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I walmart evil?

As for the actual shopping experience, I don't find Wal-Mart stores terribly pleasant. The stores near me always look sort of badly lit and grim, and a lot of the products look shoddy to me. I go in maybe once a year for something (they have a certain bodywash I like, and they are an easy local source for free weights and such - there's a sporting goods store right across the street from them, but it SUCKS).
I do find Target more pleasant, oddly enough, although mostly I stick to Fred Meyer (kind of like a grocery store and Target all in one, a Pacific NW chain now owned by Kroger) and buying things online.
 
Santa666 said:
Isn't that pretty much the definition of fast food restaurant? McDonald's and others may not be aiming for high-end sit down places, but they sure do want everything else.
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Where the frick do you people eat?

Fast food places attempt to sell food that is "good enough, given the cost and convenience" but is nowhere near the same as even a low-end sit down diner (shoot, McDonald's food quality can't even compete with other fast food places - surveys show that; people don't go to McDs for the food in any way, shape or form)

I have actually purchased light bulbs from Walmart and I found them in the very conveniently labeled lighting section. It was quite easy in fact. What makes you believe a Walmart would make it difficult to purchase everyday household items?
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When I went to my local Ace, I could park immediately by the front door, the store was small enough that it took 10 seconds to get to the lightbulb aisle, I picked up the lightbulb, went to the checkout where I waited behind all of one person, walked out, into the car, and left. Entire time from into the parking lot to out of the parking lot was 3 minutes.

You went to Walmart, drove around the parking lot before settling on a spot 100 yards away, finally got in, walked 50 yards more to get to the lighting section, and then back to the checkout, waited in line behind someone hauling 4 crying kids in a shopping cart using a credit card to pay for a box of Hostess cupcakes and Froot Loops cereal (in the self-service line if you were lucky), paid for your lightbulb, and then trekked the 100 yds back to your car. Time from when you pulled into the parking lot until you left: 10 minutes. And all for a lightbulb.

Maybe you consider that convenient. I don't.
 
pgwenthold said:
Where the frick do you people eat?

Fast food places attempt to sell food that is "good enough, given the cost and convenience" but is nowhere near the same as even a low-end sit down diner (shoot, McDonald's food quality can't even compete with other fast food places - surveys show that; people don't go to McDs for the food in any way, shape or form)
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I guess I am going to need a definition of "good enough". What quality of food is that? What exactly is food that is "good enough, given the cost and convenience"?




pgwenthold said:
When I went to my local Ace, I could park immediately by the front door, the store was small enough that it took 10 seconds to get to the lightbulb aisle, I picked up the lightbulb, went to the checkout where I waited behind all of one person, walked out, into the car, and left. Entire time from into the parking lot to out of the parking lot was 3 minutes.

You went to Walmart, drove around the parking lot before settling on a spot 100 yards away, finally got in, walked 50 yards more to get to the lighting section, and then back to the checkout, waited in line behind someone hauling 4 crying kids in a shopping cart using a credit card to pay for a box of Hostess cupcakes and Froot Loops cereal (in the self-service line if you were lucky), paid for your lightbulb, and then trekked the 100 yds back to your car. Time from when you pulled into the parking lot until you left: 10 minutes. And all for a lightbulb.

Maybe you consider that convenient. I don't.
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Hey look, I found a strawman too. Walmart has a large parking lot and I rarely have to drive around and around to find a space close to the door. Besides, it is not as if walking a little is unhealthy. 50 yards to the lighting section!!! OH MY GOD, checking my calculator, that is 150 feet. Well, if I have to walk 150 feet to find the product I am looking for, then I just ain't buying it. Every single time I have EVER been in a Walmart (besides Xmas time), they have had plenty of checkout lines to choose from and not once was I herded into the "woman with 4 screaming kids, blah, blah blah" line. On a side note, I have gone to Walmart for light bulbs, or similar items and found I needed something else as well. Strangely enough, I was able to find what I needed right there at Walmart. I cannot say the same thing about an Ace hardware store. Do they sell bread, or clothes, or DVDs, or toys, or ice cream, or books, etc...? I think you are grossly exaggerating the typical Walmart experience.

Yes, I have visited many Walmarts which are poorly run and in need of good housekeeping and a solid round of firings, but this can apply to any number of chains across the country.


Santa
 
If the lightbulb is burned out

Certainly if you were only interested in buying a lightbulb, then it would have been even more time-saving to run into Walgreens or CVS pharmacy.

However, WalMart offers a range and variety of things that people know will be always available on the shelves and in-stock. And WalMart makes sure they have it in-stock, and at a great price. Were you aware that every WaMart manager, as part of their job, must go out mystery-shopping several times a month and scan items at competitor's stores! If the competition sells for less, Wal Mart in Arkansas immediately issues a report, and a price-cut is authorized and the product in question receives a tag saying "roll-back" (that smiley guy).

Snowblower? WalMart.
Camera? WalMart.
Toy? WalMart.
Wristwatch? Walmart.
Shotgun? WalMart.

What's the problem?
 
You'll rarely fine me in a Wal-Mart, I mostly go there if I need a video game or dvd at 3 in the morning. I grew up with Wal-marts close by and I've always associated them with white-trash. Visiting a Wal-mart confirms this, it's clear that Wal-Mart caters to the lowest common denominator. The giant parking lot, the cheap and ugly building design, and the cheap products. All characteristics that say "we only care about money and cater to those with the same concerns". Not only that, the places are very cluttered and trashy, the staff utterly clueless, and finding a particular item is hell. And *****, the place is owned by a slack-jawed redneck fundy from Arkansas. Wal-mart embodies everything that is bad and ugly about America.
 
WildCat said:
Same here. The Chicago City Council wouldn't let a Walmart open in a depressed area on the south side, though the alderman in whose ward it would have been in pushed hard for it. So it opened just across the border in Evergreen Park, and had over 12,000 applicants for 350 jobs. Apparently, people don't mind working there despite the city council's efforts to keep them from the horrors of gainful employment. And now Evergreen Park gets the millions in annual sales tax revenue... :rolleyes:
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I get the 350 jobs point, but did the opening of a WalMart actually create jobs? One of the reasons WalMart can shift goods at a low price is their high volume/labour ratio. Unless the new WalMart actually created new shopping, that would not otherwise have been shopped, it has presumably drawn custom away from other outlets, some of which will either go out of business - empty shop, no taxes - or "down-size head-count". So there must be a trade-off. Those 12,000 applications - they weren't all from the jobless. Some (I'd bet) were from those who felt insecure in their existing positions.
 
ysabella said:
I do find Target more pleasant, oddly enough, although mostly I stick to Fred Meyer (kind of like a grocery store and Target all in one, a Pacific NW chain now owned by Kroger) and buying things online.
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Oddly, we also go to Fred's and Target quite a bit. Of course, up here in Washington, I think Kroger owns everything. :D
 
I admit that I grocery shop at walmart because its the only place left I can shop without a stupid card. Everywhere else I have to have a "fresh idea" or "super saver" card otherwise I face stiff financial penalties.
 
specious_reasons said:
Edited to add: I'm a liberal, and I support capitalism. And I don't like WalMart because I find the stores unappealing. While living in a small town, I would go shopping there on occasion because other stores were much farther away, and sometimes, you just need some milk.
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"Unappealing". ???? Really? How so?

What kind of things do you buy? You must not like name brand big flat screen tv's for cheap, eh? Or cheap cd's, or cheap Hanes underwear, or a cheap Ron Popeil rotissierre ovens, or cheap toothpaste, or name brand toys, or cheap snow shovels, or cheap flashlights...all name brand items that other stores have...only cheaper.

Are you for real?
 
jj said:
Home Depot

B&H Photo

Toys'r'Us

Duno, I only buy one every 10 years or so.

Again, duno.


Well, I know I don't want the quality of toy, camera, or snowblower that I can get at MallWart.
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See, now here is where I was speaking of Brand names. If you purchase a brand name snowblower, camera, toy, watch, or shotgun at Walmart, are you implying that those items are somehow of lesser quality than products from the identical manufacturer at the stores you listed? If you do, please explain how you know this.

Santa
 
Anti_Hypeman said:
I admit that I grocery shop at walmart because its the only place left I can shop without a stupid card. Everywhere else I have to have a "fresh idea" or "super saver" card otherwise I face stiff financial penalties.
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Pimply-faced youth : "Do you have a ...?". Familiar woman at adjacent till : "He doesn't want a club-card". I smile, in a vaguely sinister manner ...

The thing that pisses me off is that the pimply youths are just there for form, to either be ditched when gumment support runs out or destined for managerial things. While the familiar female has no pretensions, no false expectations, but recognises you and can exchange pleasantries and smiles in those few seconds of interaction.

But hey, waddya gonna do.
 
Mileage-chits

The managers just turn in a mileage-chit sheet, and get paid for the distance travelled, and it's on the clock. Don't guess blindly next time -- it makes me wonder what kind of a skeptic you are, OK CapelDodger?

jj, c'mon, you must know that WalMart is the largest seller of almost any major product you can name --- from toys to tires.

Gillette? WalMart.
Sony? WalMart.
Duracell? WalMart.
Krylon? WalMart.
Winchester? WalMart.

Hey, they even sell pinatas! Who else do you know that sells pinatas?
 
Santa666 said:
How do you know a Walmart manager would not get paid for these trips? And what stores charge for parking?

Santa
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The "wild guess" surely excuses me from providing proof. When it comes to parking, there are shops that don't have parking space. That's often the case in towns, where parking is an entirely separate business. Presumably the WalMart manager is testing down-town outlets? Unless they're regarded as already toast, which is not unreasonable.
 
CapelDodger said:
The "wild guess" surely excuses me from providing proof. When it comes to parking, there are shops that don't have parking space. That's often the case in towns, where parking is an entirely separate business. Presumably the WalMart manager is testing down-town outlets? Unless they're regarded as already toast, which is not unreasonable.
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Very true, you did qualify the statement with a "wild guess" disclaimer. You are forgiven. :D


Santa
 
webfusion said:
The managers just turn in a mileage-chit sheet, and get paid for the distance travelled, and it's on the clock. Don't guess blindly next time -- it makes me wonder what kind of a skeptic you are, OK CapelDodger?
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The kind that announces wild guesses when he makes them. A cynic of long-standing, with an accountancy background , and on further consideration I see a potential tax-dodge. Private mileage - how close to a WalMart does a manager live? - paid as non-taxed expenses. All on the clock, and all filled-in on the forms. Just a thought.
 
Santa666 said:
Very true, you did qualify the statement with a "wild guess" disclaimer. You are forgiven. :D


Santa
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Santa's forgiveness is his own business : I feel no more obliged to forgive Santa than I did all those years ago. Not even that Triang set will do now. Unless it's boxed and untouched ... I'll check this out on e-bay, we've maybe got a negotiating position.
 
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