Jordon writes about his feeling somewhat abashed to be pleased with Walmart’s photo-finishing service; I’d be embarrassed too (so far we’re pretty much Walmart-free), but I’ve discovered a delightful way of taking advantage of Walmart that may help redress the balance.
Y’all have heard how much I like seeing the covers of the albums I listen to online — well, I read (I think in MacAddict) that Walmart’s online music store shows album covers in a larger format than Amazon or the All Music Guide. I now gaze lovingly at 500 x 500 pixel images of the album covers I so love, and it costs Walmart bandwidth every time I look. It’s a small act of commercial parasitism, but it’s something.
Posted by AKMA at January 19, 2004 09:52 PM | TrackBackLet's see, Walmart's known for:
- pressuring its suppliers to provide lower and lower prices, thus causing suppliers to send manufacturing out of the US to places with less stringent labor laws
- not paying a living wage to its employees, many of whom are women and senior citizens
- forcing people to work off the clock without pay
- not promoting women in the same proportions it promotes men
- creating huge stores that drive locally-owned businesses bankrupt by undercutting their prices
- censoring albums it sells and using its marketshare to force record labels to print special Walmart-redacted versions of music, with no notice attached that this isn't the real version of the album
I think parasitism is warranted in as high a volume as you can manage. References for these points available on request.
Posted by: Shane at January 20, 2004 02:40 AMliving wage... they weren't paying minimum wage....
they were also caught locking their employees in at night, which is illegal most places and increases risk of serious harm or death significantly.
in short, boycott walmart.
Posted by: jeremy hunsinger at January 20, 2004 08:06 AMWell, right, y’all. I wasn’t suggesting buying anything from them.
Posted by: AKMA at January 20, 2004 09:25 AM