Walmart

Chuck52 · Dec 1, 2003

I wanted to get a Nesco/American Harvest food dehydrator for my son-in-law.....I figure it will be cheaper to let him make his own jerky, over time. Checked the price direct from the manufacturer, and the FD-60, which I have and know does a good job, is $60. I didn't check the postage and handling. Local Walmart has it for $40. Local Ace hardware has the next lesser model for $40, which is not too bad a price, but why would I not buy from Walmart. If they sell the same national brands for less, how can you knock their quality? Fot that matter, even some of their store brands stack up fairly well. Their batteries, for instance, often rate pretty well against other brands. An Olympus or Kodak camera from Walmart is the same camera I can pay a premium for at the local camera store. I might get some help from the local camera store if I have a problem with the camera, but then I've never had any problem returning things to Walmart. Some of my friends have said they've had problems with Walmart, but my own experiences have been positive. They even once ordered a replacement derallieur for a kid's bike I bought from them, free, and I don't think they even demanded that I have the receipt. Since it had been over a year since I bought the bike, I'm sure I no longer had it. Maybe it's just me, with my winning smile and friendly attitude! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Chuck

Bob_In_MN · Dec 1, 2003

I once saw a documentary called "When Walmart Comes to Town". Very interesting take on what happens when Walmart moves in. Much of it has been covered in this post, but basically the show covers an actual small town that is in the process of deciding on letting Walmart build a store. It does a great job of covering all aspects of the story including just how many "real" jobs are created when Walmart opens the doors.

Anyway--I can say I have not set foot in a Walmart for over a year and my wife (after a particularly bad experience) has joined me in my one man protest.

I still shop at a grocery store where the boys from the local high school football team carry the bags out and the local True Value hardware store/feed store generally has what you need if he can remember where it is.

I'm sure I pay more for the products and at this point it's OK. For all I know the owners of the local stores buy all their personal products from Walmart, but I hope that some of my dollars make it back into the local economy.

What get's me is the people who go to Walmart to save money on 5 items, but end up buying 15 items they did not intend to purchase and really don't need.

To each their own I guess.

Bob

gsganzer · Dec 1, 2003

"Let's face it. We all want high wages, great benefits, and low prices. Those just are not compatible. Yes you can say there are a lot of people making minimum wage. But the average is much higher than minimum. And the wages paid oversees is a mere fraction of that and with little benefits, but those people are thrilled to get it."


You're right. That's the natural growth curve of any economy. People begin to shy away from the tedious jobs. The latest is computer programming and data entry tasks being farmed out to companies in India. Who can blame the companies, a programmer in the US demands $90K, a programmer in India commands $20 - 30K. Companies are in the business to make a profit and have to find a balance between wages and quality.

Look at hotels, how many of the cleaning staff are non-hispanic? The fact is, nobody will take those jobs anymore, except for immigrant labor.

The state of "american manufacturing" is in dire straits. Nobody in the US will take those jobs at a competitive wage. When did a job such as bagging groceries have to provide a "living wage". Most people used to take those jobs to pick up some extra bucks. Now it's expected to provide a sustainable living and career.

I hate to ramble, but I've attended some meetings with capital hill speakers that represent "American Manufacturing" and it's all bad news. The economy will recover, but the low-end manufacturing jobs won't be coming back. They've gone to other labor markets.

TresCrows · Dec 1, 2003

"I'm sure I no longer had it. Maybe it's just me, with my winning smile and friendly attitude!"

Well, then maybe when there is no more work or jobs for you you can be a Wal Mart Greeter /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif standing by the door greeting thousands of bizzare people, a mindless horde seeking salvation in discount shopping /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. J

Chuck52 · Dec 1, 2003

I tend to run into more bizzare people in the grocery stores. I don't buy groceries at Walmart because I don't like the way they package their meats, and I don't find their selection of canned goods and other items to be as good as at some of the other chain grocery stores in town. Now, the grocery store is where I buy lots of stuff I don't need, or at least stuff that's not on the list the CFO gave me. The pickles, olives, special cheeses and sausages and stuff call to me like a siren! Walmart, on the other hand, is where I mindlessly go to get the odds and ends like paper goods, batteries, auto supplies, etc, and the occassional thing like the afore mentioned food dehydrator. Hardware, like screws and stuff, is sometimes cheaper at the local Ace hardware, if only because the screws can be bought by the piece.

I'd probably not make a good Walmart greeter. I have trouble being pleasant to unpleasant people. Most of the greeters I've seen appear to be retired folks who, no doubt due to Walmart's destruction of the U.S. economy, must return to the work force in order to live.

I do see how Walmart might be compared to MicroSoft. I can't say I like the way either company dominates it's area of the economy. My own experiences with Walmart have, however, been pretty good. Boycott them if that appeals to you.

Chuck

Bird · Dec 1, 2003

Chuck, there are lots of reasons to not like Wal-Mart, but like you, I've had good luck with them; either been satisfied with their products, or on a couple of occasions returned something with no problems. And while I hate to see them put others out of business . . ., well, on my pension I have to be a bit careful about how and where I spend my money, so yes, we even buy at least 95% of our groceries there. There are two very nice supermarkets even closer to us than Wal-Mart, but we'd have to pay at least 25% more to buy groceries from either of them. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

rockinmywaypa · Dec 1, 2003

Whenever I shop at Walmart I see everybody working, unlike where I buy groceries sometimes whereas the checkout girl doesn't even khow I'am standing there because she is in a deep conversation with the next checker about when is your boyfriend picking you up, is he old enough to drive, are you going to the party tonite and so on and so on.At least at Walmart They know that at that moment I am paying their wages and I'am treated as such.

YanmarFever · Dec 1, 2003

I try to buy American made goods in all my purchases specially tools, the chinese tools do not hold up because they are not heat treated, (my dads a metalurgist for the US govt.)
How ever if my brother needed that fan I would of gone to china for it ! because that was an emergency.

But I try to buy USA made as much as I can.
I can understand someone buying a plastic funnel or a cheap foreign widgit cause your in a hurry and you gotta have it.

But when you can shop around PLEASE try to buy AMERICAN
the job you might save= could be your brothers, neighbor or your own !!
Do you think they but American over seas ?
dont kid yourself!
The reason this country has high unemployment,and crime is because of a lack of good jobs, burglars & thugs are unemployed & lazy too.
(retired crime fighter 18 yrs.)
Tractor Ernie <><

Bob_In_MN · Dec 1, 2003

Like any business--the employees are what makes the shopping experience good or bad. Your Walmart (and my particular grocery store) both must have good employees /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif. If your local grocery store continues to operate that way, my guess is they will go out of business.

I don't avoid Walmart because of the employees (my wife now does), but rather because I don't like to shop there and I don't like much of what they do with the construction, operation and sometimes closing of stores.

Also--I want to make clear the fact I'm not knocking the people who do shop at Walmart and I understand the financial need of many on a budget.

FWIW, I don't just single out the big boys. There are a number of small, local businesses who no longer get my money because of service issues, etc. None of these stores will go out of business if I cease to darken their doors with my shadow--for me it's the principal.

Bob

Chuck52 · Dec 1, 2003

Bird,

For whatever reason, the super Walmart here doesn't have food prices that are that much better than the local supermarkets. Not that I've done item-by-item comparisons, but my casual experiences indicate that. My wife says they are cheaper on at least some things, but their meat, for example, isn't enough less to make an impression on me. If they were 25% cheaper here, I'd be tempted to fight the crowds. I really prefer the small standard Walmarts to the super centers I've been in. The Walmart closest to where we used to live in town still gets most of my business even though it's farther than yet another standard Walmart from our present home. I know where most stuff is there. The super Walmart is in the same center as Lowes and Sams, and it is busy 7x24. You almost need a scooter to get from your parking spot to the store. And, once in, if you don't also plan to buy groceries there, the selection of non-grocery items isn't much better that at the old Walmart. Go figure. Perhaps competition between the local supermarket chains has already forced food prices fairly low here.

This thread has gotten me started thinking about what I do buy from Walmart: auto supplies, like oil and batteries; paper goods, like towels and kleenex; plastic bags of various kinds; soap, detergent, cleaning supplies, toothpaste. Usually, when I need real hardware, Walmart won't have what I need. My wife buys the grandkids some clothes there....they out-grow them long before they wear them out. I get my socks and fruit-of-the-looms there about half the time. Occassional sweatshirts, maybe. Garden supplies....I really can't get over having to buy dirt for the wifes's plants when we've got 10 acres of darn good soil! I guess they could lose my business without having to lay anyone off.

Chuck

Junkman · Dec 1, 2003

As a local store owner before retirement, I would have to deal with people that would buy a pet product such as a fish tank or aquarium filter at Walmart and then come to my store and expect me to help them to either set it up because they bought one 5 pound bag of gravel or bought nothing from my store. This was particularly exasperating because if you didn't help them, they would say "this is the last time I will ever come to this store again" or something else to the sort. They weren't a customer in the first place, so I saw that as a blessing. Then there were the people that would buy a tropical fish at Walmart and when the fish died, would come in to ask why...... some of them actually would try to imply that they purchased it in my store and would expect me to replace it for them for free! They wouldn't want to know how to keep tropical fish, because in their mind, water is water. Sure glad that I no longer have to deal with this nonsense.... now my employees do because of Christmas, another round of it is about to start.

gsganzer · Dec 1, 2003

Junkman,
I deal with the same crap. They buy a competitors equipment because it's cheaper and then come to me to help work out the bugs to get it running. It's frustrating, because you want to have their business and be there for the next one.

bky · Dec 1, 2003

chuck i too bought the fd60 great mechine i even baught extra trays and i got them for 10.00 at cooks corner best pric ive seen. hehe funny about the price cause walmart dosnt sell the trays only the mechine.
and buy the way the co. that makes the mechine cant sell me the trays for the price cooks could.

cowboydoc · Dec 1, 2003

I agree completely with you BB. Quit blaming corporations, govt., etc. and look in the mirror. I'm sure many of those without factory jobs now bought the cheapest product as well. If we all did our talking with our buying instead of our lips there wouldn't be a walmart. No doubt the consumer drives it all.

dieselsmoke1 · Dec 1, 2003

A word to the wise, Beware while shopping at Walmart. May end up somewhere you don't wanna be /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Alan L. · Dec 1, 2003

I don't like to shop at Walmart, and I don't like the way they put most of the small town downtowns out of business. However, If they have what I need I get it there, because I have to worry about my own budget. When it comes down to it, the free market must prevail, and we're all better off if it does.

Junkman · Dec 1, 2003

( A word to the wise, Beware while shopping at Walmart. May end up somewhere you don't wanna be /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif )

Nah..... they wouldn't want me for a juror..... My motto is "no matter what the evidence, the police framed the guy"... if that doesn't work, then "we will hear the evidence and then convict him, even if he is innocent"..... They don't want me for a jury, because I am too analytical and cynical, both at the same time... December is my sarcastic month.... /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Junkman · Dec 1, 2003

( Junkman,
I deal with the same crap. They buy a competitors equipment because it's cheaper and then come to me to help work out the bugs to get it running. It's frustrating, because you want to have their business and be there for the next one. )

Nah..... I don't want their business and I don't want them there when they decide to buy again. I don't need the aggravation of problem customers. Our customers now drive 30 miles to come to the last store that I have open. Closed the others when profits went down because of the high rent district and the fierce competition. Did that before I lost any capital. You have to know when to fold in business as well as at the gaming table. The customers now appreciate what they had and lost. After we closed, the competition raised the prices by 25%. I knew it would happen and I put up with having a discount pet supply outfit across the street for more than 10 years and competed against them. When the rent went to $7000 per month for 3500 square feet, it was time to call it quits. The discount stores are only part of the equation of loss of small stores..... the landlords are the other part. If you have to work for 3 weeks just to pay the rent and employees, than it just isn't worth doing. My inventory was second to none.... I had every thing that you could ask for. It was me and my stores that introduced the Iams/Eukanuba brand to New England in 1973.... we were the largest dealer in New England into the middle 1990's... then the discount stores came along and wiped out that segment of the business.... It was the manufacturer that kept giving the discount stores the additional discounts... The discount store would sell a 40 pound of dog food cheaper than then me by a dollar, but they were buying it for $4.00 less than me.... They sold it cheaper and made $3.00 more than I could at the higher price.. Good old American business..... They forgot it was the small stores that created the brand recognition....

AndyM · Dec 2, 2003

( word to the wise, Beware while shopping at Walmart. May end up somewhere you don't wanna be )

Another reason to BEWARE at Walmart and other stores--

Stampeding shoppers flatten woman

Apparently, saving a couple of bucks is the most important part of the Christmas season? /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Junkman · Dec 2, 2003

If I was the store manager, I would have given her a free DVD player..... instead, they offered to put one on hold for her to purchase...... they "want her to come back as a shopper"... Guess that they can't afford to loose one customer. It will be interesting to see how things come about if she decides to start a legal action against Walmart.... I am certain that they would fight tooth and nail, rather than pay any money.......