WalMart Items ????

[Milton]

Someone told me recently that things you buy at WalMart are manufactured exclusively for WalMart ,even things sold by major named companies and they are purposely made of lower quality in order to sell cheaper.Now this sounds as though it is not so but is there anyone here who knows yea or nay about this statement?

 

[pawngal]

I know that a lot of the electronics, like TV's etc, the model numbers on them are exclusive to Walmart. Back in days when I used the Blue Books for values the Walmart model #s were often not included.
If you Google a specific model number # if it is a Walmart item that is what comes up.

Are they lower quality?? Don't know. The size of Walmarts orders to the major electronics companies would allow them a lower price.

 

[NYlakesider]

General answer, most all chains have stuff made to their specks.

That could be food products, garden equipment (lawn mowers, snow blowers, etc)

This has been going on for decades!

 

[hoc9sw]

Lots of folks want to believe that there is such a thing as "WalMart Ammo". There is not.

WalMart buyers go wherever they have to to find ammo at a good price. I used to work with one, and her reason to hate the job was that they often found great deals, but once sold out, they couldn't find more, and had to explain to customers what happened.

There are a lot of WalMart / Sam's label products. Yes, those are produced or packaged for WM.

A lot of times you'll see a different UPC because a manufacturer does a big run for them. In those cases it could be different to a degree, or just produced in a larger quantity to accomplish a cheaper price.

 

[Milton]

Pretty much what I thought I just knew someone here would know.
Thank you !!!

 

[misswired]

After a dismal dove shoot, I carried my browning A5 to the gunsmith for repairs. Telling him it wouldn't eject the hulls he says "betcha didn't kill many birds either?" No sir I didn't.
"Betcha bought your shells at Walmart too?" Yes sir I did. Gruffly he said: "Go buy some good shells, ain't nuthin wrong with your gun!"
He was right, and never even looked at the gun.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

About 10 years ago I bought a H-P printer to go with the computer I already had. My second son is my IT guy. It took him 2 days to get it to work. It didn't have all the software to work with computers not bought at WM.

The ammo on the other hand interfaces with any gun I tried it in. I used to buy a 20 gauge Federal load that was 3/4 ounce at 1400 fps. I would use one choke tighter at Sporting Clays than usual and it worked fantastic, then it was no more! I would buy up to 10 cases at a time, I should have been buying 50 cases and putting 40 away for a sunny day!

Ivan

 

[hoc9sw]

...
"Betcha bought your shells at Walmart too?" Yes sir I did. Gruffly he said: "Go buy some good shells, ain't nuthin wrong with your gun!"
He was right, and never even looked at the gun.

I believe that. As my buyer friend explained, they bought what was out there (especially during the drought), and better if it was the cheapest. Odds are always good that they will have foreign or bottom shelf ammo in the mix. The best stuff sells the fastest, and the junk stays on the shelf until we get there.

But I've seen some pretty nasty stuff at Cabelas and Academy. Some of the imported Serbian stuff had (brass!!) casings so badly loaded that the rims would draw blood taking them out of the box.

 

[hoc9sw]

About 10 years ago I bought a H-P printer to go with the computer I already had. My second son is my IT guy. It took him 2 days to get it to work. It didn't have all the software to work with computers not bought at WM.
...

Ivan

Computers are a different story. What software is packed with them depends on how much the store wants to motivate the customer to buy extra stuff. The devices are the same, but the software pack is custom to the deal the store wants to offer.

And some stores carry junk printers and computers to start with. But I still expect a printer to last 10 years. Pity is that even if it does, they won't make cartridges for it anymore. Got to motivate that buyer anyway you can!!!

 

[SteveA]

I remember our local Wally World had some Weatherby Vanguards a few years ago very cheap. I am friends with our LGS owner and he advised to look closely at them. I did and they had plastic trigger guards and other parts. The "same" model in his shop was more expensive but had metal trigger guards etc.

 

[soFlaNative]

Not surprising based on their market share. I can recall some years back of the scare they threw into media, book and recording publishers when WalMart announced they would not offer product that did not meet their standards of "family friendly", in essence a form of censorship. I'm not sure of the outcome of that policy since many other sources of supply existed yet the fact of their massive share of media sales was such that some felt the possibility the amount of original work would shrink due to the fears of the publishers being unable to market the material.
With today's ability to stream music and digital books I'm sure the point is now moot.

 

[TomkinsSP]

A marketing gimmick that has been around since Sears Roebuck (remember them) is to have different catalog numbers for the same (or substantially same item) sold by different outlets. This prevents comparison of like (or same) items on basis of price, and allows each retailer to correctly advertise they have the lowest price on the item they sell.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Lots of folks want to believe that there is such a thing as "WalMart Ammo". There is not.

Yes there is. For several years, Federal "Champion" sold in common handgun calibers had a specific WMXXXX product code on the box. Does that mean it was really any "different" than other Federal or American Eagle ammo? Who knows...

 

[GaryS]

Costco and BJ's have TVs and other electronics made just for them. Even though they have the Samsung or other brand names, the specific model numbers are unique to each chain. No doubt Walmart does the same.

Back when I sold electronics, there were "house label" brands made by major manufacturers, but that were essentially regular production units.

Radio Shack used to have their own line of police scanners. They were made at various times by Uniden, Regency/Relm, GRE, and even Whistler. There were a couple of functional and cosmetic changes, but they were the same as the producers own brands otherwise.

They did the same with stereo components and other items as well. Radio Shack never owned a factory, so they never made anything.

Some of the things people buy or bought at Sears are the same.

When VCRs were in production, there were essentially three companies that made all VHS machines. No matter what the label said, they were all made by Panasonic and two other companies. That made repair pretty easy since almost all parts, except for cosmetic ones, were interchangeable.

 

[misswired]

Yes there is. For several years, Federal "Champion" sold in common handgun calibers had a specific WMXXXX product code on the box. Does that mean it was really any "different" than other Federal or American Eagle ammo? Who knows...

A good friend in the sound business once gave me a catalog of Pioneer products. He said to purchase sound equipment from a quality dealer rather than Walmart.....pointing out that Walmart had different model numbers than the higher end equipment.
His explanation was even though all the components came from the same overseas suppliers, components that tested on the lower end of acceptable were used in the Walmart models. Buying from a stereo shop or the Pioneer brand catalog would be assembled with only the components that tested on the high' end of the scale.

 

[shouldazagged]

The term "BOHICA" comes to mind. I assume Amazon has a version of this scheme.

 

[amazingflapjack]

I have a friend who, with his Wife, have until recently when they retired, run a local tire store that had fierce loyalty in the community for decades. He once told me that the Michelin tires sold at Wal-Mart measure a shallower tread depth than the same Michelin's somewhere else. Also, I remember shopping for a new monitor for my PC. They had the same brand-and a model that looked identical, but the screen wasn't adjustable?! I guess you were supposed to put a book under it to raise the screen.

 

[pittpa]

Back when I sold electronics, there were "house label" brands made by major manufacturers, but that were essentially regular production units.

Radio Shack used to have their own line of police scanners. They were made at various times by Uniden, Regency/Relm, GRE, and even Whistler. There were a couple of functional and cosmetic changes, but they were the same as the producers own brands otherwise.

They did the same with stereo components and other items as well. Radio Shack never owned a factory, so they never made anything.

Some of the things people buy or bought at Sears are the same.

When VCRs were in production.

You know this first hand? Old timer? #metoo


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[RGVshooter]

Someone told me recently that things you buy at WalMart are manufactured exclusively for WalMart ,even things sold by major named companies and they are purposely made of lower quality in order to sell cheaper.Now this sounds as though it is not so but is there anyone here who knows yea or nay about this statement?

yes it's true and not just Walmart. It's a lot bigger than you think. Products are typically made by a large company then sold under a different companies brand name. They make profit even at the reduced prices by selling in larger quantities when compared to the national name brand same product.

Equate, Mainstays, both were independent brands before Walmart bought them. Ol Roy dog food and "Special Kitty", Parents choice, Pen+Gear is another Walmart house brand.

Then of course who can forget "Great Value"...

 

[codenamedave]

Once upon a time, on another forum, a poster who was a truck driver mentioned brand name automotive coolant/antifreeze. He said pretty much every brand out there, from OEM labeled stuff to Walmart, came from the same place. He'd pick up pallets going to different places, with appropriate labels on the jugs, all from the same production line.