It is fashionable to criticize Wal-Mart. Both limousine liberals and statist conservatives bash the retail giant (and free market exchange) while those same critics type on their Dell computers, chew their General Mills cereal bars and drive their Honda Accords. Free market exchange makes luxuries available to the average person and yet most cannot (or will not) grasp simple economic reasoning as they continue to support government force over others.
The Wal-Mart war: 10 years, $117,000 The cost to a local government in legal and engineering fees alone for 10 years of meetings on building a Wal-Mart? $117,000, and counting. - David O'Connor, May 5, 2006 [Lancaster Online]
How Not to Like Wal-Mart Whatever your reason, if you don't like Wal-Mart, then don't shop there and don't work there. And if it makes you feel better, don't live in any town that has a Wal-Mart store. Just don't expect us to do likewise. - Laurence Vance, February 27, 2006 [Mises]
The Chutzpah of Wal-Mart’s Critics The criticism of Wal-Mart amounts to people’s telling other people who satisfy countless consumers every day what to do with their money. - Sheldon Richman, August 12, 2005 [The Future of Freedom Foundation]
The Crusade Against Walmart The latest socialist crusade is against the Wal-Mart stores. - Thomas Sowell, May 9, 2005 [Capitalism Magazine]
Wal-Mart rolls back cost of living Horry County's cost of living has dropped substantially in recent years, and you don't have to look any farther than the Wal-Mart Supercenter for someone to thank. - David Wren, May 7, 2006 [The Sun Times (Myrtle Beach)]
Welcome Wal-Mart The company’s success isn’t built on exploiting. It’s built on providing. Wal-Mart can’t force anybody to work at its stores, nor can it force anybody to shop there. Through relentless cost-cutting and technological innovation, the company offers low cost goods to consumers, jobs for willing employees, and solid returns for shareholders. - Jonathan Hoenig, February 10, 2006 [Capitalism Magazine]
Wal-Mart is Good for the Economy From an economic perspective, when all the claims are dispassionately evaluated, it looks like Wal-Mart promotes prosperity.- John Semmens, October 2005 [FEE] (pdf)
Wal-Mart: A Business We All Can Look Up To Wal-Mart is the world's largest business. Its $250 billion in annual sales makes it bigger than legendary giants like Exxon, General Motors, and IBM. How did Wal-Mart get so big? - John Semmens, April 3, 2005 [Capitalism Magazine]
Wal-Mart: A Business We All Can Look Up To Wal-Mart is the world's largest business. Its $250 billion in annual sales makes it bigger than legendary giants like Exxon, General Motors, and IBM. How did Wal-Mart get so big? - John Semmens, April 3, 2005 [Capitalism Magazine]
Competitors must offer better goods and services to gain customers
Small stores try to find niche as big-box stores arrive They want to hold onto their jobs, and to do it they have to figure out just what they are capable of doing better than the big-box stores. - Arthur Kimball-Stanley, October 1, 2006 [The Providence Journal]
Wal-Mart sells groceries for less Supercenter beats Wegmans, Martin's and Tops prices in this area. - Frank Bilovsky, March 19, 2006 [Rochester Democrat & Chronicle]
The Wal-Mart factor To survive in a Wal-Mart world, local grocers, from little guys like Spagnolo to the region's dominant chain, Giant Eagle Inc., are re-evaluating nearly every aspect of their business and working to stay relevant to consumers increasingly less beholden to the traditional supermarket.- Michael Yeomans, November 13, 2005 [Pittsburgh Tribune Review]
Retailers using 'anti-Wal-Mart' strategy ...in light of retail titan Wal-Mart's success, many retailers have gone on the defensive, positioning themselves as the "anti-Wal-Mart," to stay competitive... - Dar Haddix, July 7, 2005 [Washington Times]
