Walmart Pros and Cons List
Shopping at Wal-Mart is an unavoidable experience for most American citizens. While there are some who are able to enjoy the advantages of Wal-Mart shopping, there are others who point out the disadvantages at every opportunity. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons that come with Wal-Mart’s presence.
The Pros of Walmart
1. Varied Selection
No matter what you need at Wal-Mart, there is a section for you. A person can head to Wal-Mart and purchase their groceries for the week, a digital camera, get their vehicle repaired, and shop for clothes, all in one trip. Wal-Mart is a true one stop shop. Unlike other stores of their kind, they do not charge a membership fee in order to enjoy their savings.
2. Provides Jobs
The sheer size and variety of a Wal-Mart store guarantees a wide range of employment opportunities for members of the community where it is built. By providing jobs for hundreds of local workers, Wal-Mart’s presence stimulates the area’s economy. In a time when employment opportunities are scarce, this cannot be discounted.
3. Brings Additional Business To Areas
When a new Wal-Mart is built, the area experiences additional business immediately. Patrons from neighboring communities travel into the region to do their Wal-Mart shopping and will often stick around, spending money at a variety of local hubs. If a town does not have a Wal-Mart of their own, citizens think nothing of driving to a place that has one.
The Cons of Walmart
1. Destroys Small Businesses
Wal-Mart’s presence in the community is not helpful to the small businesses who end up crushed by their pricing structure. Since they offer just about any service that a customer needs and do so for a much cheaper price, Wal-Mart drives smaller companies in the region out of business.
2. Awful Employee Health Insurance Policy
Wal-Mart has come under fire for their employee health insurance policy. They do not offer their employees a health care policy that is competitive with what other employers provide for their subordinates. Wal-Mart workers are often forced to use public assistance to make up for what they lack and most Wal-Mart employees struggle to make ends meet as a result.
3. Prices Are Misleading
While certain items are much cheaper when you purchase them at Wal-Mart, this is by design. Wal-Mart charges shoppers less for some items, but if you are someone who pays close attention to prices, you will realize that some items actually cost a lot more than they would if you had purchased them at a different store. This is by design and is a way for Wal-Mart to recoup what they’ve lost on the less expensive items.