[macintologist]

Seriously, they are similar kind of superstores. Why is Walmart evil but not Target? Don't they both employ the same evil type of business practices?

[MacMan4000]

.........

[turtle777]

PCs and Macs are kinda a similar, too, so what's the difference ?

Duh !

-t

[Big Mac]

Target is a number of notches above Walmart in merchandise quality, but if you go to a crappy, run-down Target you won't really be able to tell the difference between them. Target isn't quite the superstore that Walmart tries to be, although there are a few Targets that do aspire to carry the whole gamut of consumer products.

[Brien]

I work for Target. It's fun™.

[Ozmodiar]

Originally Posted by MacMan4000

Target is the sh!t

Wal*Mart is craptastic™ because they have those evil one-way parking lots that totally F-up the idea of a pull-thru parking spot... if you pull-thru, then you're suddenly goin the wrong way down a one way isle in the lot... its pure evil i tell ya!

Angled parking allows more cars to park in the same amount of space, and the lines are yellow because you're not supposed to "pull through". Reverse out and drive away like the normal humans.

To answer the question, Target stores employ better business practices and pay a decent wage to their employees. They also actually care about things like customer service and providing a comfortable shopping experience for their guests. Further, Target "routinely [tops] Forbes magazine's list of 'America's Most Philanthropic Companies'" (source), giving millions more back to the community every year than Wal*Mart.

[©öñFü$íóÑ]

Originally Posted by Ozmodiar

They also actually care about things like customer service and providing a comfortable shopping experience for their guests.

I've often found the average temperature in the local Target stores to be waaaaaaaaaay to high..... feels like 75-80 degrees (F) after a few min. of just browsing a few aisles.

Other than that, i LOVE Target

[alligator]

Our local Target store is cooler than most. Plus, Target has a false lowered ceiling that looks nice. Wal-mart does not; just a warehouse ceiling.

[ghporter]

Target only aspires to be evil, while Wal-Mart masters it. Actually, Target is a Dayton Hudson store, which means that it's only part of a larger corporation. And while Target builds large, "superstores" similar to Wal-Mart's, Target doesn't try to oversaturate a market-that's the trick the boys in Bentonville have down pat!

But Target still only rates about 4 on a 1-10 scale because they stock crap instead of good stuff, at least from my point of view.

[powerbook867]

We get a lot of our daughters clothes there and have had VERY good luck with the quality. When she was younger, we tried Walmart, but were usually disappointed after one wash (shrinkage) or a couple of wears (looked worn quickly)...

One thing about Walmart that drives me crazy is the sloooowww cashiers!! Where the heck do they find these people? I used to be a cashier at a grocery store when I was a teen and I wouldn't have lasted a day if I was working as slow as most of the people I see running the checkouts! This is at multiple stores in multiple states...seems to be a trend company wide..

[Gossamer]

Originally Posted by Ozmodiar

Angled parking allows more cars to park in the same amount of space,

He's talking not about angled parking, but about one-way parking, where you go down a row and can angle park on either side, meaning each row of parking is effectively a one way street.

[jokell82]

Originally Posted by Gossamer

He's talking not about angled parking, but about one-way parking, where you go down a row and can angle park on either side, meaning each row of parking is effectively a one way street.

Actually he's talking about both - because on those one way parking streets all of the parking spots are angled. If they weren't you could pull through just fine.

[Person Man]

Originally Posted by ghporter

Actually, Target is a Dayton Hudson store, which means that it's only part of a larger corporation.

Actually, Dayton-Hudson doesn't exist any more. All Dayton's and Hudson's department stores were changed to Marshall Field's stores. Then they sold off the Marshall Field's stores to some other company which got gobbled up by Macy's. All Marshall Field's stores will become Macy's stores by the end of the year.

Dayton-Hudson changed their name to Target Corporation.

[besson3c]

Does Target offer health care packages that their employees can afford and use?


Walmart doesn't, billions of our dollars are spent on Medicaid because Walmart is too cheap to provide health insurance to their employees. In this country, I consider providing health insurance under normal circumstances the responsibility of the company, making Walmart negligent and immoral in my mind.

[spacefreak]

It's demonization by the left. Yet notice that you don't hear many complaints by the 1.5 million people who work there. The overwhelming majority of complainers don't even work there. They simply repeat the talking points selectively dictated to them by their trusty leftist web sites.

48% of Wal-Mart employees receive coverage, which is higher than the 45% average for the retail sector. Of the remaining 52%, 40% are covered by their own plans (2/3 of its employees are second-income providers, students, or seniors).

Overall, just under 90% of Wal-Mart employees have health insurance - either from Wal-Mart or on their own.

You're right, however. Target doesn't catch the same flack, even though

A survey by the UFCW found that starting wages are similar in Targets and Wal-Marts -- possibly higher overall at Wal-Marts - and that Target benefits packages are often harder to qualify for and less comprehensive. (Target's media relations department refused to comment on its wages and benefits policies; individual wages and benefits policies are not included in their annual report.)

A Target employee who asked that his name and store location be kept secret said he can barely make ends meet on his salary of $8.40 an hour.

"After three years, I have received less than $1 an hour in raises. I started at $7.65," said the worker, adding that he does love his job because of camaraderie with his co-workers. "We are never compensated and rarely even recognized for meeting our goals."

[Millennium]

Originally Posted by macintologist

Seriously, they are similar kind of superstores. Why is Walmart evil but not Target? Don't they both employ the same evil type of business practices?

They do work from the same "big-box" business model that many liberals love to hate. However, Wal-Mart has become infamous for some of its other business practices which Target is not known to do. One particular case in point would be how it delivers its employees instructions on how to apply for social assistance programs on company letterhead: not content to simply deny coverage, it effectively outsources these benefits to the government. Seen in this way, Wal-Mart is acting as a parasite, hosted by the federal government on the taxpayers' dime.

[spacefreak]

Originally Posted by Millennium

Seen in this way, Wal-Mart is acting as a parasite, hosted by the federal government on the taxpayers' dime.

Yeah, a parasite that employs 1.5 million people and pays $4,000,000,000.00 in taxes annually to the federal government alone.

[Dakar]

On the business-to-business side of things I know Target is just as evil.

Anyway, I chalk it up to Target having a sense of style and not being inundated with white trash yet.

[davesimondotcom]

Simple. Hillary Clinton was a member of the Wal*Mart board of directors for 6 years. (And Wally World's policies were essentially the same back then.) She was not on Target's board.

Seriously, though, I can't stand Wal*Mart particularly because I don't like their rather thin aisles and tall shelves. Add the extra high ceiling and I get a feeling like the walls are closing in on me.

Target, meanwhile, doesn't give me that feeling.

[Millennium]

Originally Posted by spacefreak

Yeah, a parasite that employs 1.5 million people and pays $4,000,000,000.00 in taxes annually to the federal government alone.

Acting like a good corporate citizen in some ways does not preclude it from acting like a parasite in others. I wonder how much of the tax money it pays gets neatly canceled out through this "benefits outsourcing" that it practices.

[ghporter]

Most of those 1.5 million employees are near the bottom of the economic ladder, and Wal-Mart isn't helping them get any higher. In fact, Wal-Mart actively discourages (perhaps in violation of federal law) labor actions as benign as employees getting together to discuss what kind of health coverage they have and how easy/hard it is to use. Forget about unionizing...

[Dr Reducto]

Originally Posted by Dakar

On the business-to-business side of things I know Target is just as evil.

Anyway, I chalk it up to Target having a sense of style and not being inundated with white trash yet.

Agreed wholeheartedly.

Walking through Wal-Mart is a good way to feel a lot better about my looks.

[spacefreak]

Originally Posted by ghporter

Most of those 1.5 million employees are near the bottom of the economic ladder, and Wal-Mart isn't helping them get any higher. In fact, Wal-Mart actively discourages (perhaps in violation of federal law) labor actions as benign as employees getting together to discuss what kind of health coverage they have and how easy/hard it is to use. Forget about unionizing...

It's not like we're talking about engineers and doctors working at Wal-Mart. These jobs are entry-level and slightly above.

Again, there is no law that states people have to work there. If workers can get a better position at another company with better pay and benefits, they are more than able to leave.

As for unionizing, take a look at GM's woes. It's near impossible for a company to be dynamic when workers are unionized.

[spacefreak]

Originally Posted by Millennium

Acting like a good corporate citizen in some ways does not preclude it from acting like a parasite in others. I wonder how much of the tax money it pays gets neatly canceled out through this "benefits outsourcing" that it practices.

If a senior has medicare coverage, then so be it.

[Dork.]

Walmart may get more bad press than Target, and I do find Target's merchandise to generally be higher quality, but they're really the same store, just one is red (and generally cleaner), and the other is blue. The same people who bitch about American jobs getting shipped overseas can't get their wallets out fast enough when these stores stock cheaper clothes made overseas. If we really can't stand WalMart's business practives, (and if Target isn't really all that much better), why do we all still shop there? Because good intentions don't pay the bills, money does, and saving money pays more bills.

Besides, a large part of Target's appeal is slick and clever marketing. My wife shops there all the time, and we get these coupon books in the mail that are also flip-books with a dog jumping around. My daughter loves them, so we usually don't throw the things out, and we're more likely to use the coupons if we don;t throw them out!

[imitchellg5]

I really like Target. It is just sooo much nicer to shop there than it is to shop at Wal-Mart. Mostly though, I like the employees.

[jckalen]

Again, there is no law that states people have to work there. If workers can get a better position at another company with better pay and benefits, they are more than able to leave.

One thing about Wal*Mart... they will move into the tiniest one-horse podunk bacwater town and build a store that is as large as main street which also sells more stuff for less money than main street. They have a reputation for forcing Mom & Pop stores out of business, leaving Mom & Pop with little opportunity to work anywhere else other than Wal*Mart, for less money than they made before. Additionally, the wholesalers and other associated businesses (accountants, lawyers, etc) lose their clients and don't gain the business back from WM. Typically, small counties experience an increase in overall poverty when Wal*Mart moves in.

Target tends to focus more on building in suburban communities that have a large enough population to sustain them without as adverse an effect on the overall local economy.

And yes, hotter women shop at Target to boot.

http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/s...=et82&hbx=e_du

[finboy]

Originally Posted by Millennium

I wonder how much of the tax money it pays gets neatly canceled out through this "benefits outsourcing" that it practices.

I wonder how much "benefits outsourcing" the other retail stores do. I don't think anyone's looked at that, have they? What about McDonalds and Burger King and other fast food places? Do they have employees that also collect government benefits? And what about the unions? Don't they have members that sometimes collect govt. benefits when they're on strike or when a plant shuts down? Do the unions help these members get benefits?

[placebo1969]

My wife and I were just talking about this last night when we went to Wal Mart. Honestly, I think it is the “white trash” image (real or perceived) that irks people. Because of its lower prices, Wal Mart appeals to less well off people. I think people don’t like Wal Mart because they don’t want to be associated with that image. I don’t buy the usual talking points about living wages, benefits, etc. when Target has very similar practices. It boils down to people being elitist. When I can get the exact same product cheaper at Wal Mart than somewhere else, why shouldn’t I buy it?

[ink]

Things I hate about Walmart:

• Those staggered checkout aisles are confusing, and there is not enough space on the counter to put groceries; Target has proper checkout stations, with plenty of room.
• The greeter nazi; Target doesn't treat me like a potential criminal.
• The inability to walk down the aisle because it's clogged with Super Happyface clearance items, and people milling about them; Target has nice, wide, open aisles.
• The employees are haggard and irritable; Target employees seem relaxed and happy.
• The beer selection sucks; Target has good beer, including local stuff.
• The kids always want something from the in-store McDonald's; Target has Starbucks, which is better.
• Returning stuff takes ages and ages and ages at the "customer" service desk; Target has always been quick and professional.
• The in-store TV network looks like crap, has nothing interesting on it, and half the screens down at any given moment; Target has NO in-store radio or advertising screens (and if they did, I would presume they'd do a much better job)

The prices at Walmart are good, though; but I've found that Super Target is almost the same on that front, so....

[itai195]

I love the attempts to politicize this discussion, nice job guys. There's nothing you can't make political

Anyway, there are a few reasons I like Target and not Wal-Mart. One is that Target's stores are simply cleaner, better lit, better organized, have better customer service, and the merchandise is higher quality. The higher quality merchandise, especially apparel, is pretty clear to anyone who has taken the time to compare the two. Target also tends to have more nicely designed store exteriors that actually integrate well with the surrounding area. Oh, and they tend to be in nicer and - very important - more convenient areas. Around here, Wal-Mart tends to have dirty, poorly lit stores in inconvenient areas. I used to buy a few things at Wal-Mart when I was close to one, but where I live now there are 3 or 4 Targets closer than the nearest Wal-Mart. I don't tend to shop at either store very frequently, though. I guess the prices are good at both stores but for most things I'd rather just go to the grocery store or Costco.

[CRASH HARDDRIVE]

Meanwhile, the true evil, K-Mart once again flies under the radar.

[itai195]

Speaking of Kmart/Sears, I was in the nearby Sears recently and it really smelled awful. Like someone rubbed their sweaty gym shorts and socks all over every aisle. Talk about a pleasant shopping experience... Fortunately there aren't any Kmarts here anymore.

[Gossamer]

Originally Posted by ink

Things I hate about Walmart:

• The in-store TV network looks like crap, has nothing interesting on it, and half the screens down at any given moment; Target has NO in-store radio or advertising screens (and if they did, I would presume they'd do a much better job)

I don't know about some other points, but I will agree with this one. I HATE having some podunk baseball player repeatedly telling me that I need to find the right game for me, because there are ratings for video games blah blah blah over and over....it's quite irritating. There definitely IS a difference between merchandice in both stores, Target just has nicer clothes, furniture, etc, although Wal-Mart is trying to get more flat screen TVs and stuff like that now.

[hickey]

Target rules. I never knew that I could such nice clothes at such a common store and at a good price. i can't wait to shop there again!

[Timetheus]

Most of us being Mac users, It doesn't surprise me that Target is taking most of the votes. Since we tend to buy fairly High Quality Computers and be picky about them, I would think we would take that consumer approach in general. Not all of us, obviously, but many of us.

Not to mention Target and Apple tend to appear reasonably stylish (Apple more so, and thinking about Target's design, ads, etc., if not always their merchandise).

Wal-Mart is more of the Dell Approach, "Cheap and Adequate." Their is something to be said for that, but my vote is for Target.

[imitchellg5]

As Steve Jobs says, "Pretty much, us and Dell are the only ones in this industry making money. They make it by being Wal-Mart. We make it by innovation."

[OAW]

Originally Posted by ink

Things I hate about Walmart:

• Those staggered checkout aisles are confusing, and there is not enough space on the counter to put groceries; Target has proper checkout stations, with plenty of room.
  
• The inability to walk down the aisle because it's clogged with Super Happyface clearance items, and people milling about them; Target has nice, wide, open aisles.

Those are the two main reasons why I hate going to Wal-mart. Add to that the fact that Target has better quality merchandise and the stores generally look better. So if I'm shopping at that type of store I go to Target first. If they don't have what I'm looking for then I'll hit up K-Mart and if they don't have it I will grudgingly go to Wal-mart.

OAW

[kick52]

walmart had a baby toy that played soothing noises to help the baby go to sleep, but when you listen to it carefully, there is a low sounding voice that says "I Hate You" over and over again.

i'll try and find the link.

[kick52]

link to evil toy:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/ar...TICLE_ID=30495

[ghporter]

I find it interesting that you didn't post any confirmation of what those parents heard. I have to wonder if they were just hearing something sideways.

[Dakar]

I find it hilarious that their last name is Skelton, almost skeleton.

[Buckaroo]

WalMart is not evil. I like WalMart. There prices on many products are resonable. My mother, one of my daughters along with other relatives have worked at WalMart at one time or another. They got full medical benifits while they worked there. The pay in the midwest wasn't that bad compared to other local businesses.

Heck, why aren't you complaining about places like the 99 cents store or the Dollar Tree? They sell everything for a buck or less. I don't know if they offer any benifits to their employees.

Any by the way, I do shop at both those stores also.

[nredman]

target all the way - some of the newer walmart superstores are actually pretty nice but since there isnt one close to where i live i don't go to the small ghetto ass walmart here.

[Kevin]

This is the deal. Whatever store is on "top" will always have the most mud thrown at it. Back before Wal-Mart it was K-mart.

The funny thing is, most of the Wal-Mart FUD is perpetuated by it's competitors as outcry of "the people"

The gullible take this in cause it makes them feel "above" shopping at such things and important. When they have actually just been duped by "advertising"

Add the fact that Wal-Mart is an American company just adds fuel to the fire to those that simply dislike it because of their xenophobia.

If Target or any other place takes Wal-Marts top position, then it TOO will become "The Great Satan" and you'll hear tons of bad things about it.

That is how such things work. It's fun to bash those on top.

[ink]

Originally Posted by Kevin

Add the fact that Wal-Mart is an American company just adds fuel to the fire to those that simply dislike it because of their xenophobia. If Target or any other place takes Wal-Marts top position, then it TOO will become "The Great Satan" and you'll hear tons of bad things about it. That is how such things work. It's fun to bash those on top.

/me plays a violin.

I mean, wow. You got the "Great Satan" AND xenophobia in there Kevin. What's next? An appearance on the Hannity show to defend the moral character of Sam?

I'm sure there are folks who don't like Target for some reason or other, but let's not blow this out of perspective.

Oh, and Target is an American company as well... we only WISH it were French, that would make it soooo much better.

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by placebo1969

My wife and I were just talking about this last night when we went to Wal Mart. Honestly, I think it is the “white trash” image (real or perceived) that irks people. Because of its lower prices, Wal Mart appeals to less well off people. I think people don’t like Wal Mart because they don’t want to be associated with that image. I don’t buy the usual talking points about living wages, benefits, etc. when Target has very similar practices. It boils down to people being elitist. When I can get the exact same product cheaper at Wal Mart than somewhere else, why shouldn’t I buy it?

Haven't we given you several reasons to consider already?

[besson3c]

Originally Posted by Buckaroo

WalMart is not evil. I like WalMart. There prices on many products are resonable. My mother, one of my daughters along with other relatives have worked at WalMart at one time or another. They got full medical benifits while they worked there. The pay in the midwest wasn't that bad compared to other local businesses.

Heck, why aren't you complaining about places like the 99 cents store or the Dollar Tree? They sell everything for a buck or less. I don't know if they offer any benifits to their employees.

Any by the way, I do shop at both those stores also.

Walmart does offer medical benefits, but apparently they are too expensive for most employees to afford - although maybe this is just a regional thing.


The issue is not with their pricing, we all know that their prices are great. If a low price is all that it takes to get you to buy, fine. For me, in lieu of what has been revealed about their corporate practices, I have a hard time supporting them.

[itai195]

IIRC, according to Frontline Wal-Mart's prices aren't as great as they are made out to be. They make sure they have the lowest price around on the lowest end items, and that's what they advertise, but they count on people going into the store and deciding to buy better quality, slightly more expensive items. And on those items, according to Frontline at least, Wal-Mart's prices aren't as competitive. Not sure if it's true, I've never shopped at Wal-Mart enough to make much of a comparison.

BTW Kevin, Target is also demonized by plenty of people. All the big box retailers are. Target is trying to build a store in a town I sometimes visit -- Davis, CA -- and there is plenty of opposition to having any kind of big box retailer there. Personally I think it's dumb, a Target would do wonders for that town and it would be a successful store, being the only big box in a college town.

[olePigeon]

Originally Posted by macintologist

Seriously, they are similar kind of superstores. Why is Walmart evil but not Target? Don't they both employ the same evil type of business practices?

Walmart = Freetrade
Target = Fairtrade

Target observes international labor laws, Walmart doesn't. They both, however, steal competition and diversity from local retailers. So they're just as bad as Walmart in that sense.

If you have to choose between a Walmart and a Target, I would recommend Target on moral principal.