Walmart observations

[TXBryan]

Where else you gonna get...

I'm visiting my Mother in Illinois, she's 94 and living in a self-sufficient apartment in a retirement home facility. She gave up driving this past year so looks forward to my visits for among other reasons to go shopping in a leisurely fashion.

She wanted a new computer pad to play solitaire on, broccoli, a new turtle-neck pullover, new shower curtain rings, butter and milk. I needed beer. One stop shopping at Wal-Mart. Where else can you go and get all that in one stop?

And I happily do self checkout. Fewer mistakes, faster, and usually better conversation.

Bryan

 

[DWalt]

My observation is that shoppers with full baskets and many items tend to go through cashier lanes, and those with fewer items prefer self checkout.

 

[mtgianni]

In Montana Winco has put Walmart on the run. Most all of the grocery items are less expensive and of a much higher quality.

 

[mckenney99]

My observation is that shoppers with full baskets and many items tend to go through cashier lanes, and those with fewer items prefer self checkout.

The only time I use the self-checkout is if I run in for only 1 or 2 things and I plan on paying with cash but it's still a **** shoot as to whether I can get through the transaction without some sort of problem. Self checkout is usually worse than playing the slots in Las Vegas (you usually lose).
I have a Super Wal-Mart about 2 miles from my house and I do most of my monthly shopping there. This Wal-Mart must be the poster store for their DEI program and term WalMartians applies to the employees as well as the customers. From day to day there is just no telling WHAT you are likely to see working there, although I will admit, I haven't seen any "furries" openly working there YET. However, most of the employees I've dealt with have been extremely helpful. Like a lot of their stores, this one really needs a balcony with seating so us bored folks could just sit, watch, talk and be entertained. There is a large turnover in the local college student employees but the older folks and most of the more "diverse" employees have been there for years.

 

[jscheck]

In the small town I live in Walmart is (somewhat) entertainment. I go for what we need frequently although I've stopped going in protest intermittently when they've done something really stupid like closing 2/3 of the self serve registers while not having the regular registers open either. I make sure to mark the one star service opinion when checking out in hopes they'll open the full service registers again.

 

[Davwingman]

The only place I ever worked where we had to file & win a class action lawsuit to get paid. Wal Mart has a long history of short changing their employees!

 

[zeke]

Every time i use a line with a cashier. And every time i thank the cashier for keeping assistance for old people like me. Same with Aldis. For a couple of years the one supercenter went mostly all self serve with one part timer just for people using checks. Simply went to the other one that maintained lines with cashiers.

 

[GypsmJim]

We have I believe 7 Walmarts within driving distance. One is a mile away and is at the edge of an upscale neighborhood. One is at the edge of a section 8 housing development. One is at the edge of a ghetto. One is at the edge of a neighborhood of doctors and college professors. The others are too far away to make a trip cost effective.

The clientele vary considerably, as do the store workers and the condition / cleanliness of the store. 95% of our food shopping, 100% of ammo purchases, 100% of prescriptions and 90% of everything else is done at our local store.

Now, if the only store available to us would be the ghetto store, then I would probably have the same opinion of the naysayers.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Guess where I'm going this afternoon?

JR is going to pick out my attire.

Like the Pointer Sisters I'm so excited!

 

[tinkerer]

Think the lack of customers drove out the small businesses....

Not Wally World...

 

[desi2358]

I wonder if Walmart will return to stocking handgun ammo?

I would say probably not. I've been working part time in the sporting goods dept. of one of our local walmarts since the gunshop I was with closed. Corporate execs got rid of the handgun ammo because they "wanted to take a stand against gun violence!" according to the letter sent to all the stores........ BS but it made them feel all warm and fuzzy I'm sure.

They have also reduced the number of stores that still sell firearms (mine is one of a few left in this market area) and stopped selling guns and ammo all together in certain states (largely due to the headaches of dealing with state restrictions). Most stores just randomly assign and train people to be able to handle the basics of ammo (and guns where they have them) and they want to keep things as simple (and micromanaged) as possible for that reason. While they would certainly gain a sales boost if they brought handgun ammo back that would require the suits in Corporate to admit they made a mistake and I just don't see much chance of that happening.

As to the OP's post there is no Corporate limit on ammo sales in current effect but it's possible stores in a certain district might have imposed one. Equally likely the store manager could have acted on his own. I wouldn't be surprised if it was simply an ill informed, poorly trained employee deciding to limit sales on their own. The training provided a lot of these people is often sketchy in my opinion.

At least they generally leave me alone and in the sporting goods section so it's a bearable part time supplement to my social insecurity money and I like dealing with people. Plus I'm right there when hunting stuff goes on clearance at the end of the season or whenever they decide to discontinue something I can use LOL!

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

It's somewhat of a misnomer to accuse Walmart (and Target and others) of killing smaller retailers. The truth is the buying public put smaller mom and pop retailers out of business. Walmart and other chains gave consumers a choice where to buy the same or similar products for less.

We can argue whether that's good or bad but the reality is that no business has a right to succeed...they have to earn it every day. If Walmart undercuts you...then sell product Walmart doesn't and give the public that choice. Retailing is a cutthroat world...adapt or die.

 

[Rule3]

I begrudgingly wonder into Walmart once a year and only buy one item there, - yes, just one! They are the only store around our area that actually stocks and has a large supply of distilled water in gallon jugs. Yes, the other Supermarkets and stores list they have and even have a shelf for it but never seem to have any in stock! I buy about 15 gallons at a time which lasts me about a year.

I use it for my cigar humidor's humidification system which holds 2 gallons at a time and my wife uses it for the Bissel floor steamer and her iron. If regular water is used it will ruin the appliances as our water is hard and heavy with minerals.

Walmart kind of freaks me out a bit and so I walk in, get my distilled water and walk out. I dislike going there and sometimes I will just order it online and roll into the pick up area. The problem with that is they hardly ever get even that right! that place gives me the "willies". lol

Life is tough sometimes.

 

[Rule3]

Some WM are nicer than others


We went to one up in MN and it was like a different world.
Employees actually came up to you and asked how the could help. They even spoke English!

 

[SMSgt]

I'm visiting my Mother in Illinois, she's 94 and living in a self-sufficient apartment in a retirement home facility. She gave up driving this past year so looks forward to my visits for among other reasons to go shopping in a leisurely fashion.

She wanted a new computer pad to play solitaire on, broccoli, a new turtle-neck pullover, new shower curtain rings, butter and milk. I needed beer. One stop shopping at Wal-Mart. Where else can you go and get all that in one stop?

And I happily do self checkout. Fewer mistakes, faster, and usually better conversation.

Bryan

Can't you do all that at Buc-ees?

 

[sigp220.45]

My tiny boss and I went there today. He likes the ride and enjoys charming the cute rancher wives.

I always use the self check out. Its faster and I like zapping the stuff.

I used to bring my dog until he got too big to hoist into the cart. The guy working the checkout today asked if I traded the yellow haired dog for a yellow haired kid.

After his big adventure he usually conks out for the ride back. Good ol’ Wally World.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

My observation is that shoppers with full baskets and many items tend to go through cashier lanes, and those with fewer items prefer self checkout.

You obviously have not been to the New Iberia Super One. At the self checkout there is a sign that says for less tan 20 items. I saw at least three people in the corral with wayyyy more than 20 items. I asked the girl what's up with that? She said that there really is not much she can do about it. The people just do what they want.
I'm thinking of a retirement gig.....self checkout monitor-wouldn't need a gun-just a T-ball bat. Whack that on the basket to get their attention

 

[handejector]

Remember when Walmart kept pushing everyone to self checkout and never had any full service lines open? Now it is turned around 180 degrees. When I went a couple days ago they had all the self checkout lines closed and plenty of checkers in full service. I guess they decided that since they needed 'chaperones' on every self check to stop pilferage, they might as well just use full service checkers again. It was kinda weird to talk to a checker again for the first time in years.

Those might be robots made in China run by AI.

 

[GnarlsR2]

I quit shopping at Walmart about 5 years.

I will only go to Walmart if I have NO other option.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Just returned from Wal-Mart where I had a lovely time handing out fashion tips to the great unwashed.

My day is now complete.