I made my first trip to Walmart Sunday

[trixie]

Aunt's car had a flat and she waited in the customer lounge. :puke:

Ok - I could not understand why anyone, especially DUers, would shop at that horrible store. I was told on here that they actually do have cheaper prices and in these hard economic times......

I priced three items that I had just bought at a little grocery story by my house:
Mountain Dew 8 pack of 16.5 ounces
Walmart - $4.49
my store - $3.33

All laundry detergent concentrate
Walmart - $4.59 (sale!)
my store - $3.99

Holmes humidifier filter
Walmart - $6.29
my store - $5.50

I would have actually spent $2.55 more at Walmart on just 3 items. I, of course, purchased nothing and grabbed aunt and left the store. The store itself was smelly (really bad), blocked aisles, a lot of chaos etc. Not pleasant at all.

Why does anyone shop there?

[Archae]

1. Simple.

It's close by me, and cheap.

[Deja Q]

2. Able to memorize prices, I know where to shop.

In my area, walmart is cheaper on many items, but not all... and for the rare treats (candy, et al) I go to my main grocer's...

Of course, having regained 4 pounds, I'd better get back in the groove... or accept peak oil and global warming and offshoring will kill us all so it'd be better to get fat from eating all that processed sugar now and be happy for a day. :crazy:

[Name removed]

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[Nicole]

4. I don't shop there

Last time I did shop there I found it unpleasant like you.

[mongo]

5. They have a few cheap things

but are more expensive on most non-food items.

And they sell a lot of sub-standard items. Every time I have bought compact flourescent bulbs there they have burnt out in a matter of months.

But they are open at midnight when we close the store, and on the way home.

Sometimes they are just too damn convienent. Should I drive 12 miles out of my way to go to lowes or home depot for a hardware item or pay even more at one of the smaller hardware stores?

[Shine]

6. I've never been inside a Walmart.

we don't have one close by, or else I'm sure I would've checked it out. :D

[BensMom]

7. Just today I said "No to walmart"

I have gone to walmart in a time crunch. Thinking I can get the oil changed and grab the dog food furnace filter and cereal while waiting.
That place about sends me into a panic. Thought about it at the traffic signal today. Walmart to the right or the drug store, grocers and target to the left. The car turned left and we left walmart on the right. I don't need anything that would make me go to walmart.


And it is so true - many things are more expensive.

[Kerrytravelers]

8. We don't have a Wal Mart for 20 miles each direction.

We go to local businesses first, blue donors second and then anyplace else we have to go.

[deadparrot]

9. When it's the only store of its kind within 90 miles,

you learn to adapt. :shrug:

[smtpgirl]

10. And won't it be your last?

There are no "deals" at Wal-Mart.

The only deals at Wal-Mart are only because that is the only store around!!

[smtpgirl]

11. That is what turned me off to Wal-Mart!!

Those stores are so dirty!!!!!

Are we living in Bangladesh? I'll bet the stores in China are spotless, because Wal-Mart needs to make an impression.

That store SUCKS

Have found better prices at any store, except for a $20 DVD player, and who wants to buy a $20 DVD player anyway?

[ChoralScholar]

12. I live in the town with

Wal-Mart Store #2. It's been in this town since the late 1960s, so, it hasn't really hurt the mom and pop businesses. Nonetheless, I only shop at wal-mart when I have to (i.e. when I'm buying stuff for school and can use the schools Wal-Mart card)

Otherwise, we make a trip to Branson and shop at Target. (That's Tar-zhay, for the Francophones)

[sarge43]

13. "Why does anyone shop there?"

I occasionally shop there to avoid making 60-70 mile around trips. Some things, like computer supplies, aren't available locally anywhere else.

Not all of us live in urban areas where there are near infinite number of choices.

And yes, Wal-Marts are nasty places, but that's to be expected. The workers are treated like crap, so they have no reason to take any pride in their work - Personal Management 101.

[Maine-ah]

14. My name is Maine-ah, and I shop at wal-mart....

yes, I do. I needed a new iron yesterday. My only option was wal-mart. I needed curtains for my baby's room, my only choice was wal-mart. After that, guess where I went (holy shit!) I went to Home Depot. My brother works there, he's a manager, gets paid very well and has great bennie's. While I was there, I picked up an electrical outlet, and some screws, both of which I needed for my baby's room. So, there you go, I supported two red businesses in one day.... some of us don't have a choice. Trust me, if I never had to go to that end of town again, I wouldn't, but there is also a TJ Max (I love TJ's, I will never care who they support).

Look, it's (IMHO) just plain old rude to shit on people like this. It's just like the smoking, suv, and gun wars.

Now, I'll end my rant, and call it good....:hi:

[sarge43]

17. Thank you, Maine-ah from a fellow Swamp Yankee

I'd like to add whenever the righteous want to take responsibility for my finances, including the whooper hospital bill (and yes I have medical insurance, but the co-payments will chew off your leg), they can tell me how best to apply my limited resources.

[gr8dane_daddy]

15. Haven't shop there in 3 yrs...

and chastise my brother when he does.

[Callalily]

16. I hope that you took a

when you got home.

I refuse to shop at Walmart. Their labor practices are unethical (and specifically toward women proven by their own reports), and they drive local businesses out of the market.

The few cents one saves there is just not worth it.

[mainegreen]

18. Only Wal-Marts loss leaders are cheaper. Everything else is

same as competitors or more pricier. If you must shop there, only purchase stuff in the navigable isles.

[Midlodemocrat]

19. Some people have no alternative.