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Apr. 29, 2005 Wal-Mart is often mentioned as being the "model" success story of American business. But their tactics as to how they bully employees, suppliers and discriminate against their female employees would make the most hard-hearted pimp proud. The reason I am writing this is because I just purchased a vacuum cleaner from the Wal-Mart in Pittsburg, California—or as I like to call it, "The Island of Misfit Appliances". The quality of service at this store is downright pathetic. Because of the dearth of cashiers, I had to wait in line almost forty-five minutes—this on the first of the month—the biggest shopping day of any month. But my real beef lies in the fact that over the past five years I have purchased roughly ten electronic or household appliances from this store, only to get it home to find various parts missing. This has been true with a rug shampooer, bookshelf, DVD player and the aforementioned vacuum cleaner—all within the last six months. With each purchase, I began to notice a pattern: That the boxes on the shelves appeared to have been opened and retaped. I drew the conclusion that these products placed on their shelves were "rejects" from other stores and re-sold with the assumption that the consumer would be too stupid t notice. Either that or they were presumed too lazy to return their purchase. Now I know what you’re thinking. If I had that many problems with this particular store, why not go elsewhere? Well, for starters, the location is convenient—a mere eight-minute drive from my house. Second, as it is in most towns that Wal-Mart has invaded, it is now "the only game in town". When I read or hear one of Wal-Mart’s advertising claims of "low everyday prices", it brings to mind the phrase, "caveat emptor" ("Let the buyer beware"). For the saying, "You get what you pay for" certainly rings true as far as Wal-Mart is concerned: If you pay low everyday prices, you have no right to expect anything more than low everyday quality of service. Most shoppers would be willing to pay more for better service, and better service is provided by happy (that is, well rewarded) employees. Wal-Mart needs to clean up its act—not just in Pittsburg, but nationwide. They need to stop low-balling and discriminating against their employees. Bring an end to retaliating against those who want to unionize (and earn a decent, living wage). It’s not a matter of greed, but a case of showing appreciation for your hard-working employees and dedicated customers. What Wal-Mart is doing to both is nothing short of pimping and pandering. Not even Iceberg Slim had pimp game like that. ------------ About the author: Timothy Stelly is the 45-year old author of "Tempest In The Stone" and the upcoming, "The Malice of Cain". He resides in Pittsburg, California with his three youngest children Dante, Kimberly and Lawrence. I have a new website: stellbread0.tripod.com Email: stellbread@sbcglobal.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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