What is an item worth?

[Wazabi]

=off topic=

Try this perhaps: "Walmart wages are so low...

1. Why do they still want to work at walmart? Can't they find a better job? Or is there a low demand for their skill level? Where were they working previously?
2. Imagie you work for a company that tells you your annual bonus and pay increase has been donated to starving children in Africa.

There are many more arguments that I can make. Ultimately, it dwells down to this: If you are a low skilled worker, would you rather be unemployed or employed with however little wage you get? If there is a demand your your skill set, you will get a better wage. If you demonstrate that you can do more, you will get a better wage.

I deal with similar blue coller wage problem in my work...the pay is never enough...in the end...if you're still only capable of doing what you could do 5 years ago, then I'm paying you the same wage, adjusting for inflation.

I agree that low wage is a problem...and that needs to be addressed through other means than simply saying ban wal-mart. It's a naive and uneducated solution to a more complex problem.

Similarly as how Zigkid puts it, economic efficiency looks at a much broader picture and it involves some complex mathematical calculations fitting to be a PhD thesis. And in the case of a price level increase, wage level usually lag behind especially for unskilled labor. This price level increase hurts and perpetuates the poverty that they are in...and it is usually the unskilled labor that are in poverty.

=In-topic=

Value is subjective and trades are made on perceived value

You might also add that the value of a certain item has a concave utility curve: If you have none, you'll be willing to pay more for the first one...when you have a lot, you'll be willing to pay less for that.