Even more ironically, it's a very "popular" way to be "individual", which kind of defeats its own purpose. [;)] Join the bandwagon and be unique!

quote:Originally posted by RexxCrow

Just to clarify there are "American made" customized choppers manufactures all around the U.S. i.e. West Coast Choppers, East Coast Choppers, etc. Also "Springer" front ends are 100,000,000% American made! Which can also be used on Harley Davidson bikes, to "customize" them; which is afterall the point of owning a motorcycle, to stand out, to be you're own person, and be an individual. Which ironically enough is akin to the American spirit.


You Mean, thay order parts just like I order parts, And slap them
slap them together, just like i do with computers? Huumm
I guess ALL my computers a made (asembled) Are made in the U.S.A.
I order a Custom painted case, and thay order a frame and have it custom painted. Thay pull a engine out of a crate, I open the Intel
Box. Lets be honest, thay modify every day parts just like I Modify
a case with fans, switches, lights. I Could have my own show!
Monster Computer![:D]

i will say one thing on this thread...
watch the south park episode about walmart.

Well actually my front end was machined and assembled here in GA. for me from the people I work for, and I installed it myself, because the factory didn't have a set of forks for what I wanted. And I also build my own puters too! Just like the Russian said in Armageddon " American technology - Russian technology, all made in Taiwan".

But seriously the workmanship of products that are being outsourced are what you pay for as a company, and if you use labor that may be less skilled to assemble something just because some country will give you a deal for using their people as labor, and the product isn't as good as a country's that pays well for the best skilled people, then expect the quality to be conciderably less. And by countries with the best skilled laborers, I don't necessarily mean the USA, there are other countries out there that have the best at what they do, but the companies here are not using them, and sending the work to the ones that will make the product the cheapest regardless of the quality. That is the way of business now days, well not for the company I work for at least, all the things we make are 100% made by hand and here in the USA. We are a new business which is already putting a strain on the bigger business' that have been around for many years dominating the field we work in, and we are beating them with our quality, not the cheapest cost to the company, and we are competitive to the big boys in our field of business too. So look out for Kirkpatrick and Son's, we are Growing.

Oh, and Zilla FYI Buell is made by the same people who made my bike.Well most of the things on a Buell, is based on a 1200 Sportster setup, just with a different suspension and fork rake, to compete with the rice burner crotch rockets.

quote:Originally posted by Slim Shady

i will say one thing on this thread...
watch the south park episode about walmart.



Thanks for the tip. I'll download it. I remember watching just parts of it before, so it would be nice to watch the whole thing.

KB

Wow, I just hope that it is true what they say; that being: ignorance is bliss.


LMAO, Slim that episode made me look at Wal-Mart under an entirely new light! That is what I like about South Park, it's ability to convey an important point though comedic enlightenment, (ok, well most of the time anyways.) Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Rock!

Hey that reminds me somebody should make up an alien race for TW, call them "Flocklar's" (The pink was thrown in their to appease Xen, just kidding! [;)])

Burn Wal-Mart! Replace them all with Mini-Marts, owned and operated by Kaboom himself. (jabs at Kaboom's ribs) Thats right folks, step right over here to the dollar deals of Kaboom Inc.

On a serious note, I believe that in some communites, Wal-Mart brings MUCH needed change, and many new jobs, revenue, and such, on the other hand, they put many small businesses out of style, cheap is the way right now, forget customer service? Well if your like me, and you want customer service with certian things, you seek it, Target for instance. Wal-Mart is good to run and grab a few different things, milk, and pencils for example, or maybe a CD and a pair of shorts and some cereal. But if I was looking for quality or customer service I would spend an extra buck at Target or Kroger...

Just my 2 cents Boom, can I still be your PR?

quote:Originally posted by yeah_that_way

But if I was looking for quality or customer service I would spend an extra buck at Target or Kroger...



I am wondering why so many people think that Wal-Mart is cheaper? Yes, they are low priced, but they are not the cheapest around more often than you might think. I will release a price study that some grad students did for me comparing Wal-Mart to local competitors in a 2 seperate markets.

This study compares the prices on 100 items. Of these 100 items, 75 of them are "staples" such as milk, bread, etc and the other 25 are misc. and convenience items. This is a long study so I'll need to summarize. I plan to post it this weekend.

I am wondering if anyone wants to guess how well Wal-Mart compares to their local competitors. Do you think that they are higher/lower on staples items? Misc./Convenience Items?

KB

In California people don't goto Wal-mart to go grocery shopping though, they goto them for their cheap prices on DVD's, CD's, kitchen items, clothing, shoes, toys', hygiene products, makeup, etc. Their prices for junk food is also good even when compaired to the bulk selling super markets. Wal-Mart is just starting to expand to include food shopping and I don't think at this point most people rely on Wal-Mart for their groceries only for their material items.

Additionally Wal-Mart sells non-name brand items, for such things as DVD player's, TV's, Stereos's, etc. So they are able to sell the items cheaper then Best Buy, Circuit City, Good Guys, Radio Shack, etc. Because those stores focus on name brand items and high-end items, which always up's their price whether that product actually serves a meaningful purpose or not, i.e. Sony, Bose, Kenwood, etc.

I like their "no coupons, will honor competitors coupons" policy. Bring a kroger
ad with you, get it matched. Is it cheaper? Some... probably cheaper because you
don't have to drive everywhere. But it's not quicker to get in and out, so if
I'm just going for afew days worth of stuff I wouldn't mess with wally world.

Is it cheaper for staple items? I don't know. Seems a little cheaper, but that's
just speculation. I haven't added things up.

quote:Originally posted by Kaboom

I am wondering if anyone wants to guess how well Wal-Mart compares to their local competitors. Do you think that they are higher/lower on staples items? Misc./Convenience Items?
Already answered this in my previous posts, but I'll reiterate for the record, I think item for item, Wal-Mart will be more expensive by 5 - 10%, but when you also factor in the gas and time spent driving to however many competitors were checked for those 100 items, I suspect Wal-Mart would actually come out ahead.

I would like to preface my answers with the fact that I think
most people are capable of excellent service. What Wal-Mart does
with people however is what we are discussing. Put me working
on your transmission and I will destroy it...

quote:
How do you feel about the shopping experience, such as helpful and knowledgeable staff, good layout of store, easy to find what you are looking for, speed of your shopping experience, good variety, etc.?

The staff know next to nothing and don't seem to care. But then
again why should they? Their managers verbally beat them to a pulp.

quote:
Do you feel that Wal-Mart is good for our economy?

Absolutely not! Sure right now the price, convenience, and building
are great. The problem is how this combination of things are created.
Wal-Mart is able to get prices to where they are because of cheaply
made Chinese imports. I have nothing against the humans of China just
their government. What these cheap prices do is force other companies
to send their labor costs overseas as well to even compete. Thus
less and less is being made in the USA. The working man making $10.00
or less needs the prices Wal-Mart gives him so that he has some change
left over after groceries to enjoy some of the other material blessings of the USA. What happens when the Chinese government
decides they don't need the USA as a market? USA collapses.

quote:
Are you concerned about Wal-Mart driving out local business?

Yes! See above....

Wal-mart sucks.