I’m not sure how it is now. About six years ago I opted for in-store pickup for five iPod Touches. In store pickup was in the very back of the store, and it took about 20 minutes for them to assemble my order. Waste of time.
I just ordered $300 of cat food from one of the web sites suggested here. (Don’t want to say which one since several good sites were suggested.) Thanks everyone, and I’ll let you know how it goes.
As a result of this thread, I’ve come to realize how much I detest the local Walmart. I’m going to try to stop shopping there, possibly by ordering more stuff online and having it delivered.
Just this morning I went to Walmart, where I was bullied by the greeter on my way out. I am mobility impaired and was in a motorized cart, which was crammed to the gills with large items like toilet paper and paper towels. She saw me come out of checkout and head straight for the door, but she made me take everything out of the cart so she could check it against my receipt. She was nasty, with a really bad attitude.
Just ignore them. It’s your property, and greeters have no police power.
Walmart has two different pickup options:
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The older system is available at almost all WalMart locations. Order something online at www.walmart.com and when checking out, choose the Free Store Pickup as your shipping option if it’s available. If it’s an item they happen to have in stock at that store you can get it later the same day, otherwise it may take a few days to a week or more. When you get the notification that your order is ready, you have to go to the online pickup counter which (unlike the customer service desk) is sure to be inconveniently located way in the back of the store. I have used this service several times at two or three different WalMart locations and sometimes it even goes smoothly. Close to half the time, though, there’s some annoying problem. Either the counter isn’t manned and nobody comes when you press the call button, or it takes them a long time to find your item in the back. Another annoyance: I once ordered two items, of which the first arrived early and the second arrived just over a week later. I had to make two trips to WM, because they would only hold the first part of the order for one week after it arrived. I’ve never had a problem with very long lines or with receiving the wrong item or being charged the wrong price. I would hesitate to recommend this service to other people because of the annoyance factor, even though I am sometimes willing to take a chance by using the service myself.
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The newer system is available only at some stores in some parts of the country, alongside the older system. Order something online at http://grocery.walmart.com (not just groceries but almost anything they sell at that WalMart location and that is in stock), and pay online. You can pick it up curbside later that some day. If you pop the trunk they will load your purchases for you. As I understand it, there is no extra charge for this service but there is a minimum order of $30. I have never used this service because it’s not available near me.
This is exactly the experience I shallowly describe above.
I ordered during the weekend, and the packages arrived yesterday (Tuesday). There are two large weighty packages, which are too heavy for me to lift (or even move), so they’re sitting barely inside my open-doored garage. Fortunately, I live in a crime-free neighborhood.
Hopefully I’ll have some help in a day or two.
You could just cut open one of the cartons, remove a few cans, carry them inside, and repeat. Eventually, you will have an empty carton, which you then place where ever you want to store it, and reverse the previous process.
And for the future: I noted you ordered $300 worth of merchandise. Instead order the minimum free shipping order ($35 or $49 or whatever). This will generate a smaller weight package.
Do you know what service made the deliveries? If you continue ordering this way you might be able to work with the delivery person to make the transition easier for you. I’m sure they won’t bring it inside but perhaps put the items deeper into the garage.
My cats laugh at your $35 of cat food :D.
Now that I’m stocked up a bit, I may start ordering weekly. If I have to pay my handyman to wrangle the box, the cost of the food goes up.
ZipperJJ, I have no idea who delivered. They didn’t knock, just dumped the boxes and sneaked away.
Dewey Finn, I’m too handicapped to be able to bring all those inner boxes inside, even one at a time. I have to have the hired hand bring in most non-perishable groceries from my car. Yes, it sucks.
This was my experience, and it was painful. Customer pickup is way at the back of the store and seemingly not staffed. So I had to find someone, who flagged down someone else and when they finally showed up it took them a good 5 minutes to find my order. I don’t generally expect amazing customer service at WalMart but I would probably do my best to avoid using this method again in the future.
I’ve never had a problem with it except, as mentioned, the waiting can get a little long.