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The official Walmart proof that the iPhone is 100% GO
- Thread starter SkippyThorson
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What do you mean by the Wal-Mart demographic? I think if someone wanted an iPhone before they could find an Apple Store, Best Buy or order one online. An iPhone customer is an iPhone customer, does it matter where they shop?
You used reasoning?
Sounds more like you bought into hype and rumor.
I worked there and was NEVER asked or anything remotely related to working off the clock.
And as far as the stuff being made in China, well, I take it then that you do not own an Iphone?
If you do, then why be a hypocrite?
You don't like Walmart? Then don't work or shop there. They employ over a million people. Do they have the best benefits in the world? No, but these people can quit if they are unhappy. The bottom line is that Walmart is the number one retailer in the world. That is because they do have the lowest prices, which they can maintain by having low costs.
Being a low cost leader doesn't refer directly to the low costs of their merchandise to the consumer. It refers to carefully controlling business expenses, and passing the savings along to the customer. A big expense for a company that employs over a million people is obviously compensation and benefits. They can't maintain their low prices at the same time as offering top-notch pay and benefits for hundreds of thousands of, lets face it, mostly unskilled workers. Lower compensation isn't only at the "Associate" level either. Do some homework and compare the executive compensation at Walmart to other fortune 500 company execs...
With that said...Selling the iPhone is a great move for both Apple and Walmart. There are companies out there who would give anything to have Walmart carry their merchandise due to their incredibly high volume. For every one of you who wouldn't buy an iPhone (or anything for that matter) at Walmart, there are 10,000 that will.
Being a low cost leader doesn't refer directly to the low costs of their merchandise to the consumer. It refers to carefully controlling business expenses, and passing the savings along to the customer. A big expense for a company that employs over a million people is obviously compensation and benefits. They can't maintain their low prices at the same time as offering top-notch pay and benefits for hundreds of thousands of, lets face it, mostly unskilled workers. Lower compensation isn't only at the "Associate" level either. Do some homework and compare the executive compensation at Walmart to other fortune 500 company execs...
With that said...Selling the iPhone is a great move for both Apple and Walmart. There are companies out there who would give anything to have Walmart carry their merchandise due to their incredibly high volume. For every one of you who wouldn't buy an iPhone (or anything for that matter) at Walmart, there are 10,000 that will.
In college, the position I'm in now has my income above most kids I talk to in school(s) around here. I'd rather stay, thanks.
I just got a $700 paycheck. With a part time job and full time school, I'd say that's fairly decent.
As for the Best Buy pricing now - the second I saw that, all I could think of was wow, and laugh. Competition isn't as stiff now as it is immediate.
Exactly! Some of us are in college and a $700 paycheck is a lot. Heck, we could do a lot with that.
I definitely agree!
Most people around here that don't shop at Wal-Mart are stuck up and think they are too rich to shop in there. I'm speaking from what I know, personally. It really annoys me. They'll rather shop in Target.
Ok, you guys made very good points and I must admit its my own personal preference. From my experience Target is cleaner, better organized, staffed better, and looks nicer than the Wal-Marts I have been to. Feel free to keep arguing but I like Target better and I don't see why Apple downgraded to Wal-Mart.
I don't disagree at all about Target being cleaner, better organized, etc... Walmart's goal is to give you the lowest price, not a spectacular shopping experience. Walmart is 9 times bigger than Target. Target simply cannot compete on price with Walmart overall. Without clean stores and wide aisles, Target doesn't have much left to offer...
Having completed a paper on distribution of products for a class I was taking, I can tell you that part of what you're saying is right, but most of it is bollocks. Here's why.
Go back 50 years, to Kmart. The Kmarts in the world had the following following business flow for a particular product that costs $20:
Manufacturer
National wholesaler
Regional Wholesaler
Local Distributor
Local Store
Advertizing
------------
Customer
Where the Customer ends up paying $100 for that product because each of those lines in that distribution model want their cut from the price of the product. So Kmart marked up the price for that product. People flocked to Kmart anyway, because they were the one-stop shop that put all of the Mom/Pop shops and Ben Franklins out of business.
Walmart did them one better, by cutting out the distributors and wholesalers by building his own distribution centers (Sam Walton Distribution Centers), his own trucks, and storing the products in his own warehouses, keeping the money he'd spend outsourcing that to other companies. Once again, for that $20 product:
Manufacturer
Sam Walton Distribution Centers
Local Store
Advertizing
-------------
Customer
Since he not only saved millions in the distribution of that product, he decided to pass a bit of that savings on to the customer, by charging them slightly less than the competition (causing all of the customers to flock to Walmart). Customer pays $97, and the Waltons pocket the money saved. They lose money on the cost of the product, but they make up that money in volume for that sold product. That's what put Walmart at the top (plus our flocking to them), and put Kmart on the Bankruptcy roll and bought out by Sears.
Controlling business expenses? Do you realize it costs almost $250million to build a Walmart before even stocking it with any products? And they wanted to build one Walmart PER DAY this year. Oh.. and they own each and every product that is in that store, including those they don't sell. If they can't get rid of that, they're eating the cost until they do. And they control business expenses..
As for the iPhone being there, I'll believe it when I see it. Like the state of Missouri, Show-Me.
BL.
I don't see anything in your argument that refutes what I'm saying. You simply (and accurately) described Walmart's supply chain which is in fact their source of cost savings and competitive advantage.
If you're losing money on the cost of a product, it doesn't matter how much volume you have. Walmart makes money on units sold of most of their products (probably some here or there they take a hit on). With that said, the probably only make a few cents profit on many items, but it is their massive volume that makes them profitable.
With business logic like this, you could work for GM or Chrysler...or Madoff.
"We lose money on each sale, but we make it up in volume."
Kmart was created, by renaming S.S. Kresge, in 1977.
Almost every single post in this forum is off topic. What's going on? The topic isn't Walmart employees and how they're treated. It's "The official Walmart proof that the iPhone is 100% GO" So, sorry if this offends you, but PLEASE shut up if you're going to disrespect someone for working at Walmart. Some of you who are disrespecting people who work at Walmart, are offending people on this forum. So stay on topic or shut your mouth.
I do not work for Walmart by the way.
I do not work for Walmart by the way.
What, are you the wal-mart police? I thought we had something called free speech. If someone is going to post a thread about a store selling a product, I think people can say why or why not they would choose to shop at said store for said product.
wal-mart could sell the iPhone for $.99 and I would not buy it there.
Private forum, so no "free speech." If you want "free speech," you're free to start your own forum.
I've been in Walmarts that are nicer than the Targets in the same area.
I'm glad Walmart will be selling the iPhone as it may be the only physical retail outlet for many potential iPhone customers. I've seen Walmarts where there aren't AT&T, Apple, or Best Buys for many, many miles.
Thank you to the OP for posting the "proof" and for working (as opposed to sucking at the government teet).
Yes Sir Robby Sir!!!! We were having a fine discussion before you decided to show up. If someone is offended they do not need to keep reading, easy as that!
Correct me if I am wrong, you need to goto an Apple store to have an iPhone replaced or send them in? How will iPhones be serviced at Wally World, if there are no Best Buys, AT&T Stores or Apple Stores near by? Wouldn't the AT&T service be terrible in said location anyway if there isn't an AT&T store. I am assuming an AT&T store signifies AT&T service in that area.
More negative press for Wally World:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081224/ap_on_bi_ge/wal_mart_settlement
OMG!
I wonder if Apple and Walmart thought of this. Sometimes it makes financial sense to pay off blackmailers instead of fighting them.
I've gotten solid AT&T signals along I-5 in the central valley where the only retailer for many miles is Walmart. It's not like the signal is originating at at an AT&T store.
100% agreed. This topic is about the iphone being sold at walmart. Thus, discussion about walmart itself are 100% on topic in this thread.
Well I have a wally world, best buy and 2 at&t stores within 4 miles of my house and no signal at my house
I was just asking a question good sir.
That's fine for you, but not so much for people in say, Hugo, Durant, Idabel, or Antlers, Oklahoma, where their closest corporate-owned ATT store is Oklahoma City or Dallas, their Closest Best Buy is 2 hours or more away, and Walmart can't do a single thing about it.
If you think outside your area, you'll see how this is a big issue.
BL.
What a hypocrite. Remember Apple and the Foxconn factory incident?
I suggest you run back to the store ASAP and return ALL of your Apple products!!!