Remember Walmart?

Does anyone remember when Walmart trucks all had "Made in the U.S.A." proudly displayed on their trailers? I'm hoping to catch a picture of an old, retired Walmart semi trailer somewhere. What a long way from that Walmart has come. Sam is probably spinning in his grave...

I'll keep this short:

You need to read this great article on Fast Company.com about how Walmart manipulates it's suppliers.

You need to watch the new anti-Walmart documentary Walmart: The High Cost of Low Price.

You'll probably want to keep an eye on these sites for more information on Walmart: WalmartWatch, Wake Up Walmart, Wikipedia on Walmart.

If you have any doubt, consider the effort Walmart has put into their PR site Walmart Facts. They consistently derail you from the issue at hand and present facts that support their opposite take of the criticism, hoping you'll stay off-track long enough to believe what they are telling you. For instance, they will quote reasonable (but low) numbers for their hourly rate paid to full-time Walmart workers, but do not tell you that Walmart considers "full-time" 28-29 hours a week. Here's a link to help you wade through some of the spin: How to interpret the PR spin.

Consider what you are doing as you shop this holiday season. Do you want to send your money to China by way of Bentonville, Arkansas, or would you rather support your local community by shopping local suppliers and retailers? Do you really believe that Walmart is offering you the lowest prices? Always?

Why do you still shop at Walmart?