Resistance is futile. Everyday low prices!

Posted by tomo at 12:03 AM in .

Murph at the Common Monkeyflower brings up an interesting alternative to the big box Borg threat best embodied by the Wal-Mart Superstore and that is to run them cooperatively. While it's true that Wal-Mart has the lowest prices on some items (such as a gallon of pickles for under $3, which is made possible by using their monopsony influence to force suppliers to sell to them at such prices) no store has to have the absolute lowest prices on everything in order to convince customers to come shop there and it's a myth that Wal-Mart operates any differently. Of course, price comparisons are only possible when there's competition left to compare against a big box coop can provide everyday low prices without being deceptive and without strategically competing against the existing stores with the intention of putting them out of business. Your downtown stays vibrant, people stay employed, money stays in the local area, yay for everyone.