this post was submitted on 26 Dec 2024
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Summary

Two studies reveal that Walmart’s entry into communities lowers household incomes by 6% over 10 years and increases poverty by 8%, even when accounting for cost savings.

Its practices, such as undercutting competitors, suppressing wages, and squeezing suppliers, harm local economies by reducing employment and forcing smaller businesses to close.

Walmart’s “monopsony power” enables it to pay lower wages and dominate suppliers, compounding these effects.

The findings challenge the idea that low prices alone benefit communities, emphasizing long-term economic harm.

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[–] [email protected] 48 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Theres literally documentaries from 2010 about manufacturers who make a "Walmart version" because Walmart demands these factories make them at a specific price.

Like in one documentary, the same toaster from Target and Walmart, the Walmart one had different cheaper parts inside. TVs, furniture, lamps. Even the plastic storage containers like totes and Tupperware had "Walmart" versions that were real flimsy.

[–] Duamerthrax 21 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Snapper Mowers actually pulled from Walmart in 2006 because they wanted to focus high quality products rather then moving quantity.

Selling Snapper lawn mowers at Wal-Mart wasn’t just incompatible with Snapper’s future – Wier thought it was hazardous to Snapper’s health. Snapper is known in the outdoor-equipment business not for huge volume but for quality, reliability, durability. A well-maintained Snapper lawn mower will last decades; many customers buy the mowers as adults because their fathers used them when they were kids. But Snapper lawn mowers are not cheap, any more than a Viking range is cheap. The value isn’t in the price, it’s in the performance and the longevity.

Later in 2013, Briggs & Stratton decided to start selling Snapper in Walmarts again. 2014, Briggs & Stratton closed a Snapper plant. They then had to restructure and other corporate BS, so fuck around and find out. Publicly traded company garbage.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

That's why you operate multiple brands. You've got your Walmart brand and your decent brand and your overpriced luxury brand all pumped out of the same overseas factory

[–] Duamerthrax 4 points 2 days ago

Isn't that the logic behind what happened to Breyers Ice Cream. It started as a high end ice cream, but got bought Unilever, which then reduced the cream to the point that it can no longer be called Ice Cream.

[–] Maggoty 10 points 2 days ago (1 children)

They also do this with Black Friday electronics now too.

[–] die444die 3 points 2 days ago

That’s not new either. Been going on for ages.