Walmart Tales and Woes

[punkinhead]

Before the pandemic we were considering moving. Now, in addition to all the other requirements, I'm going to add a visit to the local Walmart to my list when checking out a potential destination. That may be the best way to judge the overall character of an area.

I've never noted a correlation between the cleanliness and quality of people at a Walmart and the character of the area. The most disorganized, dirty Walmart full of homeless looking people in pajamas I've ever visited is in the the most affluent town in the most affluent county in my state. There's no rhyme or reason to it.

 

[COcheesehead]

I always lower my expectations when I enter Walmart and I am never disappointed.
The funny thing is when we go to Sam’s across the street, it seems different. The employees are better, the technology - self scan as you shop, no checkout line needed is better than even Costco. Sam’s I like a lot.

 

[dmpi]

We don't have baskets or totes, just carts. And they check the receipts and goods as you leave. My state you have to bring your own bag or buy a paper or expensive reusable plastic bag.

Our Walmart no longer sells the reusable bags. I've seen people bring their laundry basket to carry the stuff to their cars. That's not a bad idea as long as Walmart don't accuse you of stealing their laundry basket.

 

[MRG]

Our local Walmart is pretty nice with carts, totes, and staff. I have never had a problem there. Now our City Market has some issues.

A couple of months ago, it was raining. We don't get much rain. The temperature was in the upper 30s, so it was cold. A girl came back with carts, and her coworkers were making a big deal about it.

As I was pushing my little cart out the door, the wheels locked up. I struggled to get through the door and pushed it to the side. A girl came by, and I told her the cart was broken. She glibly told me she locked the wheels and took it from me.

I watched as she pushed it back to the corral with the other carts, leaving me holding the two gallons of milk I'd purchased. After much replaying of the incident, I have PTSD and it set me off into someplace else, I assume she was up next on cart duty and didn't want to go outside.

I have not notified the manager, but if she's working, I avoid getting near her. I'll wait forever not to deal with her.

 

[marko]

As far as I know, the Walmart here has never had hand baskets. The grocery store nearby does have them, but they have big signs at the exit saying you can't take them out of the store. I did not ask why, but I suspect that ever since we got a law eliminating free single use bags, people had been taking the baskets to their cars because they forgot to bring their re-useable bag into the store with them. Then they leave the baskets in the parking lot and the baskets get taken or run over. Just another example of "why we can't have nice things".

Principle of unintended consequences!

 

[Fermion]

It isn't just Wal-mart. We went to a Home Depot near Seattle and I noticed the Romex 12-2 250 foot coils of wire were chained up. I asked the worker on the aisle if people really tried to shoplift something that big and he said some people a few months back loaded up a cart with many rolls and just ran out of the store with it. (This works pretty well in Seattle as they are not very hard on crime). Sad.

 

[Chuckanut]

My gripe with Walmart is their prices are not that low. Dollar Store is beating them on many items. Aldi and Lidl also. Even Target beats them now.

Be grateful you have a Lidl and an Aldi. All I have near me are Kroger, Safeway, and a boutique market ($$$$$$!). When I do enter a Walmart grocery store I am shocked at how much cheaper they are compared the the Kroger near me. I am talking about 10 to 20 percent less on many items I purchase on a regular basis. A few items are about 40% less.

If the Kroger Safeway merger goes through……. I don’t want to think about it

 

[easysurfer]

A few years back I bought some dumbells and weight plates at a Walmart.

Upon leaving, the person checking bags stopped me and examined my receipt. She assumed that I was a theft but upon asking me several questions finally realized that she misread the receipt.

Another time, I was shopping for stuff for my sister and payed with her credit card (I'm also POA for sister). At the cashier the cashier assumed I was using a stolen credit card or something, but after her talking to the manager said it was okay.

I avoid that Walmart when I can. May not be just me though as the area isn't the best and I bet customers try to pull fast ones in that Walmart.

Some Walmarts are nice. Some feel slimy and shady. All depends.

 

[Fermion]

Costco checks our receipts on exit constantly.

 

[Andre1969]

I haven't been in a WalMart in close to 20 years. I can still remember the last time. I was already in a mood about them, so they were on my _hit list when I entered the store. Well, it didn't take much to set me off. I forget the exact circumstances, but I remember asking an employee about something and they got annoyed I approached them because they were on their break. So, I just left my shopping cart, right there in the aisle, with what items it had in it, and walked out.

But, if their grocery prices really are that much lower, maybe I need to reconsider. Only problem is, where I live, there are a couple of Aldis, dollar stores, and a BJs, that are more convenient to me than the nearest WalMart.

 

[easysurfer]

Be grateful you have a Lidl and an Aldi. All I have near me are Kroger, Safeway, and a boutique market ($$$$$$!). When I do enter a Walmart grocery store I am shocked at how much cheaper they are compared the the Kroger near me. I am talking about 10 to 20 percent less on many items I purchase on a regular basis. A few items are about 40% less.

If the Kroger Safeway merger goes through……. I don’t want to think about it

I've had my personal grocery bags searched before at an Aldi. Only happened once. I think the security guy had nothing better to do.

He was probably bored out of his mind standing all day and had to pretend that he was actually useful .

 

[pacergal]

We have a small neighborhood Walmart grocery only nearby, I shop there occasionally, store is clean, employees friendly.
Big Walmart less than 10 miles away, much cleaner and friendly than the one in the next town. I go there rarely

 

[Montecfo]

We have two Walmarts near us and neither seems slimy, etc.

I have never tried a hand basket. Not sure if they have them as I usually am filling a cart.

In our area they are lowest price and equal or better quality than the other store, and we shop them all.

Lidl or Aldi may have a lower price here or there but the quality is not the same at least in their produce. But those are interesting shopping experiences.

The checkouts are almost all automated self-checkouts. This happened about a year ago. I think the higher minimum wage crowd missed the clear logic that this would happen. I can't remember the last time I used a person to scan and bag as there may be just 1 or 2 on duty and there is a line.

I will say there are management issues at WMT from time to time but not a pervasive issue.

We have to pay for bags here. We bring our own-much bigger and better ones than the plastic they offer and we keep some in our cars. But I think having a big plastic container that fits inside a basket and your trunk does not seem like a bad way to go.

Someone stands by the door I guess to identify someone walking out with a TV but they do not check receipts.

 

[Fermion]

The big issue I have with Wal-mart (I still shop there) is the smell if you go near the electric carts. There is a reason for this, and it is quite disgusting. I am not sure stores like Aldi have electric carts?

 

[ivinsfan]

Physically inside my Walmart yesterday. I do order pickup at least 90% of the time. I saw a lady with a pickup cart, picking someone's groceries. I approached her and commented I want to Thank you... I do a lot of grocery pickup and I appreciate you picking grocery orders. She gave me a broad smile and said.."You're welcome honey"


I love my Walmart I did a return yesterday waited maybe 90 seconds..Did an RX pickup another 90 seconds...

 

[ivinsfan]

Venturer who exactly is that story supposed to reflect badly on? Stories like yours are why people don't want to work retail.

 

[COcheesehead]

Venturer who exactly is that story supposed to reflect badly on? Stories like yours are why people don't want to work retail.

+1 30 seconds out of someone’s day would have made it better for at least 3 of the 4 people involved.

 

[easysurfer]

The big issue I have with Wal-mart (I still shop there) is the smell if you go near the electric carts. There is a reason for this, and it is quite disgusting. I am not sure stores like Aldi have electric carts?

No electric carts in Aldi. They used the deposit a quarter to get a cart. Chain cart after use to get quarter back. Genius. I'm just glad inflation hasn't moved the cart deposit to $1 .

 

[Venturer]

Excuse me I didn't want to trigger you both. I just told what happened to me.

 

[Jerry1]

No electric carts in Aldi. They used the deposit a quarter to get a cart. Chain cart after use to get quarter back. Genius. I'm just glad inflation hasn't moved the cart deposit to $1 .

The first time I went to Aldis, I was not aware of the quarter requirement to get a cart. So at first blush, it pissed me off. Then, I came to realize the beauty of it and now wish everyone did that. It totally irks me when people can’t even put their cart in the cart corral.

 

[badatmath]

My walmart doesn't even have totes. I asked why not and he said they are stolen constantly. Only some of the ones here check receipts, normally only if you have unbagged items.

IDK never understood why people dump on this store. I don't find any box store remarkable.

 

[ivinsfan]

No electric carts in Aldi. They used the deposit a quarter to get a cart. Chain cart after use to get quarter back. Genius. I'm just glad inflation hasn't moved the cart deposit to $1 .

What's funny about Aldl's is that a quarter is basically nothing, in fact at least half the time I'm getting a free cart from someone pushing their cart to the cart area... So it's not about the money but I NEVER see loose carts in the Aldi lots even when it's cold and icy. It's an interesting comment on human psychology.

 

[badatmath]

I would not be able to shop at Aldi because I never have change! It is rare to see anyone use cash here (I still do) but unless I just bought something 5 minutes ago the change is at home.

 

[copyright1997reloaded]

Other than the "I hate shopping at Walmart" stories that many of us have (including myself occasionally), my only Walmart observation is one from many, many years ago. In the early to mid 80's a friend was thinking of shorting Walmart. We didn't have them in our area (upstate NY) but I happened to be on a business trip to Colorado (near Denver) and went to a Walmart to buy something. After seeing the store and their prices (compared to what I was used to) I called him up and suggested he NOT short the stock - that if they were able to have prices like that and stores busy like that and still have the margins they had that they would kick butt.

Unfortunately, I wasn't smart enough to buy it, but it would have been a great buy (and a terrible short).

 

[CardsFan]

I would not be able to shop at Aldi because I never have change! It is rare to see anyone use cash here (I still do) but unless I just bought something 5 minutes ago the change is at home.

I just keep a few quarters in the car for "Aldi's cart money".