Wal-Mart Sales Up 4.3% in December

[san antonio]

"Wal-Mart, the world’s biggest company, turned in a 4.3 percent increase in December same-store sales, better than most analysts had expected, but said earnings for the current fourth quarter would likely reach only the low end of expectations."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/Default.aspx?id=3906258&p1=0

At least a little good news for the economy.

[onehandle]

1. Wow! China must be thrilled!

Wal-Mart is huge importer of foreign made crap. The GOP must be thrilled too since they get a cut from this slave labor money.

Well, at least the guns they sell are made in the US.

[san antonio]

2. Huh?

"Wal-Mart is huge importer of foreign made crap."

I still don't understand the hatred for foreign workers that many have.

[jpgray]

4. It isn't for the workers, it's for the system that keeps them as slaves

That system is perpetuated by chains such as Wal-Mart, which to gain the most profits will only buy from vendors with low prices. You can't have low prices if you want to have a safe and environmentally sound operation, let alone allow your workers any decent pay or safety considerations. Each purchase from Wal-Mart helps perpetuate sweatshops all over the world.

[san antonio]

14. I see.

Sorry, I got in argument with a techie friend who is really ticked off at Indians right now. As everyone knows, they're taking our tech work (at a pretty descent living wage for that nation) left and right. The way I see it, it's the positive aspect of international economics.

It's not their fault that we expect twice what they do to complete the same work.

[HFishbine]

15. My your apathy

you are advocting a race to the bottom.

[san antonio]

20. No.

How can you blame Indians for doing the same work for less money? They are making good money for India, not the Bay area. They don't call paying $2,000/month for a small apartment a living wage.

Are we supposed to tell them to go to hell and not give them the work even though they do the same job for less? Are we supposed to give jobs to people who charge twice as much just because we are trying to be protectionists?

[bleedingheart]

36. actually reports are in that the Indian workers are beginning to

ask for higher wages.
...and Indian programmers work for about $4-5K a year..not $2k...
and even that isn't a lot of money in India...its not like TV's and cars in India cost proportionately less...they want to make more to spend more and boost their own economic status.

[jpgray]

19. It would be great if conditions improved for overseas workers

But that isn't happening. Instead we are perpetuating their misery while degrading our own standard of life in the process. Eventually consumer ineterest in even slave-labor prices will be too anemic to sustain the usual profits, and then we will have a very interesting economic collapse. Enjoy. :)

[StClone]

6. No not hatred of workers

No hatred of foreign workers... but the corporations that will not pay them a living wage and treat them like humans.

Think about it.

[Spentastic]

7. On the contrary

It's the love of such workers that leads people to question Wal Marts labor practices.

The people making "foreign crap" are often cruelly exploited in order that the American consumer can pay tiny prices for goods.

[onehandle]

21. Others in this thread interpreted my meanings very well...

I have great concern with what American companies are doing to workers here and abroad.

By "crap", I meant cheap and poorly crafted. By design to cut costs.

Also, Wal-Mart hates America:

"Sam Walton's autobiography is subtitled "Made in America." Sam's been dead about a dozen years, but I'd still like to take him shopping with me to find out just what there is in Wal-Mart, besides Mr. Sam, that's made in America. The grail of free trade — Greenbacks Sans Frontieres — has made it not only old-fashioned to "Buy American," but damned near impossible."

http://www.latimes.com/news/custom/showcase/la-me-patt23_dec23.column

[StClone]

3. Good point

Why aren't guns made in China!?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

10. Many guns are made in China.

Check out the SK line of well-adapted-to-the-laws assault weapons. Just the thing for the next time you want to barricade yourself in a house and take potshots at those who offend your eyes.

Remember those guys in body armor who robbed the bank in Westwood, LA CA? Had the big shootout swaddled in body armor? Shot up lots of folks? They had a lot of SK weapons amongst their collection.

[Ernesto]

18. Let us not forget, Boeing gearing up the Chinese to build heavey aircraft

So Boeing makes a killing by out sourcing wings for their next generation airliner. Great corporate profits for now!...... But, how will this impact China's air force in the future? National security issue? DUH!

[demdave]

13. They are.....

Chinese M96 7.63 Broomhandle from Taku Naval Dockyard



Jingan Chinese Y12-IJ4




Norinco Tokarov 9mm Chinese M-213




Chinese SKS Sporter Sniper Rifle cal. 7.62x39mm



Chinese copy, Browning 1900-FN, 7.65mm cal

[grannylib]

5. It wasn't me; I don't shop there! (edited for punctuation)

[jaydw11]

8. boycott wal-mart

the most offensive part is their red white and blue signage. its almost impossible to buy anything made in America there

[Catshrink]

25. I agree, jaydw

and welcome to DU.

[newyawker99]

32. Hi jaydw11!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[bspence]

9. This goes against what many are saying here

That stores like Wal-Mart, who cater to low and middle class people, did poorly last year. I hate to say it, but the economy is getting better, and we need more than the economy to dethrone Bush.

[SaddenedDem]

11. Bull, go back to the PREDICTED sales

Let's remember something....before the holiday sales season the retailers, including WalMart, were predicting a 5-7% increase over last year sales - and last year was one of the worst ever.

So, this is just SPIN on missing the predicitons.

[san antonio]

12. Not quite, read the article.

"Let's remember something....before the holiday sales season the retailers, including WalMart, were predicting a 5-7% increase over last year sales - and last year was one of the worst ever."

The Wal-Mart sales were actually above the analyst estimates.

[Teaser]

16. The article is incorrect, or misleading.

Those "analysts expectations" are the revised expectations after the season put in a slow start. Initial expectations were indeed in the 5-7% range. The most often cited number was 6%.

[jpgray]

17. They lowered it twice then

Once to 3-5%, and then again to 1-3% in late December.

[joeunderdog]

23. They have DOZENS more stores!

That's why sales are up.

[onehandle]

22. You "hate to say it"...

Why is that? As a Democrat I want to see the economy get better, and life improve for Americans. At this point, it has nowhere to go but up. Barring Depression.

Plenty of other issues will hand Bush his hat.

[bspence]

24. I do want the economy to improve! I just don't want Bush to take credit

I don't think it was his tax cuts, or any other policy that improved the economy. It's just that he's going to take credit for this. The presidential candidates have all jumped on how bad the economy is, and now they don't have that issue.

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProfessorGAC]

27. Thanks For Clearing That Up

You do know there are more dimensions than the single one you think in, right?
The Professor

[JanMichael]

28. Hmm. Let's see: Anti-Union, Anti-Living Wage...

...Pro-Walmart (Hence pro-low wages/benefits, probably anti-Universal HC). I'm guessing Pro-FTAA/NAFTA/WTO too?

A question about your user name...What about your political philosophy is "Left"? Or "New"?

[san antonio]

29. Dude...

Why do you even come over here?

[David Zephyr]

30. New Lefty is No Lefty.

"damn unions"?

"lard asses"?

"living wage crap"?

What do you do for a living?

[eyeontheprize]

31. Henry Ford knew something you miss.

That if people are paid a living wage they can buy cars. An affluent middle class is good for the country. The new mentality is that an extraordinary rich class and a massive underclass is workable will yield doom.

How much do you make a year?

[Sentath]

33. And Tiffany's went up 16%

<snide>Does this indicate anything to you?</snide>

[Piperay]

34. Gee, I guess

that means that rich people are doing just fine and they should...after all that's what it's all about. We all know that when they do alright it helps all of us because "a rising tide lifts all boats". *sarcasm* :puke:

[radfringe]

35. NPR news (yesterday)

mentioned that the "high-end luxury" stores did do well this holiday season, but overall national holiday sales were less than hoped for

they went onto mention that deep discounts during the last-minute shopping helped sales, but also cut into their expected profits

My 2-cents: holiday season may not have been a bust, but it sure doesn't indicate that the consumer was willing to go whole hog and spend tons of money - people were watching their wallets