Madeline
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- #61
I'm confused... First off, I don't shop Walmart for much of anything because I find *most* of their quality to be inferior, and they're slowly forcing brand names out of their stores, and replacing them with "Great Value", which really isn't... I go there for things like 5-Hr Energy shots, which NOBODY can beat as far as price..
But if you're trying to boycott them (right before Christmas, even), isn't that going to put several *thousand* people out of work, vs. just 1-2 Mom and Pop places, which are probably on the rocks anyway, since they feel their markup should be higher because they're smaller?
Walmart's prices are lower because they are masters at capturing efficiencies of scale at every juncture, from manufacturing to transport to retail pricing.....things that a small, local business cannot do. Let's say you needed a case of paper, Dis. Your local stationer's will sell you American made paper for $15, and Walmarts will sell you Chinese made paper for $12.
Save $3 at Walmarts?
Not when you factor in the unemployment a Walmarts caused when it forced many local small businesses to close (your local stationers' will likely be next), the environmental impact these stores have, the loss of local culture as everything we buy becomes homogenized, etc.
Chances are, your local stationer's is also helping keep that American paper company in business. Once it closes, that plant is in greater jeoprady.
I'm not saying you can always choose to pay more for American....I'm saying there's a terrible, hidden cost to buying foreign-made goods at Walmarts. Mayhaps you can sometimes choose to Buy American?
Using your example alone, my local stationers paper is $16.99 for a single ream of ultra-white 20# paper.
My local Walmarts price is $3.00 for a single ream of ultra-white 20# paper.
That's a savings of $14.00, which is almost 5 gallons of gas, which is 1/3 of what my Rav4 holds.
My local stationer is in the middle of downtown, which is a bunch of small overcrowed curvy streets with angled parking, and you generally have to park a few blocks away from where you want to be, and walk.
My local Walmart is right off the freeway exit, on my way home from work.
Seems both cost, and time efficient to me...
I'd agree, the gap in price is too big. That does not mean there aren't some other local businesses you could patronize, Dis, or that no American made products would fit your budget.
For example, I no longer eat in chain restaurants. I only patronize small, locally owned places. These businesses took a tremendous hit when Ohio banned smoking in 2008, and my dollars help keep them open. My belief is they also treat their wait staff better and that they are more likely to buy locally.
I just urge you to try -- none of can do any more than that.