Interesting Walmart facts

[wvjules]

Have you been to the one in Washington? When we go there, we leave angry! It's really not the people who work there, but the customers. There's just a general attitude about them. I can walk in the store in a perfectly pleasant mood, but I leave wanting to hurt someone.

But then I drive south to either Walmart in Morgantown and that doesn't happen. It's a whole different experience. I don't get it.

Because people from Morgantown are awesome!

 

[LaraK]

Despite the lower prices, I'd much rather pay a little more for quality goods. And I have never been in a clean, inviting Walmart. The one near my old apartment in Bowie, MD was scary. And the clientele were scarier.

Yeah I don't do the Bowie Wal Mart....I do go to the Target there that they just re-did, but for Wal Mart I go up to the one at Arundel Mills.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Wal-Mart: The New England Patriots of American retail

We shop a lot at Wal-Mart. Where else can I go to pick up power steering fluid, garlic salt, socks, baby wipes, prescriptions, and a bottle of wine, and get the oil changed -all in one stop! I'm not at all surprised by the immensity of their success.

 

[poohandwendy]

Have you been to the one in Washington? When we go there, we leave angry! It's really not the people who work there, but the customers. There's just a general attitude about them. I can walk in the store in a perfectly pleasant mood, but I leave wanting to hurt someone.

But then I drive south to either Walmart in Morgantown and that doesn't happen. It's a whole different experience. I don't get it.

Yep, it's horrible. The same with the Walmart in West Mifflin...

I haven't been to the Morgantown Walmart, but I will have to try it some time. Maybe I will have a different opinion then, LOL.

 

[Jennasis]

We have a Super Center Walmart (or Wally-World as we call it) here in town. The savings on our grocery bill is tremendous though I do not like their meat department and wished they had an actual butcher in house. I can get the same items at Walmart that I can get elsewhere, but for way less. My store is clean, safe, bright, well-stocked and full of pleasant employees. KMART on the other hand is a dump. I havem't been in a nice one in ages and most seem to be closing.

Target is pretty to look at but they're selection is lacking in the grocery department, and I find them pricier.

 

[Kathi OD]

I like getting a bargain as much as the next person. If our Wal-Marts were clean, well-organized, and had enough employees to work in the stores, I'd shop there, no question.
Every Wal-Mart around here is extremely dirty, understaffed, and disorganized with merchandise in the middle of the aisles. The store closest to us is routinely cited (and shut down) by the fire marshall due to violations. You are lucky to get through the checkout lines in less than 20 minutes (there are never enough registers open). One time there were 5 people supervising 2 cashiers, who each had at least 7 people in their line. I find this to be totally unacceptable, regardless of how great the bargain is.

With all the dirt, all I can say is thank goodness the Wal-Marts around here don't sell food.

 

[MushyMushy]

Yep, it's horrible. The same with the Walmart in West Mifflin...

I haven't been to the Morgantown Walmart, but I will have to try it some time. Maybe I will have a different opinion then, LOL.

I'm telling you! It's really weird. We always did all our shopping in Washington, but then last Christmas we just happened to go to the one in Morgantown and the entire time we were there, DH and I kept looking at each other saying, "WOW!" I know a woman who works at the WM in Washington and on her days off she shops at the one in Morgantown.

Partly I think it's because people are a bit more laid back there, but also the store is bigger. The parking lot is bigger, so you can always find a somewhat close spot, and the aisles in the store are really wide, so you're not walking on top of one another.

 

[Blue Skies]

I know, we used to spend more that $40.00 at our local publix just for a few things.

One of thre reasons for this is that Wal-Mart is non-union. The vast majority of traditional supermarkets are union. These union positions pay a nice wage and have nice benefits. The margins in the grocery industry are VERY low. It's sometimes refered to as "penny profit" since they usually make just cents on the dollar.

 

[pyrateswife]

I returned an item there last year and got oh around 60.00 back.. so I thought I would pick up a few things for dinner that night while I was there. it came to about 13.00 I went through the self check out and I inserted the 50 dollar bill THEY gave me at customer service and it wouldnt take it.. I kept trying and trying till finaly I asked the lady what was up with this machine.. she took my 50 and the next thing I know she told me I had to go with her for trying to pass a fake 50 dollar bill!!! I was crying called my hubby and told him while waiting for the cops I kept telling them to check there video tape or go get the cashier who gave me the money.. finally after about 1 hr. and my story checked out they said sorry for the misunderstanding and let me go... TALK ABOUT SCARED..LOL

 

[DisnyMama]

I shop at WM because I can't shop anywhere else and save as much $$ (Target is another 5 miles away and WM's prices can beat Targets overall), and get everything I need including the filter for the airduct system.

However, that doesn't mean that I like WM anymore. Back in 1994 when I lived in Chatsworth, California we had to drive an hour to get to a WM and it was a treat when we did. We would spend usually up to 3 hours shopping and have lunch at the Mc'D's in the store. We would find so many cool and unusual finds. We had a blast. Those days are gone and so is the merchandise, selection and employee interaction. Oh sure, occassionally I will find something new and fun but not very often.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Wal Mart doesn't have a prescence internationally do they?

Well, only if you don't consider Canada to be a part of the United States.

 

[C.Ann]

My friend's daughter has been working at Walmart for at least 10 years now.. She has worked her way up to store manager, has great health beneifits for herself and her son (ex is a dead beat dad), can afford to send her son to a private school, bought herself a nice duplex, and is never, ever forced into mandatory overtime.. They are very generous with any time she needs to take off for illness for herself or her son - and also receives a generous vacation each year.. She actually quit her teaching job to work at Walmart..

I find all of the stores in my area to be nice and clean; well-staffed; helpful associates; and the supercenter has very good prices - that for the most part can only be beat by shopping at Aldi's and purchasing only their store brands..

I have had no problems with the quality of the items I have purchased there - name brand or otherwise..

Most importantly, I have "x" amount of dollars to spend and if Walmart is going to give me what I need for a lower price than another store, then Walmart is where I will shop.. That's only common sense - considering I don't have a money tree growing in my backyard..

For now, Walmart is my number one choice for shopping (other than the occasional trip to Ocean State Job Lot, Big Lots, The Dollar Store, and a few specific items that I always buy at Aldi's)..

 

[Mickeyluver37]

You know that while it is true that unionized employes pau union dues, what you spend help employes getting a livin wage. And you know that Cosco employes gat paid on average $16 $ an hour ,get exellent health care coverage and Cosco still manage to sell at very low prices. : if they can do it , walmart can do it. Cosco has better revenues by employesm than Walmart , even paying them almost twice the salary and providing 96 % of there healthcare !

How does Walmart compare to every other mostly part time retailer? Walmart, Sam's, Best Buy, Coldstone, most fast food joints, etc are mostly staffed by teenagers, college students or adults as a second job. Not many people expect to make a "living" working at them.

 

[MAKmom]

Where your Walmart is at makes a big difference. The one near my house is Clean & organized...but not a super walmart. I stopped in one in Eddystone Pa & it looked like a pack of wolves had been ripping it apart.

 

[StrollPatrolMom]

12. 90% of all Americans live within 15 miles of a Wal-Mart.

I live that close to 3 Wal-marts...maybe 4 actually.

 

[DISUNC]

My paycheck might as well go directly to WalMart! I am there on a daily basis!

 

[kaw1218]

My paycheck might as well go directly to WalMart! I am there on a daily basis!

I was waiting to see how long it was before you found this thread.

 

[DISUNC]

I was waiting to see how long it was before you found this thread.

My Aunt says "If Wal*Mart dont have it, then YOU dont need it!" I dunno what it is but I go in there for Milk & Bread & come out with a Christmas tree, Toys, CD's, Tshirt, light up tools, cake and Orange toothpaste!!!!! I forget the milk!

My WM is a really really really nice one!

 

[swea_pea1]

Nope! I'll join your I Hate Walmart club.

I think that any company that is that insidious is an evil monopoly. Don't even get me started on the whys.

Have you seen the movie "The High Cost of Low Prices"?

I've seen it and was disgusted. This was interesting:

Average WAL-MART Hourly Sales Employee Earnings: $13,861

HELEN WALTON: $18.0 BILLION
ALICE WALTON: 18.0 BILLION
JOHN WALTON: 18.2 BILLION
ROB WALTON: $18.3 BILLION
JIM WALTON: $18.3 BILLION

OK, I can see the "founding fathers" making more than the average Joe, but I gasped out loud when they showed this stat:

A WAL-MART Worker may donate money from their paycheck to the CRITICAL NEED FUND, a program to aid other employees in times of crisis, like a fire or tornado.
In 2004, WAL-MART Employees gave OVER $5 MILLION to help fellow workers

* Source: Form 990, Wal-Mart Associates in Critical Need Fund, 2004

The Walton Family gave $6,000

* Source: Walton Family Foundation

$6000? These folks are making huge amounts of money and when the people who are working for them for almost nothing have some natural disaster hit their home, the Walton's are giving $6000 - total. That's pitiful.

More statistics gathered and shown in the movie are here

Suffice it to say I've stopped shopping at Walmart.