BTW the walmart here is not dirty and grungy like so many of you are saying… maybe YOUR walmarts are dirty because your in a decent income area so no one goes there.
I think I know why I find there’s such a difference between the Wal-Marts I know and the ones you guys are describing.
I live in Canada, and Wal-Mart Canada has a different supplier than in the US. Many of the products Wal-Mart Canada sells are Canadian made, and they do sell some name brand items.
The stores are always clean, the buildings are certainly not ugly and gray. The shelves are always neatly stocked, and the stockmen are always friendly and helpful if one needs assistance. The only department that could be considered to not be in order is the shoe department, which has got to be hard to keep neat all day with people trying shoes on all the time.
I think Wal-mart kicks ass! However…
I am a compulsive shopper and an insomniac. Walmart is open 24 hours.
I am a compulsive shopper, married to a cheapskate. Walmart is cheap.
I am a compulsive shopper with a toddler who likes to go buh-bye. Walmart is nearby. Walmart also provides shopping carts while Sears, Penneys, and Wards do not.
I am a compulsive shopper who gets intense urges to sew, of all things. Walmart has a fabric and craft department.
But mostly it’s the 24 hour thing.
Veni, Vidi, Visa … I came, I saw, I bought.
I buy clothes at Walmart all the time and I’ve never noticed that they fall apart especially quickly. I’ve had clothes bought from small boutiques fall apart much faster, actually. Also, they sell lots of name brand stuff… so what is the gripe? I buy tools there and accesories for my Dremel… hell they have a better selection than the hardware store.
They also have toys, fabrics, electronics, cheap furniture (our basement TV cart, our end table/lamp, and my son’s dresser combined were less than $150) kids clothes that last as long as the kid can fit them, etc etc etc.
I never knew there was a big “anti Walmart thing” until I read this thread, as a matter of fact.
I also like the 24 hours thing 
>^,^<
“Cluemobile? You’ve got a pickup…”
OpalCat’s site: http://opalcat.com
The Teeming Millions Homepage: fathom.org/teemingmillions
The myth that Wal-Mart has nothing but junk is just another attempt to discredit the place. Wal-Mart carries a lot of the same brand names as other stores (Levis, etc). They also offer various lines of lower-cost clothing, which may or may not be of the same quality. Other products like batteries, video cassette blanks, etc. are pretty much the same brand you find everywhere.
Anyway, a lot of the stuff people buy is of pretty uniform quality anyway. How much difference is there between plastic food containers, etc? At the local Wal-Mart they also sell paperback novels and magazines at 25% off the cover price.
We shop at Wal-Mart because we have a Toddler, and it lets us get a lot of shopping out of the way fast. We can pick up some cereal, some children’s tylenol, a few socks for the little tyke, etc without leaving the building. And they provide shopping carts, and instead of escalators they have movators (important when you have a kid in a stroller). There is also a McDonald’s in the store, so we can time our visit to have a lunch as well. It really makes the days shopping go a lot easier.
I guess I’m just annoyed at this thread because I grew up poor in a small city that didn’t have a Wal-Mart. When we travelled to a place that did have one, it was like Christmas. You can’t appreciate Wal-Mart until you’ve been in that situation. If I were back in that life and had to listen to some preppy snot whine about losing the ‘character of the neighborhood’ I would have strangled him.
Thanks for the advice, everyone. I got Kay Bee Toys to reserve me a copy of FF8, so I’ll have it on Friday.
I live in the American southwest, so maybe it’s just a regional thing around here. I’d drive 500 miles to find out if other Wal-Marts are better, but I have classes to attend this week.
And please don’t accuse me of looking down on poor people. There are quite a few of them around here and I know they live hard lives. But the stuff Wal-Mart sells around here is so crappy that it doesn’t last very long. What will the poor people do when the coffee maker they bought gives out after three months? I think that’s rather unfair for them. Like you said, I have the choice to go elsewhere. They don’t.
– Sylence
“The problem with reality is the lack of background music.” – Anon
For the life of me, I avoid shopping in a WalMart whenever possible. I don’t much like the store, the merchandise (mainly the clothing. I admit that Duracell batteries are Duracell batteries), and I’m not too fond of their business strategies either. Add to that that much of the merchandise isn’t consistantly available (they buy it when it’s cheap and then stock up big, but when it’s out it’s out until they can buy more cheap). I’d much rather buy my stuff elsewhere and tend to shop at Meijers, K-Mart or Target before going near WalMart. I’m not super fond of the above store either (actually, I guess I have nothing against Target and I like Meijer’s grocery section), but they beat WalMart. And don’t whine at me about poor families. My family didn’t have a ton of cash growing up, and with a new baby, things are tight now – I’m still entitled to think it’d be a happier world without WalMart in it.
“I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.”
I just have to ask… WHAT is “Meijers”?
>^,^<
“Cluemobile? You’ve got a pickup…”
OpalCat’s site: http://opalcat.com
The Teeming Millions Homepage: fathom.org/teemingmillions
Funny you should mention this, Sylence, since about 3 days ago I went and bought a copy of FF8 at Wal-Mart too. I was surprised they still had about 50 of them in stock, as every other store in Austin was sold out. Also, despite your experience, they rung up the price correctly and I was out of there in less than 4 minutes (had to wait for a guy to open the case).
So clearly not ALL Wal-Marts have the horrendous customer service and price gouging your store had. If I were you, I’d go back and bitch pronto.
By the way, the game totally kicks ass. Already on disc 3.
“What’d ya say to me, Chicken-wuss!!??” -Seifer
Meijers is sort of like a Super WalMart or Super K-Mart. Basically the same department store stuff as all the rest, plus a sizable grocery department. Ours also has a cafe and eatery area, but I can’t speak for any other one.
I mainly like shopping there for food because they have a good selection and don’t pull that “Savers Card” crap like the other grocery stores (“Whore your demographics to us and save 17 cents on tuna!”)
“I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.”
Stopped at my trusty neighbourhood Walmart this evening…
Picked up some Dimetapp for the boy and FF8 for the husband.
Game cost $49.99, (a price I found MORE than reasonable), and the big tips/maps book cost $12.99.
Hubby was elated. I love Walmart.
Veni, Vidi, Visa … I came, I saw, I bought.
dhanson, I don’t live in the city in question; I live 10 minutes out of downtown Cleveland. The city in question is one of the single most affluent in the county. Believe me when I tell you that “poor” there is probably considered a household income below $75,000. And Wal-Mart wanted to build on some prime real estate right in the center of town.
In fact, when I think of all the Wal-Marts in the area, none of them are in neighborhoods considered “poor,” or even lower-class, and they sure as hell aren’t in areas easily accessed by public transportation.
Sylence said:
But the stuff Wal-Mart sells around here is so crappy that it doesn’t last very long. What will the poor people do when the coffee maker they bought gives out after three months?
I’m seriously not trying to pick a fight here, and this post is not directed at you, Sylence- I’ve heard this from a lot of people.
I just want to point out a few things. First off, Wal-Mart doesn’t sell “Wal-Mart brand Coffee Makers” or whatever. At our store, they sell Proctor Silex, Mr Coffee and Krups- the same stuff they sell in other stores. They also sell Sony and HP and Degree deoderant, etc, etc. So the “Wal-Mart stuff is crap” thing is a strange arguement. I don’t think the clothes are great quality, but other then that, the rest of their stuff is brand name, so I don’t get it.
Also, it is widely known that Wal-Mart will take a retun on absolutely anything you buy there if it “falls apart”, so people shopping there, regardless of income can return inferior products. When I worked there (and my Dad still does work there, remember) we were instructed to simply ask the reason (even if they just didn’t want it anymore) and do the return. Give 'em back the money, make 'em happy. As far as I’m aware, this is corporate policy-
I’m not a huge Wal-Mart defender, but they treat me well as a customer and they treat my Dad well as an employee. In our area, there were really limited options on where to shop. I guess I just don’t understand using the “all their stuff is crap” arguement against a chain that sells brand names.
It was dark all around.
There was frost in the ground
When the tigers broke free-
Sounds more and more like a regional thing as we go along here. Anybody know how the power structure of Wal-Mart goes? Maybe I just live in some really crappy district manager’s jurisdiction.
– Sylence
“The problem with reality is the lack of background music.” – Anon
The reason I hate Wal-Mart is because it tries to impose it’s standard of morality on it’s shoppers. It won’t sell the “morning after” pill and it frequently and selectively censors various games and CD’s. Case in point, if you try to buy the PC version of Duke Nukem, you’ll discover you purchased a toned version with less violence and blood, yet the PlayStation version, which is just as graphic as the uncensored PC version, goes un-affected. The Nirvana song “Rape Me” has been changed to “Waif Me” on the back of the CD cover. The actual song on the CD remains unchanged; however. How the hell does this help anyone? Since when does a fucking megastore that gets it merchandise from poor, third world nations and drives any Mom and Pop neighborhood operations out of business have a conscience?
Here goes:
In my area, we have the biggest mall in atlantic canada- Like New England, but canadian- and it has a Wal- mart ( I will now refer to it as WM)
A few years ago, WM came in and bought out Woolco, my favorite store. For this reason, I stayed away awhile 
I tried to shop there, but they had made the shelves really high, to the ceiling, and I felt panicky there, so I stayed away awhile more.
Then I began to venture in.
It is clean, well lit, and pretty well stocked.
The clothes are crap, unless you look for a brand name :(.But the prices on toys are always the best around here.
They have greeters at the door who pass me a cart, and give the kids stickers, a Mcdonalds-fries shut the little monsters up! :)- and the pharmacy there has some of the lowest prices in the area.
The staff however…well, this weekend, I was waiting with my 4 yr old while a teenage boy cut a key for me. A couple of his buddies watched. I believe the dialogue was :" If you cut the fuckin’ key, they expect the fuckin’ key to fuckin’ work!" this was by one of the buddies.
I dryly asked him: " Do you think you could say that louder?" when he turned, I smiled sweetly and pointed at my son.
The boy promptly shit his drawers, and covered his mouth, mumbling "Sorry ".
The cashiers are the slowest on earth,and if I have to purchase anything, I allow for 30 extra minutes to get through the checkout… :(.60 min at Xmastime.
The return policy is excellent.
I have an issue with the way they seem to make decisions regarding morality-morning after pill-etc, but that pill isnt available here yet, and I dont buy cd’s there…
all things considered, not the best place to shop…but not without redeeming qualities either.
Was it just me? or Was everyone transported back to Highlights for Children after reading kelli’s message. You know the articles that would have picture standing in for certain words.
Billy decided to go to the park. had never been to the park. :)'s friend Mike 
loved the park. and went to the park.
caught a fish :(. liked the :(. and threw the back in the water. The swam away.
Can anybody get me a job with Highlights?
There was a barber shop at school that had three magazine in their waiting area. Playboy, Sports Illustrated, and Highlights for children. I was very happy when I got a Highlights.
Oh, Walmart? Feh, I spent 23 years never having gone to one. I went to a while ago. It was ok- no better no worse than K-Mart. I would say Target is better, but they got rid of Food Avenue and replaced it with Pizza Hut, Food Avenue had very yummy mozzarella sticks… I would be much more impressed if the McDonalds in Walmat was open 24 hours, but it isnt.
pat
I’ve never had a problem with the clothes I’ve purchased from Walmart. Never. Not one rip, no loose seams, no unravelling sweater. The same goes for the clothes I’ve bought for Bowen. He’s a toddler. He plays hard, makes messes, crashes into things at full force. His clothes are none the worse for wear.
I do disagree with their censoring practices, but I don’t concern myself with it because I don’t generally buy my CDs there.
Admittedly, I like Target’s home stuff a lot better. It’s pretty likely that, were Target open 24 hours, I’d be shopping there instead of at Walmart. However, since I don’t really have anything against Walmart, and I’ve never had a problem with anything I’ve purchased there, I guess I’m a little quick to defend it.
Damn, I just have to respond to this. First of all, you got a clerk who had no idea what he was talking about, or just didn’t care enough to do it right. Go complain to management, they should solve that problem in a hurry.
I’m a junior in college, and I’ve worked for Wal-mart for four and a half years. Sure the company has a few jerks working for it, and yes, it does put some people out of business, but it also provides jobs with decent pay and good benefits to thousands of people. I personally would not be able to go to college were it not for both the money, and the benefits (including flexible schedule and company insurance) that Wal-mart has provided for me over the years. Most Wal-mart employees are average, hardworking people trying their best to get somewhere in life. Try not to let a few bad apples influence your view of the company.
I can only give my opinion of the 2 wal-marts here in my town (the only 2 I have ever been in) but I have never had a problem with:1) price gouging(as a matter of fact the policy at the wal-marts here is they will match ANYONES price)
2) uncleanliness
3)inferior products(although I am smart enough to know that there is gonna be a difference in the quality of a $40 pair of Levis from Sears and a $15 pair of Faded Glory’s from Wal-Mart…and so forth just to name 1 example)
Maybe Wal-Marts vary from town to town, I dont know, but for the most part my expieriences at wal-mart have been positive(except fot the time I bought 3 CD’s there only to get them home and realize they were edited and censored for content…that was bullshit… but thats a whole different thread)