A Year Of Recalls: Finally Putting A Damper On Holiday Shopping?

Yesterday I had a phone call from a sales representative whose company I do business with. He told me that he knew of retailers who were taking advantage of the toy recalls. They were advertising that “books are safe products to give your kids this Christmas.” These same retailers were also heavily promoting any product they had that was U.S. made. Apparently, these retailers have seen some success by doing this.
This same person also told me about the local Wal-Mart where he is from. He knows the assistant manager personally, and he was told by this person that they were getting ready to LAY OFF some of their employees because business is bad!  I was told that there is no business district left here. The business district is empty stores, a few lawyers, restaurants, doctors, etc. and one retail store that manages to hang in there. So Wal-Mart is really the only place to shop. How interesting that business is bad for this Wal-Mart store!
Just thought these stories might prove interesting to those reading this blog.

The beauty of all these recalls is it forever plants the seed of doubt in all things Chinese-made.

That’s a really pretty bowl but would you put food in it?

Meanwhile our stalward government officials, as well as corporate captains, are apologizing to China.

Gee, Jane, Wal-Mart’s recently released numbers look great. I wonder how that could be?

Only 1 Week Until Black Friday

With only a week to go until Black Friday shopping, the 50 Things to Do Instead of Shopping at Wal-Mart List is half finished.

23.  Enlarge a special photo. Go through your old photos.  Find one that’s very spcecial or memorable, and have it enlarged (at least 8 X 10, but not at Wal-Mart), professionally frame it, and give it as a gift.

24.  Visit Find Gift.com. This website is dedicated to help you find creative gift ideas.

25.  50 Fun Things to Do at Wal-Mart If you must shop at Wal-Mart, consider this list of things to do.

#25 is Too Important to “Screw Up”

Just go here:  http://www.azzit.de/humor/133.html

Ken V in Texas:"That’s a really pretty bowl ,but would you put food in it?” Funny you should mention that. I was reading just yesterday an article on the Consumerist website about dinnerplates made in China by Gibson ,exclusively for WalMart, that were lead laden. This was not decorative ware,but dinner plates.Evidently, there was a “leaching” test result that caused some concern.

Ken, I was told that things were bad at this PARTICULAR
store. Apparently, where this sales representative lives, (I honestly don’t remember where he told me he lives) the population is about 4,000. Not a huge city, but never the less there is still a Wal-Mart there that isn’t doing well at all. He told me that when he was there the other day there was hardly anybody shopping. The place was empty.
From the looks of things what with the price of gas, oil, and cost of living, the retail experts are already predicting this Christmas shopping season is going to be pretty dismal for retailers in general.  It will be interesting to see what develops.
And I like your statement that these recalls put doubt in everything that is made in China. How true!

50 Fun Things to Do at Wal-Mart

#’s 14, 31, 40, and 48 get my vote.

14.  While walking through the clothing department, ask yourself loud enough for all to hear, “Who BUYS this crap, anyway?”

Do this in every department though.

31.  Make up nonsense products and ask newly hired employees if there are any in stock, i.e., “Do you have any Shnerples here?”

This is a good test to see how “knowledgeable” those Wal-Mart Associates really are.

40.  Say things like, “Would you be so kind as to direct me to your Twinkies ?”

48.  When an announcement comes over the loudspeaker, assume the fetal position and scream, “No, no! It’s those voices again!”

So Screwed, now you are encouraging others to disrupt a business???  Really???

Screwedby: I was under the impression that WalMart had been disrupting others’ businesses,without encouragement, for quite a long time now.

Big T - Screwedby sure is filled with the ‘holiday spirit’ of love and compassion for his fellow man.  He will probably chase away carolers for singing and bothering him.  I think a better name for him, would be SCROOGE or maybe THE GRINCH.

I Think You Meant “Screwge” Didn’t You jerry?

31. Make up nonsense products and ask newly hired employees if there are any in stock, i.e., “Do you have any Shnerples here?”

If you must shop at Wal-Mart, here’s some more nonsense products to ask for.  Be sure to have the “associate” check with his/her manager as to when they will be getting more in if he/she tells you, “we must be out of stock right now.”

Mars Bar Quick Energy Chocobots
Elaine’s Muffin Tops (inspired by Seinfeld)
A Swingline stapler that comes in avocado green.
Huggies Thongs (courtesy of SNL)
Winky Dinky Dog Cakes (a hot new pet food every dog will want this Chistmas)
Purple Flurp Soda (Jimmy Neutron)
Chicken-flavored Crystal Gravy (a play on Crystal Pepsi)
Mocklate (tastes like choclate, but it’s really a breath mint) --inspired from Friends.

And I’d be remiss if I left out one of my all-time favorite fake products...Vitavitavegemin. Any other Lucy fans out there?

Screwegeee: You got some ‘splainin’ to do!! I think you been into the vitaMEATAvegemin bottle again!!

...things were bad at this PARTICULAR
store.

Just so that particular store doesn’t feel like the Lone Ranger, Jane, I’ll quote from Anthony Bianco ‘s Business Week article:

Equally shocking was its admission that 25% of its stores failed to meet minimum expectations of cleanliness, product availability, checkout times, and so on.

Umm, let me see, if my math is correct things are bad at approximately 9,000 stores.

Ken V - Gee, either walmart has 36,000 stores, or your math is WRONG.

Relax jerry!

Anyone can get a zero or two out of place.  Just ask Wal-Mart when it counts all those “good jobs” it offers to people.

...walmart has 36,000 stores...

I woke up in the middle of the night tonight in a cold sweat when that realization struck me! Talk about a nightmare!

Boy, is my face red, and, much as I hate to do it I am going to have to claim the corporate right to ‘revise’ my numbers anytime I want.

Of course, it’s 900, not 9,000. Just 900 crumby stores...that’s different.

Ken V in Texas: Ken,come clean now. Weren’t you nippin’ on the Sam’s Special Reserve ,again?

“Screwedby: I was under the impression that WalMart had been disrupting others’ businesses,without encouragement, for quite a long time now. “

ddrb in
Friday, November 16 at 10:00 PM

Really, how has Wal-Mart been doing that?  Are they going into competitive stores and acting like fools by having employees help them look for fake products?

Screwed.  I hate to ruin your good time but you are not going to be able to disrupt Wal-Mart by playing your silly games.  Your just going to look like a fool and most likely piss off the store employees who I thought you were out to help through this site.  Have fun trying to bring down a giant retailer by asking for help finding fake items.  You’re such a loser, get a life.

Big T: WalMart has been disrupting others’ businesses by putting others OUT OF BUSINESS,without ANY encouragement whatsoever, from these FORMER business owners....THAT was the inference from my post. As far as Screwed’s sarcasm,if I may ,Screwed, these ideas or suggestions,in part, are from an internet story about a retired gentleman who has a list of things he does when he goes to Walmart with his wife-I don’t know if he actually ever existed,but go in the WMW archives.Some months back,Ken V provided a link to this article.

How did Wal-mart put others out of business?

Big T in Rogers: I have never been one to refer to the existence of Edelman “war room” personnae,per se. That has been the purview of SDV,Ken, and Screwedby who are infinitely more adept at detecting propogandists,and publicly decrying them as such. However, I do find the timing of” Big T” postings is curious indeed,especially in light of the “perceived departure “of the (un)dearly departed Duh Donald. You’re gonna have to use better bait if you want me to swallow the hook,big t!

So you cant answer my question.  All you can say is that Wal-Mart puts other companies out of business. are you implying they are doing something unethical or illigal to put others out of business?  (not sure if that was good enough “bait” to get you “to swallow the hook")

You are not the first to accuse me of working for Wal-Mart.  Anyone that disagrees with WMW is working for Wal-Mart.  Interesting thought, if I did work for Wal-Mart, wouldnt I be unhappy and writing bad things about the company.

I actually work for a supplier and live in Rogers.  I have a family member that does work for Wal-Mart as well as a few friends.  Most poeple living in Rogers or Bentonville have ties to Wal-Mart either as a supplier or employee.

big t in Rogers:No kiddin’-who’d a thunk it,duh?? I know that my memory isn’t quite as sharp as it once was, but I didn’t infer you worked for WalMart, per se. And, you have admitted alleged familial ties to W/M.My issue is the TIMING of your resurrection on this site-propituously before Black Friday- (I read, I assume tongue in cheek ,that WalMart wanted an extra Friday for Black Friday)Is WalMart going to request that Easter be rearranged on the calendar,too?

Big T - These people can’t understand, that it is ‘customers’, that put the mom & pop’s out of business.  If a customer shops at Pete’s Retail Store and then switches to walmart, he and the other ex-customers are the ones that took the business away from Pete’s and gave it to walmart.  If they would rather shop at Pete’s, he and others would continue to shop there and Pete’s would stay in business.  I believe that’s what is called ‘competition’.

I believe that’s what is called ‘competition’. ~ jerry

“Capitalism needs to function like a game of tug-of-war. Two opposing sides need to continually struggle for dominance, but at no time can either side be permitted to walk away with the rope.” ~ Pete Holiday

These people...

Huh?

competition thats the name of the game.funny thing is no one ever bitches when these mom and pops like dollar tree and big lots take business away from target,fred meyer,k-mart costco,union grocery stores and etc with their low prices but for some odd reason walmart is not allowed to sell things at low prices in these spoiled rich walmart haters view.they hiss when walmart does it are quiet as can be when dollar tree and big lots do the same dam thing go figure.who has walmart put out of business?how come the mom and pops low prices arent putting anyone out of business? what illegal iswalmart doing to put these others out of business?i dont see them doing anything wrong.they are selling items at lower prices than others .what is so wrong with that folks?

“a retired gentleman who has a list of things he does when he goes to Walmart with his wife...”

Even though I thought this story was hilarious when I first read about it, I suspect it may be just an urban myth.

Don’t worry about it, Screwed, I had a Wal-Mart lover tell me the practice of abandoning a full shopping cart was retail terrorism!

There used to be several sites devoted to internal telphone codes so you could call up and deal Wal-Mart grief.

Ken V in :I suppose all terrorism is relative-I consider it retail terrorism to invade a neighborhood under false pretenses.