I should be SHOT. I went to Walmart

[johnco]

so all you Walmart and Walmart customer haters... just where do you shop for everyday items? national chain supermarkets killed local family owned stores.. Lowes and Home Depot killed local family owned lumber yards.. Designer clothes and Boutiques shut down local clothing stores.. even family owned gas stations have been bought out by major suppliers.. not having traveled much, I am ignorant about just about anywhere else. just where do you guys buy things you need? sorry.. it's Christmas Eve, I'm sitting here bored and seem to have over medicated myself.. again

[74-911]

Originally posted by johnco
okay, I confess. not only do I shop at Walmart, but Family Dollar, Dollar General, Sams, Harbor Freight, order pool equipment online to save a few hundred dollars at times, call every rental place in town to find the cheapest price for equpment rentals, buy diesel at one truck stop because they give me points worth money for every gallon purchased,buy parts at Autozone for the lifetime warranty, would rather get my parts from the junk yard my friend owns rather than buying new whenever possible, etc., etc., I do my own repairs instead of supporting the local mechanics.. I even go to the movies on weekend afternoons since it's only $3.50 a ticket. If I save a few dollars getting what I need at Walmart instead of driving all over town to find the same thing for more... so what? some poor Chinese girl spent all day sewing for pennies to supply Walmart? at least she has a job.. better than a lot of Walmart customers. all they have are these plastic cards issued to them by govt.. no cash to flash.. now that's sad. anything else I need Walmart doesn't carry, I go to the regular mom and pop type stores that have all been bought out by large corporations. I'm just a cheap sob and shop where ever I can buy what I need at a lower price. I seldom need anything of quality, so Walmart junk is good enough for me usually. a gallon of milk from there for $1-2 cheaper tastes the same as the more expensive milk sold at the store across the street from my house. it's funny how I have nver met one person that has been adversly affected by Walmart opening up here.. in fact, I see all these elderly women having jobs, earning money and having a reason to get up in the morning working there. maybe one day I could get a job as a door greeter there.. nahhh, I really don't like having to smile at people I don't know and couldn't deal with people just like me all day.

that makes two of us Johnco.....

As to the low wages, not so good benefits at Wal-Mart.... that is rather prevalent in retail and the service industries. Not defending Wal-mart on this, this just isn't an issue exclusive to Wal-mart.

[johnco]

My nephew's girlfriend works at Walmart and I was surprized to hear how much she was paid an hour. unbelievable for a woman in this position in this area. seems like it was about 3 times minimum wage. now I know how they could afford the 5 acres on the river, spend more remodeling the house than they paid for it, and continue to spend more and more on a house they have owned for 3+ years and have never lived in. she refuses to move in until it's 100% complete. I wonder why the employee cars in the parking lot are nicer than most of mine, they live in much nicer homes.. a dumpster is nicr than mine actually.. and at those low wages.. I must be doing something wrong. Low wages? try working as a waitress or server in a small town. I felt sorry for the girls working at our wineshop/cafe.. when I was still there

[Milu]

Originally posted by nostatic


I was talking with the head of emerging technologies at Pepsico a few months back. Not a small company. He was talking about being in the middle of a very expensive and complicated RFID implementation. One that they made for one reason, and one reason only: Walmart refused to do business with them unless they went RFID. Maybe that's "just business", but it is frightening that a single retailer can dictate business practices for other companies.

The fun really starts when two or more clients start dictating different and sometimes conflicting requirements

[rfuerst911sc]

I don't see the connection of not shopping at Walmart and being a snob? When I need groceries I shop a local grocery store although it is a chain. When I need hardware I go to Ace first and then HD or Lowes. Everyday shopping I like Target for its clean atmosphere and most shoppers have their teeth. I drive a Porsche because I enjoy the car and its heritage not as a status symbol.It's a free society and you can shop where you want, I just prefer to not shop at a store where folks are wearing a "I'm with stupid" T-shirt!!

[LakeCleElum]

I choose to avoid people that are loud and obnixious with bad manners. That doesn't always go hand in hand with how much money they have.

Some of the nicest, most polite people I've met are dirt poor. I have no problem being around them. I only go in a Walmart maybe once a year as I avoid any and all types of shopping as much as I can.

Christmas shopping; I'm at the Mall when they open on a weekday in early December with a list. I'm always back home before noon - all done for the year except for what I order over the internet...

[Drago]

Originally posted by Dan in Pasadena
What's the green font mean again?....................before I consider leaving this board forever for all the haters on it?

I think green is sarcasm, or was it puktidity? One or the other.

Walmart often has good ammo prices. I've been once here (for the ammo) and once on Maui (booze). I've never seen the things described here.

[LakeCleElum]

Originally posted by Drago
I think green is sarcasm, or was it puktidity? One or the other.

I've never seen the things described here.

Try a Walmart nearner the lower income neighborhoods. The one in Renton made National News for the near riot that broke out a year ago when they opened for the big sale the day after T-giving....That was the same store that had a homicide the 1st week they were open about 10 years ago. A young lady stabbed her brother to death in the family car in the parking lot.....

[tabs]

I'll have to remember to put my teeth in the next time I head on over to Wallyworld.

[johnco]

Now that I think about it... after Katrina and all those "nice, colourful, misunderstood" people evacuating from New Olreans rolled thru for a couple weeks, everything described above and more happened. much much more. it was an invasion of ignorant, impolite, arrogant and criminal type people. not normallly like that around here. stolen cars everywhere, people threatened and harassed, banks robbed and people shot at. gun and ammo sales went thru the roof. Walmart was avoided by the locals for quite some time.

[johnco]

and Tabs... this is for you

[URY914]

I started this thread with a list of observations on the people that SHOP at WM. Not WM itself, that’s a whole 'nother story.

What is wrong with wanting to be with people that are clean, educated and have values like our own? People like people that are like themselves. It is human nature. That is why were live in communities, attend schools, go to church and belong to clubs with people that have the same values and beliefs as we do. Who said "diversity" works? I see it as causing friction. We evolve into social classes and we have certain core beliefs. This will not change. The government will not change this by passing laws. You can not mandate personal behavior. If you give everyone $1 million dollars we will all spend it differently. And some will decide to spend all their million at Wal-Mart.

[turbo6bar]

Originally posted by Dan in Pasadena
What's the green font mean again?....................before I consider leaving this board forever for all the haters on it?

green = sarcasm. I wanted to join in the lovefest, but make sure I wasn't banned to hell or something.

puktidity - pardon?

[Flatbutt1]

Any venue that offers very low prices will be patronized by low wage individuals. The reasons for being a low wage earner include a poor education. I live in an area that is firmly middle class but is adjacent to a low income area. I am often dismayed by what I see in that town. The overweight children, the poor hygiene of the adults, the vacant and hopeless looks on the faces of so many. I worked hard to educate myself so that I could get out of the pit I grew up in. I worked harder to assure that my children had the advantage of a good education and whatever enrichmenmt I could provide above that. So when I see what the average American is becoming it troubles me a great deal. Most of all I am distressed by the ignorance that is becoming the defining characteristic of many Americans.

[sammyg2]

OK, you bleeding hearts can play victim all you want but is there anyone on this board, anyone, who can honestly say that the typical walmart shopper is as sophisticated in clothing style or life style as the typical American? I mean can you actually say that with a straight face and mean it? If so you are either living in a fantasy world or your particular slice of Americana is not typical.
BTW, see ya later Dan.
You're apparently in an awful hurry to play martyr so I won't stand in your way.

[Chocaholic]

Just the fact that you initiated a thread on this topic is indication of your superiority complex...and your apparent need to advertise it. Why not post a thread about visiting a thrift shop too? How about strip clubs? Bowling alleys?

Simply put, they are people just like you (only less pretentious). Put their pants on one leg at a time. If you feel you are superior for whatever reason...simply don't go there. Go to the opera instead. But for heavens sake, don't expect attaboys for announcing your disgust when you stand shoulder to shoulder with people less fortunate than you....for whatever reason. The arrogance is astounding.

Happy Holidays!

[MichiganMat]

Thriftshops are way better than WalMart. I've found some of my nicest clothes at Goodwill, hells yeah.

[johnco]

wait a sec.. someone thinks I'm less fortunate than others because I shop at Walmart? even if it's the biggest and closest store near me? does the fact I usually have $5k-10k in my pocket most days still make me one of the "less fortunate"? because I shop at Walmart? even if the fact I spend $25k-30k a month, mostly with local businesses, still puts me in the "Walmart shopper" supposed class? you guys are so funny. if I cut my hair, buy some designer clothes, wear a stupid little cap, buy some cool name brand sunglasses, and quit shopping Walmart... can I join your little club? of course I'd have to quit hanging out with my friends since I'm now better than them. and then my free time can be spent washing my 911, my 944... and find ways to remove 2 grams of weight so they go faster.. and since the 12 or so of my other cars are not Porsches... should I sell them? I'll deny ever having owned a Corvette if it helps me fit in.. I hope you people are not being serious.. I am friends with doctors, lawyers, judges, welders, carpenters, people that cut grass, people that don't have jobs.. even multi-multi millionares... and anyone in between.. I believe I can count on these people to be there for me faster than people that have this attitude..in fact... 4 of "these" people just called inviting me to their home knowing I am sitting here all alone Christmas day. I also think most of you guys wouldn't even say hello to someone that looks like me. unless you needed something I can provide. Porsches are just cars... owning one doesn't make you better than anyone else.. I've had 3 and I still shop at Walmart. just because it's there. and here's a clue... money doesn't make you smarter and poor doesn't make you a fool.. yes, there are ignorant, uncouth people in every town.. and a lot shop at discount stores. so do a lot of the "superior" people

[nostatic]

i cut my own hair. does that make me a loser?

[rouxroux]

Johnco, bravo! Even though we're laughed at about it, Louisiana is a true "melting pot"...I can remember heading back to school when I was teaching asking my students to tell me sometime during the week of something nice that happpened to them over the holidays. I'd have some kids tell of trips they took with their families, and some kids would proudly say "we got our electricity hooked up again"...WalMart does have it's place (and for those of you who never met Sam Walton, he'd sometimes show up unannounced at a store in dirty overalls driving his old Ford pickup truck)...Say what you want, but for some people on fixed incomes, his company (and his new perscription policy a $4/script) is doing more for the less fortunate than the government....Off my soapbox...carry on, Merry Christmas