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Charlie Sykes: Sykes Writes

THE KLEEFISCH REPORT: A TURKEY OF A DEAL

By Charlie Sykes

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How is it that Walmart- or any other retailer for that matter--can offer a turkey for 86 cents a pound in Wisconsin, but drive over the border, and you can get it for just 40 cents a pound in Illinois? That would be Wisconsin's minimum markup law at work--the law that bans selling things below cost. (They can sell below cost to match competitors' prices.) Part of commerce in the new millenium is "loss leaders"-the things so insanely cheap that customers are drawn into a store to buy those... and then they leave with a bunch more stuff. The loss leader may be sold at a loss, but the other stuff makes up for it---plus. It's marketing, it's a way to drive profit and it's part of the way business works now. How is it that Wisconsin is one of only a handful of states that has a problem with this type of business competition?

 

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  1. WA Dan - Nov 05, 2009 8:27 AM

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    What the Wisconsin politicians don't realize is that the minimum mark up law hurts the govt pocket book! If you live close to the Illinois boarder why wouldn't you just go there to save money? All that sales tax money for the sale items and everything else that is bought there then goes to ILLINOIS! Likewise, if you are not close to the boarder you will buy less in the long run so again the govt gets LESS sales tax money! Govt can't even consider the consequences on themselves!

  2. Jay Pee - Nov 05, 2009 8:46 AM

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    Policitians in Wisconsin could care less about the residents of Wisconsin. All they want is our tax money, nothing less. The modern supermarket began by using loss leaders years ago. Unfortunately in Wisconsin, the Great Nanny State, we are not allowed to progress, only allowed to be taxed to death.

  3. Jeff K. - Nov 05, 2009 9:10 AM

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    We can't allow evil corporations like Walmart to offer affordable products to low income people. If people have more money in their pocket they may not need to be as dependent on the government. We can't allow that now, can we?

  4. Harlan - Nov 05, 2009 9:28 AM

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    I tried to buy Sarah Palin's book through Walmart, but was rejected when they said a state regulation didn't allow them to send it to a Wisconsin address. Obviously, the mark up law was the reason.

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