Do you consider walmart a threat to small business?

Question

Do you consider walmart a threat to small business?

Answer 1

Yes.

So are any of the chains.

I remember when customer service was provided because someone enjoyed serving a customer's needs, not just because it was this weeks special or they were trained to do it.

Try and find a local shop within around 9.5 miles of the big chains - you  will have a hard time.

The sad thing is up to a point, 'supermarkets' add value to people's lives by providing choice and saving time looking.

The bad thing is low costs can come at a severe price for producers. A recent BBC investigation showed just why you can't buy products at a UK store 'Primark' for the price they sell them £4 / $8 for an embroidered top. Yes, effectively it was slave labour.

Nike, Disney and others also do and have done this in recent times in the Philippines and elsewhere. From a $25 t-shirt, the workers shared around $0.25 - for a weeks work...

Sometimes personal morals and ethics must be forefront in your mind when and where you decide to shop. The small business owner may provide better service, but cannot get the deep discounts of the chain stores - you must decide if you are willing to pay more for individual items, or just respond to multi-million dollar advertising.

In the UK there is a brilliant mid sized, ethical chain, which provides ethical banking too http://www.co-operative.coop/

They started in 1769 with the same basic philosophy - a fair deal for ALL.

This is a partnership between local shops / store which gain access to discounts similar to the big stores. Profits are returned in three ways:

1. Investing in ethical and direct help where needed

2. Paying a divided to the customer

3. Paying the store owner

Hope this helps

Answer 2

Absolutely,  I have seen Walmart come into a community and wipe out businesses such Sprouse Ritz, Benjamin Franklin, and several small mom and pop size businesses in a very short period of time.

Answer 3

small business is dying i'm afraid and walmart as well as other large chains are responsible as are we for using them

Answer 4

Yes, absolutely.

Answer 5

Yes it wipes out small business but creates new jobs for the community and provides for the community. Wal-mart is requires itself to donate time, money, and energy to  its community and local non-profits.

Answer 6

yes, and no. It depends what you are selling and how close you are to them in location. Price difference and quality

Answer 7

ya. it steals all the their buissness.

Answer 8

If Walmart is a threat to your business, then any other competitor is as well - including the Internet.

If your business can't stand competition, then you should re-evaluate your business model or get out of business.

In a lot of cases, Walmart's presence does a little "survival of the fittest" exercise for businesses.

Answer 9

I live in a very tiny town that just put a WalMart in about six months ago.  That store caused quite a few small businesses to close.

Answer 10

NO DOUBT

Answer 11

probably , but I think people will wise up , when they realize the things they bought there keep breaking.

My in laws keep buying our chirstmas gifts there .

Griddle

blender

food processor

toaster.

ALL broke within a month.

Half the slots on my toaster still work ( bless its heart)

Wall Mart has companies degrade the quality of their products in order to lower prices.

That is why you return the c**p to the store , not the company.

The "same" item somewhere else may have more features or better materials.

I haven't shopped at a wall mart in 4 years , and plan on increasing the streak.

Answer 12

it depends on your location , cost and quality  of your product/ produce. remember that things created in mass can sometimes be defective. so dont worry about competition just work hard and b confident.

Answer 13

I run a locally owned tire/auto repair shop across the street from Wal-Mart in a small town.  Wal-Mart has brought me lots of extra business.  The people who go there for tires to save a few bucks NEVER go back.  They say that our level of service and expertise far surpasses what they get at Wal-Mart.  Of course, I'm able to pay more than Wal-Mart does, so I attract the more talented workers, that's also why my prices are slightly higher.  But when it comes to people's cars, they are willing to pay a little extra to have knowledgeable people working on their cars.  Even the managers at Wal-Mart bring their cars to us.  In fact, when Wal-Mart screws up, they pay us to fix their mistakes.

When the Wal-Mart opened up, it even helped my draw business away from my competitor down the road.  Many people (especially ladies) will go shopping at Wal-Mart while we work on their cars.

I realize that Wal-Mart does hurt a lot of small businesses, but we can survive if we sell the things that Wal-Mart will NEVER beat us at: product knowledge and customer service.