WalMart blows....

[Synirr]

[...]I firmly believe that the "rescuers" many of whom also buy tanks, heaters, or anything else at WalMart are a major part of the problem. Why? Because these are exactly the people who claim to care about the good of the fish, and are choosing not to take a stand for what they believe in.

Well I can agree with you there. If you are really trying to make a stand, then don't buy products from there and, if you want to save a fish, make absolutely sure everyone there knows how disgusted you are and that you'll be going elsewhere to buy your supplies for it.
What I was saying is that beginners buy many more actual fish from Walmart than do "rescuers," and that if all you're buying from them is a fish, it's not really going to have that big of an impact.

I'm a bit hypocritical on this one, I admit, because I live in a small town and Walmart is the only place I can buy tanks without special ordering them from my LFS, waiting a month for them to arrive, and then paying about twice what I should have to pay for them. I care, and I'm willing to spend my time and effort to make things happen, but I don't care enough to waste $50 on it, sorry. At least I buy my food and other supplies from my LFS.

I've recently become more vocal about the way Walmart keeps their fish, though, and even contacted the home office... They haven't gotten a new fish shipment in two weeks, and unless they really clean up their act soon, I'm going to call the home office and strongly recommend that they never get a new shipment... period.

 

[wuvmybetta]

It's too disheartening doing it solo when you begin to see a decline in upkeep.

Totally. I completely understand, Kelly - and yours was the best stand for bettas I've ever seen.


I guess what I'm saying is that if more people did this, you wouldn't be solo in your venture. Can you imagine the impact for the fish, the store, and the betta lovers if EVERY WalMart that people here shop in had 3 or 4, or even more, people doing the same thing you did? That could really make a big change in the long run for the fish, and many people wouldn't have to shoulder it alone.


I unterstand the frustration and sadness Kelly, but what kind of world do you want to leave for your daughter? For your daughter's daughter? I know the kind of world I want for mine. I have to live into the world as if this is possible - I know not all the things I believe in will happen, but if I don't live into the world like I CAN make a difference, none of them will happen.

It's easy to live in the masses and talk about how unimportant what you do is in the big picture. It'a much harder to take a stand and live with integrety.

Kelly, you care, and your story does not make me sad - it proves to me that one person CAN make a difference. Think of the impact of 2,4, 12, dozens of people doing what you did, and tell me it wouldn't make a difference.

I see what you're saying but I also have another point of view, maybe two...that of the betta first (not literally)...but let's say that ok, no one buys a betta from WM anywhere in the country for a week. Nationwide there has not been ONE sale all week. But at the same time they have the fish stocked and ready to go. With no sales,the fish get no care and they will indeed sit there and rot until they are either sold or they die. THAT's the part that is so very disturbing.

WM is a machine and they will not even notice this lapse in betta sales for months more than likely. All the while, ordering more to replace the deceased. That's 100's of thousands of betta lives So I may have a really twisted perception of things, but I do see and understand why people buy them like they do

It is a multi-million dollar a year industry for WM, and I highly doubt they'll ever stop selling them. That's fine with me, just CARE for them is all I ask.

So being a voice for the voiceless is the best way to do that. I've been discussing starting some sort of nationwide veiltail protection organization with the higher up's of the IBC. If a branch could form and we could have people everywhere who WILL back you up locally, it may take away some of this horrible mistreatment. Slowly, and on a small scale but eventually over time it may be worthwhile. If we could form a strong enough branch to the point where we had three or four people in every town in every state acrossed America, ya know...eat that WM. If we could get to that point we could even have a "national day of protest" if nothing else had affect on WM.
Can you imagine 1 day of the year where every WalMart acrossed the nation had at least 4 protestors outside?!! That would get some attention! I haven't been too pushy with the idea as of just yet because of show season. I figure I should wait until the winter months when everything has settled down so I can have full attention.

Until then, ya know....I dunno, I'll never knock on someone for having a bleeding heart and taking a fish home I just can't. Been there, done that.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

There was already a thread on this earlier in the forum, i shall repeat what i have gathered from this;
For the majority of WalMart stores, they do not actually make any profit from selling the fish but only from the fish tanks they sell; the only reason why why they have the fish in the first place is because they cost pennys and everytime somone buys a fish tank or other fish related merchandise they make a large profit, soo...
As long as you buy fish only, Walmart is running at a loss as long as you don't buy anything else from there to go with the fish.
From what i have gathered, this is the same with all Walmart stores, so when you buy a fish only to save and nothing else you are not only saving its life you are a also making them lose money
I rest my case.

 

[wuvmybetta]

For the majority of WalMart stores, they do not actually make any profit from selling the fish but only from the fish tanks they sell; the only reason why why they have the fish in the first place is because they cost pennys

That's a bit oxymoronic. How can you assume there is no profit when they pay approx .15 a fish and sell them for nearly 4.00? It's pure profit. Plain and simple.
I'd say they have more $$$ invested in their goods.

 

[cation]

I'm a bit hypocritical on this one, I admit, because I live in a small town and Walmart is the only place I can buy tanks without special ordering them from my LFS, waiting a month for them to arrive, and then paying about twice what I should have to pay for them. I care, and I'm willing to spend my time and effort to make things happen, but I don't care enough to waste $50 on it, sorry. At least I buy my food and other supplies from my LFS.

I do understand that in many towns, WalMart is the only choice. They are such a massive problem on so many levels, but that's another story for another thread...

I've recently become more vocal about the way Walmart keeps their fish, though, and even contacted the home office... They haven't gotten a new fish shipment in two weeks, and unless they really clean up their act soon, I'm going to call the home office and strongly recommend that they never get a new shipment... period.

Awesome! See, people, you can make a stand even if you HAVE to shop at WalMart. Good for you, Synirr!

 

[Ethos]

*strong exhale*

I have to say........I'm gunna get killed for this but........I like wal-mart. I have bought most of my fish supplies from there and I've had a good experience there. I know tons of people that have gotten in the intrest of fish BECAUSE of walmart. I bought my first 10G there, and its one of my best tanks.
Although I like it, I refuse to buy fish there. The only closest pet store besides walmart is petco, which is 30 mins away. I buy my fish from there, but not a whole more.
So, I guess I buy from walmart because, its ok.
Have I complaned about the way they keep there fish.
Yes
Will I continue to complan.
Yes
Have I seen a difference.
No
Will I stop buy any fish product from walmart?
No

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Tht's a bit oxymoronic. How can you assume there is no profit when they pay approx .15 a fish and sell them for nearly 4.00? It's pure profit. Plain and simple.

Yes bit when you consider the large mortallity rates in their fish and the fact they rarely ever medicate them when they get desease outbreaks...

 

[cation]

So being a voice for the voiceless is the best way to do that. I've been discussing starting some sort of nationwide veiltail protection organization with the higher up's of the IBC. If a branch could form and we could have people everywhere who WILL back you up locally, it may take away some of this horrible mistreatment. Slowly, and on a small scale but eventually over time it may be worthwhile. If we could form a strong enough branch to the point where we had three or four people in every town in every state acrossed America, ya know...eat that WM. If we could get to that point we could even have a "national day of protest" if nothing else had affect on WM.
Can you imagine 1 day of the year where every WalMart acrossed the nation had at least 4 protestors outside?!! That would get some attention! I haven't been too pushy with the idea as of just yet because of show season. I figure I should wait until the winter months when everything has settled down so I can have full attention.

Wow, that sounds great! PM me on that if you want, I'd love to try to help with that on the PNW front.

Until then, ya know....I dunno, I'll never knock on someone for having a bleeding heart and taking a fish home I just can't. Been there, done that.

Can't say that I have. But I'll knock 'em for this, you can knock 'em on another issue.....

 

[cation]

For the majority of WalMart stores, they do not actually make any profit from selling the fish but only from the fish tanks they sell; the only reason why why they have the fish in the first place is because they cost pennys

That's a bit oxymoronic. How can you assume there is no profit when they pay approx .15 a fish and sell them for nearly 4.00? It's pure profit. Plain and simple.
I'd say they have more $$$ invested in their goods.

Not only that, the issue is a lot bigger then not giving WalMart money. That's simply one facet of the approach.

 

[Tolak]

I don't buy squat from china mart, due to various political & social reasons that have no business being discussed on a fish forum.

Tolak

 

[wuvmybetta]

Tht's a bit oxymoronic. How can you assume there is no profit when they pay approx .15 a fish and sell them for nearly 4.00? It's pure profit. Plain and simple.

Yes bit when you consider the large mortallity rates in their fish and the fact they rarely ever medicate them when they get desease outbreaks...

I still don't get it. Two betta sales make up the cost of the entire shipment more than likely. After that it's just gravy, whoever dies....dies.

 

[cation]

*strong exhale*

I have to say........I'm gunna get killed for this but........I like wal-mart. I have bought most of my fish supplies from there and I've had a good experience there. I know tons of people that have gotten in the intrest of fish BECAUSE of walmart. I bought my first 10G there, and its one of my best tanks.
Although I like it, I refuse to buy fish there. The only closest pet store besides walmart is petco, which is 30 mins away. I buy my fish from there, but not a whole more.
So, I guess I buy from walmart because, its ok.
Have I complaned about the way they keep there fish.
Yes
Will I continue to complan.
Yes
Have I seen a difference.
No
Will I stop buy any fish product from walmart?
No

That's cool. If WalMart is okay with you, no reason to stop shopping there. Personally, my reasons for hating WM run a lot deeper then just the fish issue, but that's neither here nor there.

I guess the only issue I would have with that would be the whole "I saved a betta from WalMart " thing. If you don't have a problem with walmart, what exactly are you saving the fish from?

 

[cation]

I don't buy squat from china mart, due to various political & social reasons that have no business being discussed on a fish forum.

Tolak

That's the "neither here nor there" I was just referring to....

 

[wuvmybetta]

I don't buy squat from china mart, due to various political & social reasons that have no business being discussed on a fish forum.

  Tolak

That's the "neither here nor there" I was just referring to....

Exactly, I hate them on an entirely different level just for the fact that....they are what they are. But again, a different topic. I do run in to pick things up,like today, but I do my grocery/major shopping elsewhere now and I have for almost a year. That place is scumville anymore, and this one in particular is a brand new store Call me a hypocrite,whatever. But damn them and their convenient locations on every corner!

 

[cation]

I don't buy squat from china mart, due to various political & social reasons that have no business being discussed on a fish forum.

Tolak

That's the "neither here nor there" I was just referring to....

Exactly, I hate them on an entirely different level just for the fact that....they are what they are. But again, a different topic. I do run in to pick things up,like today, but I do my grocery/major shopping elsewhere now and I have for almost a year. That place is scumville anymore, and this one in particular is a brand new store Call me a hypocrite,whatever. But damn them and their convenient locations on every corner!

Kel, you know I wasn't referring to you. I understand that they have taken over large parts of the country, and you fought a good fight, took a break, and are considering an even larger fight. You know I got nothin' but respect for that and love for you.