Walmart
Just some stuff I have put together in a file over time. I thought it was interesting.
Walmart Strategies:
Dead Peasant Policy: Walmart used to(?) take out life insurance policies on their own employees, then purposely hire elderly or disabled people and wait for them to die. They were even sued, when one elderly person was told to do very physical tasks and in the lawsuit there was an accusation they were worked 'to death.' I am not sure if they ended this practice.
This article refers to the lawsuit in which the employee was 'worked to death.' Unfortunately, Walmart settles most of it cases, including the ones I have worked on, and I legally cannot talk about what was discussed leading up to settlement. From what I have heard, as long as the company gets permission (which is one of the several papers you sign at orientation) it is fine, however they can no longer use the premium payments as a deduction.
Squeeze Effect Policy: As noted in this article Walmart will squeeze a product and actually bring down its quality as well as its prices, so it can prove to consumers it has the lowest prices. It pushes the product so low the producer is not even making a penny per sale, but the producer still sells more than anywhere else, so it evens out, but they have to increase productivity which usually results in a decrease in quality. In the long run, people stop buying the producer's product elsewhere because the quality has gone down or it is just cheaper at Walmart. The brand is then suffering as it cannot raise its price at Walmart, but is no longer making a profit elsewhere and has ruined its name.
30 Mile Drive Policy: Another market strategy is to open up a Walmart right next to that hardware store run by your neighbor for the past 20 years. He goes out of business, as well as every other local business, because everyone is going to Walmart for both price and convenience. Low and behold, Walmart shuts that store down because they have just opened a super Walmart 30 miles out of town. Now 4 towns have empty warehouses, empty local stores, and tons of people having to drive to one super-center Walmart. Walmart saves tons of money, but 100s of people are now unemployed.
China: This one is pretty obvious. Most things are made in China, or someplace not America, and the factories allegedly hire children or just have poor working conditions.
Working Conditions: On top of the profiting off of employee's deaths and the overseas violations, the working conditions here have been rumored to be bad. First, they hire at minimum wage. Other retail usually hires above minimum wage. They give 4-6 hour shifts, almost all employees are part time, thus they don't pay overtime, don't give benefits, and don't waste time giving employees 'breaks.' Second, they had a bad reputation as far as letting women advance, and I'm not sure how much they have fixed that. Third, they have told employees how to apply for disability, medicaid/medicare, social security, welfare, etc, instead of offering employees health insurance or full time positions.
All in all, they really have a smart business strategy, but they are not loyal to the USA, their employees, or the brands they buy from, and they are very cut throat, but it is a corporation and it is here to make money, not give your grandparents a comfortable job with a great health plan.
Philosophy explained like you are 5:
Let's say that you live in a neighborhood with a lot of big lawns that need mowing. Most people will pay a neighborhood kid to mow their lawn, say $10. A new family moves in, and they have a couple of kids. The new family's older brother goes around and promises to mow lawns for $5, and everybody signs up. Instead of mowing the lawn himself, he makes his little brother do it for $3. The little brother doesn't do a very good job, but enough people like the savings that they keep using them. Eventually, the older brother hires more kids at $3 an hour to keep up with demand.
So, what happens? Most of the kids who were doing a good job for $10 are out of business. The little kids are hardly making any money, so they doesn't get as many comics, snacks or toys as the other kids, even though the same amount of work is getting done. The neighborhood looks kind of shabby, because everyone is going with the cheap service instead of the nice one.
Is this a problem? Well, it kind of depends on who you are: Are you one of the people who own a house and want the cheaper, "good enough" lawn mow? Are you one of the kids who thought they were worth $10 and now have to find a new job? Are you one of the kids who are mowing lawns for $3? Everybody has a different perspective.
The Elites don't fear the tall nails, government possesses both the will and the means to crush those folks. What the Elites do fear (or should fear) are the quiet men and women, with low profiles, hard hearts, long memories, and detailed target folders for action as they choose.
"I here repeat, & would willingly proclaim, my unmitigated hatred to Yankee rule—to all political, social and business connections with Yankees, & to the perfidious, malignant, & vile Yankee race."
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Originally Posted by arleen1013
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