- Joined
- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 580
I've been noticing a lot of Walmart bashing and such (not here specifically, just in every day conversation).
A lot of the bashing, not all of it, seems to stem from the connection between Walmart and their mostly Chinese made products. A lot of it is about the practices they use to further push items to be made in China in order for the items to be had at lower prices.
These anti Walmart discussions aside, I started wondering how much buying I really do at Walmart, and how many other firms get my business.
This is what a quick overlook of my wife's and my belongings tell me:
My solid wood furniture is mostly made in the United States, then China and Mexico, (in that order). These items were purchased at privately owned higher end furniture stores, Oak Express, Marshalls, and some second hand items that I purchased from private individuals/flea markets/yard sales that then received my refinishing (again, all in that order). None came from Walmart.
Then comes the uphostered (spelling) furniture, which is all American made. These were purchased at a private furniture store and one piece at Marshalls. None from Walmart.
Our Collectibles, Knives, Swords, Armor, Guns, all come from such places as United States, China, Spain, France, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, former Yugoslavia, Hungary, Poland, Italy, Bulgaria, Malaysia, Japan, and others. U.S. made products being the most common in my home, but I have to admit that Chinese made items now hold a close second place overall. Even so, the other countries are pretty well represented, especially my European items. The European products together probably surpass my Chinese made items, but not when only one euro country by itself is compared. Most of these items were purchased from such places as privately owned gun shops, privately owned Collectible stores, Kaufmans, Bontons, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, catalog mail orders, internet orders and such. None from Walmart.
Accessories such as decorative pillows, tassels, material to manufacture some displays, table runners, lamps, were all purchased from places like Marshalls, TJ Maxx, JCPenney, Sears, craft stores, Home Depot, Loews, but only a handful of these items were purchased at Walmart.
Electronics, home appliances, etc, came from Walmart, Sears, smaller privately owned stores, etc.
What am I saying? That yes I buy at Walmart, but not all that much. The items I usually buy there are items that I can probably buy at almost any generic store, and are usually not what I consider as long term ownership items (products I plan to keep for the rest of my lifetime and possibly hand down to the next generation), or products where I want the highest end quality. The biggest ticket stuff that I have purchased there have been a TV set, my son's HP laptop, and a couple of DVD players, stuff we still have and that does the job (nothing fancy). I typically don't go crazy with my basic electronics, since most of my middle of the road electronics end up lasting me for a decade or more anyway, more than filling my needs.
In general there is no one single store that gets a huge part of our disposable income, and no one single foreign country that I let dominate my products, purposely trying to keep American made products as my number one in overall total numbers, (just a personal thing). I do like my items to be from around the world, and would not feel right if it all read.... "made in China".
I recently was happy as flies on s#*t when I found a nice 1980's made solid brass candlestick set made by Baldwin Brass at a yard sale. I had wanted to purchase a set a few years ago, but noticed that they had started making them in China, (now they don't offer the candlesticks at all). For a measly 5 bucks I picked up the U.S. made set with original boxes and all
Yup, lots of previously made in USA, Britain, Japan, France, etc, is now "CHINA MADE". It's getting tougher to locate things that are not labled with "China"
I'll still keep buying some things at Walmart, but they simply don't carry the quality types of items that I prefer. My purchasing there will not amount to all that many dollars each year.
I will also still buy elsewhere, even when labled "made in china", I'll just not let that country name overwhelm all my purchases
I guess keeping a good buying mix allows all to get a piece of the pie without giving any one too much gain
My ramblings on this subject will now stop
A lot of the bashing, not all of it, seems to stem from the connection between Walmart and their mostly Chinese made products. A lot of it is about the practices they use to further push items to be made in China in order for the items to be had at lower prices.
These anti Walmart discussions aside, I started wondering how much buying I really do at Walmart, and how many other firms get my business.
This is what a quick overlook of my wife's and my belongings tell me:
My solid wood furniture is mostly made in the United States, then China and Mexico, (in that order). These items were purchased at privately owned higher end furniture stores, Oak Express, Marshalls, and some second hand items that I purchased from private individuals/flea markets/yard sales that then received my refinishing (again, all in that order). None came from Walmart.
Then comes the uphostered (spelling) furniture, which is all American made. These were purchased at a private furniture store and one piece at Marshalls. None from Walmart.
Our Collectibles, Knives, Swords, Armor, Guns, all come from such places as United States, China, Spain, France, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Russia, former Yugoslavia, Hungary, Poland, Italy, Bulgaria, Malaysia, Japan, and others. U.S. made products being the most common in my home, but I have to admit that Chinese made items now hold a close second place overall. Even so, the other countries are pretty well represented, especially my European items. The European products together probably surpass my Chinese made items, but not when only one euro country by itself is compared. Most of these items were purchased from such places as privately owned gun shops, privately owned Collectible stores, Kaufmans, Bontons, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, catalog mail orders, internet orders and such. None from Walmart.
Accessories such as decorative pillows, tassels, material to manufacture some displays, table runners, lamps, were all purchased from places like Marshalls, TJ Maxx, JCPenney, Sears, craft stores, Home Depot, Loews, but only a handful of these items were purchased at Walmart.
Electronics, home appliances, etc, came from Walmart, Sears, smaller privately owned stores, etc.
What am I saying? That yes I buy at Walmart, but not all that much. The items I usually buy there are items that I can probably buy at almost any generic store, and are usually not what I consider as long term ownership items (products I plan to keep for the rest of my lifetime and possibly hand down to the next generation), or products where I want the highest end quality. The biggest ticket stuff that I have purchased there have been a TV set, my son's HP laptop, and a couple of DVD players, stuff we still have and that does the job (nothing fancy). I typically don't go crazy with my basic electronics, since most of my middle of the road electronics end up lasting me for a decade or more anyway, more than filling my needs.
In general there is no one single store that gets a huge part of our disposable income, and no one single foreign country that I let dominate my products, purposely trying to keep American made products as my number one in overall total numbers, (just a personal thing). I do like my items to be from around the world, and would not feel right if it all read.... "made in China".
I recently was happy as flies on s#*t when I found a nice 1980's made solid brass candlestick set made by Baldwin Brass at a yard sale. I had wanted to purchase a set a few years ago, but noticed that they had started making them in China, (now they don't offer the candlesticks at all). For a measly 5 bucks I picked up the U.S. made set with original boxes and all
Yup, lots of previously made in USA, Britain, Japan, France, etc, is now "CHINA MADE". It's getting tougher to locate things that are not labled with "China"
I'll still keep buying some things at Walmart, but they simply don't carry the quality types of items that I prefer. My purchasing there will not amount to all that many dollars each year.
I will also still buy elsewhere, even when labled "made in china", I'll just not let that country name overwhelm all my purchases
I guess keeping a good buying mix allows all to get a piece of the pie without giving any one too much gain
My ramblings on this subject will now stop
