Comments on: Would Higher Wages at Wal-Mart Really Help? http://pjmedia.com/blog/the_walmart_wage_conundrum/ Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:07:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Freezee http://pjmedia.com/blog/the_walmart_wage_conundrum/#comment-28077 Freezee Thu, 03 Apr 2008 19:32:41 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/would-higher-wages-at-wal-mart-really-help/#comment-28077 What is the is the benefit of low wages, when the labor doesn't produce results? The math is simple: Let's assume that the retailer budgets labor at 10% of sales. (I don't know what WalMart's target is, but that's probably close.) A blown-out frozen department makes no sales, but a full one would turn $10k or more daily. Those sales would add $1000 to the payroll budget, for each and every day of well-stocked operation. Perennially empty shelves are indefensible. They benefit no one. Something is wrong when an American store has persistently bare shelves like those old Soviet state-run markets. But that's coming from people like me, who don't know what they're talking about. What is the is the benefit of low wages, when the labor doesn’t produce results? The math is simple: Let’s assume that the retailer budgets labor at 10% of sales. (I don’t know what WalMart’s target is, but that’s probably close.) A blown-out frozen department makes no sales, but a full one would turn $10k or more daily. Those sales would add $1000 to the payroll budget, for each and every day of well-stocked operation.

Perennially empty shelves are indefensible. They benefit no one. Something is wrong when an American store has persistently bare shelves like those old Soviet state-run markets. But that’s coming from people like me, who don’t know what they’re talking about.

]]> By: FatCat http://pjmedia.com/blog/the_walmart_wage_conundrum/#comment-27503 FatCat Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:52:14 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/would-higher-wages-at-wal-mart-really-help/#comment-27503 If you look at a company in a bubble your assertions might have some merit. If Wal-Mart paid their employees more, they would buy more from Wal-Mart, but they would also buy more from everywhere else they shop. This would allow those companies to expand, paying more and hiring more. Productivity has nothing to do with wages, if a company can find someone to do a job cheaper they will. People like you will keep supporting the current business practices until the world economy come crashing down and from the looks of things we might not have too wait long. If you look at a company in a bubble your assertions might have some merit. If Wal-Mart paid their employees more, they would buy more from Wal-Mart, but they would also buy more from everywhere else they shop. This would allow those companies to expand, paying more and hiring more.

Productivity has nothing to do with wages, if a company can find someone to do a job cheaper they will.

People like you will keep supporting the current business practices until the world economy come crashing down and from the looks of things we might not have too wait long.

]]> By: roy hurley http://pjmedia.com/blog/the_walmart_wage_conundrum/#comment-26592 roy hurley Wed, 26 Mar 2008 19:55:26 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/would-higher-wages-at-wal-mart-really-help/#comment-26592 i do not think you know what the hell you are talking about to freezee i do not think you know what the hell you are talking about to freezee

]]> By: Freezee http://pjmedia.com/blog/the_walmart_wage_conundrum/#comment-26520 Freezee Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:46:46 +0000 http://dev.pajamasmedia.com/blog/would-higher-wages-at-wal-mart-really-help/#comment-26520 Nice theory, but I am not impressed in its practice, as I shop at WalMart regularly. The frozen food department is always blown out, with shuffling teens making a half-hearted attempt to fill the bare shelves. They get paid about $7.00/hr., and there's usually three of them at a time. If Walmart would pay me $15.00/hr. with benefits, I'd have the shelves stuffed, period. I can hammer two full pallets of frozen food in an eight-hour shift, with exceptional display, product rotation, and cleanliness. However, I'd rather be unemployed than work for $7.00/hr. Nice theory, but I am not impressed in its practice, as I shop at WalMart regularly. The frozen food department is always blown out, with shuffling teens making a half-hearted attempt to fill the bare shelves. They get paid about $7.00/hr., and there’s usually three of them at a time. If Walmart would pay me $15.00/hr. with benefits, I’d have the shelves stuffed, period. I can hammer two full pallets of frozen food in an eight-hour shift, with exceptional display, product rotation, and cleanliness. However, I’d rather be unemployed than work for $7.00/hr.

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