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glowing-fish posted:
I work in manufacturing. Walmart/Cabelas/Targets go to suppliers and squeezes them till they die. https://www.fastcompany.com/47593/wal-mart-you-dont-know Imagine this with everything Walmart sells, 0 margin just push product make it cheaper. Once your at that scale your hooked, your CEO makes every sacrifice it can to keep the volumes high, then Walmart asks for more, you make concessions on your products materials, then on your staffs labor, then your outsourcing, then your outsourcing again to even lower wage labor. It's brutal. If you value your companies soul don't sell at big-box.
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Dec 6, 2016 01:18
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Liquid Communism posted:Sure, if you are willing to absolutely trust Amazon's product descriptions to be 100% accurate. As a manufacturer that also sells on Amazon, gently caress Amazon. They nickle and dime you to death through their logistics chain and expect you not to try and fight it. I have a guy who spends 5-10 hours a week just fighting/documenting bullshit Amazon non-compliance complaints. They do the same logistics squeeze that Walmat does, just with more passive-aggressive nerd fuckery. "Oh you complained about our bullshit, well we are going to make you pack/ship/document 20 of your lowest margin cheapest item to send to all of our warehouses, thereby creating 20 more places we can gently caress with you."
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Dec 6, 2016 20:06
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Lifehack: You can use a store like that as an atm with no fee, just get a friendly/bored tell to ring you up an item ask for cashback and have them return it.
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Dec 8, 2016 22:51
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Jeffrey of YOSPOS posted:I'm skeptical here - people working at Walmart are price takers. I think that, without government "subsidy", they'd keep working at Walmart and just suffer more. If it's their only lifeline left, what choice do they have? I don't think the government removing its subsidy and letting people starve is on the table - to me the main choices right now are the government pays X, or Walmart pays Y and the government pays X-Y. We are about to find out as I'm sure nearly every social program that costs any taxes(all of them) is about to get thrown into Paul Ryan's Gulch.
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Dec 9, 2016 21:44
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Owlofcreamcheese posted:There has been a real shift in employee expertise over the years. Like if you walk into a specialty mom and pop store odds are the guy at the counter not only knows something about the stuff they sell but cares about it enough to run a store dedicated to it and probably can give you any detail you ask for and strong opinions on each and every relative merit of every sort of thing. Then at like chain specialty stores there is a degree that they hire randos but if you walk into game stop at least one person there definitely should be working at gamestop or there is at least one guy at autozone that definitely wanted to work at autozone and even the non-enthusiast workers know a thing or two just by being around a topic all day every day. The market Walmart caters to, is it cheaper than anywhere else. That's all they care about that's all they need to worry about. As a consumer if you don't want it at the lowest price you can go somewhere else. Walmart doesn't care about anything than more money for us. gently caress you. They do it by catering to slice of the American consumer that must have lowest price. gently caress everyone else. Unpack that and you end up with all sorts of social problems to solve.
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Dec 11, 2016 23:33
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Heliogabalos posted:Has there been any discussion of mom-and-pop retail that has been successful (obviously financially) at rebranding in the digital/experience-focused new shopping paradigm? Get local teams what they want. Old fashioned sales is still a thing and still can make a small company relatively wealthy if they can leverage a customer base by hand. Also outsourcing grassroots stuff is stupid. You don't learn poo poo when others are doing it for you. Leverage those deals in the ability to buy quality goods at bulk, setup a webstore that slits the margins to maintain bulk rates and push excess goods used for your bread and butter. Sell again to original customer at a better markup when they come around next season/year. Rinse and repeat. You know this, it's business 101. The risk is in what quality goods to bring in. Personal consumption note: I do pretty well buying XL/oversized and having a good relation with my tailor. As someone who never has been able to find fitting clothes(I'm 6'8") its not worth complaining about it. Just get a tailor and go to thrift shops/vintage stores/estate sales knowing what to look for. You'll look way better than with anything you can dig off the rack. You can spend 1/10th of the cost on something real high quality and just have it altered if you aren't ever worried about the fit.
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May 4, 2017 19:07
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Tiny Brontosaurus posted:That's good advice for men but it's a lot more complicated for women. My SO does it too. She taught me to start doing it. Not going to claim it is anyway equal or fair. Costs her more and takes her more time. Also I'm understanding body shape swings much more widely in ladies, even more reason to have a good relationship with your tailor. Depending on the tailor you can have minor alterations done for 10-15$. You wont fit in it the same time next year when the weather changes. Pick three outfits have them resized replaced and your good to go. If you havn''t tried it you should do it before poo-pooing it. Take a dress that never quite fit right be prepared to spend 50$ and you'll get something amazing. Finding clothes that fit on the rack is hell, so why even try. Our retail culture has taught us to view everything as expendable or demo targeted. This is true in a sense, but there is plenty of value in reclaiming and reusing, its just a taught/learned skilled. It's one thing to be aware of how we are sold to, its another to not care and consume in your own way.
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May 4, 2017 20:27
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Tiny Brontosaurus posted:It's a lot more complicated for women. I'm glad it works for your SO, but it's not universal or even common for that solution to cover everything a woman needs to dress herself. Do you think women don't do this because they just weren't smart enough to think of it? Why are you assuming women can easily find clothing that fits them within tailoring range and suits their needs on vintage store racks either? And three outfits? There are five days in a workweek and a lot of women work places where it would be unprofessional to cycle even a full week's worth of outfits over and over. Alot of use of the word assume going on here. Alot of assuming of my intentions? I'm merely sharing my personal experiences along with those shared and taught for me by my SO, a women. So I would hope that you are only trying to encourage the discussion of the missmatch in retail exposure for men and women,which as I already acknowedge and is indeed the case and unfair; or attack me for making an advice recommendation that may not apply to your particular experience to an audience larger than yourself; of which I will go with the former. So I will respond to each of your questions without a sense of assumption that you seem to think I'm implying. Being that my SO taught me to do this I would say, "No, I do not assume anything about the intelligence of women to not be smart enough to do something." Thats sexist and I feel a bit insulted to suggest I was saying that, but I will have the understanding that people irregardless of sex would not understand and have this figured it out. I sure as poo poo didn't for the first 27 years of my life. I wouldn't say it can be easily done, in my experience shopping with her and others like her, it's easier when you aren't constrained by exact sizing and have an additional tool to handle that particular problem. Also three outfits is a good general starting point for really anyone without a fitted wardrobe, which you do continue to have after trying new things. But that's general advice I've learned and picked up so please feel free to continue to critise my methods for self-improvemnt, thats fair game. I'm trying to draw some relation across the sexes that men too can have this problem and there is a solution, it is more difficult, expensive and time consuming. Most solutions to problems without retail solutions are. Please continue to talk past me if you wish to push the conversation of the unequalness of the retail market. I have not tried to push any alternative narrative.
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May 4, 2017 21:13
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DrNutt posted:Do you have a chronic need to overreact to loving everything? I mean god drat, it's like you're playing a caricature of yourself as described by your worst critics. I'm also realizing I'm taking the bait...
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May 4, 2017 21:32
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I acknowledge I give lovely advice. The aforementioned, is financially, pretty lovely for anyone who wants to spend less time, effort, and resources clothing themselves. Just trying to do my part in facilitating the collapse of the chain store retailing environment. Spend your money locally, support your local tailor.
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May 4, 2017 22:20
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I work in manufacturing operations and have to interface with its horrible vendor tech. I get why they do it, trying to push vendors to respond faster. If they have it their way they wouldn't need warehouses they would just force vendors to adopt their delivery metrics to sell. Kind of pulling a reverse Walmart. I've heard they have been pulling in Walmart operations folks at the higher levels which makes sense. I really wish my company wouldn't sell on Amazon. I also think some of the logarithmic fining of merchants they do is a step away from class action. It's shady as hell. And has no basis in reality.
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May 18, 2017 04:40
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HEY NONG MAN posted:What do you mean "logarithmic fining"? I was drunk posting in anger after sending off case reviews for charge backs for my company. After getting so many odious chargebacks from Amazon we started to meticulous documenting all orders going out to Amazon so we can fight said chargebacks. This has led me to believe there is a certain amount of randomness and inconsistency in the way they are generated. Chargebacks are basically fines levied by Amazon for "non compliance" This could mean a missing carton label, and incorrect Shipping notification, or a mismatched ASN number. These add up really fast and can very quickly kill your sales margin with them. I'm going to write up an effort post later this week on Jet/Amazon's vendor programs. And some of the distribution tactics in sales at the warehouse and distribution level. I would specifically love it if BrandorKP would comment in afterwards. I think he has alot of insight into supply chain management and can probably corroborate some of my observations. There is alot of talk about retailing at the consumer level. I would really like anyone else who can chime in at the supplier level. It's where things start to get really shady and crazy real fast. BlueBlazer fucked around with this message at 20:54 on May 23, 2017 |
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May 23, 2017 20:36
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BarbarianElephant posted:Sure. But I don't get this spam from "cool" companies like Google. Just Amazon. Makes me feel that they are desperate enough for warm bodies to work with spammy recruiters. The places that people are desperate to work at don't need to do this - candidates come to them. I had two separate occasions where I was talked into phone interviews with their recruiters with continued pleas of, "I know what your looking for and I'm not it." After which I was insulted to the point where I hung up after a very gracious "gently caress you for wasting my time." My loath for Amazon is full circle.
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May 24, 2017 19:31
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You see the same thing in ride sharing land. Would be nice if insurance companies weren't the complete bain to our existence they are.
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Jun 2, 2017 19:52
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MiddleOne posted:Or property tax. Anything that punishes hoarding real-estate and land without having any commercial activity is a net positive for the economy. We are not the economy. The economy is controlled by the 1%. Please rephrase your idea. It currently does help the "economy". Rich guys will make more, lose less. More $$ for them = good for the economy. Just like lower taxes, low inflation, and tax holidays. It doesn't help the rest of us who want to keep $$ flowing, spend money, and eat.
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Jun 5, 2017 01:45
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Guysz. I got guysz. I need to hire more guysz.
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Jun 7, 2017 23:26
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BrandorKP posted:It's then easier to properly stuff (load) a container (or trailer) with well built pallets and quicker. Well stuffed and properly secured containers will then reduce losses during shipping. The scope of those losses will vary wildly with whatever is in the container. Whenever my warehouse manager goes on vacation I have to take over and load I'm always super grateful he exists. he gets almost twice as much done as me with more care to details, he's also a 10 year warehouse guy and knows all the logistical tricks to get 100k in material packed and insured so I don't have to worry about a loss. Losses aren't just product disappearing, it loosing sales and customers. As a manager I wish I had union support. If he were to get crushed by a rock out climbing where am I going to find that kind of experience.
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Jun 9, 2017 05:19
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PT6A posted:Hey guys I found a cool trick for saving money, I just shove poo poo into my pockets and then walk out without paying it's totally cool because, like, they didn't even ask me to pay for it or anything, right? I just keep track of every mark up they make and appropriate just enough to offset that amount on the things I purchase. Just like capitalism intended. 
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Jun 19, 2017 20:40
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Owlofcreamcheese posted:Here is some advice from reddit how to shoplift better: This is akin to physically threatening people, IMO. Also your time being dragged into court. Is really worth it eh? Just dont get caught. If you are that desperate to steal that you have to threaten to carry a gun there are other problems in your life to worry about. Baronjutter posted:Gold fringed bar codes
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Jun 20, 2017 01:23
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got any sevens posted:Kexp.org is the only station I listen to, lots of new rock out there still *fist bump* John Waters killin it in the AM.
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Jun 22, 2017 18:29
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got any sevens posted:Good, gently caress regressive sales taxes As much as I feel like defunding the state is a Bad Thing. gently caress regressive sales taxes.
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Jul 8, 2017 06:04
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BrandorKP posted:Another article on Sears and Lampert As someone else in logistics, the story of Sears must be sad to watch. It is for me. They had their chance, could have been a much better version of Amazon and the current online incarnation of Walmart. But no. Run into the ground by a hedgefund Randoid.
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Aug 18, 2017 03:15
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there wolf posted:Not the grocery store, but I customers at my old retail job would occasionally ask for exact pries including tax and I got to whip out the calculator to give it to them. But that was kind of a luxury product, so maybe people were more inclined to stick to an exact budget. It's a massive pain in the rear end for service/labor suppliers who have to charge sales/use tax. Oh I did work in Everett today I have to bill their place of business in Everett,at 9.78% sales tax. Tomorrow I'm in Seattle with a 10.1% sales tax. I must carry a business licence to operate in every one of those localities and make sure I track and pay each different rate to each different agency or you know I'll get the tax colonoscopy. I hate the sales tax system and wish we could actually pull our heads out of our asses long enough to vote an income tax into law. RuanGacho posted:It's time for a Revision ohhhh the Revision. It has a certain dystopian ring to it. I like it.
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Sep 13, 2017 00:05
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Crow Jane posted:My favorite chain store is Ace Hardware, tbh. Not sure if all of them are like that, but the one in my neighborhood has an incredibly well- informed and helpful staff, plants that don't look half dead, a cooler full of weird sodas, and a friendly shop cat named Benjamin. I don't even do much diy or gardening, but it's just a really nice store. Plus they made use of a cool old post office building instead of knocking it down and putting up a featureless box instead, which is something I wish would happen more often Ace Hardware is more of a Co-op/buyers/franchise club than a chain. If you go into small towns they are usually in the spot of the ancient hardware store of yore. Ace Hardware is cool and good.
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Oct 11, 2017 02:18
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Magius1337est posted:I guess if you like hover pooping into a drainage drain like a chinese person? Can I not pay 60% of my income into rent? If so, sure!
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Oct 28, 2017 00:34
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Magius1337est posted:Maybe you're too poor to live in the middle of a hot and trendy downtown area? oh totally. half my block has fallen. I've been collecting all the finest cardboard boxes for my eventual eviction.
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Oct 28, 2017 05:03
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Unbelievably White posted:All stores should sell
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Nov 6, 2017 18:07
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BrandorKP posted:It also illustrates how loving wrong they are! It's amazing how most management treats the idea of labor costs, as only expendable and a place to be cut. Paying someone an extra 40$ a day is literally a drop in the bucket considering how much more efficient a happy employee is.
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Jan 12, 2018 17:50
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Liquid Communism posted:Are you a libertarian shill, or just so ignorant that you are incapable of understanding how Walmart's model has destroyed most of their competition and is being seen as an ideal to copy by other large retailers? In the last year, as a small manufacture selling to Amazon, I have noticed the shift to automate the practice of dictating terms to suppliers. It's straight up out of Walmarts playbook except they figured out how to get robots to shake you down instead of a greasy account manager.
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Jan 18, 2018 01:06
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BrandorKP posted:I think we can look to the past: "In service". It's going to be poo poo. The wealthy particularly in Asia are already looking to have Westerners in Butler / service type roles. I'd rather work for an Asian oligarch than Western at this point. Also, upgrade your account....
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Jan 20, 2018 02:41
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PT6A posted:This is every grocery store, it's a fuckin' warzone out there. I go to the Grocery Outlet on the first of the month for the true blood sport shopping of the desperation of the lower classes.
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Feb 18, 2018 19:13
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Magic Hate Ball posted:See, that's funny because Safeway in Seattle is where I go for normal things that Grocery Outlet either doesn't have or only has the worst version of. The one in Sodo gets all of the offstock from the downtown whole foods. Pretty kickin shut sometimes.
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Feb 27, 2018 02:29
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mandatory lesbian posted:it's not really collapsing, I was just making fun. It is pretty mismanaged in a few ways but Magic is probably the world's largest paper tcg, I doubt it's in serious peril. I've seen at least a dozen rooms full to the brim with mtg commons from box buys. 10k each spent on cardboard. They are doing fine.
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Apr 5, 2018 04:53
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eyebeem posted:I have four kids, and we have way too many toys... it’s insane. My wife, who is otherwise not a person that wants to own a lot of things, cannot handle getting rid of the toys the little kids have outgrown. My friends who now have kids, I give them older laptops/ computers/ tablets/ server subscriptions. I'm your lovely internet uncle. Give gifts that last, teach, and are needed.
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Apr 15, 2018 17:29
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As someone connected to the bike messenger community I'm obligated to get Jimmy Johns so that a kid with a death wish can hand me my sandwich.
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May 7, 2018 00:58
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Cicero posted:Capitalism is good at some things and bad at others, sorry you can't handle nuance We have pretty much reached a form of feudalism, as the wealth inequality is so great that gains that can be made through market labor are so low to never be able to break into anything resembling a capitalist market paradigm. The barriers to entry are so manufactured as to to not have any real relation to returns or value. The though you could have enough capital, unless you start with it, to compete in any material market is laughable.
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Jun 4, 2018 21:00
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self unaware posted:shoulda kept being an engineer instead of going back for your MBA and learning to be an idiot He does know more, categorically. Might have dumb opinions but Brandon does know a bit about international logistics. Most of his inferences about global supply chain I can echo as a person who runs a factory startup. Probably going to print that line diagram when I get to the office.
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Jun 17, 2018 20:01
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learnincurve posted:My parents got “the full package” from PC World, within 6 weeks they were complaining that explorer was slow, wouldn’t let me remove the half page of toolbars because “we need them” or touch /msconfig to sort out startup because “you will void the warrenty”. and then we’re outraged when the “youth” at PC world told them everything would have to be wiped. As person who used to fix systems for boomers. They just needed customer service not technical expertise, and the village man provided. Sometimes you just need to strategically avoid the problem rather than trying to solve it. Pro username post combo.
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Jul 27, 2018 19:18
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Unoriginal Name posted:So what happens if the transmitter on the safety vest breaks As someone who is very much against the robots ruling us all and caging humans, I'm for the protective cage around myself while interacting with robots. I've worked in horribly dangerous auto packaging warehouses before. I have gone and pulled the breakers from the panel to keep some dipshit floor manager from trying to turn on machines that have a legit kill count on them. Whats to stop some STEMlord jackass from turning down the safeties on the auto trackers till someone gets killed.
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Oct 2, 2018 02:39
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Cicero posted:That's pretty weird. In practice, you can have more touchscreens than active cashiers, so the increase in time it takes to order is canceled out by there being no or shorter lines to order. Unless you also walk out of any McDonald's that has any kind of line? Like many of your arguments you are technically correct. Humans are dumb and greedy and the most efficient way of doing things is often not the path of least resistance. Everyone who turns their time into labor to have its profit extracted deserves to be paid more. Period. I don't care if its less efficient for capitalism and consumers are price sensitive, I will literally fight you over it.** **I'm a dumb stupid human and that's my argument.
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Oct 3, 2018 16:31
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