WalMart... =sigh=

I like having WalMart here, but most of the time going there is not the best experience. Ya know?

Today:
- the same bag of WalMart branded "baby" carrots was $33. Friday they were $17.
- New girl at the hot deli counter. Could not figure out the pricing machine
- deli counter giving me two small pieces of chicken when I specifically said "two big ones"
- New girl at the checkout. Could not figure out anything
- Stuff all over the aisles, and blocking access aisles
- Stocking staff who stand in the middle of the aisle talking and "don't notice me"
- Stocking staff who walk by and don't move over, but prefer to bump into me.
Finally, back at the parking lot... parked in on both sides of my car, one gringo, one Mexican plated.

Ya know?

One a positive note....Mexico, unlike China, will never take over the world.

Hey why else are ya here????? LOL

SunFan

The employees also have a grand slam theft deal going. I bought a 210 pesos print cartridge last week. I gave the clerk 500 pesos, he excused himself left to the front of the store, returned with my cartridge in a knotted plastic bag with receipt enclosed. He gave me proper change and I left.

Got home and found the receipt was for 19 pesos.....candy sale.

Hey they had change right? I consider that A good day LOL at Walmart.

Z

i've never been short changed except 1 peso, buying eggs on the coast at a hole in the wall, in 9 years living here. Even when I have thought I was short changed in the past, ended up I was wrong. personally, I think the expats get their dinero mixed up...I've handed over too much money so many times and had it given right back, even held out my hand and they took the proper change.

Try to focus on the positives and the negatives won't bother you so much. At least the bathrooms are cold in Walmart.

MyHomeSweetHome wrote:i've never been short changed except 1 peso, buying eggs on the coast at a hole in the wall, in 9 years living here. Even when I have thought I was short changed in the past, ended up I was wrong. personally, I think the expats get their dinero mixed up...I've handed over too much money so many times and had it given right back, even held out my hand and they took the proper change.

Try to focus on the positives and the negatives won't bother you so much. At least the bathrooms are cold in Walmart.

So you like cold seats.....OVERLOAD..........LMAO...Sorry sweethome....couldn't resist...I'll blame it on the devil!

What is the point to complaining about WallyWorld? The fact is that you are talking about a retailer that hardly qualifies as one. Sure, they are the the largest retailer but the fact remains that they are a joke created to take advantage of the consuming public! If you truly believe that you save money shopping there, then have at it but please don't bitch when you receive exactly what you are paying for.

Oh, for crying out loud. Stop with the proselytizing, for Pete's sake. I suppose you go bumping happily through every day, eh, Neil? Let me just check your past posts.

I posted this just to share a grumble, not to start a "get a life" thread. And your comment that "they are a joke"? Have you never seen anything about how WalMart changed the whole concept of selling/storage/inventory/just in time, and on and on? And I do mean for the free world: every damn big consumer concern follows their lead. I'm not here to comment on whether that part of it is bad or good.

HelperGuy:

I have read enough of your posts to figure out just where your priorities are. I spent my entire working life in both the retail and wholesale ends of the merchandise chain and have observed the damages done by the Sears, JC Penny, Montgomery Wards, Walgreens, CVS, Target, K-Mart, etc of this world. Can you answer the question: "how many companies does WallyWorld put out of business on an annual basis"? And I am not talking about their competitors but rather their suppliers? You, as the consumer, may think you are getting a great deal but that isn't the reality!

The only joke? is someone who thinks Walmart is a joke...and not a very good joke at that. They are real, whether you like them or not.

slainte39 wrote:The only joke? is someone who thinks Walmart is a joke...and not a very good joke at that. They are real, whether you like them or not.

Slainte, I am confused....and it is early, kinda scary proposition, so did the guy who started the thread, go off on a poster to the thread, for posting a response, when he didn't intend to have anyone respond to his thread.........GAWD I am so confused!

Jim W wrote:

slainte39 wrote:The only joke? is someone who thinks Walmart is a joke...and not a very good joke at that. They are real, whether you like them or not.

Slainte, I am confused....and it is early, kinda scary proposition, so did the guy who started the thread, go off on a poster to the thread, for posting a response, when he didn't intend to have anyone respond to his thread.........GAWD I am so confused!

Jim my friend....this is a thread for only the addled and muddled...I'm not sure whose side I'm on...kind of like a John Wayne saloon fight.
If I were you...I would stay on the high road. LOL

CheenaGringo wrote:HelperGuy:

I have read enough of your posts to figure out just where your priorities are. I spent my entire working life in both the retail and wholesale ends of the supply chain and have observed the damages done by the Sears, JC Penny, Montgomery Wards, Walgreens, CVS, Target, K-Mart, etc of this world. Can you answer the question: "how many companies does WallyWorld put out of business on an annual basis"? And I am not talking about their competitors but rather their suppliers? You, as the consumer, may think you are getting a great deal but that isn't the reality!

Oh, so you know me, do you? Okay, but I'll keep my knowledge about you a little closer to the vest.

First off, know that I worked for several of the largest supply-chain manufacturing management companies in North America. In one company, we were on the cutting edge of online purchasing and inventory management, back when "the cloud" was still just a phrase IT engineers used. At one time, I knew quite a bit about "the WalMarts' " methods, and the methodologies of the various "product" industries, manufacturers, and retailers of the very big corporations.

You may not like what The Walmarts and others have done, but it matters not. That is the way of the world, and it will only move deeper into the techniques as time goes by. That being said, I have as much compassion for the consumer as anyone, since I am one myself, but that isn't going to change anything, and neither is not shopping at these stores. Besides, who exactly is to say just which stores I should stay out of?

And that being said, I'm pretty sure that there are still a few people around who are upset that they can't get their milk and cream on the doorstep anymore; nor their ice from a haywagon; nor their toilets cleaned by the honeywagon; nor their horses being used for carriage instead of these damned new-fangled cars that put all those nice people out of work 100+ years ago; nor those godamned aeroplane thingies that pollute the air and bring us the NY Times to Ajijic on the weekend but ruined the Post Office, which ruined the Pony Express, which destroyed the foot-runner business, which killed the careers of the many talented smoke-signal folks...

CheenaGringo wrote:HelperGuy:

I have read enough of your posts to figure out just where your priorities are. I spent my entire working life in both the retail and wholesale ends of the merchandise chain and have observed the damages done by the Sears, JC Penny, Montgomery Wards, Walgreens, CVS, Target, K-Mart, etc of this world. Can you answer the question: "how many companies does WallyWorld put out of business on an annual basis"? And I am not talking about their competitors but rather their suppliers? You, as the consumer, may think you are getting a great deal but that isn't the reality!

What? They are putting China out of business? Is that supposed to be sad or something?

Dr. Sam Thelin wrote:

CheenaGringo wrote:HelperGuy:

I have read enough of your posts to figure out just where your priorities are. I spent my entire working life in both the retail and wholesale ends of the merchandise chain and have observed the damages done by the Sears, JC Penny, Montgomery Wards, Walgreens, CVS, Target, K-Mart, etc of this world. Can you answer the question: "how many companies does WallyWorld put out of business on an annual basis"? And I am not talking about their competitors but rather their suppliers? You, as the consumer, may think you are getting a great deal but that isn't the reality!

What? They are putting China out of business? Is that supposed to be sad or something?

Sí, because if China goes out of business, who is going to loan the greengos dinero?....to pay the SS checks so they can retire in Chapala and shop at the (roll of drums), WALMART.

HelperGuy wrote:

CheenaGringo wrote:HelperGuy:

I have read enough of your posts to figure out just where your priorities are. I spent my entire working life in both the retail and wholesale ends of the supply chain and have observed the damages done by the Sears, JC Penny, Montgomery Wards, Walgreens, CVS, Target, K-Mart, etc of this world. Can you answer the question: "how many companies does WallyWorld put out of business on an annual basis"? And I am not talking about their competitors but rather their suppliers? You, as the consumer, may think you are getting a great deal but that isn't the reality!

Oh, so you know me, do you? Okay, but I'll keep my knowledge about you a little closer to the vest.

First off, know that I worked for several of the largest supply-chain manufacturing management companies in North America. In one company, we were on the cutting edge of online purchasing and inventory management, back when "the cloud" was still just a phrase IT engineers used. At one time, I knew quite a bit about "the WalMarts' " methods, and the methodologies of the various "product" industries, manufacturers, and retailers of the very big corporations.

You may not like what The Walmarts and others have done, but it matters not. That is the way of the world, and it will only move deeper into the techniques as time goes by. That being said, I have as much compassion for the consumer as anyone, since I am one myself, but that isn't going to change anything, and neither is not shopping at these stores. Besides, who exactly is to say just which stores I should stay out of?

And that being said, I'm pretty sure that there are still a few people around who are upset that they can't get their milk and cream on the doorstep anymore; nor their ice from a haywagon; nor their toilets cleaned by the honeywagon; nor their horses being used for carriage instead of these damned new-fangled cars that put all those nice people out of work 100+ years ago; nor those godamned aeroplane thingies that pollute the air and bring us the NY Times to Ajijic on the weekend but ruined the Post Office, which ruined the Pony Express, which destroyed the foot-runner business, which killed the careers of the many talented smoke-signal folks...

BEAUTY!!!!!

Does anyone but me think Walmart is REALLY expensive?? I went to Copelle in Chapala today and their prices ARE definitely expensive UNLESS you look for their sale items, which are great. I got a purse, 3 items of clothing and a big bottle of really nice lotion all for 300 pesos. Same stuff at Walmart would have cost double or triple that, at least. I have always wished more stores recognized the value of moving their merchandise via healthy markdowns!

I also shop Casa Guerrero in Ixtlahuacan a lot. If you pay cash you get 20% off the ticket price. They are a super big department store with high quality items (clothing for whole family, household goods, furniture, shoes, electronics, bicycles, etc.).

I agree, there are a lot of items in WalMart that aren't representative of the chain up north. For example, my brand of cat food went up 14 pesos in the last six months, to 69, and even Pancho still sells it for less. As does, seemingly, everyone else.

I buy what my cat likes, don't cheap out like some people! My pet comes first.....I would never deny my pet her favorite to save 25 pesos.

And anyone naive enough to think they are getting the same merchandise at WallyWorld that they get at other retailers needs to do a little research. WalMart has their own factories turning out their own lower quality merchandise with a name brand logo. They have created the mentality of buy cheap and buy a new one in 2 years when that one breaks.

To each is own.

Unfortunately, this is true not just of WalMart, but many other chains like Sears, BestBuy, CostCo... once they get big enough, they can order brand-name products to their own specs. This was also true of the big catalog stores that that had their hayday in the 80's.

This does not always mean, however, that the product is inferior. WalMart did not create the throwaway mentality; they just cleaned up on the concept.

Since we're griping about Walmart: They start out stocking the well known frozen vegetables from La Huerta. Next thing you know, they slip their house brand called Great Value in with the mix, and it's easy to grab the wrong package. Their house brand is inferior (this reminds me of the old Safeway shuck) but next, you find that the La Huerta stock has gaps in available product and ONLY the house brand is there. Aaargh, but no surprise.

About now, somebody may suggest I just buy fresh veggies and cook 'em myself. Yes, yes, I hear ya. Tell you what: you go shell the peas and be happy. Same with the spinach. You clean it. I like some of this stuff ready to go. No shame here.


But seriously, Walmart and many other stores are part of the WAY THINGS WORK today. Like the Borg......"resistance is futile". I loathe their business practices, especially in the U.S., but every time I go to Walmart here, it's full of gringos shopping, even the ones with a portable soapbox. SuperLake is doing just fine anyway. They probably lost little business when the giant moved in next door. If you should mess up and go there on Tuesdays, you'll find busloads bringing Mexicans from the outlying areas who are buying cartloads of vegetables on sale....far more than any family would want . Shazam! the supplier for those beloved little tienditas, most likely. Where do we think they're getting their stuff from? Local farmers?

Agreed 100%. Once we just accept these things are here to stay, then we can bitch with impunity, lol. I would love to meet the people who handle inventory decisions; the thinking has to be completely different than NOB.

But re those Tuesday veggie specials: I see many, many items that are priced higher than the regular prices, or what they call "regular", which seem to bounce around a lot, and that makes it very hard to tell what's a value and what's not. I mean, onions at 35 p "regular" on sale for 20 on Tuesday, and then when I go a few days later the shelf price is 12?? Come one. Not to mention, those truckloads of produce often look inferior.

HelperGuy wrote:Unfortunately, this is true not just of WalMart, but many other chains like Sears, BestBuy, CostCo... once they get big enough, they can order brand-name products to their own specs. This was also true of the big catalog stores that that had their hayday in the 80's.

This does not always mean, however, that the product is inferior. WalMart did not create the throwaway mentality; they just cleaned up on the concept.

There's a world of difference between Walmart and Costco; Costco is one of the 100 Best Companies to work for, Walmart one of the (probably the leader) worst. Costco branded (Kirkland) products are very good, Walmart branded are inferior. Nuff said. No need to mention both of them in the same sentence.

I will not purchase any single item exceeding $16.99USD at WallyWorld because I am fully aware that I cannot expect any type of warranty or customer service should I have a problem!