Walmart...

[swingdjted]

Yeah, I don't really subscribe to a specific religion anymore, but I still agree with a lot of what many religions teach, in this case, having at least a day per week when work schedules can line up to allow a gathering of people close to you such as family or friends.

[rockouthippie]

I've missed a lot of holidays working retail stores, but the thing is, not only is it the time of year your employers make bank, it's the time of year you make bank too. I used to make about $20 an hour, but that's 10 now.... but you won't spend any time learning your products like you used to. It's more or less self serve.

I think the argument about Walmart is ten years ago. First, your customer doesn't need the kind of product support they used to. The internet sort of tells people what they want to buy and how to use it. You don't need a salesperson and nobody wanted to pay for what they don't need.

If it wasn't called Walmart, it would be called something else, but it meets what consumers want so one way or another... it's a big box.

If I don't go to Walmart, I could go to another box where they treat their employees as bad. Even Costco only pays $13. Food Warehouse? Target? You used to be able to distinguish those companies from Walmart, but not much anymore.

I guess I could go along with your thinking and patronize businesses that pay a living wage.... if any existed... The unions are all gone unless you shop at Safeway. I remember making $16 an hour being a union grocery checker in the 80's. That's about what it still pays.

You might want to blame Walmart for low wages, but what the real problem is is the cost of employment, which has doubled since I started working.

[deeder7001]

First, your customer doesn't need the kind of product support they used to. The internet sort of tells people what they want to buy and how to use it. You don't need a salesperson and nobody wanted to pay for what they don't need.

You would think the customer doesn't need product support any more. I like to know what I'm selling at least somewhat. It helps me sell and get the customer what they want for the most part. I try to help the customer save as much as possible even if that means I don't make a sell myself. I like to have smiling customers as much as possible. A happy customer is more likely to return and buy again(in my short experience at least).

[swingdjted]

I worked at Sears for a couple summers between school years teaching ('00-'02). I sold appliances for commission (sadly a pretty boring job; the clock seemed to tick more slowly then than any other time of my life). Sears was one of the last "big box"es as you call them that had true training and customer service. I was required to wear a tie and I was tested weekly on product knowledge. I think they still do it. I wasn't really paid a rate; I was paid commission. More sales=more in my paycheck. If a commissioned employee had a horrible pair of weeks, he/she was guaranteed $6 per hour minimum when the minimum wage was $5.15, but nobody really needed that safety net as we were in a location that easily kept the merchandise moving. We usually averaged $15 or more per hour, which was reasonably decent money for a mostly easy job. I hated when they kept making me push for their bullshit maintenance agreements though. I never really felt they were a wise investment. It was more or less free money for Sears.

Avoiding "big box" businesses is harder and harder every year. I honestly try to as much as possible, and I live where it's easier to do than other places, as most of them have found that our location doesn't fit their idea of a profitable spot. Wal*Mart is here though, and that really sucks. I still don't shop there.

[rockouthippie]

We live in a world where everyone is the enemy. It's just simpler to paint everyone as some kind of demon. Your honest salesman who really does care. He's a demon. Everyone is a bigot. Everyone wants to hurt you. Everyone should be properly punished.

[swingdjted]

Amen. Let's buy fully-automatic paintball guns with each paint ball filled with diarrhea and take on the world!

[deeder7001]

Amen. Let's buy fully-automatic paintball guns with each paint ball filled with diarrhea and take on the world!

I'm down!!

[sgtfuzzbubble011]

That sounds absolutely horrific.

[swingdjted]

6 Walmart Heirs Hold More Wealth Than 42% of Americans Combined.

source

Also,

[swingdjted]

Even when you win, you lose.

I've never done Netflix anyway, always upset at how many jobs they took away.

^less than $1.00 is what you get even if you have what it takes to prove they're full of shit.