ATV Florida Forum

I saw this on TV a few days and found it to be really surprising and interesting.  After watching it you won't look at Walmart the same again.

NAME - Walmart: High Cost of Low Prices
RUNTIME - 1 hr 37 min 37 sec
SOURCE - www.walmartmovie.com

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3836296181471292925

is it one of those WalMart is evil movies?

if it is I get enough of that at work from my boss.

Id@

they take over everthing . its like the southpark episode . everyone is attracted to them WWWAAAALLLLMMMMMAAAARRRRRTTTTT!!!!!!!

I'm a firm believer that low-wage jobs are MEANT to be motivation to move up or move on to something better.

Id@

LOL Wal-Mart is like the retail version of the devil  >:D

alls I know is I'll be stopping by there on my way to go riding this weekend.

Id@

Nothing new there. Welcome to a free market. Don't forget to add Target, Sears, Home Depot and any other large retailer to the list of so-called evil doers.

A little story,

I went to wal-mart to get some of the new light bulbs with less watts, they had the whole isle fronted in SPANISH I know what numbers in spanish but not bright white or blue in spanish.  That made me so mad LOL

man....this movie is messed up!


it actually makes me want to stop shopping at wallyworld

Port Saint Lucie has 3 Wal Mart Super Centers...2 Sams Clubs + 1 being built....and the Newest 1 Million Square foot Wal Mart Distribution Center in Fort Pierce 7 miles away... which also has 1- 2 Super Wal Marts.....You can Visit 5 different super wal marts inside of an hours time depending on traffic.

It is kind of sweet Justice...since the Saint Lucie Economy has flatlined....we went from the FASTEST growing County in FLA ( Possibly US )  to the Fastest Depreciating County in the Florida..I am sure This played a Major role in Wal Marts Decision to put 3 Super Center and 3 Sams Clubs.


There is a major difference between " The American Dream" and a down right Monopoly...keep your blinders on if you sleep better at night....BUT do not trivialize the Hardships small businesses suffer because of Wal Mart.....

Hey guys no other place lets you buy a twelve pack of BUD, shells for the shotgun,  and tampoons for the little lady all in one stop at 3 AM..... thats CONVENIENCE and that is why they taking over everything... as long as they don't start selling Toyota parts I have nothing to worry about..... ViO

He has spoken

convenience definately works,,,,,,I made the mistake of thinking I could find everything at the local Target for the trip this weekend,,,,nope, gonna make one stop at walmart tomorrow morning and off I go.

Id@

Where else are we going to buy all that Chinese junk packed full of lead?

at Kmart, Target, Dollar General, the dollar store, any of the $1 stores, most of the convenience stores, many of the mom and pop stores, only you will pay twice as much for the same thing, CVS, Walgreens, publix, winn dixie, albertsons, etc, etc.  They all have the chinese crap, Wal-mart doesn't have the market cornered on it, they are just the biggest.  What is it that makes people think they can have a sorry excuse for a business model and expect to be successfull, in the increasing consumer savvy world we live in, the fittest will survive, No one wants to pay 40% to 100% more for the same thing.  Walk in to sweet bay and pay $1.67 for a pack of toilet paper that you can get the exact same pack at Wal-mart for .97 cent, that is just the tip of the iceberg, why would you want to spend your money on something you can get for less and limit your ability to chose where you extra income is spent.  Everyone is being exploited by someone, you spend more of your money for what you want, I will be happy to have the same thing for less, sometimes that is not at wal-mart either.  The movie is crap, and the same type of thing you would expext from the liberal  yahoos that would have you believe that ATV's are ruining the world.  Wal-mart was a small business, mom and pop at one time, taking on the giant retailers, why do you think they knocked everyone of them off, Every small business has the potential, some don't have the right plan others don't have the desire.  None of them are going to get any better by whining about how unfair it is that they cant charge extra because they don't want to adapt to the market.  Who will be the next Wal-mart, Microsoft, IBM, Intel, fed ex etc, I bet it wont be one of the whiners, cry me a river!!!!

boy was I glad when I pulled off I-75 on my way to the motoplex this weekend when I had realized I forgot a pillow and blanket to sleep with out there,,,,,,,,and there about a mile from the highway was a walmart,,,,I looked for other places and found none so there I was and found a big blanket and pillow for $14,,,,,gotta love it.

either it was that or drive the 130 miles back home to get mine.

Thank you Walmart ;-)

Id@

When you think people are mad about Wal Mart because the prices are lower, you have no idea what the issues are.  It has nothing to do with lower prices.

Capitalism, 20 years were going to be just like south America. No middle class only a poor class and rich class of people. ;)

Why don't you enlighten us on what the issues are?  I am aware of what they claim the issues to be, it is a lot of opinion and a lot of twisted information.  They tie the issues to the result of bringing low prices not the low prices themselves.  It is interesting that the economy is driven by what the customer wants, most changes in the market are as a result of each and everyone of us as a consumer.  Imagine walking in to a store and being told that the only pillow and blanket available was for $40 and a pillow for $20 you would than ask why?  Well we decided to only make available pillows and blankets that were made in the united states of 100% U.S. materials.  Some would buy it, most wouldn't if the majority of consumers are looking for something other than what a merchant is providing than they go else where the rest of the market gets the picture and adapts.  Then all are soon to follow.  If you are selling something no one wants you change are go bankrupt.  It is intersting that when given information that effects you personally you will fight tooth and toenail to find the truth, the rest you take at face value.  If we were to take everything ever put on video or in news paper a face value, we would be in bad shape, take time to look at other sources and the flip side of the coin.  There are three sides to every story, Their side, the side of wal-mart and the truth I would venture to say that the truth is closer to the middle.  Take Wal-mart out of your town and watch what happens, The Kmart, Target, etc will all raise prices, competition becomes less of a player and the consumer pays.  On top of that you will be getting the same thing from them only more money out of your pocket.  This is way bigger than you think and it easy to minimize in an effort to put a label on it.  As in any business there are things being done that are not always the best, but look at who is behind most of this and look to see what kind of shady past they have.  Best price alone will not make you successful and definitely will not take you to the top, any small business owner knows they have to do more to be competitive. 

All I will say AS A BUSINESS OWNER.... I could in a few months or a year put everyone of my competitors out of business but I will never do that.  If anyone wants to call that bad business, so be it.  I am not a greedy person I don't need to take the whole market to be successful.  THERE ARE THINGS MORE IMPORTANT THAN MONEY!!! (family, morals, being true to your word, partnerships, loyalty, fairness, many more)  Wal Mart has nothing to do with my business it will never affect what my industry, if anyone thinks I am upset about Wal Mart pushing me out of business, I am not.  I have just seen over the years what they have done.

AMEN brother!!  :)

How does capitalism eliminate the middle class?  And what would be a better solution than capitalism?  Communism????

If I am not mistaken, when you say communism you are referring to socialism.  I don't know if capitalism is the problem (I don't think so) but I do believe middle class is being phased out.  It will soon be rich or poor, feast or phamon, that sucks.

Communism is an ideology that seeks to establish a classless, stateless social organization based on common ownership of the means of production. It is usually considered a branch of the broader socialist movement that draws on the various political and intellectual movements that trace their origins back to the work of Karl Marx.

Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that visualize a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community[1] for the purposes of increasing social and economic equality and cooperation. This control may be either direct—exercised through popular collectives such as workers' councils—or indirect—exercised on behalf of the people by the state. As an economic system, socialism is often characterized by socialized (state or community) ownership of the means of production.

both are the same result, no difference just splitting hairs communism has a greater stigma but the both have the same result.

Capitalism in this country has a bad effect do to large businesses, insurance companies and so on running the country with  contributions to politicians for there own economic profit.

I am well aware of what socialism leads to. Thats why I thought you meant socialism.  Thanks for the Wikipedia defintions.  I just thought that socialism was what you were trying to say when you said communism.

All that matters is how much money you can give your politician

You are willing to take what the issues are with wal-mart at face value based on what others say, but when I say Communism you have to assume that I must have meant something else.  Interesting that we believe what we choose to believe.   

That in itself is a BIG BIG assumption you are making on me, just because I have a business now that has nothing to do with wal mart doesn't mean I do not know FIRST HAND what happens with contracts between a small business and wal mart, and how it affects your family.


You said yourself "both are the same result, no difference just splitting hairs communism has a greater stigma but the both have the same result" so I am not sure what you are trying to say but when I said "If I am not mistaken, when you say communism you are referring to socialism" you could of said I WAS mistaken and prove me wrong but you said they are the same.


Human nature brother, EVERYTHING you do is a choose, even what you believe, let me know what you do that is not a choice you make?

I am guessing that you have watched the video, and that by your statement, "that you know first hand", that you have had personal dealings with Wal-mart.  I can not tell by your post if that was a positive experience or a negative since there are no specifics as to what you are referring.  I make no assumption about you personally, I do however take issue with the accuracy of the information that is being presented, and the willingness for people to take at facevalue with out looking at other sources, and information that paint a different store.  Many people take what ever is given to them first as the truth, and no additional effort unless someone gives them the otherside of the story.  My statement that communism and socialism are the same.    I made the statement both are the same result, not that they are the same.  You can cut your meat with a fork, or a knife, the result is the same, meat cut but a fork and a knife are not the same, same principal.

I have not seen anything in the video about contracts and there effects on family, so I am not sure what you are referring to and how that effects the topic of the information that was covered in that video. other than you personal experience.

As far a human nature being an argument for our choices or our actions, human nature is the bare minimum we can expect from each other as humans but by no means where we should leave the level of expectation from each other.  My statement about choice was not an indication that we do not make choices and that we all do it, only that many stop short in looking at facts, refuse to acknowledge that there could be another perspective that is different and that the truth most likely lies some where in the middle.  There are things in everyones life that are not choices.  Of the things we do have choice over there is a bad choice, and a good choice, None of us hit the mark all of the time, if we were to hold ourselves to the same level of accountability that we expect from others, things would be different.  I am sure that as in any business Wal-mart has made mistakes, I am sure that you have as well.  Maybe some that have effected other people, employees, community etc.  It is a part of doing business, when mistakes are made, an effort must be made to correct, continued mistakes will end in failure. There are so many points that are skewed in this representation that it would take more time than I have to address them all.  You are certainly entitled to your opinion.  I look forward to your response.  It has been interesting to say the least. 


It must be liberating to go to work on a daily basis knowing that you have that kind of security and that you could not be threatened by the competition.  I do not have that luxury.

Florida Community Impact 
Last Modified: Monday, October 22, 2007 
Real Estate
As of September 2007, Wal-Mart's presence in Florida includes:
Supercenters: 151
Discount Stores: 44
Neighborhood Markets: 16
Sam's Clubs: 40
Distribution Centers: 7
Average store size (national average)
Supercenter: 185,000 sq. ft. with approx. 142,000 items
Discount Store: 101,000 sq. ft. with approx. 120,000 items
Neighborhood Market: 41,000 sq. ft. with approx. 29,000 items
Sam's Club: 130,000 sq. ft. with approx. 5,500 items
 

 
People
As of October 2007, the total number of Wal-Mart associates in Florida is 94,949.
The average wage for regular, full-time hourly associates in Florida is $10.76 per hour (Wal-Mart Discount Stores, Supercenters, and Neighborhood Markets). Additionally, associates are eligible for performance-based bonuses.
In recent years, Wal-Mart has contributed four percent of an associate's eligible pay to their combined Profit Sharing and 401(k) Plan.
 
Suppliers
In FYE 2007, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc spent $5,716,647,630 for merchandise and services with 2,844 suppliers in the state of Florida. As a result of Wal-Mart's relationship with these suppliers, Wal-Mart supports 133,154 supplier jobs in the state of Florida.
Supplier figures provided by Dun & Bradstreet.
 
Taxes and Fees
Wal-Mart collected on behalf of the state of Florida more than $790.9 million in sales taxes in FYE 2007.
Wal-Mart paid more than $94.7 million in state and local taxes in the state of Florida in FYE 2007.
 
Community Involvement
In 2006, Wal-Mart Stores and Sam's Club gave $12,798,091 in cash and in-kind donations to local causes and organizations in the communities they serve in the state of Florida. Through additional funds raised through stores and Clubs throughout the state, Wal-Mart contributed and raised a grand total of $19,099,648 as a result of its presence in Florida.
Florida's 2007 Teacher of the Year is Terry Porter from Markham Woods Middle Schoo in Lake Mary.
 
This is just some of the information out there that tells the other side of the story, its not all bad, if you look you will find tons of other information as well.  If you choose to. 

You now have the floor. I wish you continued success and  I enjoyed the debate

I love this last post,,,,,I'm gonna use that with my boss who hates walmart ;-)

maybe I'll make comparisons to his business ;-)

Id@

WAL MART,                              SAVE MONEY-LIVE BETTER ;D

I will try not to ramble on LOL Yes I have had personal experience with wal mart, without getting 10 pages long I will try to explain really short.  A gentlemen (I will not say who) sold his product to wal mart one year, things were great, wal mart bought and for 5 years bought at a higher level every year growing and growing then wal mart found a competitor to make this same product over seas for 1 cent cheaper (yes 1 cent) and if he couldn't beat it they were going over seas. This gentlemen had lowered his price every year (as per wal mart) now couldn't lower anymore.  Trying to figure out a way to work this out this gentlemen had a meeting with wal mart.  Wal mart then told him you have 3 boys (1 in elementry,2 in middle) maybe they could help out, how about lowering your work force, also told him he did not have to pay as much benefits as he did. (among many other outlandish things) Now this gentlemen decided his boys need an education more than he need wal mart, thus he went out of business and lost everything, his house, his marrage, his property, and soon his life.  One thing I can say he should have never put all his eggs in one basket.  

If there is any good out of this my employees get 100% benefits that I pay with blue cross.  I take VERY GOOD care of my guys.

I said earlier it doesn't affect me now, that is true, but it did affect me then.  You know all aside most everyone can only take the info you get at face value.  Statistics and so called facts can be misconstrued either way good or bad.  For every good statistic you can find a bad one so what can you believe? Who knows?  I much rather see people taking sides (as we have) than sitting back and doing nothing.  I have A LOT more respect for someone who has taken sides as you and I have.  

I made the comment about putting everyone out of business, believe me it is not liberating, even if I wanted to put them out of business LOL I couldn't afford it.  

The donation part of wal mart doesn't tell me a whole lot without knowing what they net in the state.  12mill is a lot to me and you... well at least they are donating something.

I'll say this about the donations, I happen to have a fairly high-up connection to Target and know that for Florida, they donate close to $2M to local charities,,,,,per week.

but hey, if I ever own my own business, I would never want to be judged by what I give to charity because I'm not sure I would find many that I felt were worthy, way too much administration costs out there for the charities in my book.

Id@