OK so I just saw this story at MSN and wanted to rant a bit.
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/wal-marts-new-problem-its-customers.aspx (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/wal-marts-new-problem-its-customers.aspx)
To my thinking the article doesn't take into account the things that WalMart has done wrong lately. They just completed a major reno of many of their stores. While that was going on, many people avoided the store, you absolutely couldn't find anything. The goal of the reno was to make the stores a little more "upscale" to draw the Target and department store crowd. The reno at my local store has been done for months and they still have problems. They used to be very, very good at making sure the price on the shelf was correct, not any more, and there are still lots of items that aren't priced, of course it could be that the new manager is an idiot(OK, more idiotic).
The article also mentions that they have reduced inventory to keep the Wall Street guru's happy. What does that mean to me, It seems that they are now carrying a smaller selection of items, and that those they do carry are lower quality. Try to buy a decent can opener, they don't have it, They used to have those great SwingAway can openers, not anymore, only shoddy Chinese knockoffs which are ......well Junk.
They also were bragging on their expanded selection of electronics. This last Christmas the hot home electronics item was the LED LCD TV. Walmart didn't have a single one, either online or in the store, They seem to be a year behind on technology. OK, I'll shut up now.
Oh, everyone loves Walmart. Your one-stop shop and circus place, all in one!
Seen http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/ (http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/) ?
Plumb mean-spirited, but somehow morbidly fascinating. :D
Quote from: OkieJohn2 on March 03, 2010, 01:14:58 PM
The goal of the reno was to make the stores a little more "upscale" to draw the Target and department store crowd.
This reminds me of the quote from someone saying that they loved WalMart, because they didn't feel like they had to dress up to go there, as opposed to the Dollar Store or Target. I guess the spandex with the stains and holes is ok there, while going to Target suggests stepping up to something along the lines of a tube top.
Wal Mart's business practices offend me, so I choose not to shop there...at all.
Quote from: waggin on March 03, 2010, 02:51:02 PM
Wal Mart's business practices offend me, so I choose not to shop there...at all.
That's by far the best way to get you point across... with your wallet.
I don't mind shopping there. It's the closest place for me that sells hunting stuff, including guns and ammo, licences and such. They still do carry a significant amount of name brand products, and with the amount of inventory they move, their produce is very fresh. Granted... I do think that they are trending towards cheaper items... but nobody is forcing me to buy them. I have no other access to such a diverse inventory, although I dread their checkout lines.
Probably the hillbilly in me, but I have no gripe with Wallyworld.
I do go to Walmart on occasion, usually when I feel overweight and slovenly...I walk away with a new appreciation of my body and clothing style.... :)
Quote from: waggin on March 03, 2010, 02:51:02 PM
Quote from: OkieJohn2 on March 03, 2010, 01:14:58 PM
The goal of the reno was to make the stores a little more "upscale" to draw the Target and department store crowd.
This reminds me of the quote from someone saying that they loved WalMart, because they didn't feel like they had to dress up to go there, as opposed to the Dollar Store or Target. I guess the spandex with the stains and holes is ok there, while going to Target suggests stepping up to something along the lines of a tube top.
Wal Mart's business practices offend me, so I choose not to shop there...at all.
I'll tell you my target story.
Last year, I was catching something and hadn't eaten all day. I usually pass out. I was at Target and started feeling light headed, so I went outside and was leaning on one of those big balls.
One of the local Soccer Moms walked by, did a double take and came back with her cell phone out. I don't know if she was going to call the rescue squad or the cops.
She asked if I was OK. I explained it and she walked away.
She stopped and walked back...and said "Jesus will save you if you get off that stuff" and went in the store. ??? ???
So much for Eddie Bauer casual. ;D
I hardly ever go to wallyworld anymore.
Hmmm. I just came back from Wallyworld. (Where does that name come from anyways?)
Saved 60% on a couple prescriptions over buying it elsewhere with my co-pay required from my health care drug plan.
Bought a new bore snake and some ammo without having to go to the gun store that is more expensive or sportsmans warehouse that is further away and still more expensive. WW was $14 on the bore snake; I know the gun shop is $20. Maybe the ammo was a lucky find?
Bunch of nice fresh as you can get in the grocery stores produce. Bananas 40 cents vs 59 cents at the other grocers. That's 1/3 cheaper for the same imported bananas.
Wrangler jeans at a couple bucks less than driving somewhere else further away.
The big thing I don't like about Walmart is mainly the lines at the checkout. But as I waited I reflected on the price differences, on how much I was saving. On the grocery items I'm familiar with the prices ranged from 10 to 50% less than my Smith's or Albertson's. I don't go to Albertson's much but I go to Smith's for a few things they offer that we like better than what Walmart offers, so I tend to keep tabs on the prices. Why pay 4.19 for a box of cereal when I can get the exact same thing for 3.38?
As for renovation hell I sympathize wholeheartedly. Last year one of the three Walmarts that surround us went through a full renovation. It was nuts trying to shop there. So I quit going to that one and used one of the others. Not everyone has that luxury of choice I know. But it is unavoidable when it comes time to make upgrades. The store they remodeled here was the oldest of the three. They cleaned it up a lot. They also did a bunch of energy saving retrofits that the newer stores they build all have. Good for them on that. We also had renovation hell with our Smith's (Kroger). Their store dated from the early 80's and needed a rebuild badly.
As for missing shelf prices that is a local manager problem. A letter, sometimes an email or a phone call will usually straighten that out with a large chain. I'm not bashful about complaining. Sometimes I get rewards by complaining in a coherent manner.
WW has dropped some name brands I/we like. My complaints on that has never brought the items back. In the grocery field disappearing brand items usually means that the vendor would not play ball with the discount demands of the WW buyers. It's too bad I can't buy Nathan's hot dogs at WW anymore, so I get them from Smith's. If I watch their specials I can buy them at about the same price as WW used to sell them. That's inconvenient.
WW has to do what they can to keep the stockholders happy as well as trying to keep their customers happy. There are always tradeoffs; that's life in the free marketplace.
In my travels I have also noticed a big difference in Walmarts. Some places really do have older dingier stores. Some of those really could use a remodel. Two of the stores near us are less than 4 years old.
Quote from: MountainDon on March 03, 2010, 09:51:34 PM
Hmmm. I just came back from Wallyworld. (Where does that name come from anyways?)
Chevy Chase, Clark Griswald decides that he is not spending enough time with the kids, so he has planned a cross road trip with the family to see their favorite cartoon character theme park "Marty Moose!" and "Wally World!".
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085995/
Wally World is a regular stop for the wife and the kids have seemed to have grown up with them. In fact when we mention going to Lewisburg mt daughters inquiry is "are we going to Walmart". It is located in about the only biggest town within an hours drive and the prices on groceries are alot cheaper than the independent grocery we have in town. Personally I could probably live without them unless they start selling lumber and building supplies. ;D