2007: The Wal-Mart Free Dynasty

[stevew]

I've had it, as of the end of 2006 I've decided to adopt the Wal Mart Free lifestyle. Too many retarded cashiers. Too many people for one line open. Too many out of stocks on critical items. I'm just done with them, fuck it. I suppose I'll have to get creative on some things, perhaps pay a bit more on groceries and whatnot. But I can do it, no deal there is so good that I will put up with their Disney World length lines and customer disservice. I can do it, we'll start one day at a time, but I think I can make it the whole year WM free.

On a side note, I'm still unsure as to what to classify Sam's Club as. I don't have a card there, but do go with a friend on occasion. Any thoughts?

Anyone else down with joining the dynasty as well?

[Radii]

Originally Posted by stevew

Anyone else down with joining the dynasty as well?

I haven't set foot in a Wal-Mart in at least 6 months now, perhaps longer. I hat e the place. I hate the crowds, the size of the stores, the service, and I do admit I have issues with them politically(but I'm not the type to avoid shopping somewhere on principle if I can get the best experience there, so that's really just a side factor).


So count me in, sure.

[Raiders Army]

Target is so much better.

[Dolemite73]

I have not shoppd at WalMart in 10 years.

[Izulde]

As much as I'd like to jump in on this one, I can't. Their being open 24 hours is just too damn convenient for me.

[TonyR]

I had been on a Wal-Mart Free shopping spree for about 5 years. Unfortunately we are moving to a city that really only has a Wal-Mart.
No Target or other store of the like. Closest non-Wal-Mart would be about 30-35 minute drive.
City is only about 25K people. Don't know why Wal-Mart is all they have.

[stevew]

Well, got a 50 dollar WM giftcard for Xmas, suppose I need to use it in the next 6 days or so, probably will pick up some food or a game perhaps. I guess my issue is that it's become so apparent to me that they don't care how lousy they are, they realize they have you by the balls. And since I can do without them, I will certainly try to. I should have noticed it before, I guess maybe I was more willing to accept the incompetence for some cheaper prices.

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by stevew

Well, got a 50 dollar WM giftcard for Xmas, suppose I need to use it in the next 6 days or so, probably will pick up some food or a game perhaps. I guess my issue is that it's become so apparent to me that they don't care how lousy they are, they realize they have you by the balls. And since I can do without them, I will certainly try to. I should have noticed it before, I guess maybe I was more willing to accept the incompetence for some cheaper prices.

Well, things are changing in the electronics side, slowly but surely. It's not that Wal-Mart doesn't care, it's the fact their associates do not.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by stevew

Well, got a 50 dollar WM giftcard for Xmas, suppose I need to use it in the next 6 days or so, probably will pick up some food or a game perhaps. I guess my issue is that it's become so apparent to me that they don't care how lousy they are, they realize they have you by the balls. And since I can do without them, I will certainly try to. I should have noticed it before, I guess maybe I was more willing to accept the incompetence for some cheaper prices.

that was quick. give your giftcard to charity and show your vengenace towards wally world!

[Toddzilla]

Originally Posted by stevew

Well, got a 50 dollar WM giftcard for Xmas, suppose I need to use it in the next 6 days or so, probably will pick up some food or a game perhaps. I guess my issue is that it's become so apparent to me that they don't care how lousy they are, they realize they have you by the balls. And since I can do without them, I will certainly try to. I should have noticed it before, I guess maybe I was more willing to accept the incompetence for some cheaper prices.

FUCK THAT - give it to someone you know or sell it. Don't give in. Better yet, give it back to the person who gave it to you and tell them you want cash. Don't give it - shit, it ain't even 2007 yet.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Toddzilla

FUCK THAT - give it to someone you know or sell it. Don't give in. Better yet, give it back to the person who gave it to you and tell them you want cash. Don't give it - shit, it ain't even 2007 yet.

Well, my brother got it for me, I kind of have known it was coming for a few weeks. Which is why I decided to exile myself after the first of the year. I would have preferred cash, or a card to somewhere like lowes though. Getting a bunch of cards from different places is nice, but when you are trying to make some bigger purchases(a refrigerator, dishwasher) sometimes it is nicer to have your eggs in one basket.

[RPI-Fan]

Originally Posted by stevew

Well, my brother got it for me, I kind of have known it was coming for a few weeks. Which is why I decided to exile myself after the first of the year. I would have preferred cash, or a card to somewhere like lowes though. Getting a bunch of cards from different places is nice, but when you are trying to make some bigger purchases(a refrigerator, dishwasher) sometimes it is nicer to have your eggs in one basket.

I think gift-cards, especially to big places like this, are the ultimate cop-out present.

[Dawgfan1980]

I shall join in any boycott of Wal-Mart, since mine is staffed by drunk indians, who got so pissed that the reservation is actually kicking them off. Up here north of Seattle, a small city boycotted Wal-Mart enough to stop them from opening a new store in their town. I honestly can't remember the last time I was in Wal-Mart, might have been the summer for a glass for a river float, that time is a little hazy for some odd reason.

[timmae]

Originally Posted by Dawgfan1980

I shall join in any boycott of Wal-Mart

here, here...

[hoopsguy]

I haven't made any kind of conscious choice to avoid WalMart, but I don't think I have visited one in years and only a handful of times in my life.

So if you are looking to extend your movement, I'll sign on the petition but they aren't losing a customer here.

If you are looking for alternatives Costco and Meijer are the stores that get our business. The pricing is pretty good in both cases and I consider both to be a low-maintenance experience (in a good way).

[Dawgfan1980]

Actually, up here, Costco might be the only store that rivals the lines at the average Wal-Mart, but the people you are standing in line with don't make you feel like you raise the average IQ 20 points by walking in, and raise the average wage $10,000 per year. And to think, people call me cynical.

[WVUFAN]

Originally Posted by Radii

I haven't set foot in a Wal-Mart in at least 6 months now, perhaps longer. I hat e the place. I hate the crowds, the size of the stores, the service, and I do admit I have issues with them politically(but I'm not the type to avoid shopping somewhere on principle if I can get the best experience there, so that's really just a side factor).

What is your issue with them politically? I always thought of Walmart as pretty much neutral in that field.

[Dawgfan1980]

Not to answer for Radii, but Wal-Mart has been known to be the atypical "right wing" best friend. From censoring music in the past (you couldn't buy 'explicit' material) to their underpaying of employees and mandatory unpaid overtime, it seemed like Wal-Mart was big brother watching over us, and the only people making money from Wal-Mart were the shareholders and administration of Wal-Mart.

By the way, that diatribe comes from a Republican. Wal-Mart, as my one friend put it, offers you the fewest choices at the lowest prices for the worst quality.

[WVUFAN]

Originally Posted by Dawgfan1980

Not to answer for Radii, but Wal-Mart has been known to be the atypical "right wing" best friend. From censoring music in the past (you couldn't buy 'explicit' material) to their underpaying of employees and mandatory unpaid overtime, it seemed like Wal-Mart was big brother watching over us, and the only people making money from Wal-Mart were the shareholders and administration of Wal-Mart.

By the way, that diatribe comes from a Republican. Wal-Mart, as my one friend put it, offers you the fewest choices at the lowest prices for the worst quality.

That's cool. I wasn't gonna launch into a political debate, I just didn't know what the issues were. I had heard several people say they had an issue with Wal-Mart's political stances, I just didn't know what they meant.

[Dawgfan1980]

There are two things you never talk about in mixed company, Politics and Religion. :-P Just think of it this way, if you don't go to Wal-Mart, you support smaller stores in your local area (think the old time hardware store, etc.). But, WVU, its understandable. I just told the wife yesterday that if I want the new cable (have to lay some in the rental to get cable for a new roommate) I refuse to go to Wal-Mart for it. Needless to say she mumbled under her breath about my stupid stubborness. Viva la Boycott!

[timmae]

Originally Posted by Dawgfan1980

Needless to say she mumbled under her breath about my stupid stubborness. Viva la Boycott!

Probably won't be the last time Dawg

Live strong!

[Radii]

Originally Posted by WVUFAN

That's cool. I wasn't gonna launch into a political debate, I just didn't know what the issues were. I had heard several people say they had an issue with Wal-Mart's political stances, I just didn't know what they meant.

The only thing that I suppose is directly "political" in their actions that is big to me is the censorship, forcing record companies to release separate clean versions of albums(if they wanted the CD to be sold at wal-mart that is) and only carrying those versions, and a refusal to carry some games that many other places sell.

The things I was talking about were primarily the very large class action lawsuit over sex discrimination(http://www.forbes.com/2004/06/23/cx_da_0623topnews.html ... I actually don't know the current status of the case, appeals I imagine!), and the fact that Wal Mart was knowingly contracting out cleaning work to illegal aliens in a number of different places(http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/...in681593.shtml ... other articles can be googled with references to the fact that the US Government investigation showed that Wal Mart execs knew illegal aliens were being hired). Other things that I've read about Wal Mart's benefits packages(and most importantly their effect on healthcare costs in many states) worry me but a lot of that comes from fringe left wing publications so I don't put as much weight on them as some people may.

Perhaps instead of saying I had political problems w/ Wal Mart I should have said I have problems with many of their business practices

[ibnsgirl]

As TonyR said somewhere above, we hadn't darkened the door of a W-M in years. I had quite forgotten how much I dislike that store (and how much I miss a local Target). W-M is undeniably cheaper, but the quality sucks.

We were also boycotting Sam's. A couple of years ago, a night stocker broke his leg while on the job, but his manager's/store policy was that after the door was locked, it was not opened until morning. After this practice hit the papers, they changed their policy, but it seemed crazy that they did not have anything in place for medical emergencies. Anyhow, Costco has better quality stuff.

[Radii]

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2007/...art/index.html

Wal-Mart's top 6 PR Problems of 2006. My favorite:

Availing itself of PR firm Edelman's deep political connections, Wal-Mart recruits civil rights leader and former U.N. ambassador Andrew Young to chair its company-funded Working Families for Wal-Mart.

In an August interview with an African American newspaper in Los Angeles, Young says the megaretailer "should" displace its urban corner-store competition.

"You see, those are the people who have been overcharging us.... I think they've ripped off our communities enough. First it was Jews, then it was Koreans, and now it's Arabs."

[Coder]

I haven't been in a Wal-Mart since 1997... oh wait.. I haven't been in the States since 1997

[JetsIn06]

Wal-Mart is the biggest peice of shit store I have ever entered. Luckily, and surprsingly, they haven't taken over my town....yet. There is a new Wal-Mart store opened every two days! They'll open up a store, then open another one 10 minutes away. This will destroy all of their competition, and whichever one does the best stays, and the other one closes, leaving a huge, vacant building in the middle of a town. I HATE THEM.

[Passacaglia]

I've only been in a Wal-Mart once in my life. I bought a towel.

[stevew]

Don't worry, Andrew Young explained it to us. It's some sort of Jewish/Korean/Arab conspiracy...
Bringing the ever-friendly spirit of its in-store greeters online, Walmart.com offers DVD shoppers helpful recommendations for films they might be interested in purchasing.

Customers looking at the Web site's product pages for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Planet of the Apes, for instance, are steered toward "similar items" such as Martin Luther King: I Have a Dream/Assassination of MLK and Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson. Wal-Mart spokeswoman Mona Williams says the company is "heartsick" over the incident but has "absolutely no evidence" that the connections were made intentionally.

Lol