My Issue With "Walmart"

[jbkayaker12]

I shop at Walmart, Target, Kmart the rest of the big box retailers. I don't shop at Walmart all the time simply because it has lower prices. I go to all the other stores with the same frequency as I do at Walmart. I buy products that area made in the USA as much as products that are manufactured elsewhere. I don't mind having a Walmart nearby.

[Rev Stickleback]

Originally Posted by Zach759

This is stupid......just sayin

Somehow, I guess, this thread has made to be about suburbs Vs city...
Its all in a persons opinion...no argument...

And i have never seen any actual statistics or data regarding large supermarkets such as wal mart putting others out of business.

I would guess it's more the impact of large out-of-town outlets on city centres. Just as markets get a collective benefit from customers browsing stall-to-stall, the passing trade is an important part of a city centre shop's custom. As more go out of town to shop, their business descreases.


Low quality clothing isn't a huge issue for a lot of people. Some people just would rather buy three £5 shirts rather than one £15 one. The £15 one might be better made and last longer, but they'd have to wear the £15 one three times as often.

People just have a crowbar of separation between they stuf they have for when they want to look good, and stuff they wear most of the time, which only has to look reasonable.

[zaphod]

Well I've defended big box retail on principal, but I will admit I think walmart stores blow. Paradoxically, despite the size of your typical walmart store, I have walked out of one for the third time straight without finding what I needed just the other day. They seem have a terrible selection of merchandise, IMO.

I needed to buy some cheap khaki colored slacks for a part time job. Okay..so does walmart have any, at all? Nope. They had some grayish men's dress pants that had a stupid looking waist, and that's it. I want to buy some asian style noodles in the grocery section. Do they have some? Yet again, not really.

Now, if I wanted to buy a 5 gallon tub of nacho cheese, some red XXXL t-shirts to start a new street gang, and a $29 DVD player, man, wally world would be my go-to place.

These stores are huge, what gives? A nicer mainstream grocery retailer like a Safeway or Krogers that is a third the size has better food selection, and a discount/middling place like Kohls or Bealls has more clothing. And, like most people in the year 2010, I buy electronics and things like that online almost exclusively. If it doesn't have to be tried on or it won't go bad, as I always say.

I do shop at big box stores a lot, but there's just not good reason to go to the wm, and the fact that there isn't one close to me just compounds this decision.

[weava]

Originally Posted by zaphod

Well I've defended big box retail on principal, but I will admit I think walmart stores blow. Paradoxically, despite the size of your typical walmart store, I have walked out of one for the third time straight without finding what I needed just the other day. They seem have a terrible selection of merchandise, IMO.

I needed to buy some cheap khaki colored slacks for a part time job. Okay..so does walmart have any, at all? Nope. They had some grayish men's dress pants that had a stupid looking waist, and that's it. I want to buy some asian style noodles in the grocery section. Do they have some? Yet again, not really.

Now, if I wanted to buy a 5 gallon tub of nacho cheese, some red XXXL t-shirts to start a new street gang, and a $29 DVD player, man, wally world would be my go-to place.

These stores are huge, what gives? A nicer mainstream grocery retailer like a Safeway or Krogers that is a third the size has better food selection, and a discount/middling place like Kohls or Bealls has more clothing. And, like most people in the year 2010, I buy electronics and things like that online almost exclusively. If it doesn't have to be tried on or it won't go bad, as I always say.

I do shop at big box stores a lot, but there's just not good reason to go to the wm, and the fact that there isn't one close to me just compounds this decision.

Who goes to walmart for clothing?? That was your first mistake. Also walmart doesn't sell 5 gallons of nacho cheese, maybe sams clubs would. There selection is just as good if not better than my local grocery store and walmarts prices are way better so I almost only shop at walmart for everyday items(toothpaste, extension cords, razors, etc) and food
I'm anti walmart for the way they treat their employees (worked at two different supercenters as summer jobs) and their suppliers(yet I still shop there since its cheaper), but you can't expect a store that thrives on high volume goods to have a specific type of dress sock. Thats why specialty stores like radio shack or exist.

[hammersklavier]

Originally Posted by Suburbanist

Robert Moses is a personal hero of mine, the way he just trolled over any backward opposition to progress in NYC is remarkable! He shielded his avant-grade plans from political rife of the corrupt local administration of NYC and, borrowing money from the private market, build an amazing set of infrastructure works that is the backbone of NY's road transportation.

Except one...and she is my personal hero.

Originally Posted by weava

Who goes to walmart for clothing?? That was your first mistake. Also walmart doesn't sell 5 gallons of nacho cheese, maybe sams clubs would. There selection is just as good if not better than my local grocery store and walmarts prices are way better so I almost only shop at walmart for everyday items(toothpaste, extension cords, razors, etc) and food
I'm anti walmart for the way they treat their employees (worked at two different supercenters as summer jobs) and their suppliers(yet I still shop there since its cheaper), but you can't expect a store that thrives on high volume goods to have a specific type of dress sock. Thats why specialty stores like radio shack or exist.

Well Walmart has some pretty awesome T-shirts sometimes. I dunno--I usually don't go there by choice anymore, since I kinda prefer Target as my hypermarket, and Burlington Coat Factory, as my discount department store, of choice.

Still, Walmart's H Street proposal is pretty nice and I would like to see something like that become a new urban paradigm.

(This bad boy.)

[wecantski]

i think some of their efforts to scale down for inner city lots arent too bad.as a previous poster alluded to many of the big box chains in the UK manage it quite successfully. I listened to an interesting podcast on this topic by JH Kunstler