Walmart in Beijing, #1: WOW My Observations of LOTUS SUPERCENTER

Walmart in Beijing, #1: WOW My Observations of LOTUS SUPERCENTER
Originally uploaded by triciawang.

Haidian District, Beijing China

I am in the Asia's Largest Mall, and on floor B1 is China's Heidian District Walmart - but you won't find the word "Walmart" anywhere, it's called LOTUS SUPERCENTER. I realized I was in Walmart when I saw the english words "everyday low prices." everywhere. There is definitely a "distinct" Walmart branding that is consistent around the world.

After spending 2 consecutive days wandering around the store and just watching people consume and speaking to the workers, I've notices several things:

1.) the floor people work long hours, 10 hours days 6 days a week with a 1/2 break. But they said they have it the easiest, that the loaders and the people who actually make the products are worse off.

2.) No one I spoke to is actually from Beijing. Most workers are from other provinces and cities and are between the ages of 16 and 25. They are recruited by companies who bring them to Beijing and they live in dormitories - 3 to a bedroom. I met a girl from Shenzhen, a city that is at the top of Walmart's supply purchasing chain for the world. Shenzhen was a small fishing village 25 years ago, but transformed to a city of 10million when the government picked it as a place for China's "special economic" development zone.
The girl said that if she stayed behind, she would've worked in the factory with 12 hours days, 7 days a week, earning less than $3/day. By leaving her family and coming to Beijing by herself with the recruiting company, she could earn $4/day. just to give you an idea, I just just bought 2 new coats at Walmart - LOTUS - for $25 each. She would have to work at least 8 days for 1 coat, and here I am buying these coats for what I make in 1 hr in US.

3.) Workers are often mistreated by consumers - and it's acceptable. After standing in line to buy my items, 2 out of 4 times, I watched someone abuse the worker. One guy was fed up with the long wait, so when it was his turn he started throwing his food at the cashier -a sausage hit her face. She didn't flinch, she just kept ringing items up - even as celery, yoghurt and other food was thrown at her feet. When it was my turn I asked her why he was upset, she shrugged. I asked her if she could tell someone that he was rude - she said "who would I tell, I would only get in trouble, and if I say anything back to him I would get in even more trouble."

4.) you can get anything and everything here - it's your SAM's Club + US Walmart + VONS/PATHMARK + TARGET

5.) the workers here know where eveything is - and everyone is really friendly. I would ask someone in the clothing dpt where water was, and they could name the specific aisle #. This store is 5 times bigger than the largest Walmart in US. never once did someone not know where an item was.

6.) they really pay attention to the customer here. Every 5 min I had someone ask me if I needed help. in the clothing dpt, the minute you even look at a a piece of clothing, 3 women come up and ask if you want to try it on. they helped me find the right size, color.

7.) in the Seafood section - they've recreated an "outside" market - where you have workers all over yelling out their item's price at their station, "fresh shrimp, fresh shrimp, come and get the special 8RMB/pd!" "get your catfish, catfish, catfish!."
I wonder if this was created out of market research in China - perhaps they felt customers were used to buying like this, so this way of selling would be better. hmmmm

8.) Throughout the whole store - no matter where you are at, whether it's the milk aisle or the bicycle aisle, workers come up to you immediately to "sell" the item - proclaiming how great it is. With milk they tell you the expiration date and how great it tastes and long it lasts, with the bicycle they tell you how great it manuevers the streets.

9.) they don't like people taking pictures. When I was outside, I tried to take a picture, but the security guard stopped me. Once I was inside, I was fine - the workers didn't care.

10.) it's a lot more high-tech than US Walmarts. Each aisle has LCD screens advertising that specific aisle's products.

I've come to the conclusion the China's situation with capitalism and is workers parallels America's Industrial Revolution and capitalism through slavery, where agricultural, textile, coal and other various factory workers were usually exploited under un-enforced or non-existent laws protecting workers.


Here is some additional reading about Walmart in China:
Wal-Mart's 'China Price'
WalMart's Deal With the Devil
Wal-Mart's China Card
Wal-Mart's China inventory to hit US$18b this year