POLL: On Walmart

You forgot the option:

I HATE the place, but have no real choice in the matter. We have supercenters, my mom hates them, but that is about all we got.

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We aren't so quick to go to Walmart anymore. If I "run" in for say dog food, it takes about 30 to 45 minutes. By the time I find a parking space, walk to the back of the store, stand in line and get back in my car. If I go to the locally owned pet store, I'm in and out in 10 minutes and havn't spent any extra $.


Where we are they are trying to put in a Super Walmart, and everyone seems to be fighting them. But Walmart isn't giving up without a fight.

special-k

Dh and I work with lists. When there are three things on a certain list, we go there. We have a running Wal-Mart list, a Sam's list, a Petsmart list, etc.

As a person growing up in the 50's and watching the big grocery stores run my parents mom-and-pop corner store out of business, I can appreciate how some feel about Wal-Mart. My opinion is that I have no opinion.

I stop in about once or twice a year, if that. Ours is not conveniently located, and it always seems to be so full of people that the shopping experience is not pleasant--just like K-Mart. I don't know what it is with Wal-Mart/K-Mart--they just seem to attract people who just throw stuff around so that even if they do have something, you can't find it! The only thing I go to K-Mart for is the Martha Stewart line--say what you want, she did insist on a quality product, and imho that's the only thing keeping K-Mart afloat right now.

I think part of the problem with Wal-Mart is that Sam isn't around to run it anymore. But I am getting tired of all the bashing. Every large organization has its problems. No one forces you to shop there, or work there. They must be doing something right if people consistently vote down unionizing.

I go to where the prices are the best. Big Lots,Dollar General,Buy for Less, you just have to shop around. There is no difference now than when Sears dominated the scene.

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Everyone takes it so personal when its nothing more than a more effective business strategy than the mom and pop stores had. Our local family owned hardware store has effectively stood against the walmart factor by expanding its product line to include comparable priced imports in addition to their normal high priced American made products such as woodstoves and cast iron that walmart does not carry. The mom and pop also offers low cost or free Saturday "how to" work shops. Any business can be viable in a wal mart dominated environment provided that they take into consideration the ever changing enviroment of business.

I notice that I never hear the " Wal Mart is here, Woe are we " weenies whine when their unemployed kids are hired there and they got grandmaw that job as a greeter. After a wal mart comes to town, folks soon forget those other sources of jobs that left years before and weakened that downtown area in the first place.

If you miss that mom and pop environment, start establishing it out in the country where you live. Of course then you'll complain of it growing up wont you? You'll miss the quiet country life without the little strip mall and growth.

Its called growth and progress folks. Get used to it.

Since 1994 I have watched a rural 4 way intersection grow from a San Ann gas station and a fruit stand to a 3/4 mile radius retail area with two convience stores, a jacks hamburgers, a subway sandwich shop, local bank, family dollar, piggly wiggly, two restaurants , a tax preparer, water dept, plant nursury and vetrenarian. The first step out there began when super walmarts grocery section put the piggly wiggley on the move 10 miles into the country. Now we have all the convience of the small city less than 6 miles away instead of 16. We also now have talk of the 4 way becoming a town to keep the tax revenue there. Its called progress and time marching on.

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Only if I have no other choice, then Wally World. For the stuff that needs to last, I'm looking for a little higher quality and American made, and don't expect to find either at Wally World. Hey, they're giving themselves the reputation of "cheap, cheap, cheap", not any us.

For foodstuffs, as local as possible, so it's been awhile since I darkened their doors.

bgak47 - "I go to where the prices are the best. Big Lots,Dollar General,Buy for Less, you just have to shop around." Add Roses to that list for us. They always were cheaper. Even the bulk toilet paper is cheaper at Roses than Sams.

Wally World could have stayed something Sam Walton would have been proud of. That seems to have been given up for a temporary market or $$$ gain. How long will the trend with Wally World last? Anybody's guess. A&P and Kmart were giants once.

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Bill

I shop there simply because they have what I want, I can get everything in one place rather than going to 10 different stores, and most things are cheaper than other stores.

Growth, yes. Progress, no. More people and a pyramid scheme economy is not progress, its regress in my eyes. Saying that, I treat Walmart like any other store, if they have the product I want at cheapest price, then thats where I buy it. However if people check around, Walmart many times is NOT the cheapest place to buy. Their produce for example is very high priced compared to Aldi. Some of their canned goods are coming down in price to meet Aldi prices. Their garden, automotive, and hardware are nothing special. I shop for clothes mostly at thrift shop and resale shops but doubt Walmart is anything special for those that buy clothes new retail. They used to have sign that if more than 3 customers in line, they'd open new checkout. Thats been gone long time.

When we used to have local Kmart, I'd go there just because their store was empty of people in middle of the day. No crowds and fast checkout and prices equivalent to WallyWorld. Was sorry to see that store shut down. There is a Target locally but its not convenient for me and its aimed at yuppies anymore, didnt see any particularly good buys and they dont handle stuff I'm particularly interested in. I do shop at Dollar stores and local store called AtoZ that sells Chinese stuff just lot cheaper than anybody else. Quality is coming up greatly on Chinese stuff no matter what anybody says. And I shop online if price and shipping is right and I like ebay. Just dont expect guarentees like at regular retail shop.

My wife goes to a super wallmart for food and bath products but thats about it.
The rest of what they sell can be sumed up with "cheap chineese junk".

Wallmart goal is to sell cheap (low cost and quality) products. They suceed.

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Gary in Central Ohio

The one here is too expensive. I have to buy a battery for my truck tomorrow. They are cheaper at auto zone or napa. We don't shop at walmart at all.

Hi, i'm kinda new here. We shop at Walmart once a week. They do price matching at the Superwalmart, so we bring all the ads from the other stores with us and get the lowest price on everything. We also only go early on Sunday morning - it's just us and a few other heathens.

Walmart is both an example of the American dream and a symbol of what is
wrong with this country.

First, a hardworking and honest man built an empire on good faith, family,
and bargains. That is outstanding. But his company has become a corporate
giant that cares nothing for the consumer - outside of the context of profits.
I have worked for a major corporate retailer for almost three years and I have
been behind the scenes at Walmart while applying for a job there. What I
saw and continue to see sickens me. Workers are treated like mindless
drones and the public is treated strictly as a revenue stream. I even saw
a Wal-Mart cashier get chewed out by a supervisor for being too friendly!
Sam Walton would spin in his grave if he saw what is going on with his name.

Walmart's wages are laughably small and I don't see how these people that
work there can support themselves or a family on what Walmart pays. Only
the upper-level management team makes good money (---- good money),
but everyone else makes minimum wage or near minimum. You have to work
there for 5 years or more to start making what I made when I got hired at
my current job. I looked at the interviewer and said, "you expect me to
support my family on THAT and then work for 5 years to start making what
I already make at my current job?" He just basically gave me a blank stare.
And their employee "discount" is a measly 10 percent. Considering that
most of the workers spend half of their paychecks at Walmart, Walmart is
basically paying these people the equivelant of chump change and then
taking half of it back.

Oh boy. That's the new American dream. Corporate America is the Satan
of our age. Endless profit, more and more money and less service and
benefits. CEO's get multi-million dollar bonuses, the workers who enable
them to keep their jobs get $10.00. That is what we have become.

It sickens me.

Mike

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I don't like our new Superstore! It takes forever to walk from one side of the store to the other... make sure your list is in location order! As for wages... Wal-Mart pays more than any local grocery store, with more frequent raises and better working conditions.

I used to go to Aldi's for everything I could, then to the meat market, then to Wal-Mart for cat food, litter, paper products, tobacco products (no more.. YAY!), cards and gifts, then to the grocery store for what the other two didn't have - half 'n half, etc.

Well, after waiting in line at Aldi's I don't want to wait in line at Wal-Mart... but the cat litter is ONLY available there and it's the only stuff that I"ve found works with 2 cats that eat and poop on a regular basis! So, I cut out Aldi's. I also cut out the regular grocery store because instead of waiting in line yet again for half 'n half for $2.09 I get it at Wal-Mart for $1.43. Coffee - bought yesterday at the grocery store for $6.99. Wal-Mart - same stuff - $4.87. Toilet tissue - 50 cents less a package, cheese - comparably priced to Aldi's with more selection, shampoos - 50 cents less a bottle, deodorant - same thing, tampons - $2 - $4 less a box, bouquet of roses that last for an entire week - under $10 - sometimes a couple bucks less! 2 pound package of frozen precooked sausage patties - $3.00, cat food - much cheaper, cat litter - 1/2 the price you'd pay anywhere else, canned dog food - 43 cents a can for Alpo.

Now, if I had a patient wife who didn't mind standing in line for all this stuff and had nothing else to do (I'm a heterosexual FEMALE, btw) than I'd send her to the grocery store. I would NEVER said a patient husband, because my motto is... "When looking for a fast moving line... pick the one with the most men in it... typically they have less than 3 items"

I hate Wal-Mart's meat - loaded with sodium preservatives that ruin the taste of a steak or hamburger. I get that at the grocery store or a small store 20 minutes in the other direction from my house, but on the way to the property that we're building on this year.

My kids all flew the coop last year, so my grocery budget is going to have to just change to less items at a higher cost because Wal-Mart has become more hassle than the savings is worth.. and that "small store" has pretty good prices on most of what we'll use.

"Walmart's wages are laughably small and I don't see how these people that
work there can support themselves or a family on what Walmart pays."


But 90% of the jobs at ANY store probably fall under the category of "unskilled", so why would anyone pay more than the minimum wage for that? We all evaluate goods and services by how much we think they're worth. I might go buy a CD if I like the artist, I will not go pay for a ticket to see them live--too much money for me, even for seats out where the eagles make their nests. I don't think any sport is worth paying for to go see live when I can watch it free on the TV. That's me. I will pay for work to be done that I don't know how to do.

Why anyone would choose to work at a minimum wage job for years when there is something else available puzzles me. And there IS always something else available--if people don't want to get the education for it (like for the current nursing shortage), or move to where it is, or start their own niche business, that is not the fault of the local employer, whomever he, she, or it is. It is not the fault of the government either. It's on you (general "you" here) to make the right choices for your situation. For example, I see lots of young people getting married and having families when they should be waiting until they themselves are somewhat established in a job area or career--again, not the fault of the employer or the government. It's not up to them to pay you a lot of money just because you choose to have a family.

Many people I know who work in various minimum wage jobs do so for several reasons, like the employee discount, or the fact that most minimum-wage employers will work around your school or other schedule (easy to take off for the day, too), or the job is easy enough that they can work at it and even do something else at the same time (ever see those people attending the Goodwill donation trailers--they sit around and read books when they're not loading and unloading), etc. That person sitting around to answer an occasional phone call late at night may also be working on The Great American Novel between calls, or studying for exams, if not actually napping. Some people just take these jobs to keep busy, or to complete their 40 quarters so they can collect social security later on. They don't look on these jobs as careers.

Did Wally World offer you or your family health insurance or any form of retirement benefits? You would be amazed at how much heath insurance can cost a company even as big as Wall Mart. You need to be careful when you compare how much money you can or could make at different companies. It is the benefits that a company offers that really make the difference to a lot of people. Many people I know are going to work every day not to collect a wage but to get health insurance for themselves and their families.

Has anyone read 'Fast Food Nation?" Walmart makes me mad becuase just like mcdonalds, they contribute to urban sprawl. that's one of the most awful things in my mind. you can't walk to a walmart, shoot, the parking lot alone is so big you don't want to walk across it! it's all about cars. of course, walmart will close a store in a city area, just to build a bigger one on the outskirts of town for pennies. they might even be outside the city taxing area, so they pay less taxes! and how much money does walmart make? they're killing little towns and they know it. so, they burden the infrastructure (roads mostly) and encourage sprawl type growth which is really costly in and of itself. how many walmarts do you see with a mcdonalds etc. just outside the parking lot. and a gas station. it's all sprawl. sidewalks? hahah! you don't see these stores in a small downtown. if cities were smart, they would plan ahead and NOT allow this unstructured, polluting, costly growth. you shouldn't need a car to shop. sorry, that's my rant. it's about urban sprawl!

Ever see an intersection to a WM that didn't have a stop light?

They're giving what a heck of alot of people want, selling less for less.

Fast Food Nation is a great book! Really interesting how the author ties together so many aspects of modern life which I hadn't really made the connection about. That together with "In the Absence of the Sacred" and "Nickel & Dimed" really make a thought-provoking triumvirate.

Just another store to me, wouldnt bother me if it went away..... but it's not quite as bad as Home Depot !!!!!