[geeks] Wal-Mart

[John Francini]

On 29 Nov 2007, at 0:43, Lionel Peterson wrote:

>> From: Sridhar Ayengar <ploopster at gmail.com>
>> Date: 2007/11/28 Wed PM 10:09:38 CST
>> To: The Geeks List <geeks at sunhelp.org>
>> Subject: Re: [geeks] Wal-Mart
>
> <snip>
>
>> That's not really what I meant.  What I meant is that I'm willing  
>> to pay
>> more for *identical* items if it enables me to avoid going to Wal- 
>> Mart.
>
> The last item I bought at WalMart was a cheap modem that was  
> supported by an application[0] I was testing, and that was several  
> years ago (2002 or 2003).
>
> I've often marveled how infrequently I buy something from Sears, a  
> store my parents used to buy from all the time when I was growing  
> up...
>
> As for WalMart, I avoid it like the plague, I simply dislike  
> everything about the store (but I think they have the right to  
> offer their form of retail abuse to anyone that is willing to shop  
> there).
>

I've got two Wal-Marts near me: one that pulls a substantial amount  
of Latinos that's close to me, and another one a few miles away that  
is also a SuperCenter (has the supermarket stuff as well), which  
draws the more rural crowd.

I find that neither of these stores is all that interesting to be in  
-- loud, crowded, messy, screaming kids, etc., just as others have  
reported in this thread.  I will *only* go to WM when I have no  
choice whatsoever: when the item(s) I need are only available there.

Example: Last time I was there was to get replacement Rubbermaid  
plastic food storage containers -- our previous ones were easily 15+  
years old and were getting tired.  Wal-Mart was the last place we  
went, after trying Linens 'n Things, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and  
Target.  None of the others even had that *category* of item, never  
mind any sort of selection.  But Wal-Mart did.  So I bought a bunch.

Pet peeve: the SuperCenter has a full-scale supermarket to go along  
with all the usual department-store stuff, but they STILL don't have  
a proper 'supermarket'-style checkout setup. Instead of the usual  
checkout island with two *long* conveyor belts, with a cashier and a  
bagger, they've got a small island with a half-size conveyor belt,  
the cash register, a lazy susan with perhaps 6 or 8 banks of hanging  
plastic bags, and a small area for holding already-filled bags.  This  
is immensely inconvenient and slow when dealing with a predominantly- 
grocery order.

john