Your thoughts on shopping in Walmart these days

[Jeffman52]

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

+1

There is a Walmart within a mile of my house and I go there for one thing. Wrangler Jeans. The downside is that the last Wranglers I bought were lower quality than the ones I have in my closet that are still wearable, and they are making the back pockets smaller on the new ones. So I may be finding a new brand.

 

[Bestwifeever]

The OP shops on the weekends, which quadruples the hassles imo. If you can't shop on a weekday, I think Walmarts are open really late into the evenings--why not go on a weeknight? Ours are open 24 hours.

We have Humana's plan D drug coverage and use Walmart for DH's prescriptions, so we buy other things while there for that. I wish it was better lit--just so gray and depressing inside. The pricing doesn't matter so much to us now so doubt we would go there otherwise. We certainly wouldn't go on a weekend like the OP does.

 

[Camas Lilly]

I have a choice of two Walmart stores. The worst one is next door to Sams and across the street from a good discount grocery store. I like to shop at Sams and the discount store, but still find myself making that trip back into Walmart for those items i can't get at the other two. Then my shopping trip becomes so drawn out, I just resign to getting everything at Walmart instead of hitting three stores. I am thinking my only solution is to order for pickup. By the way, how longer the pickup lines?

I probably wouldn't have to go so often if I wasn't still working. DH (retired) says don't go out on Tuesdays. it is senior day and there's a lot of crazy seniors out there!

 

[savory]

If you would have asked me this question two years ago, I would have told you they are awful. But about 2 years ago or less, they claimed to be hiring more people and I think paying more. I saw a significant positive change. DW, who absolutely hated the shopping experience there, actually saw the difference as well. Employees would take us to products we could not find. And, they were simply more pleasant. This was in 2 different states we lived in during the last two years.

Even when DW hated the shopping experience, we both agreed that the self checkout functioned was much better than our grocery store for reading UPC, etc.

 

[NW-Bound]

Although there's a Walmart only 2 miles from us, we did not go there until we started RV'ing, and parked overnight at Walmart while en route. And we got into the habit of walking around the stores to buy a few things, but mainly to stretch our legs.

What do you know, it is not as scary as what you read on the Web.

I started to go to the nearby Walmart more often after that to get things that are cheaper there, like auto supplies and parts and household items. We do not have a habit of shopping for food at Walmart, because we have other grocery chains we use, particularly when the latter have loss leaders.

My wife goes to this Walmart all the time to get prescriptions for her mother. And I get my blood pressure medicine there too. The store's atmosphere is not bad, just a bit boring. It's OK, as we do not go into stores for recreation.

 

[gwraigty]

Our Super Walmart is about a mile from our house, which made it my go to place for grocery shopping for many years. Yes, service has gotten terrible in many respects. Empty shelves among all grocery departments. Even with a full cart, it was faster for me to get through self checkout than try to wait in the only line available for full service. Store more and more crowded early in the morning on weekdays. It's become unpleasant to shop there, but they do have the lowest prices in the area.

A Meijer opened up 13 miles away in May. I've been doing more of my shopping there. Yes, it's worth it, even having to drive 35 minutes each way vs. 5 minutes to Walmart. Wonderful, courteous staff, fully stocked everything, much greater selection, and their pricing is almost identical to Walmart's pricing. With their mPerks program, my grocery bill is actually less.

 

[Aerides]

I will drive 5 miles to Target, but never stop at the Walmart that's 2 miles away.

I will shop target for needs and then be able to browse. They have some nice home stuff, I like some of their casual clothing, t shirts, etc. I can't say the same for walmart.

But I'd rather jut order on amazon than bother with either.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Our HI just switched from Walgreens to Walmart for our prescriptions. We are saving a ton of money. Our Walmart is decent and I go monthly and pick up whatever we need. We grocery shop at Winco because the quality and prices are better. Every spring I get my flowers for my patio there.

 

[aja8888]

We have 7 Super Walmarts within a 10 mile radius of us.

Of course, there are hundreds of other retail outlets too. Also, we have a gigantic Amazon warehouse within 12 miles of our house. Then there are 4 major hospitals within one mile away. The list goes on and on...

It's all good.

 

[Music Lover]

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

I get my clothes at outlet malls. Similar or better prices as Walmart but far better fit and quality.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Our Walmart is fine, some folk are just snobs is all. There are people here that are glad to pat $3 a pound more for exactly the same USDA meat at Publix, just to say they did so. Most identical name brand items are cheaper at Walmart than any of the local grocery stores other than Aldi. Aldi is my preference, but if they do not have something we happily go to Walmart.

 

[robnplunder]

I usually go to WM late at night and I never have to wait long for any registers, self or manned. If I see long lines, I go back to browsing around until the lines thin out. This is true for every store I go (Lowes, Costco, etc). Of course, being ER'd, I only go to those stores when there is no traffic on the road, and it isn't busy shopping hours/seasons. I am spoiled rotten by ER life.

 

[Lewis Clark]

We used to buy groceries at our local Wal Mart. Then we found a large collection of small insects in a box of food, and the insects spread throughout our pantry. We cleaned it all out and assumed it was a one-time event.

Then it happened a second time with a different brand of food.

Now we almost never go into Wal Mart. We will only go there if we can't find something at our other local stores. But we will not buy food from them.

 

[Camas Lilly]

Our Walmart is fine, some folk are just snobs is all. There are people here that are glad to pat $3 a pound more for exactly the same USDA meat at Publix, just to say they did so. Most identical name brand items are cheaper at Walmart than any of the local grocery stores other than Aldi. Aldi is my preference, but if they do not have something we happily go to Walmart.

I used to go to SaveALot all the time, but then changed to Walmart when they opened the super centers. While SaveALot seems to be staying the same, it seems like Aldi has been improving their selection and I am continually surprised by some of the stuff they have. (Hoping DH gets back there today to pick up that wonderful bath rug I saw) That's why I am saying I will probably switch to them and pickup at Walmart on the way home. Also there's a lot more people in Aldi than there used to be. The lines may get stacked up, but at least they are manned and they are super fast!

 

[pacergal]

We have a small neighborhood Walmart (groceries only) that I visit for a few food items, mostly shop at Safeway.
Our large super center Walmart had tons of manned registers and a bunch of self serve. For the few items we need, we always go to the self serve ones--DH scans and I bag. Pretty fast, however, we also go during the week and either first thing am or late in the evening. Far less people.

 

[Katsmeow]

I avoid Walmart. Just an unpleasant atmosphere. We do have a Walmart Neighborhood Market grocery store that is nearby and I occasionally shop at and it is fine. For most general type shopping, though, I prefer Target. Prices generally seem pretty good to me and the store is just way more pleasant.

 

[pj.mask]

Growing up we used to go to Walmart all the time. On the outskirts of major city. No issues.

Nowadays, it is always a pain as you described. The last 3 times I went for kids OTC medicine - the generics were sold out and the name brand had a few of the product boxes emptied out (stolen). I ended up going to the grocery store.

We don’t shop for food there - low quality produce/meat and we don’t eat lots of processed/packaged foods. For the minimal shopping we do, I’ll buy at Costco it just suck up the price difference elsewhere.

I feel I make enough money for the $5-10 monthly savings to not be worth the additional 20 minutes of waiting or multiple trips to see if they have it in stock.

 

[Boose]

I went on a multi-month Walmart boycott about 17 years ago because they insisted on stocking 14 lb. containers of cat litter on the top shelf, which is well over my reach (I'm short). And there was never anyone around to help.

Now I'm fortunate that DH is the designated WM shopper in our household. He cleans our bathrooms (another reason why I'm lucky!) and buys bathroom cleaner as well as car supplies there. Otherwise, we rarely go.

 

[frayne]

Avoid it like the plague.

 

[joeea]

Your thoughts on shopping in Walmart these days

My thoughts these days are the same as every day - never shop at Walmart. Just thinking of it makes my teeth itch.

 

[Bamaman]

I have a Walmart at the front of our subdivision--2 minutes away. And it's my drive in market, as I'm in there virtually every day.

Mornings, I do get tired of seeing all the shoppers in their pajama bottoms. I pray that some day, they may come to their senses.

I go in late at night, and there are about 50 stockers all over the store--but mainly in groceries. Get talking to them, and you'll find out many work day jobs, and some are self employed. They work Walmart because they can purchase health insurance for their sick children. At least Walmart workers are willing to work--which is something that many of the meth heads and career thieves in our community cannot say. My hat's off to them.

I'm just thankful that the Walmarts in our community are exceptionally well run and well stocked. We frequent a couple of Walmarts in the mountains, and they're not created equal or even priced equal to our stores.

And I'm especially thankful for the $.88 eggs and $.98 gallons of milk and chocolate milk our grandkids go through so much of.

 

[REWahoo]

At least Walmart workers are willing to work--which is something that many of the meth heads and career thieves in our community cannot say. My hat's off to them.

+1

Much respect for any and all who work for a living.

Present company excepted...

 

[Camas Lilly]

Growing up we used to go to Walmart all the time. On the outskirts of major city. No issues.

Nowadays, it is always a pain as you described. The last 3 times I went for kids OTC medicine - the generics were sold out and the name brand had a few of the product boxes emptied out (stolen). I ended up going to the grocery store.

We don’t shop for food there - low quality produce/meat and we don’t eat lots of processed/packaged foods. For the minimal shopping we do, I’ll buy at Costco it just suck up the price difference elsewhere.

I feel I make enough money for the $5-10 monthly savings to not be worth the additional 20 minutes of waiting or multiple trips to see if they have it in stock.

Good point.

 

[Marita40]

Our urban Walmart is really terrible. Messy shelves, dirty floor, really unhelpful service if you can even find a person. Prices may be lower there, but I chose rather to shop at Target down the street. Completely good experience there.

 

[Camas Lilly]

Hmmm. Looks like I am going to have to revisit Target. i really did enjoy the time I spent there.