Considering I dislike Walmart with a passion I would rather see more competing retailers.

They'll only be more pleasant until their competitors go under. Then they'll go back to normal and jack up the prices since you'll have no where else to go anymore.

I think the last thing anyone wants is a Walmart monopoly. If there's one thing all dystopian fiction has taught us, it's that a faceless, all-knowing conglomerate is working only to sustain itself, and the people suffer for it.

If Walmart provides great service and a products then I'm fine with it.

My grandparents use to tell me that people worried about how A&P stores had monopolized the grocery story market in their area (circa 1960s). Many thought once there was no competition that their food prices would rise. That didn't happen and in fact food prices have been decreasing since the 19th century. Now there isn't fear of an A & P monopoly because it didn't last and in fact there isn't a store left in the entire state.

I think this kind of growth is fine and not really monopolistic. It's different when they are buying up all of their competitors and closing them down or merging them into the bigger brand. What Walmart is doing here is pure growth, even if they are intentionally targeting their competition. Can't really fault them for providing a service that people want better/cheaper than everyone else.

Only if Carl's Jr. takes over Walmart

More and bigger Walmarts means more people of Walmart
[peopleofwalmart.com]
Always good for a laugh.

Screw Walmart. That place is awful. The one near me is dirty, understaffed... the Target by me, on the other hand, is freaking awesome. I know Target is just as bad, honestly, but lesser of the two evils. I never want to give my money to Walmart, considering the evils they do with it. I'm sorry, I can't patronage a place that treats it's workers so terribly, moves out all the other local businesses and makes the world a worse place altogether.

Their commercials annoy the hell out of me too. I forget which blog it is, maybe Jezebel, that pointed out that in all the college ads, Walmart seems to only have single mothers in them. I'm not against single mothers, I dunno how to phrase this in a way that doesn't make me seem like a jerk, but isn't that sorta weird?

I'll shut up now. Walmart just raises my hackles.

There are two Wal-Marts in close proximity to me. The one on "the wrong side of the tracks" is what you'd expect out of Wal-Mart: dark, dingy, messy, and unhelpful (though I still go there often because its, well, cheapest).

The other Wal-Mart (obviously one of the new, remodeled ones) is in a nicer area, and its surprisingly bright, clean, and pleasant. Actually, it's become nicer than pretty much any competing retailer around it. If this is a part of Wal-Mart's big plan, then I'm very-much all for it.

@Kogenta: They did this in the early 90's. As they killed off other stores prices went up and the stores gradually started to suck more and more.

They will do it again. Walmart already feels like some Soviet era state store. I really don't want them to actually become one.

Frankly I would rather have more competing retailers. One retailer doesn't make sense at all, and eventually they will raise prices since they have a monopoly and you will be forced to buy from them.. Its much better for the consumer to have lots of choices.

@rte148: One can only imagine the half dressed greeters washing cars and eating burgers commercial.

Only it is Walmart, so they are still using retirees.

@Eldritch: I find Target way better in a number of ways. They are a big box store, they don't pay the greatest and much of their product is imported. Other than that they are less abusive to the employees, the products are better quality and the stores are much more pleasant to use.

I don't want Walmart gobbling up other retailers. There are already fewer and fewer places to shop. I won't shop at Walmart, ever.

I already have to spend more effort trying to find things or buying them online due to them gobbling up other stores.

@bohemian:
Walmart isn't gobbling up other stores; they are just taking those store's customers because they'd rather shop at WalMart.

I prefer a variety of retailers in a market. You're more likely to get a better price when you have competition between businesses to attract customers, and having one giant retailer become the monopoly won't do you good in the long run.

@hungryhomer:

Ah yes, it is so sad when one faceless, all-knowing conglomerate takes over where another faceless, all-knowing conglomerate use to rein.

People speak of Wal-Mart taking over from the little guy when the little guy doesn't exist anymore. It's fighting between one national chain or another.

Hold on. The Government broke up AT&T for being a monopoly and has assulted Microsoft but somehow what Wal-mart is doing to the competition is alright? I hate Wal-mart and continue to not shop that shi&%y store and company.

"...all restaurants are Taco Bell now."

If Wal-Mart became the only shopping alternative, I would either move to someplace else, shoot myself, or only shop online.

@Bunnyhat: no there's at least one mom n pop toy store left that i know of. it's right in the heart of UVA charlottesville. i try find an excuse to shop there every time i am in the area, but that only happens a few times a year. it's sad watching them struggle to make sales though

@Bogart's Falcon: Just Forget the Other Name: While I don't exactly hate them (I save that disdain for K-Mart.) I agree with you in wanting to see more competing retailers. Now do you mean existing retailers or new stores? Here in Texas we have more "Dollar" stores then you could imagine so those occasionally make a fairly decent alternative Wally World.

Screw them; after that "receipt check gone wrong" incident I'm not shopping there again. (go back to that post and read my comments if you want to know my stance on that, but the above statement makes it plenty clear).

@TheSeeker: I LOVE this site. I have almost convinced myself to start taking my camera with me when I go. I have seen some things that would would not believe. Or maybe you would.

You know, the worst part of this plan is that it hurts the consumer. Category specific stores such as Michael's carry a wide array of merchandise of a particular category so you are able to find niche items that might not sell as many units but are still something that people need. There is more depth and breadth vs. Wal-Mart who is only going to see a shallow, limited supply of those items that turn quickly. We just won't have as much variety, and will be faced with few choices. So greedy.

Yes, this evil company, performing it's fiduciary responsibility to it's shareholders to be as successful as possible. The villains.

@jamar0303:
That's pretty rational. Two employees go off the reservation in a country where standards are drastically different and shoplifting is seen as a significantly more serious crime than it is here and you swear off the store completely.

@EtherealFlame: Me too. If I had a camera phone, oh boy.

@HogwartsAlum: It just occurred to me to be veeeeerrrrryyy careful what I wear when I go to the store.

I do shop at Walmart (although I would probably go to Target if there was one on my side of town). But I'm all for competition. I don't want them to take over completely. I don't care what happens to Kmart, though. I never go there anyway.

"Say it, Raymond."
"Kmart sucks."

I'd only be happy with a bankrupt and out of business Wal-Mart since that would bring about all sorts of good things and probably cause a revolution in China.

@Bogart's Falcon: Just Forget the Other Name: Competition is almost always better for the consumer and Walmart has built itself up by eliminating any possible competition. I'd love to see them go away.

Hasn't this happened before?

When Home Depot first came into the neighborhood, before it snuffed the local and really good lumber and hardware stores, it offered free loan of tools (and some rather industrial ones to boot), stuff like free glass cutting and oogles of other useful things. Now, it's only tool rental and you can buy a glass cutter and DIY. And the prices aren't nearly as super as they were. Their basic propane tank is $32, at Costco with a gauge it's $27.. but I don't think they'll snuff Costco.

Is Walmart on the same track?

Wallmart's a blight.

@bohemian: Heh. Can you imagine a dark future when Walmart is bailed out in a recession and then goes on to be even bigger? They'll take over the country and have Walmart KGB agents everywhere.

It works in my head anyway.

@EtherealFlame: I'd like to see both new stores and existing retailers. We currently have K-Mart, Target and some "Mom and Pop" type stores. I try to shop in the latter whenever I can. Even though I might pay a bit more for something I'd rather give my money to someone who lives in my community.

We also have a large number of different "Dollar" stores but I don't purchase too much from them.

@crichton007: I'll second everything you've said.

It would help if Wal-Mart paid the employees more than minimum wage....of course, there's the Walton heirs to pay, so it's better to *not* bump wages to near-Costco levels or insist that workers be paid for every minute they work.

I think Wal-Mart's starting to feel the pain. I've noticed their prices are creeping past their competition while their stores stay the same horrid places to shop they've been for the past 10 to 15 years.

Wal Mart got where they were through a combination of low prices and friendly people. When they got huge they completely abandoned everything but the low price.

My money is on Target starting to kick their butt. K-Mart and Sears used to be number one. Look what happened there.

@Esquire99: What would it take for you to consider this a monopolizing effort? Really, what else can it be?

If this isn't the final solution towards monopoly, I don't know what is.

And, no offense, but it still surprises me to hear that anyone savvy enough to comment on the consumerist would also go to Waldemort. Maybe some folks just don't have a choice. Sounds like a...

@TheSeeker: They'll have to change the name to peopleofamerica, because that will be the same thing before long.

@bohemian: Yes, they may not be much better, but they are better.

I absolutely WILL NOT shop at Mal-Wart after the Debbie Shank incident:

Any company willing to do that to one of its employees, just because they could, doesn't deserve my money!

@mackjaz: I have a choice of where to shop and I do shop at Walmart with some regularity. So much of what we buy these days is commoditized - you'll get the same products no matter where you shop, so why wouldn't I frequent the retailer that manages to get me the best price?

I've seen the tirades some have on this site about Walmart. It drives other stores out of business? If other stores can't compete financially that's capitalism. Kudos to Walmart for delivering goods more efficiently.

They don't pay or treat their employees well? The employees are free to work elsewhere. They choose to work at Walmart and some (gasp) actually enjoy it! It is work which is tough to get in this economy. Do you really think that the Mom & Pop stores and (God help me) fast food pay or treat their people better?

No you are not likely to get the best customer service at Walmart - won't find that at the big box stores either, but you do save money. I'm happy to say I shop at Walmart and I'm very glad for the savings.

@bohemian: I'd say they aren't taking the customers. The customers are CHOOSING to shop there instead of the smaller, less efficient stores.

@bigd7387: AT&T was a government regulated monopoly that was broken up as a strategic issue, not because it was a monopoly. Microsoft was not broken up as a monopoly but had some restrictions placed on who it could purchase and what it could bundle into their operating system.

What market is Walmart supposedly a monopoly in? Groceries, clothes, consumer electronics, pharmaceuticals? They are not a monopoly in any of these. They are one of many dominant players in each of these and a formidable one at that but capitalism rewards efficiency. There's certainly nothing illegal in that. Consumers vote with their dollars and overwhelmingly in Walmart's favor.

@varro: Do you avoid fast food for the same reason? Think your wait staff at the restaurants are paid well? How about the maids and gardeners? Might as well not shop at any retail store then either. All of these are paid at or near minimum wage.

@jamar0303:
Funny thing at the Walmart near me I haven't seen them check receipts in a couple of years. I've seen the greeter put stickers on bags or items that people bring in with them but thats it.

@Bogart's Falcon: Just Forget the Other Name:
Don't blame Walmart for its tactics, blame the consumers that enjoy its low prices and that its a one stop stop for everything.

Walmart would be nothing if people didn't shop there, however since people do, they must be doing something right.

@YouDidWhatNow?: Thanks for the Demolition Man movie reference. I agree with you. I shudder at the thought of Wal-Mart making themselves the only game in town. I would like to think Sam Walton is rolling over in his grave. He wanted to build a place where his local neighbors could shop affordably, not put them out of a job by forcefully recommending that a company off-shore their labor to save money. They also shave down the product's features or quality to get that price lower. They keep pushing us down to the lowest denominator.