Here’s an interesting graphic that tells the story of how much weight Walmart levels on not only local economies, but our lives in general. Thanks to Janet DePreter (owner, The Mercantile in Lancaster CA, and member of The 3/50 Project’s LinkedIn Group) for the heads up.
As for Walmart’s tag line, “Live better”…by whose definition? After reading the info below, you’ll be asking yourself the same thing (if you weren’t already).
To see the graphic —>
Source: The Frugal Dad
Click here to tell me what you think....
Great post!
There is also an extensive article in this months Mother Jones magazine outlining the environmental impact of Walmart… it’s successes, challenges and failures. It is a fascinating article and I urge anyone interested in sustainability and business to read it.
Don’t hate the player, hate the game. I have never seen a Walton and probably never will, but I have never seem one force anyone to shop at their store.
Doing smart and better business is now being viewed has a crime, where did all us capitalist go.
I shop at walmart, I take advantage of the cheap prices. If you want to make it like the good old days, stop taxing small businesses so much so they can compete. Oh I forgot, we need to take care of the people who wont help themselves.
pros
Good infographic. But, @kevin has a perfectly valid point. If it wasn’t for Walmart, my hubs would be out of a job, and he doesn’t earn the average.
This largest army are they counting the senior citizens that work there lol
please tell us how much taxes wal-mart paid in 2010.
Editor’s note: While it would be next to impossible to find those figures (keeping in mind, Walmart is a privately owned company), it’s common knowledge that big boxes, including Walmart, pay a far lower psf commercial property rate than locally owned businesses. Likewise, it is actually legal in some states for big boxes to negotiate the sales tax rate they pay—still charge full rates to their customers, but are only required to pay a percentage of that revenue.
Great points Kevin!
I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. I mostly agree with Kevin. I shop at Wal Mart, I like Wal Mart. I wasn’t too happy when I saw the 2%. I do think the employees are underpaid….
Walmart paid $7.1 billion in taxes, 32.4% of their profit ( not of their revenue) The industry average is 35%
Katherine, please site your source…? Also, what taxes are being referred to, and are all taxes in the US? The numbers provided look “off” compared to what I’ve seen the past few years.
Not saying you’re wrong…just that these appear out of sync with other sources.
Oh, Kevin. There’s so much more behind the scenes than that simple (and tired) tax argument. I own a small business, and the taxes aren’t killing us (the cost of health insurance IS just about killing us, however). The reason WalMart keeps its prices down is because it grinds its vendor down to the nub, thereby buying merchandise at a far better price than us mere mortals could hope to do. And then (at least in our area), they pressure local government to pay for infrastructure improvements they should be paying for, then pressure for a lower tax base (aka “business friendly” environment). Who pays for the stuff they won’t pay for? You and I, the taxpayers. Now I’m all for saving money and I like low prices, too, but if you really want to make it like the “good old days,” you’ll go to Main St. and pick up some nuts and bolts at the local hardware store (if one still exists), then walk down the street to the shoe repair, then stop at the local grocers or butcher shop for your supper. Maybe you’ll even stop at that little bookstore to pick up that bestseller you’ve been meaning to read. Us small capitalists would love you for it.
Well, having read the above information ( blog and comments) I must admit I have had an epiphany. Raising my children on my own, financially and in all other ways – I have always struggled with some guilt at the amount of shopping I have done at WalMart. Choosing the most fiscally responsible actions for my familys welfare, which usually meant Wal Mart. I have always believed in the small local business person, I have been employed over the years by many of them. I just didn’t realize the full impact that my decisions as a consumer made when I “ran into WM cuz I could get everything I needed in one place, cheaper”. I now know that I must seriously reconsider my choices and like so many things in life, make certain that my daily actions reflect my true beliefs and the support I want to give to my local businesses.
I have one question someone may be able to comment on:
Where will it all END??
@Kevin and everyone else who agrees with him…… There are more people “Forced” to buy at WM due to the subpar education offered in this country which leads to a less informed country which leads to low wage earners which leads to a nation full of idiots who don’t give a crap about anything but feeding themselves to survive and buying a cheap t.v. to block out all the other crap in their lives. Be a concious consumer and BUY LOCAL! Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle too!! Don’t buy Chinese made goods – unless its china:)