Anyone else's local media discouraging shopping WM this season?

[venerdinero]

I live in Piqua. I listen to Paul Harvey during my lunch hour and Bill Cunningham comes on after that. I heard that the Catholic League sent a letter to WalMart asking them why they weren't going to be wishing Merry Christmas anymore and some customer service manager sent them a letter back talking about how Christmas was a pagan holiday and the colors came from a mushroom and on and on. So the Catholic League was all upset and asked for two things: an apology and for the website to be fair. Well they didn't exactly get an apology but the customer service manager was fired and I'm not sure if they've fixed the website or not.

 

I'm sorry, but I believe that the Walmart statement which began with "We sincerely apologize..." is absolutely and exactly an apology. The apology was the first of three conditions to be met in order to halt the proposed boycott. The second was to withdraw the "insane statement" (not my terms). Since the employee in question is no longer employed by Walmart and the statement went on to call his remarks "inappropriate and inflammatory", I think that qualifies. Finally, the website has been modified, as requested, to direct "Christmas" searches to "Christmas" items rather than to a generic "Holiday" page. Having had their three conditions met, the boycott was called off.

 

Please note that the remarks in question were emailed in response to a customer inquiry. That customer, being offended by the remarks, apparently contacted the Catholic League.

 

Walmart associates will apparently continue to wish customers the more generic "Happy Holidays". The Catholic League called this policy "dumb", but not related to their complaint and not "grossly offensive".

 

As to the origins of Christmas... oh, bother... we only discuss the origins of Black Friday on this board!! Merry Happy Shopping everybody!

[missyjane]

I was just at a community action conference with a profess. who explained how wally world makes the communtiy you live in poorer... Think about it, they close out all the small mom and pop places, and of course everything is cheaper at first and they hire at 7 bucks an hour full time..... However, three years later after all the other stores are out of business the prices are higher and people are getting hours cut below 40 hours so they don't have to pay benefits. I think walmart stinks.... even though i get some good deals there...

We have a new WalMart coming to our town, it is supposed to open in January. There is a mom and pop shop downtown that sells hardware and such and they have already talked about how they believe that they will have to close up once WalMart opens.

[copados1993]

I didn't know all about this until I started to read it on here. Anyone think that this will really hurt Walmart this year?

[DragonSlayer1500]

I doubt it will have any effect whatsoever.

[Gporter34]

Well, we have had a WM in our little town since about 1974. The only stores it hurt here were the dime store chains...Murphy's, Ben Franklin, and etc. I like shopping at WM but I love shopping at Target. I wish we had a Target closer than an hour away. If I boycotted WM I would be kicking myself because there is not many stores here to choose from. I do miss the "Merry Christmas" but to say anything else would be a religious/political debate and I don't do those!lol No one ever wins because no two people ever agree on everything. So, with that said, Happy BF shopping and Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!!!!

[fairydustcrissy]

probably not. Most people either already boycott WM or love WM. I myself dont step foot in. Others will only shop there. I think people will stick to what they have been doing. Myself, I am not going. I thought i might have to for a bike, but Kmart is having the ones my kids picked out, so I'm going there.

[best4less]

Anyone think that this will really hurt Walmart this year?

No, not at all. There have always been people who boycott Walmart- BF or not. Doesn't seem to be hurting them at all.

[SuperMommy]

They do get paid lousy but so do all retail workers. Unless you're a manager you probably don't make more than like $7 and hour.

[Illinoismom]

In the business I am in, for years we have had to say Happy Holiday's we can not say Merry Christmas, We live in a diverse world and not every one believes the same, It is the Holiday season, as we have Christmas, Hannikca ( sorry Spelling) Ramadan, quanzza (again bad spelling) and so many other holiday's that to debate whether to say Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday's is really dumb. And Yes I celebrate Christmas

[best4less]

They do get paid lousy but so do all retail workers. Unless you're a manager you probably don't make more than like $7 and hour.

 

My DH makes slightly over $11 an hour. $2 of that is shift differential though so his base pay is slightly over $9 an hour. He just got a promotion so he will be getting around $13 per hour. I don't know how other WM's do it but at his, they give you "points" when you first start based on your prior experience. For every point you have, your base rate goes up. He had some prior experience.

[kfinto65]

Well in all seriousness if you know the HISTORY of Christmas it really isn't connected to the birth of Christ at all. It is more closely directed to Winter Soltice and pagan holidays. People would cavort around and it would be more like Halloween than we would think of Christmas being today. The Catholic church then picked up on the party idea and tied Christ's birth with it. Then we can all thank the Coca Cola company for associated St. Nicholas with Christmas.

 

So......it really isn't a Christian holiday at all.

=o)

 

Rachael

Well you are one of the few people that understand the origin of Christmas. The people that celebrate Christmas think I'm nuts whenever I mention Christmas isn't in the Bible. Let the stores call it what they want. I'm just there for the great deals!

[SuperMommy]

My DH makes slightly over $11 an hour. $2 of that is shift differential though so his base pay is slightly over $9 an hour. He just got a promotion so he will be getting around $13 per hour. I don't know how other WM's do it but at his, they give you "points" when you first start based on your prior experience. For every point you have, your base rate goes up. He had some prior experience.

And he's not a manager? Wow, that's impressive. Most don't ever get up to that much if they're not a manager.

[best4less]

And he's not a manager? Wow, that's impressive. Most don't ever get up to that much if they're not a manager.

 

Nope, not a manager :) Thats why I mentioned earlier in this thread, *his* WM pays better then most jobs in our area. That said, I've heard all WM's work differently.

[EliteABombAZ]

All I know is that I work for a "conventional" gorcery store and I make $14.97 per hour to stock produce. The same job at Walmart only pays about $9 per hour. My company tries to discourage us from shopping Walmart... but when it comes to Black Friday... all stores are fair game to me!

[dorkydiva]

I'm in Eastern Ky. and haven't heard anything.

[shanni]

Since Walmart is the ONLY place to shop where I live I doubt I will see anything saying not to go there.

[money167]

I heard about it here in cincinnati oh but I already boycott

[rosegarden]

Big Campaigns on the radio here but Michigan is pretty much a union state and I figure the ads are being paid for by the union(s)

[Candy]

Hey....I really don't have alot of negative things to say about Wal-Mart..it is what it is..and as for me and my family....we will continue to shop there.

I have even entertained thoughts of going back to work there nights....I didnt mind the work...and the people are great...(mostly).

NOW the Happy Holidays thing is making a big splash here too....that does bug me..alot. Simply because CHRISTMAS DAY is about a Christian belief...I have NOOO problem with any other religions or anything else...just hate that every single avenue in our lives has to be restructered to fit other people.

[Vickis3js]

NOW the Happy Holidays thing is making a big splash here too....that does bug me..alot. Simply because CHRISTMAS DAY is about a Christian belief...I have NOOO problem with any other religions or anything else...just hate that every single avenue in our lives has to be restructered to fit other people.

I think the problem that lies in that is that you aren't going to Walmart on a Christmas day and there are holidays around the exact same time. Heck Hannukah starts on Christmas day this year! (Its going to be a confusing day in this house I am catholic and DH is Jewish so we celebrate both for the kids) Its not about restructing anyones life its more about including other religions who celebrate a holiday around the exact same time. Its just yet another thing thats becoming PC in this world.

 

Heck I would love to get just a hello at my walmart but I think that might be too much for some of the employees at mine to do! UGHH Why does Walmart have to have good prices. I hate shopping there!

 

Vicki

[Gporter34]

On the Dallas news last night they mentioned it but this is the first I've heard "locally" about it. However, they said that the boycott was called off so I guess that's not such a big deal around here since I don't know anyone personally who would boycott WM!

[eve]

 

Heck I would love to get just a hello at my walmart but I think that might be too much for some of the employees at mine to do! UGHH Why does Walmart have to have good prices. I hate shopping there!

 

Vicki

it wouldn't be walmart otherwise:3paperbag

[rjjan]

Wal Mart is like any other job. They redid there pay structure to new employes and give them credit for pevious experience in retail. The starting wage is based upon the area the store is in and the local stores. People say that they close all the mom and pop stores in there town but they were working there employes at min wage and no one has a problem with that. The mom and pop places do not offer heath care or benifit that a major corp. does. If people can't adjust to a Walmart comming in an area than they do not live in the capitolistic world but the made up utopia that WAS the USA many years ago. Malls did far more damage to local mom and pop stores than Wal Mart every did and now they are going by the wayside because of huge overhead and rental prices. Just one mans opinion!!!!

[skyesmom]

On the Dallas news last night they mentioned it but this is the first I've heard "locally" about it. However, they said that the boycott was called off so I guess that's not such a big deal around here since I don't know anyone personally who would boycott WM!

Well, you definitely don't know me then! That said, I hope the shopping in Paris has improved in the last few years. The last time I was there, Walfart was the "best" shopping there!

[daz]

Christians are a dying breed, walmart is smart to say happy holidays instead of merry christmas, as to not offend the majority. How many christians do you actually know that are offended by "happy holidays"? My guess would be none, it's a group of about 10-15 hard core christians that want to force their beliefs on the rest of us so they write one letter and send a copy to a newspaper in BFE, it gets picked up by the A.P. and voila, boycott walmart!

 

Guess what, it's not going to happen. WM grosses almost a billion dollars a day in retail sales, yes almost A BILLION DOLLARS A DAY (around 925million at last count), do you think they give a crap if 200 people following reverend umptysquat stay home from a sale? I think not. As far as the unfair wages go...yes cutting the hours to just under 40 is unethical and those people should be able to take legal action for losing benefits, but low pay? No. They tell you the pay when you put your application in. If you can't live off it, don't go to work there.

 

my .02 cents

Not meant to offend anybody. Not anti-christian, I'm pro-common-sense, which most christians with a voice lack (tele-vangelists or any one with a radio show that thinks it's his/her job to save the world. Guess what! I don't need your saving. Keep it to yourself.)

 

Also not pro-wal mart per se, Pro-Cheapass!!!!

[BFQueenofNY]

I work for an extremely large supermarket chain and our manager told us to say Happy Holidays and someone complained about that. I thought my boss did a good job explaining his stance in that - Suppose you were Jewish and you came into the store and spent $300 of your hard earned blood sweat and tears money on groceries you could have bought anywhere in the area. As you leave the employee said "Have a Merry Christmas, sir" Would you be offended or worse yet would you assume that the salesclerk was ignorant and make a rude comment? His take on it was that even during the "happiest time of the year" people take severe offense at some things and he didn't want the customers to be rude to us.

 

The sad part is - alot will. Why add fuel to the fire? Let's be honest - Walmart wants their money regardless of what they tell you when you leave, they really don't care one bit what holiday you are shopping for or if it is happy, merry or otherwise one.

[lovebears65]

I worked for walmart for 14 months. I started out at 6.50 an hour in the photo lab and ended at 7.71 an hour thankfully DH has a great job so really was just extra income for us I dont see how people make a living on this . I working for a mail order pharmacy and making way more money for way less work

[krissy72]

I work for an extremely large supermarket chain and our manager told us to say Happy Holidays and someone complained about that. I thought my boss did a good job explaining his stance in that - Suppose you were Jewish and you came into the store and spent $300 of your hard earned blood sweat and tears money on groceries you could have bought anywhere in the area. As you leave the employee said "Have a Merry Christmas, sir" Would you be offended or worse yet would you assume that the salesclerk was ignorant and make a rude comment? His take on it was that even during the "happiest time of the year" people take severe offense at some things and he didn't want the customers to be rude to us.

 

The sad part is - alot will. Why add fuel to the fire? Let's be honest - Walmart wants their money regardless of what they tell you when you leave, they really don't care one bit what holiday you are shopping for or if it is happy, merry or otherwise one.

 

 

I am a Realtor in Upstate NY. I always say Happy Holidays to my customers and clients because I work with mostly people from NYC. However, if I know for sure that someone celebrates Christmas I will say Merry Christmas. I don't say Happy Holidays because someone told me to, I say it out of respect for other people. That being said, and I do celebrate Christmas, I would not be at all offended if someone wished me a Happy something else because if that is the worse thing that ever happened to me, I think I would be doing pretty good.

[Gporter34]

Well, you definitely don't know me then! That said, I hope the shopping in Paris has improved in the last few years. The last time I was there, Walfart was the "best" shopping there!

I think that if you read my previous post in this thread you will see that was MY point. We don't have alot to choose from here so NO we would probably not be as ready and willing to boycott WM as some in larger cities. And, may I ask, what exactly brought you to our wonderful little town?

[djellis]

Wal-mart has always been fair to me and my family. There is more chance for advancement there and more job security than anywhere I know. Where else can you start as a cart pusher and work up to store manager. Our current company president was a former sales floor associate. Every business has a choice of what to sell their products for. Sam started with one store and had the right idea everyone else just chose to keep charging you more. As for happy holidays it covers them all (Thanksgiving, Kwanza, New Year, Christmas, Chanukah) and isn't offensive. We have to respect everyone and their beliefs. Pay isn't the only thing in a job you have to look at the total package. Some retailers don't even offer insurance, profit sharing/stock and 401k to hourly associates. Hope to see you all BF! and by the way HAPPY HOLIDAYS!