Do "the pros" really shop at mom & pop hardware stores? Home Depot has everything the local ACE hardware has + TONS more stuff all at better prices (for the most part). IMO, Home Depot is a DIRECT threat to the livelihood/longevity of the ACE and similar hometown hardware stores. Of course they're not a threat to the local lumber yard...those lumber yards SPECIALIZE in lumber sales and usually offer more of what a home BUILDER (vs a DIYer) is looking for. The Pros use the lumber yard...the DIYers (as you stated) go to Home Depot or Lowes...and I believe there are WAY MORE DIY'ers than professional builders...at least where I live.

BTW...building a Home Depot as "a test"??? I guess they must be pretty stable if they can afford to throw one up "as a test"...

Every Home Depot I've ever been in is ALWAYS fairly busy...and around Christmas or Fathers Day...absolutely BUSTLING with activity.

So, when I compared what Home Depot is doing is comparable to WalMart...I don't think I missed the mark by much...if at all.

Scott

 

Did a little research on WalMart...found this article:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl.../synopsis.html

It pretty much expresses the concerns some have expressed here. It paints Walmart practices in a pretty dim light...not that they're illegal...just not good for this country in the long run, as some have already pointed out. "lower prices now at the expense of a lower standard of living for Americans down the road".

I try to look at every issue from both sides...that's why I've posted this. Call me a "fence straddler" if you will, but I see good and bad on both sides of the argument.

Scott

 

it was mentioned earlier in this series of threads that wallmart is doing the same thing that sears did a long time ago.there is hardly a parallel here as sears bought usa made merchandise.so the $ was kept here.

 

I find it hard to believe that ANY retailer is this country HAS ONLY or IS ONLY buying US-made goods. I just find that REALLY hard to believe...as a matter of fact...I'm quite sure I can buy PLENTY of foreign-made electronics and clothes or tools or a host of other foreign-made goods at Sears today.

 

well, Home depo Does sell building products made in this country.


Not very true, I used to work for an Ace hardware. a HD was built in the same town. the monthly sales figures continued to rise Despite the fact that there was now a HD and Menards in the same town. People would come to ACE for the helpful advice and service not found at home depot.

 

I don't know where you are from but in Tulsa Oklahoma

Home Depot or Lowes = Death to Ace Hardware
If in the same geographical area

 

The town was crystal lake IL

 

Here's how the florida taxpayers pay for walmarts health care plan http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/27/Op..._welfare.shtml

 

in my post i said sears "bought"-not is buying now US made products at that time.now they buy the same junk as everybody else.

 

I've been to the first wal-mart, Its in Arkansas. It started out as a small department store, and has worked its way up to what it is today. Give Sam some credit. Remember, Henry Ford was accused of being a communist at one point in time because of his assembly line, and the low cost of his automobile. And lets be honest, what brand sneakers do you wear?

I have seen the diffrence bettween Wal-marts down south, and Wally Worlds up north. Back home, its the center of town, most of the time. Every one shops there for just about everything. I never liked their meat prices though, good on canned goods. And usually forget fresh. Now, as far as other junk, they are great.

Up here, Its just another department store, most aren't full super centers, and are generally small. Meijers is closer to wal-mart than anything that I've seen. But someone, somewhere will compete with wal-mart, and then we'll talk about them.

Oh, and about there health care stuff, I don't work there, if you don't work there, you don't have to. How about us taxpayers paying for the health insurance for all of the part time employees at K-mart now, hear they are firing fulltimers? Personally, I'll complain about needless government spending before I'll complain about paying for health care. I've got enough to go around, and I'll pay my share.

 

So what caused Sears to change its position? The same thing as WalMart?

That would be "the bottom line"...it's all about making money and staying in business...keeping the shareholders happy.

 

The problem is Walmart leads the way Kmart has to do the same to keep up.

They go hand and hand Walmart keeps employees PT we foot the bill for state run health care. How good do you think state run health care is run ?
Is there any needless spending involved in that ?
I never complained about paying for health care I pay my share belive me.
I just think there are hidden costs involved with the way walmart does biz.
You can shop there,I just choose not to.

 

really I see this whole issue as two somewhat separate issues. First there is the issue of how Walmart treats their people, the heavily rumored unscrupulous business practices, the way the handle their vendors, and what they do to communities.

Then there is the issue of the Chinese (and other) foreign goods that too many companies are pushing on us. Most big retailers are doing this, as 1) they have to compete, and 2) the goods are no longer made here because it was cheaper to off shore the production.

This past summer when I was shopping for a new BBQ, I flat out was not going to buy a chinese product on principal. I spent much time researching both US and Canadian products, and ended up getting a nice deal on an American made one (Weber) which I bought at Home Depot. Many of the Chinese grills look great and give you much bang for the buck. But many use inferior stainless steel, and parts can be difficult to get.

 

yes, but only a Weber will stand the test of time, there's a reason theyre more money. You sir, care about quality, many many others do not

 

I just see the Mass law as them doing to WalMart what WalMart does to its supplliers. Mass is just saying they aren't going to absorb costs that should be done by WalMart. I think they showed a internal memo that said that 46% are either uninsured or on state assisstance (I presume in Mass). WalMart has been caught repeatedly violating labor laws to make a extra buck. If WalMart wants to leave Mass I would bet that they would get plenty of people that would help, but WalMart won't. They will find a way around the law.
I find it somewhat odd that so many people complain about the foreign cars, but don't have a problem with WalMart pushing their suppliers to start doing business in China. After all these companies have little choice since you want to do business in the #1 company. Read a example of Huffy that went from a union plant in Ohio, to a non union plant in Mo., to a plant in Mexico and finally to China. Now if a company can't build something cheap enough in Mexico that should say something about how hard a company is being pushed. Some might want to read about the hidden costs that WalMart brings with it by going to the AFL/CIO site. Now I know that many don't like unions and I'm not totally in love with them either, but if you can get past that and read it and the links that backs their statements you could have a different outlook on WalMart. With that I will stay out of this since it is probably a dead end anyway.

http://aflcio.org/corporatewatch/walmart/walmart_2.cfm

http://aflcio.org/corporatewatch/walmart/