Walmart in Costa Rica

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  • #201350
    Andrew
    Keymaster

    Did this also happen in Costa Rica?

    “In the e-mail and follow-up conversations, the former executive described how Wal-Mart de Mexico had orchestrated a campaign of bribery to win market dominance. In its rush to build stores, he said, the company had paid bribes to obtain permits in virtually every corner of the country.”

    [ http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/business/at-wal-mart-in-mexico-a-bribe-inquiry-silenced.html?_r=2&hp ]

    They have certainly expanded in Costa Rica at a remarkable rate …

    Attorney friends of mine at a recent BBQ – who know how very long it takes to get things done – were wondering how on earth Walmart managed to open/build as many stores as they have …

    #201351
    costaricabill
    Participant

    [quote=”Scott”]Did this also happen in Costa Rica? [/quote]

    Scott, please. [b][i][u]Bribes in Costa Rica?[/u][/i][/b]

    You’re going to give people the wrong opinion!

    #201352
    Andrew
    Keymaster

    I believe it does happen, corruption is everywhere we just call by different names…

    For example, in politics we know the people paying politicians off are called “lobbyists.”

    But seriously, ALL of my attorney friends (including one attorney who does build) were simply stunned at how unusually speedy Walmart was able to get things done…

    Scott

    #201353
    DavidCMurray
    Participant

    But, for the most part, didn’t Walmart here simply buy and rename an existing company and its retail outlets? In Grecia, they built a brand new MaxiBodega/MaxiPali store, but elsewhere, including in Grecia, they renamed Pali, Hipermas and other existing stores.

    The new Grecia MaxiPali was under construction for well over a year. That can’t be a modern record, can it?

    #201354
    aguirrewar
    Member

    Read some more on the POWER WalMart has in Central America.

    http://www.walmartstores.com/AboutUs/9763.aspx

    if you think they play like IKEA, think again

    WalMart is 100 times more powerfull than IKEA and also more ruthless

    they also have Sam’s Club, same company

    FORBES names the Walton’s as the 10 most profitable familes in the world

    #201355
    maravilla
    Member

    oh, come on, all of latin america is rife with bribery to the higher ups. to think otherwise is completely naive. it’s how it’s always been and how it will always be.

    #201356

    [quote=”maravilla”]oh, come on, all of latin america is rife with bribery to the higher ups. to think otherwise is completely naive. it’s how it’s always been and how it will always be.[/quote]

    I AGREE 100 %

    #201357
    PeteB
    Participant

    I used to make trips to their corporate office on business and I can tell you that they are a ruthless bunch. Have no doubt about how they think they can do business in these countries.

    #201358

    Is anyone surprised, that is how business is conducted in Central and South America. It is also how business is conducted in Europe and North America. Walmart is a small fish, China is the Great White Shark.

    #201359
    Doug Ward
    Member

    If I don’t know the person that actually owns the business, I’ll not cast my shadow on the floor.
    I left The Empire to get away from that nonsense.
    I don’t even set foot in Gollo or Colono for that reason.I don’t know the people that actually own them. I might change my tune if I meet them and ask their employees about their integrity.
    The Central Valley is nothing more than an outpost for The Great Satan. I need to go to my buddies meat market this morning and cut my pigs back into lomo and chuletas.
    Then I’ll come home and fire up my smoker.

    #201360
    Dazu
    Member

    Doug Ward,
    Will you marry me?
    😉

    #201361
    Doug Ward
    Member

    [quote=”Dazu”]Doug Ward,
    Will you marry me?
    :wink:[/quote]
    We’ll have to get you a Walmart exposure test and continue from there.:wink:

    #201362
    Dazu
    Member

    😀

    #201363

    When I read a BBC announcement of the bribes in Mexico had been paid, I immediately let my mind run to “the same is probably true in Costa Rica!” Of course, my problem is that I spent to long working for lawyers and sometimes the worse criminals are your own clients who think they know it all and don’t listen. I would bet that Walmart was advised against their plans for Mexico and maybe even Costa Rica, but I don’t think they are a family who listens to good advice unless in it is going to increase their “grasping” for all the cash in the world.

    I even heard recently they have put a Walmart outside the gates of heaven so people queuing for entrance permission will have something to do while they wait for their admittance ticket.

    #201364
    jonnyb
    Member

    This post is not entirely on point, and it’s certainly coming from someone who LOVES to hate Walmart, but… a friend recently drove me to a new Walmart in, uh, somewhere west of San Jose, like maybe Alajuela, and I was stunned by the presentation of goods and the variety and quality. The store I saw was nothing like the cheapo Walmarts I’ve seen in the U.S. It seemed very much geared toward gringos who miss their Kalamata olives (oh, wait, that’s me), their Reggiano Parmesan (me again) and their well-lit stores with wide aisles (at least that’s one thing I don’t care about). Prices for Kalamata olives, Reggiano Parmesan, and items of that ilk were high, of course, but whoever planned this store made sure it would appeal to gringos and offer items they won’t see in many other places in the Central Valley. I don’t know how many Ticos will frequent the store, but I’ll bet the Walmart team wasn’t after the Ticos anyway.

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