Why does stuff I buy at Wal-Mart stop working or fall apart in a few weeks? Things that have stopped working: phone answering machine, pocket calculator. Things that fell apart: two pairs of shoes.

Sounds like the customer that comes into the dealership and says, "I want a good cheap used car". The dealer says, "do you want a good car or a cheap car?"

Chinese or other foreign made CRAP. Spend a little more and buy American yo...

When China invaded ancient Japan, the war cry was "Incoming Chinese junk!" And that's still what the wily Chinese are doing. They disguise their solid pollution as merchandise and sell it to us. Mostly it's cheap stuff which turns out to be not worth finding the sales slip in the trash can, going back to the store and standing in line for. But that's what we're going to have to do, unless the Consumer Protection Organization or the EPA decide to set up some marketability standards so that their junk goes in their landfills--not ours. Or just save all your sales slips and return it on the next trip. They'll get the message. I've usually been satisfied at Wal-Mart, though. The problem is mostly China.

Because they sell a lot of cheaply made crap from China. The Chinese companies have a list for you when you want to buy their products. As you check off the list the price goes up. All companies that manufacturer products have that. Then they sell it to the middle man or jobber who then sells it to the retailer.

So in reality if you make sure they build it right and not accept it if it's not, they do build some acceptable products. But as a company if you do not choose the better quality parts they will build you some cheap crap, because that's what you asked for.

Whether Walmart buys it directly from the manufacturer or a middle man I don't know but I am sure they buy the cheapest stuff at the best price point in volume that has the highest markup. The price point is a column that dictates how much you pay for each item. The more you buy the less cost per item, betetr price point. So if you buy 1 million and another company buys 100,000 you pay less and sell it at the same price you make more money or under cut him and sell faster turning your money over quicker.

Walmart buys cheap, sells cheap and turns over their money quickly. That way their shelves are constantly being emptied and they are making MONEY.

I would rather pay a few bucks more on something and have it last then go cheap and have to buy another one.

Walmart sells the cheapest junk of any store.Even dollar stores have better products.They insist on cheating the suppliers and pay them the minimal price,thus their mark up is almost nothing.In other words the supplier have to sell allot of product to make money.So in the end the products from Walmart are not worth buying.

You get what you pay for. If you're going to shop at WalMart or some other such "affordable" chain, prepare to take better care of those items. I have to say though, I've been a regular WalMart shopper for a decade, and have never had problems with the things I get there. My children have received shoes and clothes, electronics, etc from there, and we've had next to no trouble. Typically when there is a problem, it's a manufacturer defect that is replaced my the company. Sorry you've had such trouble.

Many products sold at "discount" stores are lower in price because they are made overseas, for example China, and inferior parts or ingredients are used. They are cheap to buy wholesale, and easy to sell cheap at retail. But they are often poorly made. Better to buy higher priced quality once, than buying junk over and over again.

wal-mart fall apart, as my ex use to say...