The Man Who Said No to Wal-Mart

http://money.aol.com/ ^ | 1 18 06 | Charles Fishman

[Aquinasfan]

Time wasters...all of that stuff!

Some people actually like it, like me 8-)

[wallcrawlr]

hmmm...you think so?
I'm not so sure about that.

[Labyrinthos]

Who in their right mind would pay this much for so little? If someone wants to pay that much, that someone can easily afford to have someone cut their grass!

I can afford to hire someone to cut my grass. I can afford to hire a fulltime groundskeeper. But I continue to cut my own grass and do about 90% of the outdoor maintenance work, which is one of the reasons I'm not 40 lbs overweight and look is if my only exercise is using the remote control. I paid over $500 for my John Deer -- 16 years ago -- and it still runs better than the crap that Wallyworld sells.

Believe it or not, there are still people like me who appreciate quality products, which is why I will NEVER shop at Wallyworld. Indeed, I could hardly care less about low wage, uninsured workers. What I do care about is decent products that turned to crap once the manufacturers climbed into bed with the people from Bentonville. Levi's are now the cheapest quality jeans on the market. Vlassic pickles went from a top brand name to bankruptcy. I can go on. Note, however, I don't blame Walmart, because no one made Levi Strauss and Vlassic et al. sign a deal with the "devil." But I don't have to shop at Walmart and I don't.

[MamaB]

We have had the same guy to do our yard for about 15 or 20 years. He comes by to see what needs to be done and does it. He comes by to get paid when he needs the money. The last check I wrote him was for over $1,000. He does all the grass cutting, shrub trimming, plants veggies for me, rakes and bags the leaves, etc. He has several nephews he is rearing to help him. Now, he does nearly all the yards on this short street plus others in this part of town,

I told our daughter that I did not know what we would do if he ever retired. He is the most reliable person we ever had.

[conservative physics]

at that price i'd rather pay some neighborhood kid $20 every other week for the 9 months the lawn actually grows, including edging and blowing away the cutting and leaves.

40 a month * 9 months = $360 a year

with no worries about your equipment braking or not starting the next season and no expenses for fuel, oil, or sharpening your blades.

[Howlin]

Of course the moron doesn't understand the well-worn tactic of making a cheaper model under another brand name

Kenmore.

[Howlin]

LOL!

[right right]

There is a place for both. I can't buy a snapper or any high end mower cost effectively because I often mow over hidden rocks, hidden stumps, etc., and those items tear up ANY mower. Sometimes they last 4-5 years, sometimes less than a mowing season. (march-nov) Not all of us live in a cute city with a cute yard.

[TheForceOfOne]

If you stare into a mirror with the lights off and chant

Wal-Mart is evil!
Wal-Mart is evil!
Wal-Mart is evil!
Wal-Mart is evil!

For 10 minutes, the face of Sam Walton will magically appear!

I'm series, try it!

[ansel12]

"The Wal-Mart vice president responded with strategy and argument. Snapper is the sort of high-quality nameplate, like Levi Strauss, that Wal-Mart hopes can ultimately make it more Target-like. He suggested that Snapper find a lower-cost contract manufacturer. He suggested producing a separate, lesser-quality line with the Snapper nameplate just for Wal-Mart. Just like Levi did."


Home Depot does exactly the same thing. Moen,American Standard, Kohler, among others were forced to introduce special Home Depot lines 0f cheaper made versions or lose Home Depot as a dealer.

[MajorityOfOne]

I'm glad everyone else loves their Toros. I have a Toro lawn tractor with a super-cool auto-style transmission that won't go into reverse, and the dealer tells me that, due to that wonderful, high-quality tranny, it'll cost me hundreds to fix. (PS... don't assume that, just because a Simplicity mower costs 3 times as much, it will last for 10 years).

[najida]

Some of us like doing our own yards.

My issue with the hired help is the constant "Bush, what bush? That stick was a tree? You want plant HOW MANY bulbs!?" etc....

I'd have to be out there the entire time supervising because my yard is well, big and different. Besides, it's excellent exercise :)

[MarineBrat]

 

The whole reason I have a Snapper mower is because I don't plan on ever getting a new one. I expect it will last another 20 years *at least*, by which time I'll be ready to give up yard work. I live in the country and have a large yard, and part of my therapy ... er, ah, exercise routine is to work on my yard and garden and orchard and pasture.

My Snapper is built rugged and simple. The parts have not changed for many many years, and are available everywhere. It's easy to service and was a good value.

 

I understand that it's good politics here at FR to stand behind Wal-Mart no matter what, but I get the impression that that's only because the Democrats are against Wal-Mart because of their hiring practices.  People here love Wal-Mart simply because the Dems hate Wal-Mart, but that's not good enough for me.  While I'm not anti-Wal-Mart, neither am I pro-Wal-Mart simply becaue the Dems don't like them.  I think Wal-Mart is free do do business how they choose, and hire who they choose, and pay their employees whatever their employees are willing to work for.  That's business.  That's life.  You are worth exactly what you're willing to work for.  Period.  And, in fact, I know people who work for Wal-Mart and have never heard a complaint from any of them.

But, the fact is that much of what Wal-Mart sells is cheap Chinese made crap!  So when I want cheap crap I go to Wal-Mart.  That's what they're there for.  Their aisles are narrow and crowded, but their stuff is cheap.  That's the deal, and I wish the Dems could deal with it better.

But I must defend Snapper here.  They make a GREAT lawn mower.  Made in the USA.  Expensive.  But a good deal if you intend to care for it.  I got my Snapper from a local "small engine" shop, and will defend that decision.  My money stayed in the USA and supported my neighbors.  And if you look at the picture of the Snapper mower above you can see that it's designed to be serviced.  It's essentially made inside-out, where everything can be gotten to.  One of the best investments I've ever made.  Not just in my lawn mower, but in my neighbors.  I say buy USA when it makes sense!

[HIDEK6]

If someone wants to pay that much, that someone can easily afford to have someone cut their grass!

Maybe the guy that's doing the grass cutting for the homeowner is the guy who wants the durable lawn mower.

[HeadOn]

Well, yes and no - I haven't been in the industry in a while, but Snapper used to require special build engines from the manufacturers. I can't imagine they don't do that now, especially reading this article. We sold them a Subaru (Wisconsin Robin) a few years back - don't know if they still use it. I think they went with another Japanese engine for that segment of the market.

But - Snapper made Briggs come up with a little higher quality engine (ball bearings on the crank, etc.), and they have used special-built Tecumseh engines as well. Snapper ain't no slouch.

I have a John Deere rider, by the way. Paid twice as much to get a real one from a dealer. As for a Home Depot "John Deere" - they ain't really John Deeres, if you ask me. Lots of significant engineering differences. JD used to call them "Sabres", but must have bowed to the low price pressure of Home Depot and put the JD badge on them, just like the Snapper guy in the story refused to do. Good for him.

[HIDEK6]

WalMart wanted the brand Snapper. Another brand name would not do.

Walmart should just call Mao Tse Silverstein over in Beijing, get him to make a hundred million cheap lawn mowers, but a nameplate on them that says "Snaper" and let Weir sue.

The legal fight would be ruinous to the little guy.

[HeadOn]

$349 for 20 years, vs. $130 for maybe 5? You do the math. You're saving money. Snappers LAST and LAST.

[HeadOn]

Yep. With lawn mowers, you most definitely get what you pay for. See post 75...

[connectthedots]

Or about Huffy bicycles.

[RockinRight]

Often though if you don't do it yourself, they screw up things. My father had the following happen with the people he hired:

-cut down a 24" tree seedling that cost $100 (rare species)
-chipped the paint on neighbor's car by running mower over gravel
-cut down daffodils that hadn't even bloomed yet (again, with the mower)