History Main / VoldeMart

An evil large corporate retailer moves into a previously "unspoiled" area, and proceeds to try to drive all the pre-existing local "Mom & Pop" competition out of business, usually through a combination of price undercutting, bribery and other shady business practices. Frequently depicted as offering inferior products, but at much lower prices. Very frequently involves a CorruptCorporateExecutive. Sometimes even has some ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney to avoid being punished, or to survive losing customers. Our heroes must then band together in an effort to save their beloved coffee shop/video store/bookstore from certain extinction.

Often employed as a StrawmanPolitical to reprimand corporate businesses, but may sometimes be an accurate depiction of the dirty tricks that certain big companies use.

When considering whether an example would fit this trope or not, please keep in mind that simply having a large corporate entity in the story may not qualify it as a VoldeMart. The intention of this trope is that the large corporation's aggressive business tactics and the opposition to the corporation should figure in a plot or subplot. For situations where the corporate entity is more of a environmental detail or a mood-setting device, MegaCorp or BlandNameProduct may be more appropriate.

For Real Life examples, please keep in mind that as to what constitutes legitimate competition vs. underhanded business practices differs. In the interest of reducing natter, please confine this to fictional examples.

And no, [[HarryPotter He Who Must Not Be Named]] doesn't own a chain of supermarkets.
----
!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
* In IkokuMeiroNoCroisee, the Galerie du Roy is threatened by the opening of a "Grande Magazine", or as it would be known now, a Department Store.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Film]]
* Fox Books in ''YouveGotMail''
** Possibly subverted: The small bookstore does go out of business, but Meg and Tom fall in love anyway, so it's all good?
** This trope is definitely in full effect at first. But it is also eventually subverted in that the megacorp is offering cheaper goods, but it still serves the community for the better, as can be seen when Meg Ryan is walking around the store, noticing that groups of adults and children alike are scattered around reading books and having fun. Even though one employee didn't know about the "Shoe" books, there's no indication that they are selling cheap material or using dirty business practices. As Tom Hanks said, "I sell cheap books. Sue me."
* Buy N Large from ''{{Wall-E}}'' is pretty much the end effect of this.
** Also subverted in a weird way. Generally VoldeMart type companies are criticized for selling cheap, crappy merchandise, but the Axiom and nearly everything on it are incredibly well-built.
*** According to WordOfGod, the Wall-E units suffered some sort of massive production failure, leaving only one active, which is why Buy N Large decided to give up on cleaning up the Earth.
* ''Film/BatteriesNotIncluded'' had a variation where a corp was trying to buy out the inhabitants of some tenement blocks so they could build a skyscraper in their place. The residents of one block resisted, and the corp started using dirtier and dirtier tactics to get rid of them.
* Mondo Burger from the old Nicktoons movie ''GoodBurger''.
* ''Walmart: The High Cost of Low Prices'', a {{documentary}} [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin that]] attempts to prove that Walmart is this trope.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* Early example: Ring's Come-one Come-all Up-to-date Stores from ''An International Affair'' by [[PGWodehouse P.G. Wodehouse]]. Local, cosy "Ma and Pa" tea-shop depends on students of local boarding school. Along comes Evil Franchised Store, undercutting them something awful and fully intending to take advantage of the local yokels. Then some plucky students band together, have tea at the New Place, and secretly take something that makes them really sick, thus giving the New Place a reputation for food poisoning.
* Subverted in Emile Zola's ''Au Bonheur des Dames'', where the owner of the aggressively expanding corporation is the protagonist. It doesn't prevent Zola from pointing out (with impressive foresight) how such stores tend to drive their less competitive neighbours out of business.
** And the owner is a manipulative bastard who plays on humans baser instincts.
* ''The Store'', a horror novel by Bentley Little. A large corporation places "The Store" in the protagonist's home town and [[ItGotWorse things go downhill from there]].
* Speedy Mart, from the Kitty Norvil series by Carrie Vaughn. The owner of the chain creates natural disasters with magic. Kitty's bounty hunter friend that tried to kill her once saves the day, with help from a century old ghost. It makes sense in context.
* In the ''BarryTrotter'' parody series, the Voldemort stand-in Lord Valumart fits this trope by selling magical goods to the Muddle world.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Live Action TV]]
* In ''Lottery'', a small mom and pop grocery store find itself facing a major supermarket opening up across the street. They refuse to be bought out and they are about to be crushed, but the Intersweep Lottery rep comes tell them they won over over a million dollars in lottery winnings. Armed with this sudden windfall, the family decides to fight fire with fire with the supermarket and enters a competition war with that is so fierce that the supermarket chain's owner investigates and he turns about to a friend of the small store family and a compromise is reached.
* This trope was examined on the "Wal-Mart" episode of ''PennAndTellerBullshit''. Penn argues that Wal-Mart's growth is the natural end result of capitalism, and that demonizing Wal-Mart is unfair.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Newspaper Comics]]
* Mentioned in ''FoxTrot'':
-->'''Andy:''' I wish that Starbucks hadn't opened up.\\
'''Roger:''' Why? You think it'll hurt the Mom & Pop coffeeshops?\\
'''Andy:''' Because it's on the route Peter takes to come home.\\
'''Roger:''' I wondered why his teeth were chattering all the way through dinner.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* Triple-AAA corporations in ''{{Shadowrun}}''
* In ''MutantChronicles'' just about every megacorp plans on doing what ever it takes to gain more grounds against the other megacorps. Their also not afraid to go on all out war with each other.
* One of the [[FairFolk True Fae]] in the TabletopGame/{{Changeling The Lost}} book ''Grim Fears'' is trying to take over the Earth by heading a megacorp of big box stores.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* Pizza Dinosaur from ''VideoGame/{{WarioWare}}''; their [[EarWorm corporate song]] even says the 'lower quality products but cheaper' part.
-->We represent Pizza Dinosaur
-->We've got the most stores in the world
-->Our crust is tough and our sauce is thin
-->But we're everywhere so you gotta give in!
-->Mona Pizza's got nothin' on us
-->'Cuz we've got six-thousand-stores-plus!
* In ''{{Persona 4}}'', Junes is ''regarded'' as one, though it's more a parody of {{Mega Corp}}s. Its poor reputation (though people still shop there even while blaming it for driving small shops out of business, similar to people in Walmart in real life) has several long-reaching effects; the most obvious is on party member Yosuke, who happens to be the son of the manager.
* Pizza Bat in ''NoMoreHeroes 2: Desperate Struggle'', which has hurt the local fast food places like Suplex Pizza.
* BenJordanParanormalInvestigator has this as "Bean There, Done that".
* If your income drops too low in {{SimCity}} 3000, you may be propositioned to build a Gigamall in your city. By doing so, you'll earn a steady income which can keep you in the black, but like all the business deal buildings, [[DealWithTheDevil there's a catch]]: The Gigamall torpedoes the development of your own commercial sector.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:WebComics]]
* ''Wondermark'' had a comic that subverted this where the one complaining about this trope pertaining to a bookstore was mostly peeved that the new store's security was not of the "old man in chair napping" model.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:WebOriginal]]
* Wal Mart Watch actually has a YouTube parody called ''HarryPotterAndTheDarkLordWaldemart''.
* The JibJab video [[http://sendables.jibjab.com/originals/big_box_mart "Big Box Mart"]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* Done twice in ''SouthPark''.
** While Wall Mart ''is'' [[spoiler: the physical shell of an EldritchAbomination]], the boys make the argument that if the citizens of South Park really don't want it to succeed over the local "mom & pop" stores... ''stop shopping there''. This is [[{{Pun}} reflected]] by the core of the Wall Mart being a mirror, so the boys (who were told to destroy the core) see themselves in it. [[SpoofAesop So then they just break the mirror which causes the Wall Mart to burn down]].
** Subverted in the episode for [[BlandNameProduct Harbucks]] Coffee. Most of the episode involves a small coffee shop owner, Mr. Tweek, trying to keep Harbucks from imposing on his business, including forcing the four main characters to rally the town around him. But, it turns out that Harbucks actually does make better coffee than Tweek's when the townspeople finally get around to tasting it.
* ''[[{{Sixteen}} 6teen]]'' had Tajma-home-video, doing essentially this to smaller video stores.
* Megalomart from ''KingOfTheHill''. Also Alamo Beer in a few episodes. However, after the Megalomart is blown up and rebuilt it stops being this.
* Superstore USA from ''FamilyGuy''.
* Red Rocket (a front for COBRA, of course) from the original ''GIJoe''.
* Cobra Industries in [[GIJoeRenegades the new series]] is ''made'' of this, although their pies ''are'' better than homemade. Their bagel-dogs aren't bad either.
* The monstromarket featured in the ''GarfieldAndFriends'' short "Supermarket Mania".
* "Sprawl-Mart" is portrayed like this in the later episodes of ''TheSimpsons''. Also, Ned Flanders has to compete against the left-handed giant "Left Mart".
* One of the VeggieTales stories, based on ''Don Quixote'', had a little local restaurant that was very successful...until a giant corporate eatery, The Food Factory, moved in across the street.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Real Life]]
* Car and tire companies were accused of this in the early 20th century, mostly due to the demise of the electric urban streetcars. Fear of people not buying their products basically encouraged one of the earliest examples of VoldeMart. They would buy urban streetcar companies, then liquidate them to eliminate the competition. Fines for such were proposed... but they were able to get them all down to a ''dollar''. ''Each''. (Part VoldeMart, part ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney.) [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_streetcar_scandal]]
* Companies such as Monsanto have come under fire and have been seen as this by local farmers, due to neighbouring farms using seeds patented by such companies as these. Unfortunately, the patents are on ''self replicating'' products - meaning that if pollen from a patented plant blows over from a neighbouring plot into yours and starts producing a certain patented genotype or trait... ''they CAN sue you''. Even worse for "organic" farmers since they can not only be sued by Monsanto, but the unintentional hybridization with genetically modified crops renders their own crops non-"organic", driving them out of their niche market.
* Wal Mart is pretty much what inspired this, whether true or not.
* Australian retail giants Wesfarmers and Woolworths seem to be taking their cues from [=WalMart=], as HungryBeast explains [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1et_HBmLYw here]].
* [[http://www.cracked.com/article_15967_the-awful-truth-behind-5-items-probably-your-grocery-list.html Here is a list]] of examples from recent history, presented by Cracked.
* Several of [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1232207/ Michael]] [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098213/ Moore's]] films deal with this phenomenon in the United States
[[/folder]]
----

* One of the [[FairFolk True Fae]] in the {{Changeling The Lost}} book ''Grim Fears'' is trying to take over the Earth by heading a megacorp of big box stores.

* Megalomart from ''KingOfTheHill''. Also Alamo Beer in a few episodes.

For Real Life examples, please keep in mind that YourMileageMayVary as to what constitutes legitimate competition vs. underhanded business practices. In the interest of reducing natter, please confine this to fictional examples.

* ''Walmart: The High Cost of Low Prices'', a {{documentary}} [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin that]] [[YourMileageMayVary attempts to prove that Walmart]] is this trope.

* ''[[{{Sixteen}} 6teen]]'' had Tajma-home-video, I believe doing essentially this to smaller video stores.

* Wal Mart is pretty much what inspired this. YourMileageMayVary on what's actually ethical or not.

* If your income drops too low in {{SimCity}} 3000, you may be propositioned to build a [=GigaMall=] in your city. By doing so, you'll earn a steady income which can keep you in the black, but like all the business deal buildings, [[DealWithTheDevil there's a catch]]: The [=GigaMall=] torpedoes the development of your own commercial sector.

* Companies such as Monsanto have come under fire and have been seen as this by local farmers, due to neighbouring farms using seeds patented by such companies as these. Unfortunately, the patents are on ''self replicating'' products - meaning that if pollen from a patented plant blows over from a neighbouring plot into yours and starts producing a certain patented genotype or trait...''they CAN sue you''. Even worse for "organic" farmers since they can not only be sued by Monsanto, but the unintentional hybridization with genetically modified crops renders their own crops non-"organic", driving them out of their niche market.

* Car and tire companies were accused of this in the early 20th century, mostly due to the demise of the electric urban streetcars. Fear of people not buying their products basically encouraged one of the earliest examples of VoldeMart. They would buy urban streetcar companies, then liquidate them to eliminate the competition. Fines for such were proposed...but they were able to get them all down to a ''dollar''. ''Each''. (Part VoldeMart, part ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney.) [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_streetcar_scandal]]

** While Wall Mart ''is'' [[spoiler: the physical shell of an EldritchAbomination]], the boys make the argument that if the citizens of South Park really don't want it to succeed over the local "mom & pop" stores...''stop shopping there''. This is [[{{Pun}} reflected]] by the core of the Wall Mart being a mirror, so the boys (who were told to destroy the core) see themselves in it. [[SpoofAesop So then they just break the mirror which causes the Wall Mart to burn down]].

* Pizza Dinosaur from ''WarioWare''; their [[EarWorm corporate song]] even says the 'lower quality products but cheaper' part.

* In ''SouthPark''
** subverted for [[BlandNameProduct Harbucks]] Coffee when [[spoiler:it turns out that Harbucks actually does make better coffee than Tweek's]].
** While Wall Mart ''is'' [[spoiler: the physical shell of an EldritchAbomination]], the boys make the argument that if the citizens of South Park really don't want it to succeed over the local "mom & pop" stores...''stop shopping there''. This is [[{{Pun}} reflected]] by the core of the Wall Mart being a mirror, so the boys (who were told to destroy the core) see themselves in it. [[SpoofAesop So then they just break the mirror which causes the Wall Mart to burn down]]. You know, whatever.

** subverted for [[Harbucks BlandNameProduct]] Coffee when [[spoiler:it turns out that Harbucks actually does make better coffee than Tweek's]].

* One of [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1232207/ Michael Moore]]'s earliest films deals with this phenomenon in the United States

* In ''SouthPark'', Wall Mart and Harbucks Coffee (subverted when [[spoiler:it turns out that Harbucks actually does make better coffee than Tweek's]]).
** Also, while Wall Mart ''is'' [[spoiler: the physical shell of an EldritchAbomination]], the boys make the argument that if the citizens of South Park really don't want it to succeed over the local "mom & pop" stores...''stop shopping there''. This is [[{{Pun}} reflected]] by the core of the Wall Mart being a mirror, so the boys (who were told to destroy the core) see themselves in it. [[SpoofAesop So then they just break the mirror which causes the Wall Mart to burn down]]. You know, whatever.

* Cobra Industries in [[GIJoeRenegades the new series]] is ''made'' of this, although their pies ''are'' better than homemade.
** Their bagel-dogs aren't bad either.

* Car and tire companies were accused of this in the early 20th century, mostly due to the demise of the electric urban streetcars. Fear of people not buying their products basically encouraged one of the earliest examples of VoldeMart. They would buy urban streetcar companies, then liquidate them to eliminate the competition. Fines for such were proposed...but they were able to get them all down to a ''dollar''. ''Each''. (Part VoldeMart, part ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney.)
** Or, well, just read [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_American_streetcar_scandal this]]. It's depressing, ain't it?
* Companies such as Monsanto have come under fire and have been seen as this by local farmers, due to neighbouring farms using seeds patented by such companies as these. Unfortunately, the patents are on ''self replicating'' products - meaning that if pollen from a patented plant blows over from a neighbouring plot into yours and starts producing a certain patented genotype or trait...''they CAN sue you''.
** Even worse for "organic" farmers since they can not only be sued by Monsanto, but the unintentional hybridization with genetically modified crops renders their own crops non-"organic", driving them out of their niche market.

* Big business tends to turn into {{Card Carrying Villain}}ry outside of regulated countries. [[http://www.cracked.com/article_15967_the-awful-truth-behind-5-items-probably-your-grocery-list.html Just look at this]]. What bastards. I couldn't pick which one was the worst, really, but using the CIA to paint a freely-elected and popular democracy as a Communist regime, leaving them free to....install a totalitarian dictator and plunge its people in a half-century of bloody civil war ''just so you don't have to sell a banana plantation'', is a pretty good start.
** And even inside regulated countries, according to [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1232207/ Michael Moore]]

** And even inside them, according to [[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1232207/ Michael Moore]]

* Big business tends to turn into {{Card Carrying Villain}}ry outside of regulated countries. [[http://www.cracked.com/article_15967_the-awful-truth-behind-5-items-probably-your-grocery-list.html Just look at this]]. What bastards. I couldn't pick which one was the worst, really, but using the CIA to overthrow a democracy and immerse its people in a half-century of civil war ''just so you don't have to sell a banana plantation'', is a pretty good start.

* Big business tends to turn into {{Card Carrying Villain}}ry outside of regulated countries. [[http://www.cracked.com/article_15967_the-awful-truth-behind-5-items-probably-your-grocery-list.html Just look at this]]. What bastards.

* Big business tends to turn into {{Card-Carrying Villain}}ry outside of regulated countries. Just [[http://www.cracked.com/article_15967_the-awful-truth-behind-5-items-probably-your-grocery-list.html look at this]]. What bastards.

* Big business tends to turn into {{CardCarryingVillan}}ry outside of regulated countries. Just [[http://www.cracked.com/article_15967_the-awful-truth-behind-5-items-probably-your-grocery-list.html look at this]]. What bastards.

Usually, but not always, employed as a StrawmanPolitical to reprimand corporate business practices in general.

* Car and tire companies have been accused of this in the early 20th century, mostly due to the demise of the electric urban streetcars. Fear of people not buying their products basically encouraged one of the earliest examples of VoldeMart. They would buy urban streetcar companies, then liquidate them to eliminate the competition. Fines for such were proposed...but they were able to get them all down to a ''dollar''. ''Each''. (Part VoldeMart, part ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney)

[[folder: Real Life]]
* Car and tire companies have been accused of this in the early 20th century, mostly due to the demise of the electric urban streetcars. Fear of people not buying their products basically encouraged one of the earliest examples of VoldeMart. They would buy urban streetcar companies, then liquidate them to eliminate the competition. Fines for such were proposed...but they were able to get them all down to a ''dollar''. ''Each''. (Part VoldeMart, part ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney)
* Companies such as Monsanto have come under fire and have been seen as this by local farmers, due to neighbouring farms using seeds patented by such companies as these. Unfortunately, the patents are on ''self replicating'' products - meaning that if pollen from a patented plant blows over from a neighbouring plot into yours and starts producing a certain patented genotype or trait...''they CAN sue you''.
** Even worse for "organic" farmers since they can not only be sued by Monsanto, but the unintentional hybridization with genetically modified crops renders their own crops non-"organic", driving them out of their niche market.
* Wal Mart is pretty much what inspired this. YourMileageMayVary on what's actually ethical or not.
* Australian retail giants Wesfarmers and Woolworths seem to be taking their cues from [=WalMart=], as HungryBeast explains [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1et_HBmLYw here]].
[[/folder]]