America's most hated companies

[harley]

Brand names- possibly, although I've read that some brands have specific versions they make for Wal-Mart at a lower price. I'm thinking clothing, shoes, toys. I also trust a place such as Costco more for quality control and supply chain management of non-processed food products such as meat and produce.

Many brands make specific models for individual stores, but it's more to defeat price comparisons than to make shoddy versions. I don't buy shoes from Walmart, but their pants and shirts are fine and last as long as anywhere else's versions. The Wrangler jeans I buy are the same as the ones they sell in Target, Penney's, Macy's, etc. As far as non-processed foods, I sort of like the fact that they move so much product so fast. Items don't stick around and have a chance to get old. I've never bought a bad batch of chicken or beef or cheese from them, and their produce is decent. If I don't like the looks of it I don't buy it.

And truthfully, their service is just as good/bad as anywhere else. Very few stores stress customer service anymore. Hah! I never thought I'd be defending Walmart, but they are just another store, IMO. Not all that hate-able. In my list of most hated companies, they wouldn't even make the top 25. Every airline and every cable/internet company would be ahead of them, for sure.

 

[athena53]

We've crafted in the United States a cultural motif of grumbling and dissatisfaction-by-default. It surely isn't good for the consumers who put themselves through the wringer. And I've got to believe it has a negative impact on the economy as a whole.

I have to agree it's very true for some businesses. Airlines are a good example: consumers made it very clear that they bought based on price. They got what they wanted. I'm old enough to remember Coach travel before deregulation- a totally different world. You want cheaper fares? OK, we'll overbook, squash more seats into the plane, serve crappier meals (then get rid of them altogether on the excuse that no one liked them anyway) and strip the service included in your ticket price down to the bare minimum, then charge if you want to check a bag or choose your seat.

In other businesses there's more "self-service" (how many places are there where a non-handicapped person can get a full-service gas fillup?) and if you need help you're directed to the Web or routed to voicemail hell only to end up with someone whose accent you can barely understand.

"Cheap" has its price.