And Then There Was One
See here.
Since I dont know how to make a beeter looking link, I just pasted the one above. Sorry.
Anyways, I saw this article this morning while perusing the web as usual. Looks like Walmart is expanding its already overly large retail empire.
Stop. I just realized that there are so many things wrong with that statement - like "retail". Walmart can no longer be called a true retail store as it has expanded into pharmacology, Optometry, financial provision, beautification, and grocery.
What makes Walmart think it can take on the health care provider role ? Oh that's right - the $420M a year average they bring in annually.
Let's see...They move in to small markets and the prices eventuallyalways win out over mom and pop shops, They now have a controlling interest in almost every aspect of retail because very few large box competetors can compete with the buying power they have, the endless finacial resources they seem to have albeit provided by commerce from the American Public, and lastly they stand pretty much alone. Gosh that sounds so familiar. What's the word I'm looking for....oh yeah, MONOPOLY!
Scarily, I am drawn to the movie Demolition Man (Wesley Snipes and Sylvester Stalone) where Stalone gets asked to dinner at "All Things Taco Bell". I can see it now...little white lab coats, large round yellow smiling faces, "Welcome to walmart, you wont just drop your pants over our prices anymore!"
[Nate: edited link]
Since I dont know how to make a beeter looking link, I just pasted the one above. Sorry.
Anyways, I saw this article this morning while perusing the web as usual. Looks like Walmart is expanding its already overly large retail empire.
Stop. I just realized that there are so many things wrong with that statement - like "retail". Walmart can no longer be called a true retail store as it has expanded into pharmacology, Optometry, financial provision, beautification, and grocery.
What makes Walmart think it can take on the health care provider role ? Oh that's right - the $420M a year average they bring in annually.
Let's see...They move in to small markets and the prices eventuallyalways win out over mom and pop shops, They now have a controlling interest in almost every aspect of retail because very few large box competetors can compete with the buying power they have, the endless finacial resources they seem to have albeit provided by commerce from the American Public, and lastly they stand pretty much alone. Gosh that sounds so familiar. What's the word I'm looking for....oh yeah, MONOPOLY!
Scarily, I am drawn to the movie Demolition Man (Wesley Snipes and Sylvester Stalone) where Stalone gets asked to dinner at "All Things Taco Bell". I can see it now...little white lab coats, large round yellow smiling faces, "Welcome to walmart, you wont just drop your pants over our prices anymore!"
[Nate: edited link]
posted by ProLPconserve at
11:21
2 Comments:
YAY WALMART!!!!
YAY presidential candidates who aren't going to do a damned thing about monoplies, trusts, or any of those other wonderful things...or our increasing federal deficit and thus dependence on China and other foreign countries.
YAY!
By
John E., at Tue Feb 19, 03:33:00 PM GMT
A lot of the Wal-Mart non-retail things are actually leased space rather than their own businesses (pretty much only the pharmacy, grocery, and broadly defined retail are directly Wal-Mart), but I still think you're right. Wal-Mart certainly isn't losing by renting space to banks and dentists and McDonalds, otherwise they would stop. While Wal-Mart technically has no control over those places, behind closed doors they likely have at least some influence just like they do with retail manufacturers (see for example the history of Rubbermaid). Renting clinic space or starting their own... whatever. It sucks any way you chalk it up.
John, it'll probably be a cold day you-know-where before any politicians care about your rational economics. Personally, I'm thinking of buying gold with my refund check. Gold will be worth something in ten years.
By
Nate, at Wed Feb 20, 01:35:00 AM GMT
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