Wal-Mart Tries Social Networking Again... But This Time With An Actual Social Network

from the well,-that's-better dept

Fri, Aug 10th 2007 5:55pm — Mike Masnick

You may recall (or, actually, probably not) that last year around this time, Wal-Mart decided to launch its very own social network as a back-to-school promotion, except it took out all the fun parts of social networking, and then put in fake kids who talked about the clothes they were buying at Wal-Mart. It was either entirely ignored or mocked by the few who came across it. After a few months, the experiment was quietly abandoned -- and almost no one noticed. This year, Wal-Mart is back in the social networking game, but at least they've realized that rather than copying the hot trend of the year, it might be better to embrace the leader. To that end, the company is launching a Facebook group to try to get college kids heading back to school to "design your dorm room together." It's still a bit cheesy, and may not attract too many users, but at least the company finally realized it needed to go where the real kids were actually hanging out. Maybe next year the company will realize that it helps to have an application that's actually fun or useful as well.

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Filed Under: back to school, social networks
Companies: facebook, wal-mart

41 Comments

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Jenny, 10 Aug 2007 @ 6:19pm

The support for Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart has based its profit on its suppliers. Most of its suppliers are in developing countries, such as China. Since Chinese products are low in price while high in quality, it is a good bargin for Wal-Mart. Now Chinese economy is growing rapidly; suppliers are ready to enter the global market in a large scale. For more such news about Chinese market and Chinese products, visit ACB2B.
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GoblinJuice, 10 Aug 2007 @ 6:38pm

White Trash Networkin'
Great, so now I can network with white trash online as well as off! =D
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Trvth Jvstice, 10 Aug 2007 @ 6:58pm

Wal Mart: My Disneyland
If they don't sell it at Wal Mart, then you don't need it. Wal Mart sells everything anyone would ever need. Everything!!

P.S. This includes online Wal Mart purchases also.
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Anonymous Coward, 10 Aug 2007 @ 7:11pm

lol, internet.
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not a walmart employee, 10 Aug 2007 @ 8:52pm

paid posts
lets play spot the payed bloggers.
:p
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Jonas, 10 Aug 2007 @ 9:35pm

oh so Wal-Mart who pretty much single handedly ruined our economy in America is going on to destroy the Internet as well?
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Trvth Jvstice, 10 Aug 2007 @ 11:22pm

Paid
When you don't have a proper argument, it's always easy to attack the poster. You claim I am a paid poster because you can't produce a valid counter point. :)

The moronic--bested again! Another point for the thinking American.
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Pesti, 11 Aug 2007 @ 12:11am

Re: White Trash Networkin'
So let me get this straight, If you can't afford to shop "At the Mall" and other "Upper Class" establishments your considered "white trash"?? Get a life you elitist Bozo!!
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Frogpond, 11 Aug 2007 @ 3:50am

Shopping At The Wall
Trash (of all colors) is more fun to hang out with. As for shopping at Chinamart, well I guess I'm guilty. In my defense, most of the other stores went under after Walmart came to town. As for the high quality of chinese goods-you must be joking.
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Anonymous Coward, 11 Aug 2007 @ 5:20am

Re: Wal Mart: My Disneyland
Being a college student, this is largely true .... but for the sake of arguing ..

Car
House
High Quality Computers (or components)
Tuxedos
Good Suits
Most Weapons
Rock Climbing Gear (or any specialty sporting equipment)
Medical Equipment (as in X-Rays etc.)
Coffins
High Proof C2H5OH
Chemotherapy
Artificial Limbs
College Textbooks

and the list goes on, walmart is primarily for mass produced consumable items

Things they should sell ..

Prostitutes
Pot
Porn
Prom Dates
Children
Politicians
Fortune 500 Companies
(this second list is a joke)
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GoblinJuice, 11 Aug 2007 @ 10:30am

Re: Re: White Trash Networkin'
Don't feel bad. I see more white trash at the mall and so-called "upper class" stores. =)
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GoblinJuice, 11 Aug 2007 @ 10:31am

Re: Re: Wal Mart: My Disneyland
They've got the first two, if you know who to ask. =)
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Overcast, 11 Aug 2007 @ 12:26pm

So let me get this straight, If you can't afford to shop "At the Mall" and other "Upper Class" establishments your considered "white trash"?? Get a life you elitist Bozo!!

Yeah, you know - you don't get Rich by spending it all :)

I have an Aunt and Uncle who are multi-millionaires and they shop cheap all the time.

Of course, if they want to go on a cruise or buy a new car they can anytime, but then they aren't blowing their money at overpriced stores who have the same thing Wal-Mart does, lol
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Mystified, 11 Aug 2007 @ 1:09pm

Does anybody remember ...
... when almost everything at Wal-Mart was made in America?
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Chris, 11 Aug 2007 @ 4:10pm

Wal-Mart is pure evil.
The only good thing Wal-Mart does is provide their truck drivers with better than average wages and benefits. Other than that they move into an area, hire a bunch of low-income people, tell them how to sign up for welfare and other social outreach programs, drive local buisness owners out, then proceed to rape and pillage the entire community around them. To anyone who has had this done to their town they can atttest to how BAD Wal-Mart can be for a community. Soon enough they become the only place to purcahse certain goods, as business owners can't compete with the outsourced commercial crap Wal-Mart litters their shelves with. Once that happens quality goods are no longer an option, unless you want to order them online and hope the joke of our courier options doesn't loose your package or damage it at best. Call me a cynic, asshole, what-have-you, but most people are alive simply because it's illegal to kill them. We have made it too easy for people to survive, and because of it we will continue to perpetuate poverty until it becomes to much of a burdern to bare. Feeding the hungry just means they can create more mouths to feed. Not saying I'm not for charity, but if you're not willing to help yourself first, don't come asking me for a handout.
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Arochone, 11 Aug 2007 @ 4:48pm

Re: Re: White Trash Networkin'
Lmao. I'm not white trash - far from it - and I can't afford to shop at Wal*mart (hey, I'm 16 - part time minimum wage).

Hell yea for the internet and some DIY skill. It's amazing how cheap stuff is when you just buy parts from Mouser. Or just buy the completed stuff from pricegrabber. Walmart is the middleman. I buy my stuff directly from China or Japan, and skip their markups.

That, and I just refuse to shop there because, ya know, they're evil.
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Arochone, 11 Aug 2007 @ 4:54pm

Re: Wal-Mart is pure evil.
Exactly why I don't shop there. This town used to have about 5 malls. Then wal*mart moved in. Now we have two malls where half the stores are closed up. I mean, the physical structures of the others are there, but they got so run-down that even Goodwill left. Wal*mart isn't even the cheapest place to buy stuff anymore, but they have such a reputation as having the lowest prices, people shop there just because, well, it's wal*mart. They MUST be getting a good deal, right?

Hate that place.
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bradley stewart, 11 Aug 2007 @ 5:17pm

WAL-MART MAYBE WE SHOULD GIVE THEM
SOME CREDIT. I HAVE ACTUALLY NEVER BEEN IN ONE OF THEIR STORES. I JUST LIVE TO FAR AWAY FROM ANY OF THEM. I HAVE HOWEVER FOLLOWED THIS COMPANY THROUGH MANY STORIES MOST OF THEM RATHER UNFLATERING. THOUGH RETIRED I SPENT APPROX. 40 YEARS IN RETAIL SALES. YES ITS TRUE THEY DO CREATE PROBLEMS BUT THEY DO A LOT OF THINGS WELL, AND HELP A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE PROCESS. BEST REGARDS BRADLEY STEWART
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not a walmart employee, 11 Aug 2007 @ 7:36pm

Re: Paid
If you quack like a duck and walk like a duck and look like a duck maybe you are a duck.
;o)

ps where do they sell the O2 at w mart
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not a walmart employee, 11 Aug 2007 @ 7:40pm

Re: Wal-Mart is pure evil.
Truck divers are the ONLY Unionized persons at walmart
all other who try are FIRED.
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Cris, 11 Aug 2007 @ 9:29pm

I am amazed
I am amazed that all of the comments here are about how good or evil walmart is, and not about the actual issue of the article. To you guys who hate walmart, you need to get your facts strait about the walmart issue. it is not about how much they are paying there employees but rather the real issue is weather or not walmart is unionized or not. the comment above shows this to be true by pointing out that the truck drivers are unionized and then because they are unionized their pay is good. Not true. Unions were a good thing back when there was only one major job source in a town. however Now All the employs at walmart could easily find a job somewhere else. And just one last comment. I really don't think walmart became the largest employer because they have awful working conditions. If they did no one would work there. thanks
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Nick, 11 Aug 2007 @ 11:30pm

Ever been out of work?
Cris: "I really don't think walmart became the largest employer because they have awful working conditions. If they did no one would work there. thanks"

I haven't worked for wal-mart, and I'd like to think it would never come to that. On the other hand, I know a lot of people that have worked for wal-mart at one point or another - universally their cry is "I hated working at wal-mart, they treated me like sh*t!".

The bottom line is that crappy job or not, try not having a job at all, and not being able to find one. You'll take what you can get.

In many of the towns wal-mart has showed up in, so many other businesses have closed, that no, they can't "easily find a job somewhere else", because the few stores that are left are barely making it - much less hiring people on.
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August West, 12 Aug 2007 @ 4:12am

Re: Wal Mart: My Disneyland
Whatever I buy there breaks or is defective right out of the box:
Cordless phone - defective, returned it, defective, returned THAT one and the one I exchanged it for stopped working the first day.
Bicycle seat cover: ripped apart when I put it on the seat
Socks: elastic fails almost immediately
Iron: Came apart the first week.
They are cheap because what they sell is crap. I don't go there anymore. Better to pay a little more and get something that actually works.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2007 @ 7:40am

Re: Wal Mart: My Disneyland
Yes, because everyone needs to buy crappy Chinese products. Incase you haven't noticed, Chinese products aren't doing to well in the news recently. Oh, and good luck using the ChinaMart (I like that name :P) website to find 'everything you need'. Considering they don't even have CFL bulbs on it. But those might not be made in China yet. At least there won't be any recalls on them though.

I don't shop at ChinaMart. Mainly because they rip their electronics customers off beyond belief. But hey, if you can sell a $60 video card for $150, then hey why not?

I mean, ChinaMart says they offer the lowest prices or whatever, but they don't. They jack the prices of peps1 and c0ke products up to almost double, strictly so they can make their shitty "SpamsChoice" soft drinks 'seem' like a better deal. When in actuality, you are buying a crappy store brand at premium brand prices. Where is the value again?

How is this for a 'valid counter-point'. It's not like ChinaMart, or you, even deserve one. Oh, and be sure to link your boss to this article/comments, you little sheeple person.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2007 @ 7:45am

Re: Re: Wal Mart: My Disneyland
Maybe you just destroy things. My 5 dollar walmart iron's worked for many years.

I don't care if people love or hate walmart. To me it's just under the good ol' control of capitalism. I can't imagine how horrible it would be to have to go to five stores to get light bulbs, underwear, a digital picture printed, hand towels and a water pitcher. And if you've been in little boutique stores, you know they charge an arm and a leg for little things like that. In the end I'm saving gas and time. I could get all that and a coffeegrinder on my way home from work.

I think the worst is when people pretend that Target is like some paragon of virtue in comparison to Walmart. Just because the atmosphere is yuppier in the store doesn't mean that there's any better reason to shop there. In the end they usually don't have the selection that Walmart does. You're not "better than me" because you got Target instead of Walmart.

I'll shop at both, depending on what I want and where it is.

And also, anyone can shop online now- there's free internet access at public libraries- no excuses.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2007 @ 9:46am

wow... did you just say that?
"And also, anyone can shop online now- there's free internet access at public libraries- no excuses."

I can't believe you just suggested to people that they should shop online from a PUBLIC computer. That just destroyed any validity that your comment may have contained. No wonder identiy theft is so rampant now-a-days. Please, do the world a favor, and never offer any advice about anything technology related, EVER!
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an associate, 12 Aug 2007 @ 9:48am

walmart sucks...dont shop there to support the big wigs at the home office who get the big bucks...us little people get squat.
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Chris, 12 Aug 2007 @ 11:19am

Re: WAL-MART MAYBE WE SHOULD GIVE THEM
Your CAPSLOCK key is only 1/16 of an inch away from where your pinky ought to be on the keyboard, I highly suggest you take the effort to utilize it.
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Chris, 12 Aug 2007 @ 11:25am

Re: I am amazed
Time for a math lesson.

2 + 2 = 4

So if Wal-Mart is cheep captilisitc driven evil, then the only thing they will succeed at is providing the cheepest deilvered goods and the highest markup value possible. Therefore, in their effort to create a social-netowrking environment they will use the cheepest delivery systems available, in this case a free online site that already exists (facebook), and then try to generate a profit out of if by "marking up" it's value to be some sort of wanted commoditiy.

Cheep crap (2) + Disillusioned value (2) = Failure (4)
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Chris, 12 Aug 2007 @ 11:32am

Re: Ever been out of work?
Agreed.

How many people works as janitors? How many people have jobs with 0 benefits, and 0 pension plans. How many people are stuck in some sort of dead-end job where they hate every solitary second of their working lives, but have no other option because they can't afford to not be working? Well world-wide the majority of people out there have dastardly working condtions, yet their employers remain stupidly successful. If you haven't noticed, all the children over in Africa getting paid about two cents a day to dig out gems for the rest of us make their boss' pretty damn rich and successful. If you weight success soley on who generates the most profit, then the people who provide the aboslute worst working condtions will always win hands down.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2007 @ 12:12pm

I worked retail management for over 12 years. I would have been fired had any of my stores looked as poorly as does almost every chinamart. Had any of my store's associates been so rude and unhelpful as Chinamart's are, again, I would have been fired.

It's possible to make a buck, have well merchandised stores and have helpful and friendly associates. Too bad Chinamart has chosen another route. I don't shop there. The quality is poor. Advertising is deceptive and their associates are unconcerned with customers. Their stores are messy and poorly merchandised. I'd rather spend more and shop at a Kohls or Target and not have to deal with the throng of zombies that populate chinamarts.
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Joseph, 12 Aug 2007 @ 4:08pm

Sam Walton
Someone correct me if I am wrong but as I remember it, when Sam was running things the products sold where "Made in the USA". I can remember signs hanging over the products when I was a kid. Now that he as past on and I believe his kids run things now. I feel that if anyone is too blame it is Sams kids for thinking they know best as to what we want. By there actions to outsource overseas and stop using there own countries products is where they hurt us the most. I wouldn't have a single problem with them opening a new store somewhere IF they where still "MADE IN THE USA" product seller.
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A. Nanie Mousee, 12 Aug 2007 @ 7:52pm

Re: Sam Walton
In the past they canned that program around 1999.
when the started selling triple (SSS) slip shod **IT .
They also stopped most of their local comp. giving.
:o(

Ps: average employee turn over is very fast. as soon as the base employee can they leave
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madmilker, 12 Aug 2007 @ 9:07pm

Who took the hyphen out?
The hyphen went to the grave with Sam and someone put a star in its place! dang! I don't even see a flag pole out front with O' Glory flapping in the wind.....and if you dare to go inside.....all you see is China cheap crap! and now with the six (6) store floor mat you have to watch yourself if you go inside and it not be your neighborhood!
And South Korea and Germany gives them the boot......was that because of the star in the name or kite flying money from those two Countries just takes to long of a string!
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an associate, 12 Aug 2007 @ 10:29pm

Re: Re: Sam Walton
IMO they look for reasons to fire people...and in my store there was an associate as well as 2 asst mgrs fired in the last week (for stupid reasons), all of which has been with the company for years...they want the ppl who've been there forever gone to hire new ppl at lower pay wages to save a buck...
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Ihatepeoplelikeyou, 20 Aug 2007 @ 7:10pm

Re: Wal-Mart is pure evil.
I happen to work at walmart asshole and i am not low income white trash. I do work and i do not recieve welfare. Even if i did, i would deserve it, i work hard and pay my taxes.You type of people totally crack me up. You think you have the world figured out and that everything would be so simple but you don't know crap! Get a life. Some people need help. The ones that don't are the ones that make me sick.
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Barnabas, 23 Aug 2007 @ 6:05am

I worked at Wal-Mart for 7 years. Of all the places of worked in my life it was diffinatly the worst. I started working there when I was 16 and at 23 they offered me a channce to enter there managemnt program. I told the devil I couldn't do it being one of his minions was supposed to be a summer job that I never quit. Okay, so maybe that a little over the top. Wal-MArt wins over much of the older people in communities by opening there doors for bingo and having special senior events. Wal-mart knows what to do to keep that generation in check. Give them a discount here and there, free coffee and bingo. Now the biggest action group in most communities has been bought over for next to nothing. If those old people ever opened there eyes and saw that they sold the future of their town for a chance to win some paper towels at wal-mart bingo then wal-mart would have something to worry about.
In my years there I saw people being told to work off the clock or not come back. I saw the many department managers told that they could finish their paperwork, at home, unpaid. I saw good people being walmartized. The walmart woker that stays as a career speaks in walmarteese much like fanatic christians have their own little language. Wal-mart is a large fat man and the world is his toilet.
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madmilker, 11 Sep 2007 @ 7:38am

Re: Re: Wal-Mart is pure evil.
the drivers are not union!
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madmilker, 11 Sep 2007 @ 7:47am

Who put the
Walton's 5 & 10.....Wal-Mart........and now...."Wal*Mart"

Sam Walton knew proper English and had a "hyphen" in the name but in his passing in 1992 and the new CEO in 2000....the company moved purchasing to China in 2002 and for some reason the "hyphen" was removed from the name and in its place a big single "star" appeared!

So! Who put the star in the name......was it the same person that put "Department of People" in an American company?
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Valerie, 18 Sep 2008 @ 11:07am

Re: Does anybody remember ...
The keyword is "was"....remember when wal*mart used to sell items that were decent quality no-named brands that were affordable? Now I guess they are trying to be more like "Target" or something. Now, they have mostly "popular" named items that aren't even that much cheaper than other stores. Not only that but 9 out of 10 times the items I buy in the electronics dept or household dept I have had to return because they were defective.And my personal observation is that when customers return items that they had an issue with, wal*mart just puts the item back on the shelf as long as there are no obvious defects! I would rather go somewhere else and spend about 10 to 20 cents more to get something I know will usually work. I do not save at wal*mart, I waste my time and my money at that store! I avoid that store as much as possible, I am just so thoroughly fed up with that place!
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