I'm Smitten...

[dearwestley]

It matters to me from whom I purchase everything these days.

I am also a retail business owner, and appreciate the need people have to weigh cost of product versus service provided for a product. I also know how difficult it can be to operate a business, to pay staff a reasonable wage, to provide staff health and vacation benefits, but then to have to compete in the market solely based upon price when a customer is purchasing an item using personal financial cost as the sole determining factor of where to buy an item.

So, yes, I haved seen that my coveted Segway is available from Sam's Club at quite a bit less than my local dealerships, and I also see that I can have it shipped to me from out of state and pay much less. And I will use these as my negotiating platform, certainly before I purchase one, as I don't expect to pay full retail. (Though I will admit, I searched high and low for my iPhone...and go figure...it was the same price EVERYWHERE...)

If I have a choice, (and when purchasing a large ticket item such as this, I certainly do), I will support an independent dealership that provides excellent customer service and follow up everytime. (By the way, I'm also not beyond asking what staff in a place is paid, if the staff receives commission, and if health benefits are provided -- those are MY criteria. I'm not so certain big box stores care much about obligation to employees beyond minimum wage...)

In my circumstance, I don't expect my local dealerships to match Sam's Club, but I do expect them to make some effort toward this. I can identify deeply with independents in my community in which I also do business and understand the huge costs associated with independent brick and mortar businesses in Los Angeles. And I also know that small brick and mortar retail businesses across the country share many of my same concerns as a retail business owner (ah...the joys of entrepreneurship...)

And if and when I need service or assistance in some way, I'll have a readily available resource with which I've already established a relationship. And I can know that I'm actually helping in some small way a business in my local community to pay staff, the rent, the utilities... and that whether this business is making less, the same or fortunate to make more than my own business, I'm actually supporting the livelihood of folks in my local economy.

Oh, but I digress... What a tangled thread I weave! Now...off to see if I can get my Segway today!

You have to ask yourself why places like Wal-Mart and Sam's Club are in business despite their lack of concern for their employees. I happen to agree with you that shopping at a store whose parent company is not very concerned with employees is not to my liking, but I do understand why those stores are in business.

I believe that there are those who simply want the lowest price even though they can afford to pay full price. My wife is one of them. How many of you know a person who gets a high from getting a good deal? It almost like winning a prize when my wife finds something at a much lower price than another store. Those people rarely think about what sacrifices went into bringing that product to market at that price.

What about the people who NEED the lowest price no matter what? These are the people on the fringes of poverty who can barely afford food, let alone gas at $4.00 per gallon. These are the people that shop at Wal-Mart for clothes, food, housewares, entertainment. Do you think they care about the sweat-shops producing the products for Wal-Mart? Hell no. They are trying to survive just like anyone else.

It's easy for people who can afford a Segway to stand on top of the mountain and preach about the things that matter to us. But do you think the people who can't afford to put gas in their cars are listening?