[extropy-chat] Seven cents an hour? (was: Riots in France)

[M.B. Baumeister]

> John K. Clark said:
>
> Wal-Mart is more Free Market than ten thousand mom and pop
> stores because it competed with them in the Free Market and mom and pop
> lost; perhaps consumers did like the home town values or whatever other
> bullshit virtues they were supposed to radiate, but they did not like them
> enough to make up for mom and pop's price gouging.


Price gouging? I would not have said that. Indeed consumers might not have
liked mom and pop's *pricing*, but IMHO mom and pop probably were *not*
price *gouging*. When we consider economy of scale, mom and pop were
likely doing the best they could.

Now, with fuel prices rising in the USA, mom and pop have more appeal.
Where's the savings if you have to spend $5 or $10 to get to and from
WalMart? I, for one, am doing more shopping locally and on-line, unless
I'm aleady near a WalMart. I don't make any special trips to shop there -
although I know folks who do. Many of them make a hobby of shopping! ;)

They do have some excellent bargains, though, and some things I cannot
find elsewhere.

Regards,
MB