I Love Walmart!
A few years ago, a close friend of mine was hired to an executive position with WalMart. This meant that my friend would have to relocate from Michigan to Arkansas. Typically, on an executive move such as this, the company simply hires a professional moving company and handles the entire job, soup to nuts. Not Walmart!
In this case, WalMart sent regular employees from the local store to my friend's house to pack and wrap everything. The next day, a semi that had just made a delivery to the same local store arrived at the house and the same employees loaded up the now empty truck. Truck arrives at the new house in Arkansas and, local employees unpack. I have to figure that Walmart saved about 10 grand by not hiring that job out to a commercial mover. It is truly a company driven by thrift and value.
Quote: RivaInteresting topic...Just to give you an idea how strategic WalMart is in their thinking on saving money, let me share this with you.
A few years ago, a close friend of mine was hired to an executive position with WalMart. This meant that my friend would have to relocate from Michigan to Arkansas. Typically, on an executive move such as this, the company simply hires a professional moving company and handles the entire job, soup to nuts. Not Walmart!
In this case, WalMart sent regular employees from the local store to my friend's house to pack and wrap everything. The next day, a semi that had just made a delivery to the same local store arrived at the house and the same employees loaded up the now empty truck. Truck arrives at the new house in Arkansas and, local employees unpack. I have to figure that Walmart saved about 10 grand by not hiring that job out to a commercial mover. It is truly a company driven by thrift and value.
Having the semi do the move is a little surprising as it would put a driver out of position to his local distribution center but good for them on saving some cash. Better than many companies. WMT looks out for the shareholder!
seeing the electric carts in stores, that had old
people and fat guys driving them around, I
swore that would never be me.
I went to the huge Walmart today. One of the
things I needed was birdseed for my feeders.
It's in the garden center, on the far side of the
store, in an added-on building. It's so far away
I need binoculars to see it clearly. I have bursitis
in my hips and long walks like that kill me. So
I did the unthinkable, I took a cart.
It wasn't bad. It gave me a totally different perspective
on the store. I saw a lot more stuff than I usually do,
from a different angle. I guarantee that if everybody
drove one, they would sell a lot more stuff. I
had had least 3 impulses to buy something I didn't
need.
Quote: ams288You know you can rent those electronic scooters in Vegas now. I see lots of drunk people cruising around in them on the strip late at night.
They have them in the casinos here.
Quote: ams288You know you can rent those electronic scooters in Vegas now. I see lots of drunk people cruising around in them on the strip late at night.
I once helped a drunk power chair rider get back up after he overturned trying to go through some grass. He probably crashed later.
Quote: rxwineI once helped a drunk power chair rider get back up after he overturned trying to go through some grass. He probably crashed later.
When I was in college we had a lot of people in wheelchairs on campus, it was some kind of state program. We also had a 1 acre lake with a nice path that went by it. Finally, we were known as a party school. Can you see where this is going?
So the police blotter in the paper was always a fun read. More fun this time because some guy got loaded and drove his wheelchair off the path and into the lake. Cops cited him for public drunkenness. What was funny was when you read the blotter it is in "police language" or IOW very formal terms. So it very formally described all of this. I mean, you had to laugh.
online. They have a much wider selection of
food items online than you'll ever see in a store.
One thing I've learned is Walmart does not keep
much food inventory in it's warehouses. They
are constantly out of stock for a few days on
lots of items. Sometimes I'll add something to my cart
and when and when I checkout 10min later. it's
out of stock already.
Last week I bought 5 jars of Vlassic sauerkraut. One
was shipped from FL, one from MS, and three from
OH. This happens all the time. I know their stores
have no back room inventory, it all goes on the
shelf as soon as they get it.
This is kinda scary if there is ever a food shortage.
Walmart's entire inventory will be sold out in hours
nationwide. I wonder how many other stores/suppliers
work this way. I'm slowly building my pantry, just
ordered 90 cans of potted meat today. I like it, it's
all protein and no carbs and it's great on a cracker.
Not sure I'll ever go back to that store now.
I can only speak for one location, but what you said is the precise opposite of the D.C. in which I once worked. If we were out, it was often because the manufacturer didn't have the inventory we needed, especially on dry goods.
Now, WM is not a big fan of waste, they want to keep everything moving as much as possible. If by, "Not much food inventory," you mean we couldn't stock the stores several times over, then that is true, but that's by design. The D.C., from what I could tell, was basically sized to stock each store twice.
The whole system is based on efficiency and absolute minimalist conditions. I can't speak to sauerkraut, I only filled in on dry a few times, I worked first meat & produce then freezer/dairy/deli.
You're right about supply chain efficiency being a major risk. It scares me what would happen if the country lost electricity for 3 days. A few extra days backup would save lives, many lives. Those people with only condiments in their fridge will be lost.
What a nightmare it would be if we lost power in LV in the summer.Quote: onenickelmiracleThat's funny I just bought Vlassic sauerkraut for the first time and it was the worst I ever had. It was the cheapest and I can see why. Reminded me of pickles. I always rinse sauerkraut, seems to taste better, and less salty. Sauerkraut is pretty easy to make, planning on trying one of these days, but don't really have a good container to make it. I paid $1.50 a 32 oz jar.
You're right about supply chain efficiency being a major risk. It scares me what would happen if the country lost electricity for 3 days. A few extra days backup would save lives, many lives. Those people with only condiments in their fridge will be lost.
Quote: Mission146EB,
I can only speak for one location, but what you said is the precise opposite of the D.C. in which I once worked. If we were out, it was often because the manufacturer didn't have the inventory we needed, especially on dry goods.
If something is out on a shelf and
you ask them to check in back,
they always say everything they
have is on shelf. No food inventory
is kept in the back. They do keep
expensive items like TV's and computers
back there, though, I can see them
stacked to the ceiling.
Quote: RonCI do compare prices because they use deceptive pricing tactics sometimes, but I doubt they are the only ones.
It's not deceptive. All stores use a pricing
model based on it's location. The poorer
part of town will have the cheapest prices.
Some online prices are different. My store
has Walmart mayo for $1.97 on a 30oz jar.
Online it's $2.97. Store has Smuckers
Natural PB for $2.37, online it's $2.97.
The best for me is, I can buy a 44 lb bag
of cat food online and get it shipped to
my house for free. No wrestling with it
on every step of the journey from the
store to my house. They also have things
like canned tomato puree online. Almost
nobody sells that in a store.
(OMG! I just had a flashback to the 70s. OTOH, WOW I can remember something from from my days in Berkeley in the 70s. Impressive.)
Quote: EvenBobThats right, I love Walmart. And not only because they
have the best ammo prices.
Two weeks ago, when it was 104 here, the crappy
Fridgidaire air conditioner in the bedroom went out.
It was a whole 2 years old. There wasn't another
one for sale in the county, so I looked at Walmart's
page and they sell them online, free shipping if its
over $45. They had a GE, same model I have in my
office, on sale for $78. WTF? So I ordered it and 2
days later it was on my porch. Shipped free. Works
great, twice the cold air as the one that broke.
So I'm looking around the Walmart site, and holy
crap, they sell everything under the sun, stuff you
can't even get in their stores, and most of it is free
shipping over $45. I buy a lot of animal food every
month and cat litter. Walmart is always almost out
of 13oz food cans every time I go, its very depressing.
So I order 96 cans, 4 big bags of dry food, and a
big bag of litter. Two days later its all on my porch,
175 pounds of product shipped free. I felt light
headed. No trips to the store and lugging all this
stuff around. No more wrestling and carrying heavy
bags of litter. Its like a weight has been lifted.
How can they do this, ship 175 pounds for free? I'm
at a loss.. I used to ship with FedeX, which is how
this came. I checked the FedEx site and ground
shipping is $321 for this much weight.
Quote: EvenBobIf something is out on a shelf and
you ask them to check in back,
they always say everything they
have is on shelf. No food inventory
is kept in the back. They do keep
expensive items like TV's and computers
back there, though, I can see them
stacked to the ceiling.
Not true. How could everything that comes in go directly on the floor instantly? I have on several occasions had them check, and been told they had the item, and waited for them to bring it out.
Quote: onenickelmiracleThat's funny I just bought Vlassic sauerkraut for the first time and it was the worst I ever had. It was the cheapest and I can see why. Reminded me of pickles. I always rinse sauerkraut, seems to taste better, and less salty. Sauerkraut is pretty easy to make, planning on trying one of these days, but don't really have a good container to make it. I paid $1.50 a 32 oz jar.
You're right about supply chain efficiency being a major risk. It scares me what would happen if the country lost electricity for 3 days. A few extra days backup would save lives, many lives. Those people with only condiments in their fridge will be lost.
Unless they have the ability to overpower their neighbors.
I'm kind of fascinated by preppers and, while they are mostly goofballs, it does seem to be the case that our society is a pretty delicate machine and there are some reasonable scenarios that would send it straight to hell.
Quote: standbymymanNot true. How could everything that comes in go .
Don't tell me it's not true, why would I
lie about it. In every Walmart store in this
area they say the same thing, everything
gets put on the shelf as soon as possible.
The computer keeps track and when an
item gets low, it orders more. If there
is supposed to be 40 units on the shelf,
it orders 40, not 140. The 40 come in and
are put on the shelf. This is how I was told
it works.
There might be a days lag time, something
comes in on Monday and doesn't get put
out till Tuesday. But most of it gets put
out at night. Go into a Walmart at 1am
and they're stocking shelves on every
grocery aisle some nights.
Is it possible your local WM is s SuperCenter that wasn't always a SuperCenter?
In September 2006, the chain announced it would lower prices on some 300 generics to as low as $4 for a 30 days supply. Yeah, I know they did it to drive traffic to their stores. But it forced every pharmacy to either match or beat their prices. Today I pay next to nothing for a 90 day supply of generic Zucor and generic Zantac.
I would argue the savings for consumers are greater than those from any gvt program put into place over the last 11 years...
Quote: Quote: RonCI do compare prices because they use deceptive pricing tactics sometimes, but I doubt they are the only ones.
Quote: EvenBobIt's not deceptive.
Apples and oranges. Pricing by location makes sense because of different costs, what the marker will bear, etc.
The deceptive practice I am talking about has (I have not checked lately) been to use end caps with a large size product selling at .10 cents per unit for a large package and then to have a smaller size of the same product selling at .09 cents per unit in a smaller package. They are trying to trick people into buying a bigger size at a higher price. Since their customers base skews towards the lower income groups, that makes it look like they are trying to cheat poor people.
I've seen it myself and have seen reports on it.
I've studied prices for quite some time and have seen some crazy things.
You see it with peanut butter all the time. The price per ounce is, (or at least was), almost always higher on the larger sizes, on sale or not and the big ones virtually never went on sale. I've seen this in just about every grocery I've looked at, (although it has been a while). And, as I recall, WM was one of the few that actually charged less per ounce on the larger ones.
It may have changed, (and I say that because I seem to recall seeing it in the last few weeks), but for the past year or so I've noticed that at Safeway you could buy a 12 oz box of check cereal for $4.95. And if you wanted the "family size" of 18 oz, it would cost you..... $4.95.
20 years ago you could walk into just about any grocery store and find a 3 stack pack of Ritz crackers for about $3 but if you bought the 4 pack standing right next to it, (same height, just one extra sleeve), it would be about 50 cents less.
As for WM, I get very little there anymore. The sale prices at traditional groceries, especially now with the electronic coupons, are usually much lower than at Walmart. The "every day" prices at Wally World are indeed lower, but I mostly buy things that are on sale and while I could price match at Walmart I'd rather keep the other guys in business because if Walmart is all that's left then I'm sure the prices won't stay very low.
Don't have a scale accurate in pounds and ounces, so can't really test a real difference. Chicken wings at aldi really seem to make a case for the smaller package purchase.
Quote: Hullabaloo
As for WM, I get very little there anymore. The sale prices at traditional groceries, especially now with the electronic coupons, are usually much lower than at Walmart. The "every day" prices at Wally World are indeed lower, but I mostly buy things that are on sale and while I could price match at Walmart I'd rather keep the other guys in business because if Walmart is all that's left then I'm sure the prices won't stay very low.
I agree with all of that 100%.
Mileage may also vary from location to location, but I also know that at least one Wal-Mart will not price match on the Buy Any 5 (of long list of items) and get one free (one item) or the one where you buy any five (of long list of items) and each one ends up being an extra $0.50 off. I think that may be why Kroger and the more local store runs those kinds of specials all the time.
Before the price match, what I always told people is that if you want name brands and just want to blindly pick a place, then WalMart is probably your best bet. On the other hand, if you are willing to combine other big chains, convenience stores, (deli stuff, mainly, some meats) local stores and discount stores such as Save-A-Lot or Aldi (just have to be careful with certain item types at those) and drug stores, then you would buy almost nothing at Wal-Mart.
You might wonder about the ad match guarantee for deli stuff or meat compared to convenience stores, (or other stores) but some WalMart locations may match generic-for-generic or just call a deli meat a deli meat and some won't. I've heard a bunch of different things, most of the employees don't really seem to know what they are supposed to be doing. I eventually gave up on it because you never knew if they would match an advertised Kroger brand price on a Great Value product, it seemed to depend on the cashier. Besides that, Kroger is my favorite place to shop (overall) anyway.
The only item type at WM that I could find lower there than anywhere else regardless of sales or anything was baby stuff. Not so much baby food, but the name brand diapers (the only kind that are any good, in my opinion) and the generic baby wipes (I don't think one brand differs dramatically from another on those) was lower at WM than anywhere else, and it wasn't close. Fortunately, the kids aren't in diapers anymore!
I will go to WM for camping supplies
and every few years
sox , underwear, and cargo shorts.
Quote: Mission146
Mileage may also vary from location to location, but I also know that at least one Wal-Mart will not price match on the Buy Any 5 (of long list of items) and get one free (one item) or the one where you buy any five (of long list of items) and each one ends up being an extra $0.50 off. I think that may be why Kroger and the more local store runs those kinds of specials all the time.
I had not thought of that, but it makes sense.
One thing price matching can be good for is when a store limits quantities. You can buy the max at one, and then head to another that will match the price.
I mentioned this above, but I run into scores of people that are not aware of it so I'll mention it again.
Many stores, perhaps most, now have programs where you sign up online and get additional discounts. I'm in the west so there is no Kroger near me but they own Fry's who has a program, and Safeway has "Just for U". You sign up online and once you've joined you can go to their website and look through additional savings. The programs vary, but most know what you buy so at least some of the offers are directly related to your usual selections. You just click on the item to "activate" it and when you scan your shoppers card at the store the additional discounts are automatically applied. It also works for store coupons, so you don't have to cut them out and bring them to the store. I've only been doing it a year or so, but one store I go to states I've saved just shy of $400 so far, and I'm not a huge shopper.
Their prices are cheap, which I like too. A lot of people complain that Walmarts drive local businesses away and gouge the public after they shut the competitors but that doesn't seem to be the case.
Call me anti-social but I don't care to say how my day is to 50 different people who are just asking because it's their job, or to hear a story about one of your kids or whatever. I just want to buy groceries.
Quote: HullabalooI had not thought of that, but it makes sense.
One thing price matching can be good for is when a store limits quantities. You can buy the max at one, and then head to another that will match the price.
I mentioned this above, but I run into scores of people that are not aware of it so I'll mention it again.
Many stores, perhaps most, now have programs where you sign up online and get additional discounts. I'm in the west so there is no Kroger near me but they own Fry's who has a program, and Safeway has "Just for U". You sign up online and once you've joined you can go to their website and look through additional savings. The programs vary, but most know what you buy so at least some of the offers are directly related to your usual selections. You just click on the item to "activate" it and when you scan your shoppers card at the store the additional discounts are automatically applied. It also works for store coupons, so you don't have to cut them out and bring them to the store. I've only been doing it a year or so, but one store I go to states I've saved just shy of $400 so far, and I'm not a huge shopper.
They'll usually let you go on quantity limits if you have, "Separate orders," or if you are shopping with someone, you can just have physically separate carts. They're usually only doing that for inventory reasons because they don't want to run completely out during the sale, it doesn't have anything to do with only wanting to sell x units at the price (as some claim). That's why the quantity limits are typically only for large items or items directly brought in by an outside vendor, which usually applies to soda/pop.
Great mention on the online discounts, which WM likely wouldn't match. Furthermore, my experience with Kroger is about 50% relevant coupons and 50% seemingly random in the mail. I get a ton for fresh fruits and vegetables (which I use) but I know people who don't buy as much fresh produce from Kroger (or at all) don't get those ones.
Quote: NathanI love the lower prices at Walmart but not the attitude of the fellow customers. I was running low on time and I innocently asked a fellow customer if I could add my one item of soap to her transaction and offered to pay for it. She told me off saying something like,"Sir, you need to get the f out of my face with that BS!" Wow. What a nasty person she was being! It was an innocent question!
Nathan, use the self check out in that situation.
Don't pester the doomed and the downtrodden with weird requests; she probably thought you were trying to scam her.
Quote: djatcI like places like supermarkets or grocery stores that have very little or no human interaction. Also a 24 hour schedule is ideal. Walmart usually fulfills those requirements for me, at least the ones in Vegas with the self check out places.
Their prices are cheap, which I like too. A lot of people
I would be one of them
Quote:complain that Walmarts drive local businesses away and gouge the public after they shut the competitors but that doesn't seem to be the case.
Call me anti-social but I don't care to say how my day is to 50 different people who are just asking because it's their job, or to hear a story about one of your kids or whatever. I just want to buy groceries.
Gotta get you to a Publix some day. Fantastic company, great product selections, w everything anyone wants BOGO on about a six week rotation, often less. Cheaper than Wm on most with smart shopping and price matching, but fresher, cleaner. Also very good quality house brands, ethnic groceries, outstanding bakery, ok deli.
Very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable employees, though. They actually have all their aisles memorized, will walk you right to it if you say you didn't see it there, give you rainchecks good for weeks if they're out, etc. So never mind.
They pay well above minimum wage, include stock in the (very healthy) company, including that compensation along with benefits, find and hire mentally disabled people as bag boys and stockers, give all their non-sold items to the food bank BEFORE it's expired, run a food drive and angel tree every christmas, and lead the United Way drive in each community every year.
They get all my grocery business. My brother and s-i-l, when they come visit, make at least one trip there just because it's a pleasure. (I find that a bit odd, but it's their vacation.)
Walmart is cheap not because they have to be, but because they want to be.
Quote: beachbumbabs
Gotta get you to a Publix some day. Fantastic company, great product selections, w everything anyone wants BOGO on about a six week rotation, often less. Cheaper than Wm on most with smart shopping and price matching, but fresher, cleaner. Also very good quality house brands, ethnic groceries, outstanding bakery, ok deli.
Publix is a great store but it can't match Walmart for convenience. Where else can you buy groceries, a riding lawn mower, Levi's, and a pet gerbil all at the same store?
Quote: DRichPublix is a great store but it can't match Walmart for convenience. Where else can you buy groceries, a riding lawn mower, Levi's, and a pet gerbil all at the same store?
Rural King. And a flippin' handgun!
Quote: RonCThey are trying to trick people into buying a bigger size at a higher price.
Charging higher fees to someone because they don't understand math is not deception, it is the free market
new air conditioner early. My office
air konked out last Oct and I don't
usually need it till mid May or early
June. Instead of waiting till the last
minute, I ordered 6 weeks early.
I've had good luck with the 5000 btu
Haier for my small home office.
been in a Target store in my life. But they have
a great selection of online stuff, so I applied
for a Target credit card and got it.
The best thing about Target is two things. One, they
ship from whatever store has what you ordered that
is closest to you. I ordered some wallpaper on
Sun night and it was here in less then 48 hours.
The second thing is they have a 120 day return time
if you have a Target CC, and returning something
has yet to take longer than 30 seconds. They
swipe the item and swipe your card and you're done.
I just ordered a small fridge for my office and it'll be
here tomorrow. I love Target.
Quote: EvenBobI love Walmart
Just got 4 tires from WMT. Off-brand it appeared. <$100 each. Then I found out that it is a Goodyear sub-brand! Was going to go Cooper, but this price was right. Then I found out who made them, and in USA, too!
Sorry, Tire Rack. You got crushed on price!
or beat any price that's lower, even if
it's Amazon. Cool..
Quote: EvenBobAnother thing about Target, they'll match
or beat any price that's lower, even if
it's Amazon. Cool..
Plus you can use the ladies room if you are in the mood that day!
Bastards.
Quote: EvenBobI love Walmart and now I love Target too. Never
been in a Target store in my life. But they have
a great selection of online stuff, so I applied
for a Target credit card and got it.
The best thing about Target is two things. One, they
ship from whatever store has what you ordered that
is closest to you. I ordered some wallpaper on
Sun night and it was here in less then 48 hours.
The second thing is they have a 120 day return time
if you have a Target CC, and returning something
has yet to take longer than 30 seconds. They
swipe the item and swipe your card and you're done.
I just ordered a small fridge for my office and it'll be
here tomorrow. I love Target.
You probably already know this, but I would add that Target gives 5% off all purchases except I think gift cards with red card charge.
I love Target.
