More on Wal-Mart

I mentioned the apparently skewed Zogby poll about Wal-Mart last week. Well, this week the Pew Research Center has a more believable poll they've just released that shows a majority of Americans really have no issue with America's largest employer:

As shoppers flock to the stores for holiday gifts, some express mixed feelings about the nation's largest retailer. Nearly every American lives near enough a Wal-Mart to shop there, and 84% say they have done so in the past year. Praise for the retailer's low prices, wide selection and convenience flow freely, and 81% of those with a Wal-Mart nearby say it is a good place to shop.

Somewhat less glowing, however, are judgments about Wal-Mart's effect on communities and the nation as a whole, and a third of the public (34%) rates it a bad place to work. Overall, 69% of those familiar with Wal-Mart have a favorable opinion of the company. Still, 31% have an unfavorable view, which is a considerably higher negative rating than is accorded to many other major corporations.

So let's summarize; Zogby released a poll that showed Wal-Mart in an unfavorable light but did not disclose that Mr. Zogby had testified against Wal-Mart in numerous trials. That's the textbook definition of a conflict of interest on the part of Zogby and a major black eye to his company's credibility. My opinion is that Zogby has always been the most unreliable polling organization so I always take his data with a grain of salt, kind of like reading DEBKA File.

Check out the other questions concerning holiday greetings at stores and the percentage of union households that shop at Wal-Mart. Interesting stuff.