Very interesting article on Wal Mart beginning to show the same troubling signs that brought many of its former competitors down before it. Is the lack of AOE product found on the day of the big rollout, indicative larger systemic problems within the company?

Walmart Is Falling Apart Before Our Eyes

 

As far as I'm concerned those stores can crash and burn, no loss here.

Edit: Yes it affects many other people; My opinion is aimed towards ME- It is no loss to me if walmarts go down, I never would step foot near one. Doesn't mean I wouldn't feel bad for those people, but I don't really care to give an opinion on them- only on how it affects me. *Let the shitstorm commence*

 

He says not understanding the massive blow to so many people that would be. If Wal-Mart went under, that's a shit-load of jobs just evaporated.

 

Walmart has almost certainly overexpanded itself. There will be a massive collapse, but one that Walmart, due to its monolithic size and nature, will likely be able to endure and come out of in a restructured form. There's just too much money on the table for commercial nature to allow a vacuum in selling vacuums from a department store, and Walmart is the strongest competitor right now in that regard.

 

I would think downsizing would be the first move. I can't see them going tits up.

Even if they do go under another Walmart-esk company will take it's place. Joemart anyone?

 

One of the dumbest things I've ever read. Retail is one of the biggest industries in the world. If the largest retailer crashes and burns, it's going to take a lot with it. It's a sign that the economy is even shittier than we know.

If that's the case, things will fall apart all over. Rapidly.

The fact that you're okay with thousands upon thousands of people losing their jobs "just because" is pretty fucked up.

 

I don't think so...not yet at least.

 

I was going to reply to him, but you did it far better than I would've done.

 

In regards to how AoE relates to all this: not in the least.

In general: Walmart isn't going to go away. Downsize? Naturally, but all of its constant growth was going to turn into decline at some point.

 

Oh please let this be true. They're building one right in my neighborhood, and it'd be hilarious if Wal-Mart died by the time that store is finished.

 

Lol AOE related to this you're funny OP got a good chuckle out of me.

 

And here's another one.

It'd be so hilarious if the economy got even worse than it already is and scads of people were laid off.

 

Yeah, this. As shitty as Walmart is, its collapse would probably trigger a second Great Depression.

And it's not like everyone who shops there can afford to start shopping at Target every week, anyway. I've found it hard to live on a poverty budget for the last six months that my dad's been ill, and that's been with Walmart's low prices AND my estranged mother's employee discount card.

 

Even with the massive amount of trade that Walmart does, I don't think a collapse of the giant would be quite the economic meltdown some in this thread are portraying.

Would it put a TON of people out of work and act as a major economic disruption, at least in the short term? Yes, most definitely. However, Walmart has competitors, and people will still want (and need) the goods that Walmart used to provide, which means the aftermath would likely be different than in the 2008 meltdown and the great crash that led to the great depression. Also, given how Walmart treats its employees, the long term aftermath, and whatever retailer fills the void Walmart leaves, could leave things MORE active economically in the long run.

 

If the auto industry gets a second chance, Wal-mart would get a third, fourth, and so on.

 

Funniest thing about the "Walmart needs to die" comments is that you know they're just born from a "They never stock mah toys" mentality.

I'd hate to see Walmart start closing down stores and laying people off since that would be very bad for everyone. However, a part of me does wish we could go back to the small businesses and pre-ebay days. It's massively disappointing to see main street shops, malls, and shopping centers empty because small and niche businesses can't complete with low-price one-stop outlets.

And yeah, it'd be bad, but I doubt it would be GD bad.

 

Depends on whether the community can support a WalMart and it's competitors. Once the competitors are gone they can always jack up prices (the one in Statesboro did that- my grocery bill doubled in 2 years).

If the competitors can survive, it's just another mart on the strip and hopefully it remains a cheap option.

My opinion, anyway.

 

Most of the best people I know work at Walmart. I hope this doesn't happen as more than a few of my friends, and even some younger family members, would be out of work.

 

Look at it this way, Walmart pushed companies to lower prices to stay competitive. In that respect they are good. The Mom & Pop sob stories don't really move me that much because this is a capitalist economy and "thems the brakes." I don't want to pay through the nose for anything that I don't have to. Neither does the majority of Americans oddly enough.

Scruples are not the governing factor of capitalism, money is.