Matt - you've been making some pretty big assumptions about QA throughout
this thread. Where is the breakdown in QA in your mind? It's refined in
the same plants. The distinction comes more at the packaging end of things.
Sure - there is potential for problems at every step but those problems
exist for everyone. Do you really believe that Mobil or any other supplier
has a QA process that is so unique and so different from what Wal Mart or
any other private label similar to Wal Mart has? I really doubt it. There
just isn't that much room in the supply chain as it exists, for huge
disparities in QA like you're suggesting. Besides - you've not documented
any reason to believe that there even is a QA difference, so why do you keep
mentioning the QA point? At some point, this kind of thing becomes what we
call FUD - Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Most times, totally unfounded and
only intended to smear a competitor or a product when no valid evidence
exists.
