Retail Collapse 2019: Bezos realized that marriage is a form of union

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > Retail Collapse 2019: Bezos realized that marriage is a form of union

wateroverfire: Jul 3, 2010

Big box stores are cool and good for finding things you need, at low prices, all in one place.

# ¿ Dec 4, 2016 04:16

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 11:04

wateroverfire: Jul 3, 2010

glowing-fish posted:

I don't know who to disagree more with in that article: the strawman, or the author who destroyed the strawman, presumably to the slow clap of onlookers.

I guess one thing about Wal-Mart specifically is that I grew up in what I think was the last part of the US to get Wal-Marts, Oregon and Washington. There was already the Fred Meyer chain, which was founded in Oregon, invented "One Stop Shopping", but were built with a little bit more harmony in regards to urbanization (and were unionized). I don't think I heard about Wal-Marts until the early 1990s, and I can't even remember the first time I went into one.

One of the interesting things about that article for me is how much going to Wal-Mart has become this type of reverse-snobbery in certain places "All those East Coast ELITES care about their communities! Well, we will show them by destroying our towns!" This is especially odd to me considering this recent election was about protectionism: people want to protect their wages, protect their traditional towns, but also don't want to listen to those COASTAL SNOBS who are suggesting that maybe there is a downside to replacing towns with freeway interchanges. Its like, you know that if you want to keep those "manufacturing jobs in America", you won't be able to buy a fan for $5 dollars at 3 AM, right?

How are you liking Chile, btw?

Having to go to five different stores to maybe hopefully find the not-really-even-specialty things you need is life here. So is paying at least double what you should for lovely merchandise or waiting 20 days because your stuff is imported and the independent store you deal with only brings in one consolidation per month. There are big box stores here, sort of, but they're hilariously bad.

# ¿ Dec 5, 2016 00:46

wateroverfire: Jul 3, 2010

Liquid Communism posted:

Sure, if you are willing to absolutely trust Amazon's product descriptions to be 100% accurate.

Being able to browse, and see an item in person before purchasing it, is exceedingly handy. Especially for things like books, where you can easily be misled by reviews or cover blurbs, or clothes.

I will probably never pay bookstore prices for books again in my life, but I would definitely be wary of buying clothes online.

# ¿ Dec 6, 2016 18:02

wateroverfire: Jul 3, 2010

glowing-fish posted:

I made that term up because I had a headache and was posting in a hurry. But yes, its probably a good term. "Social Mall", as opposed to the mall where people go to buy new faucets and poo poo.

I live in Santiago de Chile now, so when I go to the mall, I am going to the Costanera Center, which is the largest mall in the continent, located in the largest skyscraper in the continent. Its a pretty busy place.

I went there today to buy cheese, wine, and golf sauce flavored potato chips because I do my normal grocery shopping at the largest skyscraper in the continent, which always amuses me.

Whatup Chile goon. You should check out the feria on Tobalaba past Bilbao metro station on Saturday. Better and cheaper than Jumbo for veg and cheese. Fish too if you are feeling really brave.

# ¿ May 2, 2017 17:47

wateroverfire: Jul 3, 2010

The_Franz posted:

This seems counterproductive since the overlap between people who make enough money to buy $8000 tote bags and the "I don't have time for this poo poo" crowd is probably very large.

At the intersection between rich enough to afford it and nothing better to do you can sell at huge margins with tiny overhead! :devil:

# ¿ May 2, 2017 18:05

wateroverfire: Jul 3, 2010

blowfish posted:

How do they deal with expat workers (probably not too many in Japan, but probably not zero either) who are used to actually doing 9-5 if it says 9-5 on the contract, or leaving after they finish whatever they were paid to do that day?

In some cases they overlook it because expats are a separate and exotic species whose ways are not like those of civilized folk and in other cases they make them get in line or get fired, I imagine.

That's more or less the way it works here in Chile, anyway. Though working exactly the hours and duties in your contract and absolutely nothing else because gently caress you is pretty much The Culture here to begin with.

# ¿ Jun 15, 2017 14:48

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 11:04

wateroverfire: Jul 3, 2010

glowing-fish posted:

But yeah, the work hours here are confusing, because people work so many hours, but things go so slowly.

Especially in retail, its weird to think I've gotten used to thinking of a 5 person line as being a short line. And the grocery stores close at 10 PM. All of these work hours, but still things are so inefficient.

That is worth a thread all its own. Labor and labor laws here are so incredibly dumb.

# ¿ Jun 19, 2017 15:52

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