Your thoughts on shopping in Walmart these days

[Camas Lilly]

I like to shop early on the weekends to avoid the rush, take my time and look around. I am usually in the store anywhere from 6:00-7:30 am. I am finding more and more that when trying to check out at 7:30-9:00 am I am having to wait in line behind several people for the one register they have open or stand in a different line behind several people to check myself out. I typically have a cart full so I appreciate having a checker do the work as it is much faster for them to bag the groceries as well. As I wait in line, I can see other shoppers with a frustrated look as they search for a checkout line that is open.

The other day I went to a different store. This store had no registers open at 7:30 am on Sunday morning. There were plenty of people there and I had to again wait in line behind several people to check myself out. Then, and this is totally my fault, after I started checking out, I discovered the register didn't have a scale that I needed for the produce, so I had to move to another one and start over. While I was while checking out, the clerk came over and hit some buttons without saying anything. I asked if I had done something wrong, and she just walked away mumbling something inaudible. I was hoping she gave me credit for the item I had just double scanned because I had another in my previously filled bag, but no such luck.

On another trip to this same store, on Sunday morning, I was shopping for clothes. At 7:10 am I had a cart full and was told the fitting rooms didn't open until 9 am. Really? If the fitting rooms have hours, shouldn’t they post them? My regular store has never said anything about hours, but they do go find someone with a key to open them up since there is nobody manning the station. I still had no idea there might be separate hours for the fitting rooms, just lack of manpower at that time of day.

Last week I tried another store, but on Saturday morning, checking out around 9:30 or so. It was the same thing. Stand in line behind several people at the only register open or stand in line behind several people to check yourself out. I am OK with self-checkout with under 20 items maybe, but when you have a cart full, how fun is that to try to go through a self-checkout? Maybe they should take out all those unused registers and make a conveyor belt that scans all your groceries like the airport and you just stand at the other end and bag.

Don’t get me wrong, I am OK with scanning items, I do that at Sam’s, but the items are larger, the carts are larger and you are not trying to fill bags and place them back in your cart on top of unscanned items.

I am seriously considering ordering the things on-line that I can only get at Walmart, then going to the local discount grocery store across the street before heading to Walmart for pickup.

I enjoy walking around the store while drinking my coffee and looking at things while it is still quiet. I spend more money doing this and Walmart should recognize that. I would certainly save money if I started using the pickup service and I wouldn't have to fight the aisles with the pickers in the off hours either.

Has Walmart gotten so caught up in convenience that they are forgetting their brick and mortar clientele or am I just getting old and out of touch?

On a side note, that same day, I had to stop in Target for a special item. The store was near empty and so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I was in heaven! I would switch to them, but the prices are higher and selection limited, I might as well shop the discount store that has better selection. Why do merchants think we need music, etc. wherever we are? Gas pumps especially! Have you watched TV at the pump yet? I have.

 

[aja8888]

We place an order online at WM and schedule the pickup at our convenience. They pull the order and do a great job of it and it's free if you buy over $30 worth of goods. Very rarely we need to go in the store. Pretty simple.

 

[RunningBum]

I go to Walmart once every few months to load up on some staples and just look around. I try to make sure I'm in the mood for the experience. My local store has a pretty good parking lot and access from 3 different places so I can get in and out pretty well. I just don't think I could shop there regularly though. Target prices aren't that much more and is just a nicer experience all around.

K Mart is the one I just can't take anymore. I used to try it once in awhile, but it's just depressing and it seems like all 10 of the people who are in the store while I'm there beat me to the checkout line. I'm done.

 

[CRLLS]

I was in Walmart before they opened the drive-thru pickup. You went to the service desk to pick things up. (still do for on-line orders not stocked there I think). Anyway, as I was waiting for service, I noticed a person who was picking up an online grocery order. One by one, they went thru the bags to check each and every item while everyone else stood in line waiting! WTF?

I often find prices on the packages in the meat section do not match the prices on the shelf and at least one time the price per lb times the weight didn't work out right. Just last week I bought a 12 pack of beer. It scanned 1 dollar higher than the shelf price. I didn't notice it until I scanned the receipt. That took me back to the service counter where I stood in line for a correction, only to find that they cannot do a correction on alcohol products. They had to "fake return" a 1 dollar item on my receipt to refund me my dollar. I'm sure it threw off their inventory count.

And don't even get me started on their Pharmacy practices.

Walmart, a love/hate relationship, for sure.

 

[jim584672]

My Walmart recently put in a ton of self-serve check out machines and lines have been greatly reduced. Usually there is an open machine and no line.

 

[njhowie]

Friday night I went to one of the Walmart's in our area where I usually go for groceries. When I go, it's usually to pick up a bucket of their ice cream and then anything else on clearance/discount they are looking to get rid of.

When I went this past Friday night, there were only 3 manned registers with long lines and the self-checkout which also had a long line, but there were 6 working stations. When I saw the lines at the manned registers and I was turning my cart around to go to the self-checkout, one of the floor folks giggled and said that line is all the way back to the produce section. I said that there were a whole lot more scanners to check out and wagered I'd be checking out sooner than where I would have been in the manned line. Sure enough the self-checkout got me to the front of the line very quickly.

Now, the next problem occurred - they ran out of bags! So everyone was sighing and somewhat annoyed as they had to do the Costco thing.

 

[Camas Lilly]

I was in Walmart before they opened the drive-thru pickup. You went to the service desk to pick things up. (still do for on-line orders not stocked there I think). Anyway, as I was waiting for service, I noticed a person who was picking up an online grocery order. One by one, they went thru the bags to check each and every item while everyone else stood in line waiting! WTF?

I often find prices on the packages in the meat section do not match the prices on the shelf and at least one time the price per lb times the weight didn't work out right. Just last week I bought a 12 pack of beer. It scanned 1 dollar higher than the shelf price. I didn't notice it until I scanned the receipt. That took me back to the service counter where I stood in line for a correction, only to find that they cannot do a correction on alcohol products. They had to "fake return" a 1 dollar item on my receipt to refund me my dollar. I'm sure it threw off their inventory count.

And don't even get me started on their Pharmacy practices.

Walmart, a love/hate relationship, for sure.

I had a clothing return with a receipt. The purchase, admittedly made some time ago, but I had the receipt regardless, with the clearance price clearly marked on the item for $5.00. They had to refund me $17.XX because they couldn't override the system.

 

[skipro33]

I live way, WAY out of a major city. Our Walmart is nothing like those being reported here. Rarely lines and when they are, the clerks are quick to get them through. The self check has a person to aide when things don't work just right as well. But, here's a Walmart secret about check out you might not know or thought of;
Instead of going to the main check out, go to the sporting goods counter. They can check out just as well and usually no line if anyone at all back there. Also, the automotive service counter will check you out. They don't like it as much in Automotive but too bad. The sporting goods folks seem to not be bothered by it.

Occasionally the garden department is good for check out as well. Our Walmart has 4 checkout stations in garden department.

 

[Camas Lilly]

I live way, WAY out of a major city. Our Walmart is nothing like those being reported here. Rarely lines and when they are, the clerks are quick to get them through. The self check has a person to aide when things don't work just right as well. But, here's a Walmart secret about check out you might not know or thought of;
Instead of going to the main check out, go to the sporting goods counter. They can check out just as well and usually no line if anyone at all back there. Also, the automotive service counter will check you out. They don't like it as much in Automotive but too bad. The sporting goods folks seem to not be bothered by it.

Occasionally the garden department is good for check out as well. Our Walmart has 4 checkout stations in garden department.

We used to l I've "way out" in the country but the population of our "city" has more than quadrupled. In addition to a bad checkout experience, I can usually only find half of the items I want because the shelves are empty. This is another problem pushing me to order on line. I have done the garden checkout before, but usually when I get there, only one entrance is open, so I have to park at the other end. I don't usually bother electronics unless I have at least one valid electronics purchase, then I feel somehow this is OK. LOL, never though of sporting goods.

 

[Camas Lilly]

Friday night I went to one of the Walmart's in our area where I usually go for groceries. When I go, it's usually to pick up a bucket of their ice cream and then anything else on clearance/discount they are looking to get rid of.

When I went this past Friday night, there were only 3 manned registers with long lines and the self-checkout which also had a long line, but there were 6 working stations. When I saw the lines at the manned registers and I was turning my cart around to go to the self-checkout, one of the floor folks giggled and said that line is all the way back to the produce section. I said that there were a whole lot more scanners to check out and wagered I'd be checking out sooner than where I would have been in the manned line. Sure enough the self-checkout got me to the front of the line very quickly.

Now, the next problem occurred - they ran out of bags! So everyone was sighing and somewhat annoyed as they had to do the Costco thing.

LOL, that's funny. By the way, that is the first place I head to is clearance, then wander around household goods, office, electronics and make my way to groceries last.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

The day I have to worry about waiting to checkout is the day I need to go back to W*rk! (Never gonna happen) We are Retired get over it, what is an extra 5 mins here and there?. Do not sweat the small stuff.

 

[njhowie]

LOL, that's funny. By the way, that is the first place I head to is clearance, then wander around household goods, office, electronics and make my way to groceries last.

My big score on Friday night were cans of Spaghetti-O's for 8 cents each.

 

[GalaxyBoy]

Wally World seems to continue the slide to the bottom, doing everything they can to save a penny here and a penny there so they can cut costs and lower prices. First they drove manufacturing to China; now they continue to eliminate as many jobs as possible like checkers, people watching the dressing rooms, etc. (BTW, I always felt like they suspected I was a criminal the few times I tried on clothes there). I just returned from my local store to pick up a handful of items I can't get anywhere else locally, and found they had eliminated the hand-held baskets and all they have now are the large carts. I presume they don't want to keep up with the small baskets, but I felt silly pushing that huge buggy around with three items in it.

Americans say they will pay a few percent more for quality merchandise and good customer service, but when it comes right down to it we won't.

(On a side note: I wear a larger size - although not huge and getting smaller since ER - but I can never find pants anywhere close to fitting me at WMT. Where in the heck do all those gigantic people who shop there get their pants?)

 

[athena53]

My thoughts: I don't go there. I'm fortunate that I have a wide selection of stores in my area. Two are Wal-Marts but thank heaven they haven't driven out the others. I try to avoid Made in China, I have enough clothing to last the rest of my life (and can find Made in USA at Chico's and a few on-line brands such as Amour Vert) and I prefer to support businesses that take better care of their employees and their suppliers and are careful about their supply chain.

I will continue to avoid Wal-Mart if there are decent alternatives.

 

[audreyh1]

The local Walmart is tough to get into the parking lot even though it’s in a reasonable location, and they never seem to have on the shelves what they claim to have stocked online. I rarely go there because it’s an unpleasant shopping experience.

The small Walmart in my Dad’s small town was a godsend because the local Piggly Wiggly shut down, and the Walmart built a year later replaced much of it. They actually have a pretty decent selection of fresh produce, and I can often find decent products on the shelves. Otherwise it’s 25 miles to a nicer grocery store!

So it depends on which Walmart!

 

[kgtest]

Had the boy in WM the other day to buy a fan as we were travelling. I was trying to just get in, and out but with a 4yr old that's tough. In pops a couple riff raff through the obviously closed auto center hooting and hollering. HEY, HEY ANYONE HERE! I look over and they immediately grill me for being rude, nosy, not minding my own business, creepy etc... etc...

The people of walmart have spoken.

Sadly, this was the youth of our society, 16 just licensed..and already actin a fool. My son who is 4 was soo damned confused, nothing could fix that lol.

They started mean mugging me with like a turned neck, big eyed glare and big lips pushing out. I don't have much hope for them, and I doubt they will be part of the ER crowd if even alive to see the fruits of what little labor they participated in.

That fan was cheap as heck though...just a terrible, terrible experience all around.

 

[Montecfo]

We have 2 Walmarts near us. We like them, mainly for groceries. People are poorly trained, that is a frustration but self check is fast.

It is our first choice for groceries, but use the other stores too mainly for sale items. And Costco for certain things.

To my eye stores have improved compared to the old days of K-Mart and Jamesway (going back, I know).

 

[W2R]

The last time I actually went inside a Wal-Mart was in 2011, here in suburban New Orleans. At that time, the only employees that I could find there were Spanish speaking and did not speak or understand English. My Spanish isn't much better. With hand gestures and smiles on both sides I managed to find out where the yarn was and purchase what I needed. Still, to me this was puzzling because this is very much an English speaking community in general. So, I wondered about the hiring dynamics that would create a mostly Spanish speaking Wal-Mart in an English speaking suburb where jobs are in great demand. There were only a few customers there, and I never returned.

I buy most stuff online these days. Most of that is from Amazon, but I still buy things online from Walmart and have them delivered to my door. Their prices are pretty competitive IMO and the process is quite smooth. Also I have sometimes ordered groceries online from WalMart, and gone to their drive through pickup (at a former bank building just a few blocks from home) to get them.

I think Wal-Mart is doing a pretty good job in its attempt to adapt and compete with Amazon for online sales.

 

[Camas Lilly]

The day I have to worry about waiting to checkout is the day I need to go back to W*rk! (Never gonna happen) We are Retired get over it, what is an extra 5 mins here and there?. Do not sweat the small stuff.

Because I am "almost" retired and in a hurry to "retire".

 

[Camas Lilly]

My thoughts: I don't go there. I'm fortunate that I have a wide selection of stores in my area. Two are Wal-Marts but thank heaven they haven't driven out the others. I try to avoid Made in China, I have enough clothing to last the rest of my life (and can find Made in USA at Chico's and a few on-line brands such as Amour Vert) and I prefer to support businesses that take better care of their employees and their suppliers and are careful about their supply chain.

I will continue to avoid Wal-Mart if there are decent alternatives.

I buy most of my clothes at GoodWill, but some things you just have to get at Walmart.

 

[samclem]

Has Walmart gotten so caught up in convenience that they are forgetting their brick and mortar clientele or am I just getting old and out of touch?

Did you talk to the manager or write a note to Walmart online? Is there a survey on the back of your receipt?

On a side note, that same day, I had to stop in Target for a special item. The store was near empty and so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I was in heaven! I would switch to them, but the prices are higher and selection limited . . .

I think you've identified why Walmart is busier.

 

[RobbieB]

I avoid Wally World whenever possible

 

[GravitySucks]

I fashion my thrice yearly Wal-Mart visits like Danté approached his trip through Hell. Get through as quick as possible while noticing the poor souls who's deeds had left them trapped there.
If only I had someone to guide me through the rough parts like he did.

 

[SheitlQueen]

I am guessing that one of the reasons WalMart can offer lower prices is that they have less man power to pay. By keeping the amount of employees to minimum they need, they can pass on the savings to you. What they need to do is balance the employee number with customer needs. I never wait in line a WM, but I always use the self check because I never buy a lot of stuff at once. So if you want to pay less, you give up some convenience.
I find Costo to be much worse. Not only can I never find anyone to help me in the store, their check out lines are horrendous. But I don't mind waiting if it means saving money.

 

[Red Badger]

I avoid Wally World whenever possible

I stay away because wally attracts folks whom I prefer not to associate with. I'm not referring to low income or other demographics. I am referring to the criminal elements. Our town is pretty decent my most quality of life measurements. The local wally world is a disturbing anomaly. I'll pass.