by Leslie Schwab

Created on: June 21, 2009

Wal-Mart stores and Superstores have become a frequent vision on the American landscape, and are being opened in many other countries, as well. They are known for their low prices, and vast array of merchandise. Their Superstores have become a "one-stop shop" because they also contain a huge supermarket section. One can spend hours at a Superstore; they even offer low-priced meals for the entire family. Since the passing of Wal-Mart's founder, Sam Walton over twenty years ago, the philosophy of this corporation is becoming more incompatibe with what made America great.

For one thing, Wal-Mart's merchandise is almost exclusively imported from other countries; namely, The People's Republic of China. When Sam Walton was still in charge, one of his main marketing points was that most of Wal-Mart's products were made in America. Their corporate emphasis in recent times, however, has been on low price. American manufacturers can no longer compete with foreign ones, because the playing field is unbalanced; due to higher labor costs in the United States. In fact, a number of American firms whose main customer was Wal-Mart, have long since gone out of business because they could no longer sell their products at the prices Wal-Mart was willing to pay. Wal-Mart is one of the main reasons for the steady decline in American manufacturing over the last two decades.

Another issue that has been well-publicized has been Wal-Mart's less-than-stellar treatment of its employees. They have been infamous for providing low pay and limited benefits for their staff, which numbers at over a million in the United States, alone. Many communities have prohibited the opening of Wal-Marts in their neighborhoods because of their treatment of employees, and the impact they would have on local small businesses that would end up closing because they wouldn't be able to compete with Wal-Mart's prices. They have had to settle a number of labor law suits because of their unfair treatment of female employees. They have also been in trouble for employing undocumented workers.

Of course, consumers are driven to shop at stores that will save them money. Wal-Mart continues to grow and prosper, because their focus is on low pricing. It is how Wal-Mart accomplishes this goal, however, that makes it bad for America: both for American manufacturers, and its own huge labor force. One could even argue that Wal-Mart may even be a significant factor in contributing to our nation's current economic problems.

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