Do you shop at Walmart?

[Koios]

The local farmer's market prices are so cheap because the vendors pay very little rent. Supermarkets near the Market have complained bitterly about the low rents paid by market vendors and that they cannot compete with their prices.

The Market is located in a very expensive area of town so stores paying fairmarket rents have a big overhead cost that the Market vendors don't. That's why food is cheap there.

No true; as percentage of sales, booth rental at farmer's markets far exceed retail space leases by larger grocery chains.

The appeal, and why most things are sold at a premium price and not lower prices, is the sense among buyers that the goods being sold are more pure / fresh / local, when in fact, many vendors merely source produce from the same distributors the stores do.

We buy at Farmers Market because their produce is usually considerably cheaper than what we can get at Albertsons or Smiths. And the reason is that the overhead at the Farmers Market is so much less than the super market that the super market generally can't beat their prices. But unless we are buying a lot of produce, we don't make the extra trip to the Farmers Market. And we check the prices in the grocery flyers before we head out because often the supermarket will have a loss leader that is cheaper than the Farmers Market.

The same criteria applies to Walmart. We don't drive all the way to Walmart for a few grocery items even though we could save a few cents if we did. It's just not worth the time and trouble. But if we are already in Walmart for something else, we will pick up the bread or milk or eggs or whatever that we know we need.

Not true in this market (Seattle) since I've helped some friends (brand development / Web presence) who do the art-fair/farmer's-market circuit, and thus know the cost dynamic. The good ones, in the upscale areas that have folks who flock to them, charge a decent price for the dirt under the pop-up canopies, for only 2 days of use. It's a major cost component, relative to sales, which exceeds, greatly, typical cost per sq ft in retail, for a month, prorated to two days.

Maybe where you live is different.

 

[Dragonlady]

No true; as percentage of sales, booth rental at farmer's markets far exceed retail space leases by larger grocery chains..

Perhaps where you live this may be true, but my Market barely charges the vendors any rent at all. It's been a source of contraversy in our city. Fair market rents in the Market District are VERY high. Just the land the Market sits on is worth millions and it's in a prime location.

Produce in big chain supermarkets is purchased at the Food Terminal and then shipped to the supermarket warehouse for packaging and processing, then shipped to stores, adding additional days between when the produce is harvested and when it arrives at the store's produce counters.

Vendors at the Market buy at the Food Terminal, load up their truck and then the produce is on the shelf within an hour.

 

[Koios]

No true; as percentage of sales, booth rental at farmer's markets far exceed retail space leases by larger grocery chains..

Perhaps where you live this may be true, but my Market barely charges the vendors any rent at all. It's been a source of contraversy in our city. Fair market rents in the Market District are VERY high. Just the land the Market sits on is worth millions and it's in a prime location.

Produce in big chain supermarkets is purchased at the Food Terminal and then shipped to the supermarket warehouse for packaging and processing, then shipped to stores, adding additional days between when the produce is harvested and when it arrives at the store's produce counters.

Vendors at the Market buy at the Food Terminal, load up their truck and then the produce is on the shelf within an hour.

Sorry to hear it. Here in uber-Dem Seattle, we're not keen on allowing competitive disadvantages in the market, if public lands (parks) mostly are involved.

BTW, one reason produce is a popular item at fairs, not to mention your local grocer, is margin. They cut a fat hog on produce, which is the most profitable departments in grocery, too. It's a high margin item.

 

[Koios]

No true; as percentage of sales, booth rental at farmer's markets far exceed retail space leases by larger grocery chains..

Perhaps where you live this may be true, but my Market barely charges the vendors any rent at all. It's been a source of contraversy in our city. Fair market rents in the Market District are VERY high. Just the land the Market sits on is worth millions and it's in a prime location.

Produce in big chain supermarkets is purchased at the Food Terminal and then shipped to the supermarket warehouse for packaging and processing, then shipped to stores, adding additional days between when the produce is harvested and when it arrives at the store's produce counters.

Vendors at the Market buy at the Food Terminal, load up their truck and then the produce is on the shelf within an hour.

Look behind the tents, at the logos on the waxy boxes. Then head out behind Albertson's and see what boxes accumlate there. (tip: you'll see some parity.)

 

[Dragonlady]

Sorry to hear it. Here in uber-Dem Seattle, we're not keen on allowing competitive disadvantages in the market, if public lands (parks) mostly are involved.

BTW, one reason produce is a popular item at fairs, not to mention your local grocer, is margin. They cut a fat hog on produce, which is the most profitable departments in grocery, too. It's a high margin item.

Our Market was recently name by National Geographic as the best Market in the World. There are big signs all over promoting it. The Market is a huge tourist draw, and busloads of people come there every weekend, so it brings a lot of dollars into the city.

I avoid going there on Saturday if at all possible. You cannot move through the aisles for people and there are line-ups at every stall. When I was working in the financial district, I could walk to the Market at lunchtime and do my shopping. Now I go in the middle of the week when there are no crowds. There are a lot of restaurant stalls and deli stalls where you can get ready made foods, all made from the same fresh foods you can buy, and like the uncooked stuff which is available, its very cheap.

 

[Koios]

Sorry to hear it. Here in uber-Dem Seattle, we're not keen on allowing competitive disadvantages in the market, if public lands (parks) mostly are involved.

BTW, one reason produce is a popular item at fairs, not to mention your local grocer, is margin. They cut a fat hog on produce, which is the most profitable departments in grocery, too. It's a high margin item.

Our Market was recently name by National Geographic as the best Market in the World. There are big signs all over promoting it. The Market is a huge tourist draw, and busloads of people come there every weekend, so it brings a lot of dollars into the city.

I avoid going there on Saturday if at all possible. You cannot move through the aisles for people and there are line-ups at every stall. When I was working in the financial district, I could walk to the Market at lunchtime and do my shopping. Now I go in the middle of the week when there are no crowds. There are a lot of restaurant stalls and deli stalls where you can get ready made foods, all made from the same fresh foods you can buy, and like the uncooked stuff which is available, its very cheap.

Ours is world famous, known by nearly all, whether they read NG or not.

Pike Place Market - Home

Neener x 3

 

[AsheedMidrarwz]

Sorry to hear it. Here in uber-Dem Seattle, we're not keen on allowing competitive disadvantages in the market, if public lands (parks) mostly are involved.

BTW, one reason produce is a popular item at fairs, not to mention your local grocer, is margin. They cut a fat hog on produce, which is the most profitable departments in grocery, too. It's a high margin item.

Our Market was recently name by National Geographic as the best Market in the World. There are big signs all over promoting it. The Market is a huge tourist draw, and busloads of people come there every weekend, so it brings a lot of dollars into the city.

I avoid going there on Saturday if at all possible. You cannot move through the aisles for people and there are line-ups at every stall. When I was working in the financial district, I could walk to the Market at lunchtime and do my shopping. Now I go in the middle of the week when there are no crowds. There are a lot of restaurant stalls and deli stalls where you can get ready made foods, all made from the same fresh foods you can buy, and like the uncooked stuff which is available, its very cheap.

Ours is world famous, known by nearly all, whether they read NG or not.

Pike Place Market - Home

Neener x 3

I love Pike Place Market when we visit Seattle. Definitely a top tourist attraction.

 

[Koios]

Our Market was recently name by National Geographic as the best Market in the World. There are big signs all over promoting it. The Market is a huge tourist draw, and busloads of people come there every weekend, so it brings a lot of dollars into the city.

I avoid going there on Saturday if at all possible. You cannot move through the aisles for people and there are line-ups at every stall. When I was working in the financial district, I could walk to the Market at lunchtime and do my shopping. Now I go in the middle of the week when there are no crowds. There are a lot of restaurant stalls and deli stalls where you can get ready made foods, all made from the same fresh foods you can buy, and like the uncooked stuff which is available, its very cheap.

Ours is world famous, known by nearly all, whether they read NG or not.

Pike Place Market - Home

Neener x 3

If guns kill people, how does anyone get out of a gun show alive?

No bullets in the guns. Since, as we know, GUNS DO NOT KILL PEOPLE ... often* (slugs do.)

*Okay; maybe when pistol-whipped to death

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

I don't shop at any big box stores like Walmart,Home Depot, Bed Bath&Beyond, Office Max, Best Buy, Amazon, and Ford . In fact, I don't like any of the nationwide companies. The prices are just to damn low and they replaced too many Mom and Pops!! Capitalism is actually driving us backward rather than forward.

 

[wavingrl]

Our Market was recently name by National Geographic as the best Market in the World. There are big signs all over promoting it. The Market is a huge tourist draw, and busloads of people come there every weekend, so it brings a lot of dollars into the city.

I avoid going there on Saturday if at all possible. You cannot move through the aisles for people and there are line-ups at every stall. When I was working in the financial district, I could walk to the Market at lunchtime and do my shopping. Now I go in the middle of the week when there are no crowds. There are a lot of restaurant stalls and deli stalls where you can get ready made foods, all made from the same fresh foods you can buy, and like the uncooked stuff which is available, its very cheap.

Ours is world famous, known by nearly all, whether they read NG or not.

Pike Place Market - Home

Neener x 3

I love Pike Place Market when we visit Seattle. Definitely a top tourist attraction.

This sounds good. There are smaller markets in Atlanta--open on weekends and in the summer. The way the city is spread out I don't think it would be feasible to try something like this in Atlanta. Once again there is interest in redeveloping Underground Atlanta--but even if they created a market few would want to drive downtown to shop.

Not far from me are some Asian/Hispanic grocery stores. They had lemons for $.10/each this summer--prices elsewhere were 2-3X that. fwiw.

 

[thanatos144]

It still amazes me how ignorant the progressive fascists are about Wal-Mart.....Again more proof of them trying to tell the rest of us where to shop or what to do.....Yet they still deny being fascists.

 

[Pogo]

It still amazes me how ignorant the progressive fascists are about Wal-Mart.....Again more proof of them trying to tell the rest of us where to shop or what to do.....Yet they still deny being fascists.

Somehow I don't think 'fascism' is defined as telling people where they can shop. I don't regard Foxfyre, or anyone else, as a "fascist" simply because they insist I should shop at Mal-Wart. I suspect he works for Sam, that's all. You don't have to be a "fascist" to be wrong.

Besides, if you toss "fascism" around to every little thing you don't like, what are you going to use for actual fascism?

 

[Foxfyre]

It still amazes me how ignorant the progressive fascists are about Wal-Mart.....Again more proof of them trying to tell the rest of us where to shop or what to do.....Yet they still deny being fascists.

Somehow I don't think 'fascism' is defined as telling people where they can shop. I don't regard Foxfyre, or anyone else, as a "fascist" simply because they insist I should shop at Mal-Wart. I suspect he works for Sam, that's all. You don't have to be a "fascist" to be wrong.

Besides, if you toss "fascism" around to every little thing you don't like, what are you going to use for actual fascism?

However Facists do misrepresent the enemy, put words in their mouths, and falsely accuse them, because Facism requires all resistance to Fascism to be eliminated.

For instance Foxfyre, and I don't believe anybody else, has even insinuated, much less insisted that anybody shop anywhere, much less Walmart.

 

[Pogo]

It still amazes me how ignorant the progressive fascists are about Wal-Mart.....Again more proof of them trying to tell the rest of us where to shop or what to do.....Yet they still deny being fascists.

Somehow I don't think 'fascism' is defined as telling people where they can shop. I don't regard Foxfyre, or anyone else, as a "fascist" simply because they insist I should shop at Mal-Wart. I suspect he works for Sam, that's all. You don't have to be a "fascist" to be wrong.

Besides, if you toss "fascism" around to every little thing you don't like, what are you going to use for actual fascism?

However Facists do misrepresent the enemy, put words in their mouths, and falsely accuse them, because Facism requires all resistance to Fascism to be eliminated.

For instance Foxfyre, and I don't believe anybody else, has [sic] even insinuated, much less insisted that anybody shop anywhere, much less Walmart.

No I don't think you need to be a "fascist" to misrepresent people. That's not even a political act in and of itself. You don't need a political position to misrepresent people, and Fascists certainly don't have a monopoly on misrepresentation.

For example just because that guy who brought up "banning" Mal-Wart also brought up a Communist, that doesn't make him a 'fascist' by contrast. It just makes him a liar. Or to be nice, a strawman-builder. He's wrong in doing that, but that doesn't by itself make him a "fascist".

We lose the meaning of "fascism" when we start applying it to every little thing willy-nilly. That's not a good idea, as we may need that word for what it really means. Sooner than we think.

 

[Foxfyre]

Somehow I don't think 'fascism' is defined as telling people where they can shop. I don't regard Foxfyre, or anyone else, as a "fascist" simply because they insist I should shop at Mal-Wart. I suspect he works for Sam, that's all. You don't have to be a "fascist" to be wrong.

Besides, if you toss "fascism" around to every little thing you don't like, what are you going to use for actual fascism?

However Facists do misrepresent the enemy, put words in their mouths, and falsely accuse them, because Facism requires all resistance to Fascism to be eliminated.

For instance Foxfyre, and I don't believe anybody else, has [sic] even insinuated, much less insisted that anybody shop anywhere, much less Walmart.

No I don't think you need to be a "fascist" to misrepresent people. That's not even a political act in and of itself. You don't need a political position to misrepresent people, and Fascists certainly don't have a monopoly on misrepresentation.

For example just because that guy who brought up "banning" Mal-Wart also brought up a Communist, that doesn't make him a 'fascist' by contrast. It just makes him a liar. Or to be nice, a strawman-builder. He's wrong in doing that, but that doesn't by itself make him a "fascist".

We lose the meaning of "fascism" when we start applying it to every little thing willy-nilly. That's not a good idea, as we may need that word for what it really means. Sooner than we think.

I did not apply a definition of fascism. Nor did I accuse anybody of being a facist. I only pointed out that accusing those of what they are not 'guilty' is a trademark component of fascism. I didn't suggest that fascists are the only ones who would do that. I haven't introduced facism or Stalin or any of the other imagery or insinuations into this discussion. Other people have.

But I do take exception when you suggest I have insisted that anybody do anything, shop anywhere, or shop at Walmart in this discussion. And it would be a tactic of the fascist to mischaracterize their opponent and plant suggestions that they were evil or dangerous or inappropriate in some way in order to turn public opinion against them.

Was that your intent when you mischaracterized my posts in this thread? I don't know. But you did mischaracterize what I have posted.

Is that the intent of whomever for whatever reason to bring down Walmart with an organized campaign to demonize and discredit that corporation? I don't know. But there certainly does appear to be such a campaign.

 

[Samson]

Is that the intent of whomever for whatever reason to bring down Walmart with an organized campaign to demonize and discredit that corporation? I don't know. But there certainly does appear to be such a campaign.

Wal-mart is a very successful capitalist enterprise.


Therefore, it must be demonized by all unsuccessful enterprises (capitalist and, naturally socialist)

 

[Pogo]

However Facists do misrepresent the enemy, put words in their mouths, and falsely accuse them, because Facism requires all resistance to Fascism to be eliminated.

For instance Foxfyre, and I don't believe anybody else, has [sic] even insinuated, much less insisted that anybody shop anywhere, much less Walmart.

No I don't think you need to be a "fascist" to misrepresent people. That's not even a political act in and of itself. You don't need a political position to misrepresent people, and Fascists certainly don't have a monopoly on misrepresentation.

For example just because that guy who brought up "banning" Mal-Wart also brought up a Communist, that doesn't make him a 'fascist' by contrast. It just makes him a liar. Or to be nice, a strawman-builder. He's wrong in doing that, but that doesn't by itself make him a "fascist".

We lose the meaning of "fascism" when we start applying it to every little thing willy-nilly. That's not a good idea, as we may need that word for what it really means. Sooner than we think.

I did not apply a definition of fascism. Nor did I accuse anybody of being a facist. I only pointed out that accusing those of what they are not 'guilty' is a trademark component of fascism. I didn't suggest that fascists are the only ones who would do that. I haven't introduced facism or Stalin or any of the other imagery or insinuations into this discussion. Other people have.

But I do take exception when you suggest I have insisted that anybody do anything, shop anywhere, or shop at Walmart in this discussion. And it would be a tactic of the fascist to mischaracterize their opponent and plant suggestions that they were evil or dangerous or inappropriate in some way in order to turn public opinion against them.

Was that your intent when you mischaracterized my posts in this thread? I don't know. But you did mischaracterize what I have posted.

Is that the intent of whomever for whatever reason to bring down Walmart with an organized campaign to demonize and discredit that corporation? I don't know. But there certainly does appear to be such a campaign.

Yes I know you didn't bring it up. Thanatos144 did. I assumed he was referring to you. That's why I quoted him originally. And it was also not you who brought up Stalin and "banning" Mal-Wart; it was Special Ed. None of that equates to fascism IMHO.

The "tactic to mischaracterize one's opponent and plant suggestions that they were evil or dangerous or inappropriate in some way in order to turn public opinion against them" has nothing to do specifically with fascism. The same tactic has certainly been used by communists, capitalists, anarchists and bigamists. It's clearly been used in most political campaigns of recent memory, and for that matter in history. It's used in advertising. It's still got nothing to do with "fascism".

People throw around "fascism" with no clue what the term means. I don't think that's good for the language, let alone the debate.

Far as I'm concerned the onus is on Thanatos144 to explain what the hell he was talking about. That's why I took issue with him in the first place.

(edit: I just looked at Thanatos' signature. It says, "If you are Pro Union you support communism." What's the reverse of that statement? File under Department of Peg-the-hypocrisy-meter
(/offtopic)

 

[Cecilie1200]

It still amazes me how ignorant the progressive fascists are about Wal-Mart.....Again more proof of them trying to tell the rest of us where to shop or what to do.....Yet they still deny being fascists.

Somehow I don't think 'fascism' is defined as telling people where they can shop. I don't regard Foxfyre, or anyone else, as a "fascist" simply because they insist I should shop at Mal-Wart. I suspect he works for Sam, that's all. You don't have to be a "fascist" to be wrong.

Besides, if you toss "fascism" around to every little thing you don't like, what are you going to use for actual fascism?

When did Foxfyre or anyone else insist that you "should" shop at WalMart? When did anyone even give the impression that they give that much of a shit WHERE you shop? Arguing that they think your reasons for not shopping there are silly isn't the same as caring one way or another where you spend your money. Get over yourself a little.

Furthermore, if you think fascism "isn't defined as telling people where they can shop", you know nothing about fascism. Whatever else you might think fascism is, or was, it is an economic system in the same pantheon as capitalism, communism, and socialism.

Unlike socialism, which seeks direct state control of the means of production, fascism seeks it indirectly, by allowing the state to control nominally independent and private owners, by requiring those owners to operate their property "in the national interest". (Is any of this sounding vaguely familiar to anyone else?) Socialism abolishes market relations outright; fascism allows the pretense of market relations, while in reality centrally planning the economy and its activities. Fascism controls the monetary system and sets all prices and wages politically. State ministries, rather than consumers, determine what is produced and under what conditions.

Which means that yes, fascism DOES essentially end up telling you where and how you can shop.

Now perhaps you can tell me what YOU thought fascism is.

 

[EdwardBaiamonte]

"If you are Pro Union you support communism."

that's largely speaking true. Once you believe you have the right to get ahead in life with government violence against your fellow man
(rather than through peaceful voluntary Republican capitalist relationships) you are in effect a communist.

 

[Pogo]

It still amazes me how ignorant the progressive fascists are about Wal-Mart.....Again more proof of them trying to tell the rest of us where to shop or what to do.....Yet they still deny being fascists.

Somehow I don't think 'fascism' is defined as telling people where they can shop. I don't regard Foxfyre, or anyone else, as a "fascist" simply because they insist I should shop at Mal-Wart. I suspect he works for Sam, that's all. You don't have to be a "fascist" to be wrong.

Besides, if you toss "fascism" around to every little thing you don't like, what are you going to use for actual fascism?

When did Foxfyre or anyone else insist that you "should" shop at WalMart? When did anyone even give the impression that they give that much of a shit WHERE you shop? Arguing that they think your reasons for not shopping there are silly isn't the same as caring one way or another where you spend your money. Get over yourself a little.

Go read the thread a little. Start at post 875 (eight hundred and seventy-five posts on this?) where I had already been attacked as "stick in his asshole", "fucking retard" and "to [sic] fucking stupid" for the crime of daring to answer the Mal-Wart question in the negative. The latter two by the same clown who brought up "fascism" just now. Foxfyre wasn't part of that meltdown, though from that point he continued to lobby that I should be going to Mal-Wart, but I didn't think that made him a 'fascist'. But if you insist, OK then they're all fascists. And in at least one case you may be right considering the next paragraph.

To spell it out for Special Ed: the opposite side of the coin "If you are Pro Union you support communism" would be "if you are anti-union you support fascism" (which is true -- Hitler for example banned trade unions and had all their leaders arrested way back in 1933; it was one of his first steps). Yet this is the signature of the same guy who wants to call other people 'fascists'. And the same guy who jumped on me as a "fucking retard" for daring not to bow before the Supreme Mal-Wart God. And that is why he pegs the hypocrisy meter.

.
I notice he hasn't been back to defend it. What a surprise.