Where not to shop this season

Helen8 · Post by **Helen8** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 1:25 pm

Waldemart is pretty obvious, but I was surprised about some companies. *cough*Bath and Body Works*cough
And there goes my daily potassium fix, too.

http://airamerica.com/gallery/blue-pages-10-dont-buy/1/

Marie · Post by **Marie** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 2:40 pm

Well shoot - I shopped at Target because I hate Walmart. Now where am I going to go?? K-Mart ??? Most of those stores are dirty, the staff is non-responsive and I'm not impresed with the merchandise.

And Bath and Body Works ........ I like the wallflowers a lot. Most of my lostions and soaps come from a local place called Indian River Soap Co and they hand make their soaps and do not test on animals.

I stopped using L'oreal a long time ago because they test on animals and refuse to change.

We actually have a banana tree Helen - but it produces fruit and then you have to cut it back and it grows again - unfortunately it's quite a while before you get more bananas!

Heather · Post by **Heather** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 4:09 pm

What's wrong with Walmart? [we call it Asda] I love shpping there as it has everything from computer stuff to fab exotic fruit. They employ everyone! Gay, straight, disabled, Asians, Africans, old people, young people and students by the hundreds in the four stores we have in Aberdeen.

Helen8 · Post by **Helen8** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 6:41 pm

Well, Waldemart employs everyone, but they don't pay them very much. They don't offer health insurance, and don't pay them enough to be able to afford private insurance. They are notorious for passing over female employees for promotions. They beat down any attempts at unionizing their employees who want decent wages, advancement, and health insurance.

Their predatory practices put other stores out of buisiness. Notice that everywhere a Waldemart was built, there was a KMart (Marks and Sparks or Selfriges?) nearby. They've recently added grocery sections in most of their stores to take on all the local grocers. If you want to sell your products at Waldemart, you have to adapt your business to their business model, and cut your wholesale price to Waldemart to the barest minimum, which makes your business "lean and mean" [translation: you have to lay off employees to make ends meet]. They are one of China's biggest importers, thus putting American (and probably some British) manufacturers, clothing makers, toy makers (who didn't use lead and poisons in their toys), etc., out of business.

Please don't shop at Waldemart.

grannybear · Post by **grannybear** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 7:59 pm

Recently they built here on an unofficial Wildlife preserve. No one had built there because of all the wildlife. Bear, deer, foxes etc. Of course the county commissioners didn't have the guts to stop them. They just walk over everyone who gets in their way.

Post by **Gillian** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 8:38 pm

Helen8 wrote:They've recently added grocery sections in most of their stores to take on all the local grocers.

Yeah, they've done that here. Now the stores are COMPLETELY unmanageable. Who wants to run all over hell's half acre just to pick up a few things? Add to that the crowds, the parking, not to mention I have to drive to the other side of town if I want to shop there ... it's not worth the bother. Or the expense.

They are one of China's biggest importers, thus putting American (and probably some British) manufacturers, clothing makers, toy makers (who didn't use lead and poisons in their toys), etc., out of business.

It shows, too. You couldn't pay me to wear clothes sold at Walmart. The quality is some of the worst I've seen anywhere.

mrsmcclnt · Post by **mrsmcclnt** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:16 pm

Helen8 wrote:Well, Waldemart employs everyone, but they don't pay them very much. They don't offer health insurance, and don't pay them enough to be able to afford private insurance. They are notorious for passing over female employees for promotions. They beat down any attempts at unionizing their employees who want decent wages, advancement, and health insurance..

Hold on....as a Waldemart cashier I must disagree!

We do get insurance! I've just re-did mine.

As with the rest of your rant.....you may continue....

grannybear · Post by **grannybear** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 10:22 am

Stop me if I'm wrong but when Waldemart opened didn't they used to brag about all the USA brands they carried? That seems seems to be gone with the wind. Even a lot of their food is imported.

Helen8 · Post by **Helen8** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:15 pm

Hold on....as a Waldemart cashier I must disagree!
We do get insurance! I've just re-did mine.

I stand corrected, mrsmcclnt, but that is a recent development.

As with the rest of your rant.....you may continue....

I assume that you're seeing accuracy in the rest of what I've written.

In addition, they do not allow their employees to take meal breaks, or any breaks for that matter; they don't pay them overtime when they have in fact worked beyond their normal hours, going so far as to amend their timecards.

grannybear · Post by **grannybear** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 5:22 pm

The stores by us are open 24/7 but they obviously do not stock at night.
If you go there during the day they have cartons piled up in the aisles and there are workers who will not move to let you thru or get something off a shelf they are working on. They must be given these instructions because they all do it.
I'll take my business elsewhere even if I have to pay more. I do not need to be treated as if I am a pest and in their way.

mrsmcclnt · Post by **mrsmcclnt** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:14 pm

grannybear wrote:Stop me if I'm wrong but when Waldemart opened didn't they used to brag about all the USA brands they carried? That seems seems to be gone with the wind. Even a lot of their food is imported.

But that's with a lot of companies lately. It's hard to find any product these days that has been soley made in the USA. Even a certian major household appliance maker ***cough.g.cough*** has their parts made out of Mexico, China, Korea, or where ever there is cheap labor.

So yea, Waldemart did use to do that. But hey, jobs use to be in the US before companies started investing in work overseas.

Helen8 wrote: In addition, they do not allow their employees to take meal breaks, or any breaks for that matter; they don't pay them overtime when they have in fact worked beyond their normal hours, going so far as to amend their timecards.

Now, they've gotten better about that. I admit, when I started working there back in 1994, I can't remeber ever taking a 15min break. I remember lunch, but that's the only break I remember ever working out of an 8 hr day.

I quit in 97, then started back a couple of years ago. I must say, now they are pretty good about it. But I think it differs between stores and their management. Some stores are better about giving breaks on time then others. Its especially hard to go on breaks when you got a lot of employees calling in, leaving us short handed and busy. So we ended up missing breaks or not getting them on time.