Target over WalMart

[WSUCougar]

I don't know if this is a "real" letter or not, but it's making the e-mail rounds, and it fits my experiences exactly. The only time I'll ever go into a WalMart anymore is if I can't find an item anywhere else.

"This is a joint letter to the corporate headquarters of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and Target, Inc. I am writing to relate my recent shopping experiences at your stores in Knoxville, TN. A few nights ago, I went to our local Wal-Mart megacenter to purchase a few miscellaneous household items. I found the store in a state of near total chaos. It was about 9 pm, and customer load was moderate, but by no means overwhelming. The aisles were poorly marked, the floors universally filthy, and the shelves, where they were stocked at all, were completely disorganized. Many of the aisles held shelves piled with unmarked boxes to heights of ten feet or more. Within individual aisles, merchandise was displayed apparently at random with no clear divisions between differing products and few, if any labels or price tags. The aisles and shelves were only part of the store's problems.
The few incredibly rude associates I encountered fit in well with their environment. Their appearance was slovenly and unkempt. Most wore non-uniform clothing in a poor state of repair and cleanliness. Despite the utter inability of the associates I encountered to direct me even to the correct departments, I gathered the items I had come for and approached the checkout counter. It was at this point my frustration reached its peak.
Of the almost thirty checkout lanes available, including numerous self checkout lanes, only six full-service and only four self-service lanes were open. In each of the six open full-service lanes, more than eight customers stood in line. At each of the self-serve terminals, at least four customers were in line. Taking the apparently faster course, I queued up in a self-service lane. Over the next twenty five minutes, each of the four self service lanes encountered a variety of problems, from lack of currency to scanner failure. None of these problems was addressed with any degree of seriousness and, when I inquired, I was told that this was "normal" and that no one on duty was trained to operate or repair the terminals. At this point, my quick shopping trip had taken over an hour, and I had yet to complete a single purchase. In disgust, I laid down my armload of sundries and left the store.

At this point, my night took a decided turn for the better. On my way home, I remembered that there was a Target store not far off my route home. I stopped and went in. My experience there could have been neither more pleasant nor more completely unlike that at Wal-Mart. I found a well-lit store with clean floors; wide, clearly marked aisles; eye-level shelves that were fully stocked and conveniently labeled. Moreover, I found friendly, knowledgeable associates who were easily identified by their neat, clean uniforms. I found everything I had come for in less than ten minutes. Over the next fifteen minutes, the ease of shopping at Target led me to accumulate a shopping cart full of merchandise. At Target, the checkout lanes were manned in proportion to the level of business and I concluded my purchases quickly. In all, I spent almost two hundred dollars at Target after having gone out for about ten dollars in light bulbs and shaving supplies.
I am a young man, but I have a number of years experience in the service-intensive hotel industry, and I make it a policy to reward good service when I find it. And that, really, is the crux of the matter: I am a young man. I have a lot of years left to shop, and a lot of things I'd like to have. In the future, my first choice, and the recipient of my disposable income will, without exception, be Target, rather than Wal-Mart."

[TredWel]

My sentiments exactly.

Target opened a store up here a couple of years ago. Since that time I probably hit Target a few times a month for miscellaneous shopping, while I have gone to Walmart only a couple of times, and only as a last resort. Almost every time I leave Target, I'm pleased with the experience, while every time I leave Walmart I ask myself what could have compelled me to go there in the first place.

[rkmsuf]

That one was obvious. Target rules.

On to round 2:

Lowes or Home Depot?

[Ksyrup]

We shop at both. We've tried - in two completely different cities at this point - to find a grocery store that is as cheap and that has as many items that we use as WalMart does, and we have come up empty. WalMart can get annoying with the way they randomly discontinue certain items, but overall, I have no problem.

Also, the idea of "helpful associates" I just don't get. I can't recall the last time I felt like I needed to ask for help in a store. They either have what I want, or they don't, and it's either in the area where it should be or it's not. I just shop, pay, and leave. The only person I come in contact with is the cashier - and that's only if we have too many items to go through self-checkout.

[BrianD]

I always find it interesting how quickly a WalMart store can get so ugly and dirty. Stores that have been around a while can be quite scary, but even the new ones seem to get ugly pretty quickly.

[wade moore]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

We shop at both. We've tried - in two completely different cities at this point - to find a grocery store that is as cheap and that has as many items that we use as WalMart does, and we have come up empty. WalMart can get annoying with the way they randomly discontinue certain items, but overall, I have no problem.

Same here. If it wasn't for groceries, I'd rarely go to wal-mart. But, bottom line, they are cheap as hell for groceries.

[Ksyrup]

What do you shop at Target for? For "specialty" items or kid's clothes, etc., we shop at Target. For groceries and household items, WalMart is unquestionably cheaper. I certainly like the appearance of Target's stores more than WalMart, but not at the risk of paying so much more for food, diapers, detergent, etc.

[BrianD]

Do you know how much cheaper groceries are at WalMart over a normal chain grocery store? I haven't done much of a comparison, but I'd believe it was worth some amount of extra money to not feel the need to shower for a week after leaving a WalMart.

[Butter]

I worked as a front end supervisor for a Target for a couple of months, and aside from being pushy on the credit cards they DEMAND that any available store personnel help with cashiering any time any checkout line reaches more than 3... 1 person getting checked out, 2 behind them.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Also, the idea of "helpful associates" I just don't get. I can't recall the last time I felt like I needed to ask for help in a store. They either have what I want, or they don't, and it's either in the area where it should be or it's not. I just shop, pay, and leave. The only person I come in contact with is the cashier - and that's only if we have too many items to go through self-checkout.

Same here. The emailer in the original post is overly concerned with lighting, the store's apperance, the clothes of the employees, the store's organization. I could care less. Walmart is for people who want to buy cheap stuff, and aren't looking for atmosphere.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by wade moore

Same here. If it wasn't for groceries, I'd rarely go to wal-mart. But, bottom line, they are cheap as hell for groceries.

When we moved to Kentucky, we gave Kroger a legit shot and found it wasn't worth it. It's the closest grocery store to us, so we use it for middle-of-the-week essentials (milk, bread, etc.), but once a week, we make the trip to WalMart for the bulk of our grocery shopping. Same with Publix in Florida - except I've always found Publix to be the most expensive non-niche grocery store I've ever shopped at, so the decision was even easier to shop at WalMart.

[vex]

The Wal-Mart/Target comparison varies from city to city. So to me, this is just another blah, blah, blah letter.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by BrianD

Do you know how much cheaper groceries are at WalMart over a normal chain grocery store? I haven't done much of a comparison, but I'd believe it was worth some amount of extra money to not feel the need to shower for a week after leaving a WalMart.

I have no clue. I haven't done an item-for-item check. What cost you're willing to pay is up to you. I haven't found WalMart to be a problem. I just know I couldn't imagine buying non-grocery items like razors, shampoo, detergent, etc., at a typical grocery store, because I know those items are way more expensive. And we don't have time to hit 3 or 4 different stores for the best deals on certain products. WalMart may be dirty (at least compared to Target; I haven't been grossed out by anything I've seen) and more crowded, but it saves us time and money.

[MylesKnight]

KSyrup, I agree with the sentiments on Publix, but have you ever visited a Harris Teeter? The HT is Ponte Vedra Beach is the nicest, but also most expensive standard grocery store I've ever shopped at. The floors are wood paneled for goodness sake, in the whole place.. And not the cheapy, fake wood looking stuff.. It's parketed, like the damn Boston Garden or something.

As far as the Lexington area is concerned, I actually like the Kroger stores.. My folks live over in the Heartland area, and I've been to the stores on Tates Creek and in Heartland. Nice places...

The Wal Mart Super Stores are cheaper, but goddamn, they are always packed. That's why I hate the place.. It takes foooooorrrrrrreeeeeevvvvvveeerrr to escape that place.

Also, I've never understood why Wal-Mart have so many check out lanes.. Some stores have 40+.. ...but I've never seen more than half open at a time, and this includes the pre-Christmas shopping season.. Are they for show?

[WSUCougar]

Originally Posted by molson

Same here. The emailer in the original post is overly concerned with lighting, the store's apperance, the clothes of the employees, the store's organization. I could care less. Walmart is for people who want to buy cheap stuff, and aren't looking for atmosphere.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. My blood pressure must double whenever I have to navigate through the horrors of a WalMart. I am physically ready to flee by the time I'm at the check-out. Target, on the other hand, is usually a pleasant experience (relative to other shopping).

[Swaggs]

I like Target for quick trips, as well. The only thing I would disagree with is that they are any better than Walmart as far as opening check-out aisles up when they get backed up. Ours is terrible for that. They must have like 25 or 30 and there are rarely more than 4-6 open. When I worked retail in college, we always opened up another register when the lines got more than 3 deep--not so at Target. Still, we probably go there for groceries or some other household items 3-4 times a month.

[Ryche]

We have a Target and Walmart across the street from each other, it's a very rare occasion that I'll go to the Walmart. They just upgraded it to a super Walmart, but there is still a major difference between the two in appearance. I just can't see myself spending enough time in Walmart to do actual grocery shopping.

Of course, both those stores blow Kmart out of the water. Had to go to one last week and felt repulsed pretty much the whole time.

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by vex

The Wal-Mart/Target comparison varies from city to city. So to me, this is just another blah, blah, blah letter.

"

[stevew]

Originally Posted by BrianD

Do you know how much cheaper groceries are at WalMart over a normal chain grocery store? I haven't done much of a comparison, but I'd believe it was worth some amount of extra money to not feel the need to shower for a week after leaving a WalMart.

Considering the types of things that I usually shop for, same items are usually a tad bit cheaper at WalMart, and sometimes up to a dollar or more for the same item. Meat being the wildcard, as a store sales are usually a lot better than the standard items. But after last weekends half hour in the checkout lanes, i am slowly reconsidering when and where i shop.

I like Aldi's if it is in your market. Cheap quality food, get in get out, the registers move pretty quickly.

[sachmo71]

This is why Wal-Mart is number one. Volume is king.

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by stevew

Considering the types of things that I usually shop for, same items are usually a tad bit cheaper at WalMart, and sometimes up to a dollar or more for the same item. Meat being the wildcard, as a store sales are usually a lot better than the standard items. But after last weekends half hour in the checkout lanes, i am slowly reconsidering when and where i shop.

I like Aldi's if it is in your market. Cheap quality food, get in get out, the registers move pretty quickly.

Aldi's also employs scabs, so if there's a morality issue there, it's one to take note of.

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

I have no clue. I haven't done an item-for-item check. What cost you're willing to pay is up to you. I haven't found WalMart to be a problem. I just know I couldn't imagine buying non-grocery items like razors, shampoo, detergent, etc., at a typical grocery store, because I know those items are way more expensive. And we don't have time to hit 3 or 4 different stores for the best deals on certain products. WalMart may be dirty (at least compared to Target; I haven't been grossed out by anything I've seen) and more crowded, but it saves us time and money.

I was just curious if you knew about any general trends. I'm sure WalMart is cheaper, but experiences/prices at Target or Copp's (which we have adjacent to each other) are good enough to make me happy to avoid the Ick-factor at WalMart. Everyone has a different cost/experience threshhold, and I know my threshhold is more in the Target range.

[Anthony]

some of that story is bullshit. the guy must've got pissed, so he hit on some of the common "must-haves" in a complaint letter:

1. everything is wrong w/ your store. your competition does everything right.

2. through the ineptness of your store you lost a purchase (and i conveniently would have purchased more had the experience been better)

2a. through the ineptness of your store your competitor gained the purchase

3. i will no longer be a customer of your store

3a. i will now be a lifelong customer of your rival


yawn. i love Target, but i know bullshit when i see it. anytime someone uses the word "sundries" to intelligencize their letters then i scrutinize the entire letter. the guy had a bad experience and realized someone buying a pack of lightbulbs isn't treated as well as the guy looking to buy a big screen tv, i will allow for that. but all the rest of that letter was just piling it on.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Aldi's also employs scabs, so if there's a morality issue there, it's one to take note of.

They may not be union, but they pay their workers pretty well.

[MacroGuru]

I have to say both our Target and Wal-mart are really clean and it depends on what I need for where I go.

I honestly get some of the electronics I want from Wal-Mart over Target, especially games and even my new LCD TV (I picked up the 32 in HD Polaroid).

As for Target, Clothes and home stuff is what we get.

We have a chain called Macey's we hit for Groceries, which is even cheaper than Wal-Mart.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by MylesKnight

KSyrup, I agree with the sentiments on Publix, but have you ever visited a Harris Teeter? The HT is Ponte Vedra Beach is the nicest, but also most expensive standard grocery store I've ever shopped at. The floors are wood paneled for goodness sake, in the whole place.. And not the cheapy, fake wood looking stuff.. It's parketed, like the damn Boston Garden or something.

As far as the Lexington area is concerned, I actually like the Kroger stores.. My folks live over in the Heartland area, and I've been to the stores on Tates Creek and in Heartland. Nice places...

The Wal Mart Super Stores are cheaper, but goddamn, they are always packed. That's why I hate the place.. It takes foooooorrrrrrreeeeeevvvvvveeerrr to escape that place.

Also, I've never understood why Wal-Mart have so many check out lanes.. Some stores have 40+.. ...but I've never seen more than half open at a time, and this includes the pre-Christmas shopping season.. Are they for show?

We didn't have HT in Tallahassee.

I've shopped at Kroger and find it pleasant, but it's more expensive. It's just not worth the extra cost to me.

[WSUCougar]

Well, as I said in the initial post, true letter or not, it exactly captures how I feel. So calling bullshit on the letter is irrelevant to me.

[stevew]

All of the Target stores around Knoxville close at 10pm. So if she got to wal mart, around 9pm, and wasted more than an hour, Target would be closed at that point. So the letter writer is lying/exaggerating from the get-go here.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

We didn't have HT in Tallahassee.

I've shopped at Kroger and find it pleasant, but it's more expensive. It's just not worth the extra cost to me.

Do they have a lot of examples of early hungarian cabinet making at Krogers?


edit: duh, they have that only at Froegers.

[Klinglerware]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

yawn. i love Target, but i know bullshit when i see it. anytime someone uses the word "sundries" to intelligencize their letters then i scrutinize the entire letter. the guy had a bad experience and realized someone buying a pack of lightbulbs isn't treated as well as the guy looking to buy a big screen tv, i will allow for that. but all the rest of that letter was just piling it on.

Or, it is some PR firm's attempt at viral marketing.

Actually, it wouldn't surprise me if the letter was legit, but it also wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't. The letter sounds suspiciously artificial to me...

[stevew]

Originally Posted by MylesKnight

KSyrup, I agree with the sentiments on Publix, but have you ever visited a Harris Teeter? The HT is Ponte Vedra Beach is the nicest, but also most expensive standard grocery store I've ever shopped at. The floors are wood paneled for goodness sake, in the whole place.. And not the cheapy, fake wood looking stuff.. It's parketed, like the damn Boston Garden or something.

As far as the Lexington area is concerned, I actually like the Kroger stores.. My folks live over in the Heartland area, and I've been to the stores on Tates Creek and in Heartland. Nice places...

The Wal Mart Super Stores are cheaper, but goddamn, they are always packed. That's why I hate the place.. It takes foooooorrrrrrreeeeeevvvvvveeerrr to escape that place.

Also, I've never understood why Wal-Mart have so many check out lanes.. Some stores have 40+.. ...but I've never seen more than half open at a time, and this includes the pre-Christmas shopping season.. Are they for show?

Harris Teeter, the home of the 2 dollar 2 litre of pepsi.

[Ksyrup]

I will say, the one thing we usually get elsewhere (in Florida it was at Albertson's, and in Kentucky it's Kroger) is meat - specifically, fish and steak. I've foudn WalMart to be less than adequate in these areas. Chicken and ground beef are usually OK, but the others we usuallyt get elsewhere.

[Izulde]

FWIW I shop at a couple of what I assume are regional grocery stores.

Quillin's two blocks away from the fraternity house for quick grab and gos. The bigger Festival Foods for everything else, particularly some stuff in their organic aisle I like.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Also, the idea of "helpful associates" I just don't get. I can't recall the last time I felt like I needed to ask for help in a store. They either have what I want, or they don't, and it's either in the area where it should be or it's not. I just shop, pay, and leave. The only person I come in contact with is the cashier - and that's only if we have too many items to go through self-checkout.

Our Food Lion recently turned into a "bloom", which is basically Food Lion's new high-falutin' brand. They are emphasizing the fact that they've reorganized everything to make things easier to find (I knew where everything was before, thanks), and that they are adding staff to assist you with shopping if you need them. Well, the only thing I'd need them for is to tell me where you hid things that I could find before, but other than that these folks only serve to get in the way and to make the store more crowded.

Also: Wal-Mart tends to be a bit of a pit (though Sam's Club I like). Target is much cleaner, brighter and well organized.

[st.cronin]

If you care about customer service at all, then you are not part of Walmart's demographic. Walmart exists because there are people who care only about prices, nothing else.

Lowes rocks.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

If you care about customer service at all, then you are not part of Walmart's demographic. Walmart exists because there are people who care only about prices, nothing else.

Lowes rocks.

Feels like Lowes is like Target and Home Depot is like Wal-mart...perhaps to a lesser degree though since I have little complaints about Home Depot service. Maybe it's because all the Lowes around me are really new.

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

If you care about customer service at all, then you are not part of Walmart's demographic. Walmart exists because there are people who care only about prices, nothing else.

This is really what it comes down to.

Along those lines, I'm generally happy to avoid most of WalMart's demographic. Way too many rude and pushy customers.

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Feels like Lowes is like Target and Home Depot is like Wal-mart...perhaps to a lesser degree though since I have little complaints about Home Depot service. Maybe it's because all the Lowes around me are really new.

Sort of, except that they don't carry a lot of the same products (at least here). And imo the products that Lowes sells are much more suitable for somebody like me, who is about as mechanically inclined as a 5 year old. Home Depot seems like it's more for the general contractor type.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by BrianD

This is really what it comes down to.

Along those lines, I'm generally happy to avoid most of WalMart's demographic. Way too many rude and pushy customers.

Now, I realize there are some constants to the demographics of certain stores, but I have to wonder if some of what you are experiencing has to do with the location of the store, and not just the store itself. "Rude and pushy" customers? I've seen my share of freaks and scary individuals at WalMarts, but I can't say I've ever noticed a pattern of rudeness that didn't exist elsewhere (like in South Florida, where everyone is rude).

Very strange.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

Sort of, except that they don't carry a lot of the same products (at least here). And imo the products that Lowes sells are much more suitable for somebody like me, who is about as mechanically inclined as a 5 year old. Home Depot seems like it's more for the general contractor type.

could be. I haven't spent much time at Lowe's except to buy some paint. I was raised on the Home Depot.

I did learn painfully however that not all Home Depots carry the same stuff. Who knew? There's 3 within 15 miles of me and only one had the elusive picket fence material I needed.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

And imo the products that Lowes sells are much more suitable for somebody like me, who is about as mechanically inclined as a 5 year old. Home Depot seems like it's more for the general contractor type.

One of the reasons why Lowes is more popular with women than Home Depot, from what I've heard.

[Kodos]

I love SuperTarget. Too bad we don't have one here in Connecticut. Or a Walgreens.

[BrianD]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Now, I realize there are some constants to the demographics of certain stores, but I have to wonder if some of what you are experiencing has to do with the location of the store, and not just the store itself. "Rude and pushy" customers? I've seen my share of freaks and scary individuals at WalMarts, but I can't say I've ever noticed a pattern of rudeness that didn't exist elsewhere (like in South Florida, where everyone is rude).

Very strange.

Freaks and scary individuals are in abundance, but I've seen plenty of people park their cart in front of mine, completely blocking the isle and then disappear while looking for other things. I've also seen lots of people pick up an item while they are walking, read something on the box and then deposit the item on whatever shelf they happen to be closest to (if they don't drop it right on the floor). I suppose it isn't major stuff, but it is just common store etiquette that seems to be missing.

[Ksyrup]

I see that stuff, too, from time to time, but I haven't been able to say that it happens in a particular store as opposed to another store. I definitely see a difference in the demographic between Target and WalMart, though. Although nothing will beat with Publix in Tallahassee that's closest to the FSU campus, I'm ppleased to say that the Target on Nicholasville Rd. has an abundance of UK coeds. I can't say the same for the WalMart just south of Target.

[Godzilla Blitz]

My only complaint against Target is that I always go in for about $10 worth of stuff, but end up spending over $50 because I always bump into cool stuff at cheap prices.

I agree with the sentiment against WalMart. I can only image what their job interviews are like. Seems like they just count appendages and offer you a job. I was in one the other day and two floor people were louding bitching--almost yelling, actually--about their manager in the middle of the aisle. Good humor.

That said, WalMart does serve a purpose. Once in a while, they'll have something that no other store does, and they're great for cheap toys. The other thing that I like about WalMart is that whenever you call them, a real person answers the phone to direct your call.

But Target gets $100 of our dollars for every $1 that WalMart gets.

[Schmidty]

This guy sounds like a justified prick, if that makes sense. He was justified in his complaints, but he also seems to come off as a bit self-absorbed.

[gkb]

I usually shop at Target and one thing I've noticed...they're seems to be inordinate amount of hotties shopping there whenever I go. I've also found the same to be true at King Soopers...

[Raven Hawk]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Aldi's also employs scabs, so if there's a morality issue there, it's one to take note of.

Only a morality issue if the union has good cause to strike. Not all strikes are for good causes, just like not all lockouts are for good causes either. And by refusing to shop at Aldi because they employ scabs also hurts the union employees that work there (providing they are not currently on strike). If the store location goes out of business, the union employees are then out of a job, too. I can understand the concept of not crossing a picket line to shop at a store, but to flat out refuse business to a store because they have hired scabs in the past seems silly to me. The labor dispute was resolved six years ago. I'd think the union would like for Aldi to do well so that they can hire more union employees and thus grow the strength of their union.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by vex

The Wal-Mart/Target comparison varies from city to city. So to me, this is just another blah, blah, blah letter.

Ding ding ding.

I have just such a situation in my (eventual) new town.
Pleasant employees, fully staffed, acceptably clean WM.
A rude bunch of ignorant bitches, shorthanded as hell, downright nasty Target.

I wouldn't say it's 50/50 which way that'll go, but it's definitely location by location as to which will be a better shopping experience.

As for how I decide where to go, basically everyday stuff WM has Target beat on price. For occasional purchases where you want a little better quality stuff (say mini-fridge, coffee makers, etc) then Target is the better of the two for me more often than not.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by cuervo72

One of the reasons why Lowes is more popular with women than Home Depot, from what I've heard.

That is correct, at least in the demographic profile of customer preferences.
IIRC, men who had a strong preference were 3:1 for HD while women who had a strong preference were 3:1 Lowe's (or something like that).

Most of the research attributes the difference almost entirely on the way the stores are set up, basically it comes down to aesthetics. And both spend lots of time & energy trying to figure out how to steal customers from the other without turning off their existing base.