To shop or not to shop at Wal-Mart is a serious puzzle. There is no question that the consumer benefits from the bargains without atmosphere and frills. The benefit, however, may be short-term as it appears to be waking the union’s gentle giant, particularly those in the food chains that have found that non-unionized WalMart is now king of the food chains.
We of the bottom line gush: WM is surely doing something right in the competitive world. We also like to champion small business with the worn-out phrase that 80% of employment comes from it. Is there something wrong here? How many Mom & Pop businesses have gone down the tubes because of WalMart and other sprawling outlets? What effect will WM have on all the neighboring supermarkets? — let alone what it is doing to the manufacturing area in buying 60% of its retail products overseas. Does there come a time when we shout “enough already”?
What do we do about this drive nagging us to search out the best purchase at a the lowest price? Since ancient times at marketplaces, negotiations for the best prices prevailed; it is something in human nature that compels us. Many of us will drive an extra mile to save 2¢ on a gallon of gasoline. Whenever there’s a price war on any commodity we scramble to the lowest bidder. For most of us this is the only way to improve finances, a buck here ‘n there puts it in the bank or for another purchase, or potatoes on the table. Yet why should we be ashamed? It’s just doing what humans do — save a buck — and foolish if we don’t.
On the other hand, there are those who manage to really save through investments — without painful sacrifice. These are the chosen ones who have never set foot in a WalMart because when it comes to purchasing power they are in a position to upscale shopping in exclusive stores and malls and rather like the idea of being in a proud and commanding position to afford high prices; of course, they are not complete fools and are knowledgeable of high mark ups and do negotiate lower prices — as long as its still outrageously high to satisfy the ego.
One of the reasons that LasVegas has an extraordinary level of union workers is that they service the rich and tourist gamblers. Therefore, there is no pressure to keep costs down when catering to the frivolous spendthrift. The old adage — the Cadillac salesman arrogantly telling a customer that if you have to ask what the gas mileage is you don’t belong here — is still true. If you ask for wine and don’t in world-wise manner specify the vintage and from where, the waiter will roll his eyes over your lack of breeding.
Those of us in low, and lower middle class, go to the likes of WalMart with a subliminal drive to screw the little guy or gal who works there and all the little guys and gals who are working at unlivable wages — it never enters our mind that we are screwing ourselves as we engage in unkindly exploitation of the unseen and unwashed across the nation and round the world. In truth, what we are doing is propping up the Me at the expense of others.
We are blind to this obnoxious trend that since the early 70s the income discrepancy has escalated obscenely. Though productivity — indicating the worker is working harder and smarter — has risen greatly, the rewards go to the upper 20% , and defies the trend in other western nations, which admittedly have more competition politically than our rigid power hungry two party system, favoring the money class. Long ago these nations learned to live with the reality of unions demanding a fair share.
Until we begin to rebuild a strong economic base of tangible goods, the prevalent service industries will have no one to serve other than the upper class.