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The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and HowIt's Transforming the American Economy Hardcover – January 19, 2006

by Charles Fishman (Author)

345 ratings

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An award-winning senior editor at Fast Company evaluates the ways in which the world's largest retail company and employer affects everyday life on a global level, in an account that reveals the radical ways in which the company impacts American economics, the workforce, and the environment. 50,000 first printing.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Fishman shops at Wal-Mart and has obvious affection for its price-cutting, hard-nosed ethos. He also understands that the story of Wal-Mart is really the story of the transformation of the American economy over the past 20 years. He's careful to present the consumer benefits of Wal-Mart's staggering growth and to place Wal-Mart in the larger context of globalization and the rise of mega-corporations. But he also presents the case against Wal-Mart in arresting detail, and his carefully balanced approach only makes the downside of Wal-Mart's market dominance more vivid. Through interviews with former Wal-Mart insiders and current suppliers, Fishman puts readers inside the company's penny-pinching mindset and shows how Wal-Mart's mania to reduce prices has driven suppliers into bankruptcy and sent factory jobs overseas. He surveys the research on Wal-Mart's effects on local retailers, details the environmental impact of its farm-raised salmon and exposes the abuse of workers in a supplier's Bangladesh factory. In Fishman's view, the "Wal-Mart effect" is double-edged: consumers benefit from lower prices, even if they don't shop at Wal-Mart, but Wal-Mart has the power of life and death over its suppliers. Wal-Mart, he suggests, is too big to be subject to market forces or traditional rules. In the end, Fishman sees Wal-Mart as neither good nor evil, but simply a fact of modern life that can barely be comprehended, let alone controlled.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The "Wal-Mart effect" has become a common phrase in the vocabulary of economists and includes a broad range of effects, such as forcing local competitors out of business, driving down wages, and keeping inflation low and productivity high. On a global scale, Wal-Mart's relentless commitment to "everyday low prices" has had a massive impact on the trend toward importing from countries like China and the resultant loss of manufacturing jobs here. Because of its strict policy on secrecy, surprisingly little is known about the inside workings of the largest corporation ever in the U.S and now the world. Although much has been written before on the legendary story of Sam Walton, Fishman finally takes us inside the carefully guarded workings of the "Wal-Mart ecosystem," where management surrender their lives and families, working 12 hours a day, six days a week, in a near-holy quest toward the never-ending goal of lower prices. He brings to light the serious repercussions that are occurring as consumers and suppliers have become locked in an addiction to massive sales of cheaper and cheaper goods. David Siegfried
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Press HC, The; First Edition (January 19, 2006)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1594200769
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1594200762
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.4 x 1.08 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #871,315 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #228 in Retailing Industry (Books)
- #1,950 in Economic History (Books)
- #2,742 in Popular Culture in Social Sciences

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345 ratings

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Customers find the book highly readable and informative, with one review noting how it effectively uses case studies to support its arguments. They appreciate its value for money, mentioning its great price.

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42 customers mention "Readability"42 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and well-written, with one customer noting it provides a readable analysis of a behemoth company.

"...As far as the book goes its a good read. Fishman has a nice style of writing like any good reporter should and the pace and presentation of the..." Read more

"This is a very good, even-handed analysis of the the WalMart effect on the economy from the local consumer to the globalized manufacturing of the..." Read more

"...and what the arguments against this giant are, this may be a good introductory book...." Read more

"...Yes, the book is ten years old but quite prophetic. It's an enlightening, often scary must-read if you're interested in the world's largest..." Read more

22 customers mention "Information quality"22 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly informative, with one customer noting its effective use of case studies to support its arguments.

"...This book is a very even-handed review of a touchy subject - the Wal-Mart Effect. As a numbers person, I love the statistics, I need the data...." Read more

"A very interesting book that describes in detail the effects that the introduction of a new WalMart Store in a community has upon its consumers and..." Read more

"...It is very informative without being boring. I sped through this book and I'm a 22 year old college student - with a very short attention span...." Read more

"...I suggest you check this book out...you might find some very interesting information that will blow your mind." Read more

5 customers mention "Value for money"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book offers good value for money.

"...my $9.65 hourly position, and everything Fishman says about this frugal, focused and frenetic business is true, right down to the store level...." Read more

"...to pay,literally, for me to get my items at Wal-Mart at such a low, low price...." Read more

"Quality okay, as announced. Price is very interesting. The reading is awesome!!!" Read more

"...who requested the book, and he was mnost pleased witht the book, the price, and the speed with which it was delivered. Thank you." Read more

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Jeffrey Dorn
I love to Hate Wally-World...
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2006
Verified Purchase

This book jumped out at me from the very first moment I saw it. It wasn't on my list of books to read however the title grabbed me. Wal-mart is on the leading edge of my favorite topics. I don't shop at Wal-mart anymore. I have come to dislike Wal-mart. As far as the book goes its a good read. Fishman has a nice style of writing like any good reporter should and the pace and presentation of the story he tells reads like a good episode of 60 Min. I enjoyed it.

There is nothing stunning about the facts Fishman presents to the reader. That is, if you, like me, read a wide variety of center to left news magazines in addition to all the right wing spew that oozes out of the Television. The Wal-mart effect has been well documented in "The Nation", "Mother Jones" and "The Progressive" magazines for years. It is an ongoing story. The real kick in the pants is that this is now main stream. Wal-mart is way out of control. Wal-mart is out of control in the way a 380 lbs linebacker with the mind of a 4 year old is out of control. The linebacker needs handlers to keep him from hurting those around or himself and in that sense Wal-mart needs the government to step in and handle them. The reasons why are very well presented in the book which I encourage you to read. (I borrowed the anology from Fishman)

There are two other things that interested me about this book. One is Wal-marts dedication to bringing the shopper the lowest price at any expense. I feel quality has been sacrificed. Fishman lists a variety of examples from sprinkler to blue jeans that have had the quality cut as well as the cost of labor inorder to achieve the 5% cost cut per year mandated by Wal-mart policy. I think that the shopping experience at a Wal-mart suffers from lack of quality as well. Wal-mart is a manisfestation of the cheapening of our society. The other thing is taxes. Fishman doesn't really go into the Wal-mart effect on local municipalities. (Some but there is much more) Wal-mart shops for locations. They want cheap. They want towns to fork over municiple service and build streets and handle traffic AND give up a big tax break. They present themselves to the town selectmen as if the 300 jobs they bring into a community will be the payoff. If the town won't budge on a Wal-mart demand then they head up the road to the next town. Wal-mart dosn't want just the cake and the frosting... Wal-mart wants the serving spoon, the plate, the cart you wheeled it in on, you get the point. Fishman does touch on this issue in general. I would like to have seen a bit more information on this. The cost of 300 low pay, part time jobs with crummy insurance to the town that gets saddled with a Wal-mart is often so high thats it is not worth it. The health insurance gets paid by governemt services, the traffic gets handled by an already over stretched police force, the firedepartment now has added responsibility and by the time all the real costs are added up Wal-mart starts looking like a 800 lbs gorilla on the back of local taxpayers. I would venture a guess that would be one Wal-mart does not want to be well known.

All in all this is a must read. I use to shop a Wal-mart. Then I became a guilty exploiter of just the amazing fishing department. Now I have weaned myself off Wal-marts low price altogether. I just can't afford them anymore

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James Charnock
"Sometimes the way others see you is, in fact, the way you are." (Charles Fishman, author)
Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2012
Verified Purchase
My subtitle would be: Wal-Mart is a Bully

Imagine this scenario:

A 115-year old company respected for its quality product/s and loyal buyers is selling an item for X amount, which allows them to compete, provide medical coverage for its employees, donate to local charities, pay for the raw materials, give employees the weekend off and a week (at least) paid vacation. These employees earn enough to save for eventualities, afford a reasonable house and so on.

The company decides to become a supplier to Wal-Mart because of its vast national and international reach. Its product soars via Wal-Mart, eventually amounting to 75% of the company's sales. That is year one.

Year two, Wal-Mart has a "talk" with the venerable company and tells the CEO that if they want to continue with Wal-Mart they will have to reduce their price to a set amount--this is not a negotiation--because Wal-Mart's goal is: "Always the lowest price. Always." The producer/supplier/manufacturer winces, but takes the squeeze.

But the supplier soon finds out that the Wal-Mart "talk" is yearly and each year there must be a price cut, which will affect the supplier's number of employees, the benefits it gives and so on. Eventually, the only way the company can survive is to cheapen its product and/or move overseas.

So, employees are fired, their spending in the community lessened, life's benefits are lowered or eliminated and life is more miserable. Pleading or reasoning with Wal-Mart is useless: They don't care. They want more and more customers and the way to get them is lowering prices.

The above is the essence of this book, except the book is more dramatic, more depressing and shocking (though enlightening), and based on real scenarios, over and over. Seldom have I read a book that was so overwhelming. Although the author seems to go off on a tangent at times, the main gist of his book is that Wal-Mart is the best (read: worst) example of the high cost of low prices.

Personally, I never shop at Wal-Mart. Yes, I have visited twice and bought exactly one item, regardless of its price. I don't like the moral tone of a company that browbeats its suppliers--other companies--out of existence or forces them to go to very poor countries where 20 people can be hired for a living wage of one U.S. worker. It has an end goal--the lowest price--and doesn't seem to much care about the means to that end. Our country and people will become economic slaves with not much freedom to shop elsewhere for variety and quality.

Following are some pertinent quotes from the book:

PAGE 103:
"Sure, Wal-Mart has held inflation down; it's great to have bargains. But you can't buy anything if you're not employed. We are shopping ourselves out of jobs"

PAGE 106:
"Eventually, the only way to lower costs is to manufacture outside the U.S., in countries with lower labor costs, fewer regulations, less overhead. This [constant price-lowering] element of the Wal-Mart effect remains largely hidden from public view."

PAGE 165:
"We find the presence of Wal-Mart unequivocally raised family poverty rates in U.S. counties..."--a university study where everything else but Wal-Mart was controlled for.

PAGE 179:
"Part of the reason Wal-Mart can sell a salmon fillet [dirt cheap] is they don't [accept] all the costs. Pollution ultimately costs money--to clean up, to prevent. [As does] reasonable wages, proper equipment, worker breaks, days off [even ONE]. Right now those costs aren't in the price of a pound of Chilean salmon."

PAGE 203:
"The only thing likely to make you smile at Wal-Mart is the price. In fact, it isn't really a place to shop, it's a place to buy things--bring a list, check the items off, get out. ... Wal-Mart is relentless at measuring its own costs; it isn't so interested in measuring its customers' costs."

PAGE 236:
"Wal-Mart isn't subject to the market forces because it is creating them [because of its size: the biggest company in the world]."

PAGE 240:
One of the highest percentages of workers on Medicaid work for Wal-Mart--mostly because they don't make enough money at Wal-Mart not to be on Medicaid.

PAGE 269:
"Wal-Mart can't seem to grasp an essential fact: The company has exactly the reputation it has earned: ... How it treats store employees; the relentless pressure that hollows out companies and dilutes the quality of their products; the bullying of suppliers and communities; and its corrosive secrecy."

PAGE 272:
"Low prices looked great for years, until we got a peek at [Wal-Mart's] hidden....costs. It's possible that the long-term consequences of muscling suppliers into sustainability will actually be unsustainable."

On the flip side, Wal-Mart is so big, powerful and influential that it can actually change the economic life of it's customers (and citizens around the world) for the better. If it took the lead others would follow. But it keeps its head in the sand and continues to be what it mostly always has been. If you're not sure what I mean, simply re-read the review.

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J. Edgar
Fine Objective Analysis
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2010
Verified Purchase
This is a very good, even-handed analysis of the the WalMart effect on the economy from the local consumer to the globalized manufacturing of the products we consume ever day. It was well-written and easy to read.

My main complaint is that the writer at times speaks of some of what we might call the company's evils in a most dispassionate manner. At the time of reading, this feels like he is implicitly condones the actions of the companies and its suppliers (even though its clear the suppliers have little option in going along with WalMart).

Overall, I think the objectivity of the author plays a key part on the effectiveness of the book. His bias is in the pages, but they do not yell too loud. Anyone looking int the effect of late twentieth century capitalism on America would be well served to read this book.

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ku
The perfect analysis
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 22, 2013
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This book is a perfect analysis of Wal-mart and the effct it caused and causes in this world. It is a must read for how ever wants to understand economy , or just the world he/she is lives in.

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Pete Muileboom
Grower
Reviewed in Canada on November 10, 2023
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A real eye opener !!!

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Kedar Jois
Complete waste of Time and Money!
Reviewed in India on March 12, 2022
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Nothing interesting , Not written in a readable way . It begins with boredom and latches on to some uninteresting data . No connections between chapters . Some random chapters which I'm sure you can find on Google now a days .

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リバーサイドひらくち
日本では赤字
Reviewed in Japan on August 8, 2017
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操作ミスで書いたレビューが消えてしまったので、同じ内容を再度書き込む気力はなく・・・もし創業者が今も存命なら、現状をどう考えるのかなぁと思う。（自らは私欲を肥やすでもなく質素に暮らし、会社のそばの敷地内に葬られた）２００６年出版のペーパーバック版でドイツと日本では赤字だというが、現在は？日本ではウォールマート＝西友？だとすると、やっぱコスパというCMのわりに驚くほど安いわけでもなく、品ぞろえもよくない、質もよくないでは日本での躍進は難しそう。

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Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 3, 2016
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Good condition.

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The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and HowIt's Transforming the American Economy Hardcover – January 19, 2006

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5.0 out of 5 stars I love to Hate Wally-World...

5.0 out of 5 stars "Sometimes the way others see you is, in fact, the way you are." (Charles Fishman, author)

4.0 out of 5 stars Fine Objective Analysis

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars The perfect analysis

5.0 out of 5 stars Grower

1.0 out of 5 stars Complete waste of Time and Money!

5.0 out of 5 stars 日本では赤字

5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars

I love to Hate Wally-World...

"Sometimes the way others see you is, in fact, the way you are." (Charles Fishman, author)

Fine Objective Analysis

The perfect analysis

Grower

Complete waste of Time and Money!

日本では赤字

Five Stars