WalMart, Lowe's, Home Depot - What really happens?

Here's an interesting article I found in pdf format about how the big-box stores affect YOUR LOCAL ECONOMY. What really happens when one of these GIANTS moves into your locality. Very interesting. I wish that enough people would realize this and not allow these businesses in your community.

Five Myths about Big Box Retail I have included the first of these myths down below to get your attention. You can read about the other four by clicking on the link.

MYTH: Big-Box Stores Create Jobs
FACT: Studies by independent economists show that big-box stores eliminate more re-
tail jobs than they create.

A recent study examined 3,094 counties across the U.S., tracking the arrival of new Wal-Mart stores between 1977 and 2002. The study, conducted by Univ. of California economist David
Neumark, found that opening a Wal-Mart store led to a net loss of 150 retail jobs on average, suggesting that a new Wal Mart job replaces approximately 1.4 workers at other stores
(The Effects of Wal-Mart on Local Labor Markets, January 2007).

The reason for the overall decline is that a new Wal-Mart store does not increase the amount of money that residents have to spend. Sales gains at these stores are invariably mirrored by a
drop in revenue at existing businesses, which then must downsize or close. The job losses are larger than the gains because Wal-Mart accomplishes the same volume of sales with fewer
employees.

Although similar studies have not been done of other big-box retailers, it's likely that they also have either a negative or no impact on employment because the underlying dynamics (i.e.,no increases in consumer spending) are the same

Polls

When you are walking around festivals, etc., does somebody ever approach you and ask you to take a poll, etc. or answer a bunch of questions? Usually there's about half a dozen individuals stopping people and asking. If you say 'yes' they show you over to a tent which has a bunch of computers there and you answer the questions. I have no idea what is being asked, but I stay away from them. The main purpose of these polls are not to collect information, but rather to collect names for mailing/email lists which they sell to companies. I believe that they get paid $1.00 per name collected. Sorry, but they are not interested in your opinion.

I was at Home Depot this morning and the guy hands me my receipt and tells me that if I call a certain number that is listed and take their 'poll' then I could win $5,000. Well, just think of how many people nationwide follow through on this and they compile their mailing lists and sell them. Once again, not interested in your opinion.....just interested in making many times more than the $5,000 that they are supposedly giving away.

I stay at Motel 6 and they also offer a chance to win a cash prize. Your chances of actually winning anything answering all these people's questions is extremely thin, But their chances of them making money off the use of your name, etc., is what it is all about.

So, it's up to you. That's what is happening,