Who will win the war in Wal-Mart vs. The Girl Scouts in the battle over thin mint cookies?

I had no idea that Wal-mart even had it's own version of Girl Scout cookies I'll make sure I pick some up to taste them sorry Girl Scouts

Walmart will smash those little girls, like they have done to others.

I can picture Wal-mart putting there cookies right on the front inside door with the Girl Scouts sale outside

Why does anyone still shop at Walmart?

I guess Walmart will cease their evil ways when consumers decide to stop following their lead in the greed department and think about the consequences of always buying the cheapest products in the world.

Just another example of Wal-mart showing that they are a sleezy company.

Don't under estimate the Girl Scouts. The only thing that may hurt them is the economy. Their cookies aren't the best and aren't the cheapest but every year I buy some even though I usually don't even eat them. Most I give away. I buy them because it helps a lot of girls and also because I just couldn't say no to them. They work hard and sell something instead of just asking for a donation. I hope that the rest of the American public continues to support the Girl Scouts and buys a box or two of Girl Scout cookies and not buy any of Wal-marts cheap copies.

Sleazy doesn't begin to cover it; the company represents everything that's wrong abouot corporate America: disregard for the environment, gender/racial discrimination, lack of regard for the long-lived but delicately-balanced cores of the numerous small towns the corporation has sucked dry...and the type of insatiable greed that makes even revered institutions -- such as Girl Scout Cookie sales -- just more competition to trample beneath their gigantic jackboots.

Having said that, the company exists and it thrives for a reason: folks shop there. In droves. Until and unless that changes -- and there's no reason to think it will -- The Bentonville juggernaut will continue to roll. Pity.

a shame...Walmart has been fined many dollars for cheating employees on their time worked as well as their entitled benefits...sleazy and this cookie sale buttresses why Walmart practices unfairly and acts poorly

Wal-mart is loud and it's hard to find help sometime and it all depends where the Wal-mart is located some simple stuff will be under lock and key. There are two type of Wal-mart's in my book the one low income ones where they're rude and high income ones there nice

Wal-mart is loud and it's hard to find help sometime and it all depends where the Wal-mart is located some simple stuff will be under lock and key. There are two type of Wal-mart's in my book the one low income ones where they're rude and high income ones there nice

Boo Wal*mart Booo!

Recommended viewing, the episode of PEN and TELLERS BULLSH*T all about Wall*Mart.

Good for WalMart.

Girl Scouts will be fine, and my pocket will be finer.

@robamichael: you're right; who gives a fig about social responsibility? Everybody run to Wal-Mart and buy as many boxes of the knock-off products as you can afford! The stockholders need more money, and besides, those girls--with their silly little badges and programs teaching them to be strong women and giving them self-esteem and instilling in them outdated values like honesty, fairness, courage, compassion, character, confidence, and citizenship--will be just fine even with their primary fundraiser stolen by the world's largest company. Down with children! Up with corporate greed! Free market capitalism rules all!

:-|

Yeah, they can find other ways to raise money. Besides, I will probably buy from both sources anyway!

@sqlman, my friend,
Thank you for pointing out that the Girl Scouts are only allowed to sell their cookies in front of Wal-Mart stores. I had this silly idea that in a free market system, they could sell their cookies anywhere they wanted. Obviously, since their primary fundraiser was "stolen" by the worlds biggest company (Royal Dutch Shell- BTW per http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/global500/2009/full_list/) they cannot go anywhere else and sell cookies.

“…Down with children! Up with corporate greed! Free market capitalism rules all!”

Once again, you have exaggerated (to the point of mis-information) to make your point. You give the impression that Wal-Mart will not allow girl scouts to sell cookies because it might eat into the profit margins of their own proprietary goods which is complete nonsense.

Interestingly, the current administrations economic policies are going to hurt so many capitalist ventures in the free market, I predict Wal-Mart will gain even more market share and become a larger entity because of it. Any takers?

@chatarra

how right you ARE!

http://www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/07/01/wal-mart-supports-employer-mandate/

"I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Wal-Mart is a capitalist success story. At the time of our conversation, this lobbyist was helping Wal-Mart fight off employer-mandate legislation in dozens of states. Those measures were specifically designed to hurt Wal-Mart, and were underwritten by the unions and union shops that were losing jobs and business to Wal-Mart.

But it all became clear when the lobbyist explained the reason for Wal-Mart’s position: “Target’s health-benefits costs are lower.”"

GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION BACKFIRING? SAY IT AINT SO!!!!!

Keep trying to knock out capitalism with feel good righteousness, but it will almost always fail. Things are better when people are responsible for themselves.

These girls will find a way to make money. I never have enough for them anyway. The ONLY way ill ever have thin mints is if they are cheap (walmart) or free (dumpster diving).

And yeah when I secure a REAL job with some REAL cash flow I will certainly support the girls in their cookie ventures.

And when they aren't around I'll grab em at the wal*mart.

How charitable is it rea

(whoops)

How much of a nice gesture is it really to buy from the girls if you're only doing it because of the cookies? If your trying to force people into buying from the girls than what are accomplishing but a soft-core tax? If people believe in the girls they will certainly give to them. I know I would if I could.

There are a lot of Wal-Mart bashers out there. It's somewhat justified. In this case I don't think WM will hurt the Girl Scouts sales at all. People who buy the GS cookies are really buying the "Do Gooder Feeling." That's a lot different than just purchasing cookies in a store. When my son was selling Little League candy bars in front of a large supermarket he did just fine even though the supermarket sold candy bars too. In fact he did not ask people if they wanted to buy a candy bar. He asked them if they would like to help his baseball league. The two principals involved here, WM vs the GS, have two totally different target markets, therefore they can mutually succeed.

I forgot to add-

If the Girl Scouts fail to meet last years sales figure it could be simply because of the weak economy. Sales are down everywhere this year.

@chatarra, my friend, you misunderstand me. My problem isn't the Girl Scouts selling cookies in front of Wal-Mart while the store is selling a similar product. It's the fact that Wal-Mart can be so heartlessly greedy as to steal--via copying--the exact item the Girl Scouts use for their sole fundraiser...and then add insult to injury by undercutting the Scouts' price by a wide margin. Perhaps Wal-Mart--and many of you--forget that the Girl Scouts aren't a fellow competitor to be driven into the ground; it's a non-profit that does much good in the community.

Now, in the grand scheme of things, this is really a tiny drop in the bucket: Wal-Mart, as has been pointed out elsewhere far more eloquently than I ever could, is a socially- and environmentally-irresponsible company throughout the world, so stealing funds from a non-profit that only does good is by far from their worst sin. But it does make me sad that they have people who think it's okay...and it makes me even sadder that folks--conservatives, mostly--just don't "get it"...and likely never will.

"It's the fact that Wal-Mart can be so heartlessly greedy as to steal--via copying--the exact item the Girl Scouts use for their sole fundraiser"

So does Walmart have a cookie manufacturing plant?
And did Walmart commit some form of industrial espionage to obtain the secrets to creating these cookies?
Another question - do the Girl Scouts make those cookies with some secret recipe?

@noticeablenotices:

1) No. Then again, neither do the Girl Scouts; the cookies are made by various bakeries that contract out to the Girl Scouts.

2) I doubt it; the ingredients are listed right on the box per FDA regulation (though Wal-Mart would certainly stoop low enough to 'hire' a baker from one of the many licensed commercial bakers of Girl Scout cookies).

3) No. But even asking that shows that you're missing the point.

Look, Wal-Mart sells a lot of 'store brand' merchandise. Shampoos, for instance: walk into a store and you'll see bottles of Wal-Mart's own brand of shampoos stacked in neat rows next to the more expensive name brands. Wal-Mart's brands, of course, may be very similar, if not identical to the name brands, only in different and less stylish packaging. And that's fine; if folks want to pay $7.00 for a bottle of Pantene Pro-V shampoo, they can do that. Or if they want to spend just $3.00 on a bottle of Wal-Mart's Equate (store brand) Pro Vitamin shampoo, they can do that, too. The customer will be happy--he or she gets what he/she is willing to pay for--as will both Pantene's and Wal-Mart's stockholders.

That's fine.

But Girl Scout cookies are a bit different, and anyone who claims to not see the difference isn't really looking. That is, a customer can buy a box of Girl Scout's Thin Mints or Do-si-dos for $4.00, or they can buy Wal-Mart's Great Value brand Mint Thins or Do-di-sos for $3.00. The customer will be happy--he or she gets what he/she is willing to pay for--as will Wal-Mart's stockholders. But the Girl Scouts? Screwed. Period.

The fact is, Thin Mints make up 25%--about 50 million boxes a year--of all Girl Scout cookies sales. Wal-Mart saw that number, realized cannibalizing those sales could add a nice profit to their bottom line, and made the decision to do it. Allow me to repeat, then: Down with children! Up with corporate greed! Free market capitalism rules all!

:-|

The Girl Scouts capture the charity market. It's not the same as the day-to-day cookie market that Walmart sells. One gets dollars from sympathy and the other gets their dollars from daily cookie eaters. There is a big difference. Cheeez, Walmart is not competing with the GS. Let's keep the market in perspective.

@Sqlman,
...anyone who claims to not see the difference isn't really looking.
Your argument portrays your agenda - using this opportunity to bash Wal-Mart on a broad scale.

Of course Wal-Mart could take this tack....sell the cookies year-round, EXCEPT during those weeks when the Girl Scouts were pushing theirs....Of course just the year-round availablity of a similar cookie might cut into the GS sales...

We are in a recession.

Wal*Mart saves people money.

Wal*Mart saves people money by offering cheaper products.

Wal*Mart offers cheaper products by dealing in larger quantities and better efficiency.

Wal*Mart contributes to society by lowering living costs for families all over america.

Wal*Mart, like the Girl Scouts, contributes to the social fabric.

People vote with their dollars who they'd like to see do more social contribution.

People are responsible for which path of social contribution will be more successful.

It is people who normally claim righteousness when the Girl Scouts sell cookies but buy the Wal*Mart cookies INSTEAD who are the people you should look to for better behavior.

People who buy the Girl Scout cookies despite there being a cheaper alternative are the do-gooders. They are voting for the success of the Girl Scouts.

Wal*Mart does not vote against society.

Society simply votes for what kind of options its finds more favorable.

Don't blame the animal, blame the trainers.

I don't think it is much different from a bake sale at your church - sure you can get a lemon meringue pie much cheaper than the $75 you spend there, but you do it to help out a good cause.

I know many liberal hate the Boy Scouts. What if we forced these liberals to buy some over priced goods from the Boy Scouts? They would be raising cane in that situation! Its about choice, and people who want to support the Girls Scouts will still buy their cookies. Those who don't want to support them now have another option. Gotta love freedom!