w_howey
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- The Mudwest
Danno said:
Murray has been a brand of MTD for quite some time. The company is still based in the Cleveland area. But most of their manufacturing is in China now.
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Giving Wal-Mart the Finger...
- Thread starter Yucca-Man
- Start date
Murray has been a brand of MTD for quite some time. The company is still based in the Cleveland area. But most of their manufacturing is in China now.
w_howey
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- The Mudwest
I can't understand how people could throw a mower out after a year or three.
I have a cheap-o Wheeler(another MTD), that is 14 years old. I've replaced the wheels, and done a little work to the deck. But other than that only general maintenance.
I have a cheap-o Wheeler(another MTD), that is 14 years old. I've replaced the wheels, and done a little work to the deck. But other than that only general maintenance.
w_howey said:
IF I recall correctly, Newell bought out Rubbermaid after Rubbermaid collapsed. While they took over Rubbermaid's comapny and product line, the Rubbermaid factories were closed and its employees were released. So yes, does Rubbermaid continue in Newell? Yes, but in name and leagel speak only.
BSD
flexjay87
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- iowa city iowa
some of your points are valid guys, but come on. wal-mart is the McDonalds of shopping, not Olive Garden. as such, you can only expect to get what you pay for, right? the pay scale rate argument is a little weak too, because wal-mart isn't exactly what people think of as a carrer when they get out of college. similar to the lame argument of minimum wage. those jobs are for the most part were never meant to be careers either. remember we are a group of people who will spend 10 or 20k for a jeep, 1500.00 on a lift kit, a grand on tires, lockers for a grand or more plus labor(would you have a rookie at wal-mart put your gears in?) and then we google 20 different companies to find a 10 dollar discount on a 159.99$ dollar part, it's rediculous, but hey it's our perogative and it's a free country (for now) hell we all want a cheap deal once in a while. ever buy a car and jew the guy down, say 900.00 bucks off of a 3500.00 dollar price.sure we all have, and we are so proud of our self. but what's the first thing you would tell someone it's worth if they want to buy it, why 3500.00 of course!!!!!!!! it's the human condition. my.02
5-90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hammerspace
MyJeepXJ said:
Take your own advice - don't be such an ass.
I think the point he was making is what you're paying PER USE of the mower, or for the "effective" year you get out of it (what's the weather like there in winter? Out here, you can get away with a full calendar year of out a mower - you just don't mow as often in the "winter." You still have to mow.) Also, he might not have known your climate - you're a little further south than ECKSJAY, it seems to me. You're right about at my latitude - which means you may or may not mow year-round...
Oh - flexjay? You might want to read my arguments against a minimum wage - I'm sure you'll be able to find them. I'm not against a "minimum wage" as such, but I do have an issue with the way they keep raising it! It might sound good to the unitiated, but get some years and persepective, and you'll rapidly start to realise that the only people who win when the MW goes up are the people who collect the taxes, since the tax base goes up. No-one else wins - everytime the MW gets raised, it also raises the cost of production, and that's largely what's pushed so much manufacturing into the western Pacific Rim. Look at it this way - most of those people work two full days to make what we "have" to make in an hour - and Congress did it to us (and the state governments as well) by constantly pushing up the MW. If we were still getting a "fair" starting wage, we'd make about $3/hour - and it would go a lot farther than the $10/hour we're making does now!
5-90
no matter what kind of mower/snowthrower you get, just empty out your gas when the season ends. I work at a hardware store and we sell Toro mowers/snowthrowers as well as repair them. About 70% of our repairs are as simple as replacing a needle valve in the carb. because people are too stupid to drain their gas at the end of the season. Its actually rather funny
5-90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hammerspace
Always have - I buy four-stroke stuff, so I can empty the fuel right into my truck without any ill effects. That's what I always did back home (you ever try to mow with four feet of snow on the ground? Ain't gonna happen...)
I find that people know less about their equipment - or maintenance in general - these days than even 20 years ago. I blame the "disposability" of equipment and vehicles - and that's why I'm still driving an 88 Jeep, and my newest vehicle is an 89 Jeep. Go figure - My 88 is on its way back from the moon (quarter million miles now) and still runs like a beast. Engine's great - but I'm on my third transmission (damn Frog gearbox...)
5-90
I find that people know less about their equipment - or maintenance in general - these days than even 20 years ago. I blame the "disposability" of equipment and vehicles - and that's why I'm still driving an 88 Jeep, and my newest vehicle is an 89 Jeep. Go figure - My 88 is on its way back from the moon (quarter million miles now) and still runs like a beast. Engine's great - but I'm on my third transmission (damn Frog gearbox...)
5-90
Rubbermaid was from my area, about 20 minutes away. THe factory stands dormant, nothing there but a few bookkeepers that manage payroll. I was in that building recently, repairing a magnetic check printer. It's sad, 10s of thousands of sq. ft of modern factory just wasting away, everything is made in China now. It really hurt Wooster.
I also know some people that work at MTD. They're in my model airplane club, I fly in Willard, MTD is headquartered there, and they make a lot of the riders there still. One of the higher up guys said they make almost nothing on units they sell to wal mart, and whenever Wal-mart takes a mower back because someone didn't put oil int he crankcase then Wal-Mart makes them take it back. And we all know that Wal-Mart will take ANYTHING back if you tell them you won't shop there.
In short I believe that Wal-Mart is an evil corporation. They don't want quality they want cheap. I will not patronize a Wal-Mart, I hope that eventually others will get tired of cheap junk and do the same. In a free-market society consumers can choose the destiny of any company. SUpport the moral and honest companies, support local businesses.
Sorry, that rant got long, but I'm animated about the subject.
I also know some people that work at MTD. They're in my model airplane club, I fly in Willard, MTD is headquartered there, and they make a lot of the riders there still. One of the higher up guys said they make almost nothing on units they sell to wal mart, and whenever Wal-mart takes a mower back because someone didn't put oil int he crankcase then Wal-Mart makes them take it back. And we all know that Wal-Mart will take ANYTHING back if you tell them you won't shop there.
In short I believe that Wal-Mart is an evil corporation. They don't want quality they want cheap. I will not patronize a Wal-Mart, I hope that eventually others will get tired of cheap junk and do the same. In a free-market society consumers can choose the destiny of any company. SUpport the moral and honest companies, support local businesses.
Sorry, that rant got long, but I'm animated about the subject.
RichP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Effort, Pa
I only use walmart and sams for specific items, Mobil-1 is my main purchase, sams is for bulk stuff, frozen french fries, ketchup, etc. At one of our chamber of commerce card exchanges the owner of a hardware store chain was bitching about how Home depot hurt his business and we got into a discussion, rather heated, about how he can't compete. I told him I shop home depot because his hardware stores keep bankers hours, are useless to the 9-5 mon-fri crowd and his workers have those cyclone fence gates closed and locked at 5pm which is an hour before I come thru, he opens at 8am which is an hour after I've already gone by. I'm not about to waste 2 or 3 hours on a sat when I want to actually do the project running out to his place to get the stuff I need. We had one woman who opened a hardware store and was actually open till 9pm m-sat, place was always busy then the owner wanted to turn it into a car dealership so she said the hell with it and retired...
Then I loved the one where a local business ceo did a commercial on the local TV channel about how we need to support our local business's, all the time while standing in front of his dell computers...I pointed that out at the last card exchange....what a maroon...
Then I loved the one where a local business ceo did a commercial on the local TV channel about how we need to support our local business's, all the time while standing in front of his dell computers...I pointed that out at the last card exchange....what a maroon...
JohnJohn
Member #42
- Location
- Austin, Texas
The funny thing about this thread is that most of us buy cheap lawn mowers and that's what Wal-Mart was trying to get Snapper to make. 
ironic?
ironic?
5-90
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hammerspace
Dunno about that - I've never been afraid to spend money on something, PROVIDED I get what I pay for. It's worth a little extra to get something that lasts 3-5 years instead of 1, and a LOT extra to get something that I'll never have to buy a replacement for, as long as it's not stolen or there's a disaster.
That's where Wally World can't compete anymore. Unfortunately, that's where people can't compete anymore, either - like I said, they're attuned to the "disposable" economy, and most people can't fix anything (most of the rest can't be arsed to.)
5-90
That's where Wally World can't compete anymore. Unfortunately, that's where people can't compete anymore, either - like I said, they're attuned to the "disposable" economy, and most people can't fix anything (most of the rest can't be arsed to.)
5-90
THANK YOU! I love all the people that say they want to support local businesses, but the first thing they buy is Dells. Usually the POS $299 ones with 128 megs of ram too. That's ok, I love dell, make more money on repair labor than I can trying to meet or beat their prices. I like when people bring in the parts Dell sent them and pay us to install them. Since they can't understand the guy in India telling them how to replace their own mainboard. Thats like asking the average person to do an engine swap in their car, and then giving them half the instructions.RichP said:
- Location
- NC Sandhills
JohnJohn said:The funny thing about this thread is that most of us buy cheap lawn mowers and that's what Wal-Mart was trying to get Snapper to make.
I bought a Troy Bilt factory direct... that was like ten years ago... the 8.5hp B&S I/C uses a little oil these days, and I've replaced the starter clutch & rope once, the float bowl/gasket once, fuel line and filter once, belts once, and a plug every season.
:dunno: It'll likely outlive me.
XJ Dreamin'
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Huntsville, Texas
I'm not paying $1,000 for a lawn mower. If I've got that much grass I'll buy a tractor. A real tractor - not a lawn tractor.
I've got a prediction for y'all. No links - this is purely my own observation.
WalMart is on the way out. It might be a generation in coming, but it will fold. Why? Asinine MBA inventory control. Sam was an anti-union SOB, but he knew how to run a store. When he died, his family turned such mundane chores as inventory control over to middle management MBA's (my theory). The MBA's, being what they are, took a look at shelf life. They noted the slowest moving inventory and quit stocking it. Later, they took another look and their eyes naturally gravitated to the bottom of the list. They quit stocking that. For years now, they have been routinely dropping whatever was the slowest mover whenever they took a look at inventory flow. Within a generation or so, there won't be anything in the store but Oriental Trading Post do-da's. They will be the world's largest chain of "Dollar Stores".
They talk about streamlining distribution, which is great. But distributing what? There's nothing worth buying in the stores now! What possible reason could there be to go into a WalMart after another 20 years of stock trimming. I first became aware of this trend when I went into a WalMart looking for a slant-6 distributor cap. "Oh. We quit carrying those," the snot nosed punk said. I looked him straight in the eye and said, "Well, then. You're of no use to me whatsoever." That statement has held true for every trip to a WalMart since. Yes. Sometimes it is unavoidable, although it is always disappointing.
I've got a prediction for y'all. No links - this is purely my own observation.
WalMart is on the way out. It might be a generation in coming, but it will fold. Why? Asinine MBA inventory control. Sam was an anti-union SOB, but he knew how to run a store. When he died, his family turned such mundane chores as inventory control over to middle management MBA's (my theory). The MBA's, being what they are, took a look at shelf life. They noted the slowest moving inventory and quit stocking it. Later, they took another look and their eyes naturally gravitated to the bottom of the list. They quit stocking that. For years now, they have been routinely dropping whatever was the slowest mover whenever they took a look at inventory flow. Within a generation or so, there won't be anything in the store but Oriental Trading Post do-da's. They will be the world's largest chain of "Dollar Stores".
They talk about streamlining distribution, which is great. But distributing what? There's nothing worth buying in the stores now! What possible reason could there be to go into a WalMart after another 20 years of stock trimming. I first became aware of this trend when I went into a WalMart looking for a slant-6 distributor cap. "Oh. We quit carrying those," the snot nosed punk said. I looked him straight in the eye and said, "Well, then. You're of no use to me whatsoever." That statement has held true for every trip to a WalMart since. Yes. Sometimes it is unavoidable, although it is always disappointing.
RKBA
NAXJA Member #1012
- Location
- Outer Banks, NC
summitlt said:
Well then that is good news for the local auto parts stores isn't it?
LazarusMJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- New Hampshire
Thank God that Walmarts auto section is dwidling. I work at Autozone and Wal-mart is even "trying" to hurt our business. I had one guy come in looking for blue washer fluid by the case. He said he would rather buy from walmart because thier price was 9 cents cheaper. This guy was the perfect example of the kind of people that keep companies like Walmart in business. I mean, is it worth saving 9 cents per bottle to have to walk half a mile to find the product, another half a mile carrying the product, and then spend an hour standing in line to buy the product, all to save a few pennies?
Personally I would rather spend that time and effort doing something constructive with my time.
Wal-mart needs to go away. All they have accomplished as a corporation is to put Mom & Pop stores out of business. Vermont is probably the only wise State in the country. They are the only ones who said no to allowing Walmart to invade and destroy the communities.
Personally I would rather spend that time and effort doing something constructive with my time.
Wal-mart needs to go away. All they have accomplished as a corporation is to put Mom & Pop stores out of business. Vermont is probably the only wise State in the country. They are the only ones who said no to allowing Walmart to invade and destroy the communities.
Lawn Cher'
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Westampton, NJ
flexjay87 said:
Sorry, I can't help that one.
DrMoab
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- The Utah Backwater
I heard an interesting point of view on Wal-Mart the other day.
Basically it goes like this...Every Generation has to have some institution to pick on...This generation its Wal-Mart. Next Generation will most likely be Google. Last Generation it was Sears, Montgomery Ward, and so on.
It kills me that most people on this site (or at least it seems this way) are generally proud Americans who believe in this country and what it was founded on.
Wal-Mart is what they are BECAUSE of American values. If you don't like it then you don't believe in Capitalism and the American way....Sorry.
I shop at Wal-Mart. I buy the things that I can get anywhere else but they have cheaper. I don't buy their clothes. I don't buy electronics. I don't buy anything there that looks cheap...as in not made well.
But when I need a can of paint, sandpaper, or tools I do not shop at Wal-Mart. Nor do I shop at Home Depot usually. I go down to my local True Value store...The reason? Because I like walking in and knowing where I need to go to find what I want. Even though its not even a 1/4 the size of Home Depot I can find almost everything they sell and usually its close to the same price.
I just wonder how many of you who have posted on this thread about how much you hate Wal-Mart and what they stand for are only doing it to jump on the latest popular bandwagon...and then leave to go buy your Nylint wheeler from Wal-Mart.
Basically it goes like this...Every Generation has to have some institution to pick on...This generation its Wal-Mart. Next Generation will most likely be Google. Last Generation it was Sears, Montgomery Ward, and so on.
It kills me that most people on this site (or at least it seems this way) are generally proud Americans who believe in this country and what it was founded on.
Wal-Mart is what they are BECAUSE of American values. If you don't like it then you don't believe in Capitalism and the American way....Sorry.
I shop at Wal-Mart. I buy the things that I can get anywhere else but they have cheaper. I don't buy their clothes. I don't buy electronics. I don't buy anything there that looks cheap...as in not made well.
But when I need a can of paint, sandpaper, or tools I do not shop at Wal-Mart. Nor do I shop at Home Depot usually. I go down to my local True Value store...The reason? Because I like walking in and knowing where I need to go to find what I want. Even though its not even a 1/4 the size of Home Depot I can find almost everything they sell and usually its close to the same price.
I just wonder how many of you who have posted on this thread about how much you hate Wal-Mart and what they stand for are only doing it to jump on the latest popular bandwagon...and then leave to go buy your Nylint wheeler from Wal-Mart.
Bradlybob
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Lancaster, CA
I worked for Wal-Mart for a few years in the distribution centers, back when Sam was still alive. Cheap bastards, but they knew how to run a business. Then Sam died and you could see things start to change. Slowly at first, then faster as the years went by. You used to be able to buy a fairly decent selection of american made items as well as Chinese crap. Not anymore. Almost everything in the place is made in China.
x2 on the slow moving items comment from above. I remember being taught that merchandising lesson sometime before I quit. The store managers are held accountable for every line on their P&L. One of the yardsticks they use is sales per sq ft. If there is an item that is not contributing to that figure, it is removed from inventory and is replaced by a faster moving product. I used to shop at WM quite a bit but now I rarely go there because:
1-The stores around here have become so white trash and section 8 that I hate going into the place. If I see another kid sitting in the cart wearing crappy dirty clothes, unbathed and being told to shut up while his "mommy" Shenequatina, yacks away on her $400 cell phone to her nail lady because one her 2 inch ghetto daggers that she just paid $100 for fell off while she was gettin her man his 40 oz, I'm gonna scream and cry like a baby.
2-They rarely have the thing I'm looking for.
3-The "associates" have no idea what customer service means anymore.
They have forgotten what made them huge, the same way that K-mart, Sears, and all the others that have faded from greatness. When you focus exclusively on the bottom line, you can't see your business falling apart around you. Sam Walton would be ashamed.
x2 on the slow moving items comment from above. I remember being taught that merchandising lesson sometime before I quit. The store managers are held accountable for every line on their P&L. One of the yardsticks they use is sales per sq ft. If there is an item that is not contributing to that figure, it is removed from inventory and is replaced by a faster moving product. I used to shop at WM quite a bit but now I rarely go there because:
1-The stores around here have become so white trash and section 8 that I hate going into the place. If I see another kid sitting in the cart wearing crappy dirty clothes, unbathed and being told to shut up while his "mommy" Shenequatina, yacks away on her $400 cell phone to her nail lady because one her 2 inch ghetto daggers that she just paid $100 for fell off while she was gettin her man his 40 oz, I'm gonna scream and cry like a baby.
2-They rarely have the thing I'm looking for.
3-The "associates" have no idea what customer service means anymore.
They have forgotten what made them huge, the same way that K-mart, Sears, and all the others that have faded from greatness. When you focus exclusively on the bottom line, you can't see your business falling apart around you. Sam Walton would be ashamed.
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