Remember back at the beginning of the year when I posted my letter to Wal-mart?  I’m sure some of you were thinking, “So you got bad service.  Big deal.  It can happen any where.”  Perhaps I didn’t explain completely why I’ve boycotted to superstore.

The continually bad service was merely the straw that broke the camels back. In my marketing class at WKU, last year, we actually spent two classes watching a documentary about Wal-mart, their means of business and how it effects our economy.  Most people just have the attitude that Wal-mart’s low prices make them the best place to shop.  Perhaps for your wallet right now.

But then that goes back to our nation’s weakness with instant gratification. Those cheap prices come at a price, though.  One the public doesn’t always see so clearly.  I heard the average Walmart associate makes a measly $18000 a year, IF they work full time.

And don’t even get me started on how many companies have had to send their factories over seas just to be able to keep their prices low enough to keep products on Wal-mart’s shelves.  That means jobs and dollars lost here in the US.  Our nation as a whole, as well as, our local communities suffer.

I don’t expect you to trust me on this information, though.  I’m no researcher.  However, if you’re interested in learning more about Wal-mart’s tyranny, check out some of these links, which are packed with truth and reality.  Then make your own opinion.

• Understanding the “why” behind anti-Wal-Mart
• What it Really Costs When Wal-Mart Comes to Town
• Report: Wal-Mart Bad for Latino Workers
• Does Wal-Mart Help or Hurt Local Communities?
• Wal-Mart Outsourcing DepressesWages in US Warehouses: Report

My family chooses to shop mostly at Kroger and Aldi for groceries and Target or Big Lots for other things.  A lot of people jump to tell me how much more things cost at Kroger and Target, but let me explain my reasoning.  Sure, they cost more, but those extra pennies are going back into our community.

When I shop at Kroger, groceries are all I buy.  Wal-mart on the other hand… not so much.  I’ve heard lots of people voice the same problem.  You start thinking of other things you need around the house and before you know it, you’ve filled your cart with more than you originally planned.

How is that saving money?  If I would have just bought the things on my list, the money wouldn’t have ever left my pocket.  My savings would be much greater than Wal-Marts “savings.”

This is just something that’s been on my mind a lot lately.  I hear a lot of people talking about boycotting Chick-Fil-A because of their beliefs and/or action against gay marriage.  Yes, I’m for gay marriage, but everyone is allowed to have their own opinion.  I just found it a bit funny that these people are jumping to defend one group of people yet they neglect to do the same with another company that hurts the whole nation.

Ok, I’m jumping down off my soapbox, now.

What do you think??