[clarebear]

Some people love to hate Walmart (and poor labor practices give good reason). However, providing a space to sleep and not get arrested is an example of something that is probably good for the nation's poor (as well as RV enthusiasts). Apparently Walmart is also one of the first places that half-way house parolees can get a pass to go. If Walmart is acting a portal for transitional people to rejoin or create there own (harmless) society, that is a tangible social good.

[aioprisan]

I'm taking the cynical route here and think that it's more of a ploy to get even more customers into their stores. What does it take them to keep the lots open/secured? Is that more than the money they would get from those people who will have to get water, food and other supplies in the morning? Most definitely. Would it cost them to kick out people and possibly turn this into a negative media campaign? Absolutely.

[mistermann]

ploy noun 1. a cunning plan or action designed to turn a situation to one's own advantage.

cunning adjective 1. having or showing skill in achieving one's ends by deceit or evasion.

Does Walmart have to be considered evil in literally every action? I'd fully expect they're hoping they will make some additional sales from overnight campers, I can't imagine this wouldn't be fairly obvious to any non-cynical observer of the situation. And why shouldn't they - they make a profit from regular non-camping customers, so I can't understand how making the same profit from people who just received a free place to camp out for the night could somehow be considered worse. Seems like a classic win-win situation to me.

[aioprisan]

Oh I wasn't saying that it's not a win-win situation, just that some of the comments were saying how Walmart was being generous and good, while a pretty simple benefit analysis tells us that Walmart is making real money off of this, which in the case of such a big player and their history as an employer, self-interest is the only driver that counts.

[001sky]

Walmart's biz model is to be open 24 hours. Its stupid to kick out people in the middle of the night who are going be be shopping during the off hours period. People sleeping in a walmart PL are not there taking up space in isle 7 during rush hour shopping hours. So, from that point, its a ratinal thing to do. But also from a cultural point of view, its more common than you think, in remote areas, to need to come in to resupply (with say camping gear, food, clothes, etc). And if Wally world can save these people (like hunters, campers etc) 100 bucks for a hotel, they're probably going to increase the chances of them spending that 100 bucks inside.