after Walmart is gone, it will still be adapt or die.

The vendors also had that choice. For a retailer to approach a vendor and suggest that I can only carry your product if it is available at x price point is common enough. Everyone wants to see this as Walmart strong arming the vendors. The vendors were essentially told, sell to Walmart at this price or your goods will not be available at Walmart. That was a choice. The vendors did not have to have their goods at Walmart. They chose to lay off people then whine that Walmart made them do it. Really? There was another option. In fact, there were numerous options besides Walmart.

My small business survives (11 years now) because my partner and I have modeled our plan on service and quality. We don’t do cheap however. People who want cheap find us to be of no value to them. That’s ok. Surprisingly price turns out to be mostly not important as a determinant for some people and we have loyal customers who know they can get cheap elsewhere but prefer our service. Walmart serves people who want cheap and fast. What I’m saying is that there is always room in the market if one is willing to look. The claim the Walmart drives out small businesses is absurd and the guilt of going under belongs firmly on the retailers who failed to adapt to their situation. I do not say this with any sense of superiority. Someday, I assure you, I will be the old and slow adapter, unwilling to change with the tide and my business will pay for it. This is the natural cycle of business.

By the way, I’m not a liberal or conservative. I am an entrepreneur. I bring in local, state, and federal tax money and collect sales tax. So does Walmart. I’m not buying that any business is bad for the community when it offers a much needed place to shop and jobs for the local population.

Reader wrote:

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They have some anti-union-type practices that are unattractive. Further, they have a track record of keeping people in low-pay conditions by hiring primarily part-timers, and referring them to social services for food stamps and Medicaid. Wal-Mart is exactly the kind of workplace that is really ripe for unionization. Their jobs cannot be exported and they are large and financially successful.
By the same reasoning that you employ, if their wages were bumped up, then the wages of other similar places would go up to keep pace.
But Wal-Mart has also driven a lot of small-town family establishments out of business, which means that the profits leave town. This can be devastating.
I am really torn. I am glad today to see new jobs of any kind, and access to fresh meats and produce is important in the city. But, Wal-Mart is not real good people.
My neighborhood has a new Sav-A-Lot and I know that they have worked closely with the community in developing their stock, and in hiring. The also have pretty decent (albeit limited) produce and meats.

You will NEVER have unionized Wal-Marts. They tried in Canada in the past and the stores were closed by Wal Mart in response to a successful union vote.

target wrote:

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You will NEVER have unionized Wal-Marts. They tried in Canada in the past and the stores were closed by Wal Mart in response to a successful union vote.

They can't close ALL the stores, now, can they? I'd say it's just a matter of critical mass.