Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Always Low Prices



I went to Walmart for the first time on Monday. There isn't a Walmart in any of the areas of New York that I've grown up or lived in, so I didn't know what the big deal was. We have Costco, Kmart and Target, but none of them prepared me for the spectacle of Walmart.

I had heard so much about Walmart, the way they do business, they way they screen products, the way they treat employees, and of course, the greeters.

When I stepped inside, there was a burly man in a blue Walmart apron in a wheelchair handing out shopping carts. "Ah! The greeters." I thought to myself, although I had imagined a pair of grandparents instead of the wheelchair fellow. Then as I stepped further into the store (or warehouse), I was taken aback by the giant supermarket that was connected to the giant everything else store. It was sort of similar to Costco, but at Costco you feel like it's "land of the giants" since everything comes in such large, bulk packaging. Walmart has individual items. And it was much larger than any Target or Kmart I'd ever seen.

The prices were so low, too. It's no wonder this company is so big and has such an impact on our country. I was so blown away by the enormity of the whole experience, I forgot what I had gone in there to buy (I had to go back the next day). I never did get a chance to consult the workers regarding their wages or health insurance. There was a Walmart greeter, however.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Walmart - for many of the towns in the country is the local hangout place for teens.

Walmart is in favor of a higher minimum wage.

Walmart provides $4 generic drugs.

Walmart offers a health insurance plan to its employees for $25 a month.
Which is not too bad if you compare the health benefits of similar type of employment.

Walmart keeps prices low in the country because of their bargaining power with suppliers.

Walmart has been entering the UK market and will soon enter the Chinese market.