Decision to Block Wal-Mart Hurts Poor in DC

[JDavis]

J Davis

 

 

 

I challenge people to read the Sam Walton biography, making money was never his driving goal, yet  he  made a lot because he knew that providing a service that was needed would take care of the money part..

 

I have to say that I agree with you in your statements that I have highlighted.  While making money is my goal, it is not my driving goal. Keeping the  customer happy with a quality  product you  provide (service) should be your  driving goal, which keeps your customers  coming back, and adds more to the list.  That indeed  does take care of the money part which builds your business and cause it to succeed. 

 

  A year ago, I started my own cosmetic business   making my own organic body creams and body care  products, a product that I sell to the public, which provides  a service in my area to those who seek the type of products I make and sell. I could easily up my prices and make a lot of money quicker  with my products because my customers have told me that they would still buy them at higher prices from me, and because my products are worth more,   but   because I keep my  products at a reasonable  price and provide a high quality body care  product   that everyone can afford (rich, middle, poor) my small business in my area is starting to sky-rocket, where in seasonal times, I can barely keep up with all of the sales because I make all the products myself. 

 

  This summer is my second year at selling my products and I will be out of the red from my initial start-up costs, by the end of 2013 or sooner,  and new customers keep coming in because I did not make money my driving goal. My customers are my best advertisers, and they send more buyers to me who like what I have to offer.  I am a firm believer that when you are in business, your first goal is to keep your customers happy first by providing them with a service that they want or need, and the money part takes care of itself.

 

This my friend is the key to a successful business.  sadly today many companies have forgotten this basic idea.

[Steve_S]

 

J Davis

 

 

 

I challenge people to read the Sam Walton biography, making money was never his driving goal, yet  he  made a lot because he knew that providing a service that was needed would take care of the money part..

 

I have to say that I agree with you in your statements that I have highlighted.  While making money is my goal, it is not my driving goal. Keeping the  customer happy with a quality  product you  provide (service) should be your  driving goal, which keeps your customers  coming back, and adds more to the list.  That indeed  does take care of the money part which builds your business and cause it to succeed. 

 

  A year ago, I started my own cosmetic business   making my own organic body creams and body care  products, a product that I sell to the public, which provides  a service in my area to those who seek the type of products I make and sell. I could easily up my prices and make a lot of money quicker  with my products because my customers have told me that they would still buy them at higher prices from me, and because my products are worth more,   but   because I keep my  products at a reasonable  price and provide a high quality body care  product   that everyone can afford (rich, middle, poor) my small business in my area is starting to sky-rocket, where in seasonal times, I can barely keep up with all of the sales because I make all the products myself. 

 

  This summer is my second year at selling my products and I will be out of the red from my initial start-up costs, by the end of 2013 or sooner,  and new customers keep coming in because I did not make money my driving goal. My customers are my best advertisers, and they send more buyers to me who like what I have to offer.  I am a firm believer that when you are in business, your first goal is to keep your customers happy first by providing them with a service that they want or need, and the money part takes care of itself.

 

This my friend is the key to a successful business.  sadly today many companies have forgotten this basic idea.

 

 

I view this as a bit simplistic. If you provide people with a product or a service that people want or need, but it costs twice as much as the same product or service next door, even if next door has inferior customer service, the majority of people are likely to go next door.

[JDavis]

 

 

J Davis

 

 

 

I challenge people to read the Sam Walton biography, making money was never his driving goal, yet  he  made a lot because he knew that providing a service that was needed would take care of the money part..

 

I have to say that I agree with you in your statements that I have highlighted.  While making money is my goal, it is not my driving goal. Keeping the  customer happy with a quality  product you  provide (service) should be your  driving goal, which keeps your customers  coming back, and adds more to the list.  That indeed  does take care of the money part which builds your business and cause it to succeed. 

 

  A year ago, I started my own cosmetic business   making my own organic body creams and body care  products, a product that I sell to the public, which provides  a service in my area to those who seek the type of products I make and sell. I could easily up my prices and make a lot of money quicker  with my products because my customers have told me that they would still buy them at higher prices from me, and because my products are worth more,   but   because I keep my  products at a reasonable  price and provide a high quality body care  product   that everyone can afford (rich, middle, poor) my small business in my area is starting to sky-rocket, where in seasonal times, I can barely keep up with all of the sales because I make all the products myself. 

 

  This summer is my second year at selling my products and I will be out of the red from my initial start-up costs, by the end of 2013 or sooner,  and new customers keep coming in because I did not make money my driving goal. My customers are my best advertisers, and they send more buyers to me who like what I have to offer.  I am a firm believer that when you are in business, your first goal is to keep your customers happy first by providing them with a service that they want or need, and the money part takes care of itself.

 

This my friend is the key to a successful business.  sadly today many companies have forgotten this basic idea.

 

 

I view this as a bit simplistic. If you provide people with a product or a service that people want or need, but it costs twice as much as the same product or service next door, even if next door has inferior customer service, the majority of people are likely to go next door.

 

 

well if you are charging twice as much you are not keeping your customers happy as price is part of the service as well.  Too many people put "customer service" into too small of a box.

 

But you are right, they will go next door, WalMart has proven that theory to be correct.

[GoldenEagle]

 

 

just curious.... how does creating a job for one person cause one and a half persons to lose theirs?

 

first, some businesses will likely close because of the WalMart opening.  Smaller, local business will have trouble competing with the lower prices and while some people will stay loyal, other will go to the low prices.  This will cost some jobs.

 

Then those business that stay in business and try to compete with WalMart will have to find way to cut cost so they can lower their prices even a little bit.  The easiest way to cut cost is to cut employees.

 

Finally the business that serviced the local business will be hurt and likely have to cut employees also. 

 

 

and it is not just Walmart, all big box stores have this effect, but WalMart has a bigger effect because of the wide range of things they offer.  They affect local hardware, sporting goods, grocery stores, and more.

 

 

This is how free markets work. The business that can offer the best price on any given product will be the one that does the most business. There are outliers, of course. But, in general if you're cheaper and more convenient, people are going to give you their business. This isn't the sort of thing that any given city should try to "keep out." It's market protectionism.

 

 

What JDavis says does have merit. I actually lived in Arkadelphia, Arkansas (coincidentally the home state of corporate Wal-Mart). A Wal-Mart opened up and basically killed the mom and pop shops in downtown Arkadelphia. Even the local Brookshire's closed down. Of course, having two universities in the town may have contributed to the demand for a Wal-Mart as well. When I studied the Wal-Mart effect on local economies the data showed back in 2001 that for every 2 jobs Wal-Mart created 3 jobs were lost.

 

However, Steve brings up a very good point in bold red. This is the reason why a majority of products sold in the U.S. are not made in the U.S.

God bless,

GE

[JDavis]

 

 

 

just curious.... how does creating a job for one person cause one and a half persons to lose theirs?

 

first, some businesses will likely close because of the WalMart opening.  Smaller, local business will have trouble competing with the lower prices and while some people will stay loyal, other will go to the low prices.  This will cost some jobs.

 

Then those business that stay in business and try to compete with WalMart will have to find way to cut cost so they can lower their prices even a little bit.  The easiest way to cut cost is to cut employees.

 

Finally the business that serviced the local business will be hurt and likely have to cut employees also. 

 

 

and it is not just Walmart, all big box stores have this effect, but WalMart has a bigger effect because of the wide range of things they offer.  They affect local hardware, sporting goods, grocery stores, and more.

 

 

This is how free markets work. The business that can offer the best price on any given product will be the one that does the most business. There are outliers, of course. But, in general if you're cheaper and more convenient, people are going to give you their business. This isn't the sort of thing that any given city should try to "keep out." It's market protectionism.

 

 

What JDavis says does have merit. I actually lived in Arkadelphia, Arkansas (coincidentally the home state of corporate Wal-Mart). A Wal-Mart opened up and basically killed the mom and pop shops in downtown Arkadelphia. Even the local Brookshire's closed down. Of course, having two universities in the town may have contributed to the demand for a Wal-Mart as well. When I studied the Wal-Mart effect on local economies the data showed back in 2001 that for every 2 jobs Wal-Mart created 3 jobs were lost.

 

However, Steve brings up a very good point in bold red. This is the reason why a majority of products sold in the U.S. are not made in the U.S.

God bless,

GE

 

 

In the long run this may end up costing us way more than we saved shopping at Walmart.

[JDavis]

 

try reading again what I wrote, I did not say anything was WalMart's fault.  Why do you have such a hard time reading what I write instead of trying to add to it?

 

I pointed out that WalMart has been known to use some questionable tactics to get into places, so I have no sympathy when someone does it to them.  It is not about "fault" or any such thing.

 

I pointed out facts about the types of jobs, again making no judgments or good or bad.

 

and no, you don't have the correct at all.  The sad FACT of the matter is they will be working at WalMart and still collecting welfare. 

 

 

I am quite able to read.  And when I see the focus immediately removed from the politicians who are responsible for these stores not coming in, so far, and a focus immediately placed on Walmart, that is pretty obvious.  You have refused to talk about DC politics and DC politicians completely and focused on Walmart.  It doesn't matter what kind of tactics Walmart has used.  EVERY corporation uses the same tactics when doing business.  Walmart is not unique in that behavior.  Every corporation cuts corners and barters and weedles and lobbies for things.  And all of that is totally immaterial to the topic.  The Walmart stores are not coming in because the politicians don't want them there if they are not unionized.  That is the topic, not Walmart's operating procedures.  Politician's doing, not Walmarts.  So continually pointing out Walmart's faults isn't germane to the discussion.

 

Am I collecting welfare? 

 

 

Yes, every corporation uses the same tactics when doing business, and all politicians use the same tactics when deciding who to get behind.  what happened in DC happens in hundreds of other towns every year in one form or another.  In our town they changed the parking spot requirements. 

 

You are acting like the DC folks did something totally wrong or out of the ordinary, but that is just not the case.

[JDavis]

 

The problem with this little rant is highlighted above...

 

WalMart running people out of business has been going on for 50 years. 

 

And again, I am not assigning blame, just offering a different side of the story 

 

 

No.  People constantly repeating the rumor that Walmart is running these stores out of business has been going on for decades.  That does not establish it as fact.  It's sour grapes.

 

So, it is your position that WalMart has never caused a business to close?  Is that what you are saying?

 

 

here are some facts for you...

 

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/jobs-and-economy/2012/09/radiating-death-how-walmart-displaces-nearby-small-businesses/3272/

 

In 2006, months before a Walmart store was opened in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago's West side, researchers counted 306 businesses in the surrounding area. Two years after the Walmart opened, 82 of those businesses had closed.

 

Farther out from the store, about four miles or so, the rate of closure is about average, or roughly 24 percent of small businesses, according to Persky. "Small businesses often close. They have a high turnover."

 

And depending on the type of business, the impact of a Walmart moving in can be much worse. Persky says that the per-mile closure rate increase for drugstores is almost 20 percent. For home furnishings, it's about 15 percent. For hardware stores, it's about 18 percent per mile. For toys, it's more than 25 percent per mile.

[nikki1]

 

 

J Davis

 

 

 

I challenge people to read the Sam Walton biography, making money was never his driving goal, yet  he  made a lot because he knew that providing a service that was needed would take care of the money part..

 

I have to say that I agree with you in your statements that I have highlighted.  While making money is my goal, it is not my driving goal. Keeping the  customer happy with a quality  product you  provide (service) should be your  driving goal, which keeps your customers  coming back, and adds more to the list.  That indeed  does take care of the money part which builds your business and cause it to succeed. 

 

  A year ago, I started my own cosmetic business   making my own organic body creams and body care  products, a product that I sell to the public, which provides  a service in my area to those who seek the type of products I make and sell. I could easily up my prices and make a lot of money quicker  with my products because my customers have told me that they would still buy them at higher prices from me, and because my products are worth more,   but   because I keep my  products at a reasonable  price and provide a high quality body care  product   that everyone can afford (rich, middle, poor) my small business in my area is starting to sky-rocket, where in seasonal times, I can barely keep up with all of the sales because I make all the products myself. 

 

  This summer is my second year at selling my products and I will be out of the red from my initial start-up costs, by the end of 2013 or sooner,  and new customers keep coming in because I did not make money my driving goal. My customers are my best advertisers, and they send more buyers to me who like what I have to offer.  I am a firm believer that when you are in business, your first goal is to keep your customers happy first by providing them with a service that they want or need, and the money part takes care of itself.

 

This my friend is the key to a successful business.  sadly today many companies have forgotten this basic idea.

 

 

I view this as a bit simplistic. If you provide people with a product or a service that people want or need, but it costs twice as much as the same product or service next door, even if next door has inferior customer service, the majority of people are likely to go next door.

 

It may be simplistic, but if a basic long-time business principle works, there is no need to change it.  Didn't McDonald's get out of the red with the $1.00 hamburger?  The problem with a lot of businesses failing  today is that they  want to make money fast because we have been living in a fast fix , and greedy society for so long, and they price themselves out of business. 

[missmuffet]

They can block Walmart all they want.I don't find Walmart very exciting.

[JDavis]

 

 

Yes, every corporation uses the same tactics when doing business, and all politicians use the same tactics when deciding who to get behind.  what happened in DC happens in hundreds of other towns every year in one form or another.  In our town they changed the parking spot requirements. 

 

You are acting like the DC folks did something totally wrong or out of the ordinary, but that is just not the case.

 

 

You didn't answer my question:  Am I collecting welfare?

 

 

I have no idea if you are or not.  I do not know your position or your hours.  I am not a mind readers so I have no way of knowing if you are collecting welfare.