05-16-2012, 07:28 PM | #31 | |
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Everyone complains when a Walmart moves into their town, but no one ever thinks about the cost to consumers of blocking that Walmart and forcing everyone to pay higher prices to subsidize the mom and pop stores. Again, maybe instead of complaining about multinationals, we should raise taxes for everyone and give all small business owners a "thanks for trying" subsidy; that would be more efficient than blocking the Walmart, probably be cheaper, and spare everyone's feelings. Last edited by Ninjalawyer; 05-17-2012 at 07:15 AM. |
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05-16-2012, 08:26 PM | #32 | |
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05-16-2012, 10:28 PM | #33 | |
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No lemmings here! |
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05-16-2012, 10:40 PM | #34 | |
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They can build roads, pick up trash, cut the grass in parks, do something that is beneficial to all. Do we really need to keep the old book stores and buggy whip factories going? If someone really wants to keep the old fashioned book store around but not enough to support them, we can put a few of them in museums. Maybe do a National Geographic special on them. |
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05-16-2012, 10:55 PM | #35 | |
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All CEO's in favour of a higher societal good - Vote "Aye". |
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05-16-2012, 11:12 PM | #36 | |
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05-17-2012, 12:21 AM | #37 |
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I really cannot follow this logic. If enough people are willing to pay high prices to sustain the small book stores, then those customers can continue to frequent the small bookstores and buy at regular prices. (that actually works in France for small grocers and butchers, apparently people prefer to shop there) If even they are not willing to put up the money and run to buy the books at a chain or online, then what are they complaining about?
And if they do support the small stores and even that is not enough to sustain the stores, well, then that is just too bad. That means the people have spoken. What Ninjalawyer says does make sense. If you want the small stores to exist, then subsidize them openly. Treat them like the opera, a cultural icon that should be supported. But don't force everyone to pay higher prices. |
05-17-2012, 01:41 AM | #38 |
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Interesting that you seem to be discussing the price of things, have we decided that pricing things is good?
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05-17-2012, 02:02 AM | #39 |
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05-17-2012, 02:38 AM | #40 |
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Depends who you ask. As a reader of popular fiction I have gotten the impression over the years that some people don't think the great unwashed masses should be allowed to read books.
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05-17-2012, 03:39 AM | #41 |
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05-17-2012, 05:12 AM | #42 | |
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I think fjtorres was confused that anyone would think differently. |
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05-17-2012, 07:18 AM | #43 | |
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So are most of the local competitors; several actually found ways of under-cutting Walmart pricing by tapping the global supply chain to bring in merchandise from India, Brazil, and eastern europe. The end result is that available *variety* of products went way up and consumers have more choices. Some shops *have* closed. But their locales have been snapped up by other entrepreneurs for new types of businesses. Right now CVS is making a push into town, challenging Walgreens and putting added pressure on local independent pharmacies. The indies' answer? They've joined up in a loose association to pool their buying power and increase their inventory range. Some are expanding to meet the challenge. Some indies *have* gone out of business but the rest are looking stronger and have snapped up all the laid-off staff. (Health care is a growth business.) Very Darwinian. Adding aggressive competitors to a market only reduces the roster of consumer choices when the existing players are incompetent, lazy, or so hidebound they refuse to adapt and thus cease to compete. In the end, it comes back to "competitors compete, losers whine". |
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05-17-2012, 07:19 AM | #44 | |
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But the point was more about the cost to society as a whole rather than to consumers. There's also a cost in employment. Over here we have a new scheme where the large corporations can have free staff under the guise of training, something that is denied to smaller businesses. That in itself cuts down on the number of paying jobs available to those who lost their old one. And with only 1 or 2 large employers in town, pay and working conditions start to be eroded. |
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05-17-2012, 07:21 AM | #45 | |
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