I hate W......(big retail chain)! (Rant)

ldg

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Oh we've bitched at all of the supermarkets we shop in about this practice. There isn't one around here now that opens a line and just calls people over. People next in line are ALWAYS the ones asked to go first at the newly opened register. This was a major pet peeve of Gary's.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by LDG

Oh we've bitched at all of the supermarkets we shop in about this practice. There isn't one around here now that opens a line and just calls people over. People next in line are ALWAYS the ones asked to go first at the newly opened register. This was a major pet peeve of Gary's.
I had that happen the other day. They opened a new register and one big, overweight man just about ran me over to get ahead of me and he wasn't even in the line before they opened the register.

The reason most of the big box stores buy from other countries (IMO) is that to make the same products here in North America it would cost more than the public is willing to pay. We all want cheaper prices but the unions in the North American workplace keep upping the wages and benefits to a point that in order for any company to make any profit they have to charge much, much more for the same products. It doesn't matter if they are better made or not, the public wants cheap so they get cheap and replace often.

If I want a seasonal everyday item I'll buy from Target, Giant Tiger, Walmart, Zellers, etc. If I want quality like a good business suit or dressy dress that I want to last a number of years, I'll buy a classic cut from an expensive store that will have quality goods, made in Canada or US and it will last for many years. I have lots of those in my closet right now. They always look classy but I also have the cheap tops and shorts from the other stores.

It all comes down to supply and demand. We demand, they supply so we really can't blame anyone but ourselves.
 
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luvmyparker

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Giant Tiger? I heard we were getting one of those. What is it? Like Zellers, Walmart?
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by LuvMyParker

Giant Tiger? I heard we were getting one of those. What is it? Like Zellers, Walmart?
It's a deep discount type store - they have clothing, underwear, foodstuffs, pop, CD's, towels, etc., etc.

When I moved here I bought face cloths for $.50 each and they were thicker and better than the ones at Walmart and Zellers.

I bought some little tops, both sleeveless and short sleeved at $7.00 each and one day they had a "buy one for $7.00 and get the second for $3.50. I bought one in every colour. My friend was visiting for a week and she bought a couple, then called me a few weeks later and asked me to go get her some more. They were thicker and better than the ones I got last year at Old Navy and much, much cheaper. The babies' onesies are like $5.00 or $7.00 each which I'm stocking up on for my daughter now who is expecting.

You'll like Giant Tiger.
 

ldg

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

Just technically speaking, the U.S. makes as much as it ever did. It just does it with less people, and it hasn't expanded to keep up with the population. In very short order, however, the U.S. could be a world leader in production again. It happened in 1942, and it could happen again.
Sorry, not to derail the retail discussion, but this is really misleading and I think it should be addressed. Absolutely,
manufacturing productivity has increased, and from that perspective, we're the most productive country in the world. Our productivity has grown from $19,600 (in 2010 dollars) per manufacturing employee in 1950 to $149,000 per manufacturing employee in 2010. !!!!

BUT... the population has almost doubled (from 151 million people to 300 million people) from 1950 to 2010, and GDP has grown (in 2005 dollars) from $2 trillion to $13 trillion. Meanwhile, manufacturing employment has fallen 0.1% per year since 1950 (so actually quite stable at around 14 million jobs). In the 1950s, one in every three Americans worked in manufacturing. Now it's one in ten.

And while the US is still the world's largest producer of manufactured goods, perhaps the most telling is that from 1970 to 2009, US share of world manufacturing output has fallen from 30% to 18.3%.

*********************

And back to the discussion of service in stores....
 

carolina

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Originally Posted by LDG

Sorry, not to derail the retail discussion, but this is really misleading and I think it should be addressed. Absolutely,
manufacturing productivity has increased, and from that perspective, we're the most productive country in the world. Our productivity has grown from $19,600 (in 2010 dollars) per manufacturing employee in 1950 to $149,000 per manufacturing employee in 2010. !!!!

BUT... the population has almost doubled (from 151 million people to 300 million people) from 1950 to 2010, and GDP has grown (in 2005 dollars) from $2 trillion to $13 trillion. Meanwhile, manufacturing employment has fallen 0.1% per year since 1950 (so actually quite stable at around 14 million jobs). In the 1950s, one in every three Americans worked in manufacturing. Now it's one in ten.

And while the US is still the world's largest producer of manufactured goods, perhaps the most telling is that from 1970 to 2009, US share of world manufacturing output has fallen from 30% to 18.3%.

*********************

And back to the discussion of service in stores....
LOL.... you guys opened a can of worms

For me this whole thing is very clear.... We are in a whole different World from back then - it is not the 70's or the 50's anymore - comparing today with back then is comparing apples to oranges IMHO. We are in a Global market now.... Think about the advance of transportation and of course.... the internet! The borders have fallen and now we face global competition. And in a global market, three things count: The product itself (innovation), quality, and PRICE. It just so happens that the US has a very high labor cost. We are buyers - the World produce for us. Look around your homes. How many TVs do you have? Computers? Sound systems? Things you bought and don't use? Everything here is automated, the latest and the greatest - yet, we want to pay bottom price for it.... well.....
When reality hits, with our high labor costs, our manufacturing is being left for high end technology - and that's alright.... That is what creates money. You get $100 in cost of goods and transform in $10,000 in finished goods. That's what we do, that what we are good at, and that's why you see those numbers.
The highest minimum wage in China is $1.73/hr, in Beijing. In Shanghai, the minimum wage is $176.15/month. That's the reason why we buy from China, pure and simple. Now china is already getting too expensive - they are already importing from Vietnam, Cambodia, India, and all over.
IMHO, it is all about creating revenue - generating money. T-shirts and low tech goods.... let them make it - I will be glad to buy from them. As long as we keep growing the market in which we are good at... I am all for it.
 

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I guess I'll jump in a little bit.I have worked for WalMart for almost 25 years,and I am not sorry to say that I do and am proud of the fact that I do as well.I have seen a lot of changes over the years since Mr. Sam passed away...I sure do miss him!I know that there are stores out there that are as great as mine,but I also know there are some that I would be ashamed to shop in,never mind work there.I work in a great store.We take a lot of pride in the way we conduct our business and take care of our customers.Years ago there was a button that was passed out to associates...it was when Sam was alive...and the button said "WalMart Pride".I met him several times,and he instilled that in me.I work in personnel.Part of my job is to set the example and try to train new associates in the original principles Sam set forth.It's part of our culture.I feel so badly when anyone has a bad experience in a store.That is not the way it's supposed to be.It's not the way He would want it to be.
 
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luvmyparker

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Originally Posted by lizzie

I guess I'll jump in a little bit.I have worked for WalMart for almost 25 years,and I am not sorry to say that I do and am proud of the fact that I do as well.I have seen a lot of changes over the years since Mr. Sam passed away...I sure do miss him!I know that there are stores out there that are as great as mine,but I also know there are some that I would be ashamed to shop in,never mind work there.I work in a great store.We take a lot of pride in the way we conduct our business and take care of our customers.Years ago there was a button that was passed out to associates...it was when Sam was alive...and the button said "WalMart Pride".I met him several times,and he instilled that in me.I work in personnel.Part of my job is to set the example and try to train new associates in the original principles Sam set forth.It's part of our culture.I feel so badly when anyone has a bad experience in a store.That is not the way it's supposed to be.It's not the way He would want it to be.
I have great for respect for people who work with the public and maintain a professional attitude. It's becoming so rare. Maybe you should come here and help my Walmart out. It needs all the help it can get.
 

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I went to Wal Mart last night. I picked up a pair of shorts and some pajamas and went to the checkout. The pajamas were on a clearance rack for $9, but scanned at $15. When I told her it was on a clearance rack, the cashier said to me "well I will have to call and find out then because it scans at $15" but it sounded like she was trying to say I was wrong. She paged ladies wear to call her twice and nobody answered. After the second time, she saw the associate working in ladies wear wandering around the section with a shirt in her hand and ignoring the pages. Instead of paging again, she yelled out loudly "Excuse me". The lady came over and went and checked the pajamas and came back and said they were on clearance. While she was looking, the cashier said to me "I don't even know her name". I paid with a visa gift card I received for my birthday and the cashier rudely said "You know you have to keep track yourself of whats on here right?" I said yes and she said "Ok because a lot of people come here with them and they have no idea what is on the card". I just said that I check it online and then left.

Normally this Wal Mart isn't bad, and it wasn't a horrible experience but I was starting to get annoyed when nobody was answering the pages for ladies wear and we see the associate just walking around. I almost told her not to worry about it and left.
 

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Maybe they need to remember what's in the WalMart cheer that we do at the end of each morning meeting..."who's number one?the customer always!".I would assume they ought to be doing the same?
 

carolpetunia

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

...People really will pay for good merchandise and good service.
If they can easily pay, maybe... but even a lot of reasonably wealthy people are obsessed with bargain-hunting. I do consider W evil, in a number of ways... but I'm too poor to shop anywhere else.


I was at W the other day and paid cash, including a handful of change. The girl counted it, and I saw her count some quarters as nickels. I started to say something and she said, "You're 85 cents short." I said, "Well, I noticed that you missed some quarters," but she just shook the change in her hand and said, "Eight-five cents" louder. "Ma'am, I really don't think --" "EIGHTY-FIVE CENTS!"

There were a lot of people in line behind me, so although eighty-five cents is a significant amount to me right now, I just said ooookay and fished out nearly the VERY last of my money for her. Then when she handed me the receipt, I smiled and said, "Your drawer is going to be over at the end of the night," and she said, "I know" and started on the next person's purchase.

Now what on earth was that woman thinking?
 

resqchick

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Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

If they can easily pay, maybe... but even a lot of reasonably wealthy people are obsessed with bargain-hunting. I do consider W evil, in a number of ways... but I'm too poor to shop anywhere else.


I was at W the other day and paid cash, including a handful of change. The girl counted it, and I saw her count some quarters as nickels. I started to say something and she said, "You're 85 cents short." I said, "Well, I noticed that you missed some quarters," but she just shook the change in her hand and said, "Eight-five cents" louder. "Ma'am, I really don't think --" "EIGHTY-FIVE CENTS!"

There were a lot of people in line behind me, so although eighty-five cents is a significant amount to me right now, I just said ooookay and fished out nearly the VERY last of my money for her. Then when she handed me the receipt, I smiled and said, "Your drawer is going to be over at the end of the night," and she said, "I know" and started on the next person's purchase.

Now what on earth was that woman thinking?
I have no clue what she was thinking, but I would have cured her of her bad attitude if I knew I was right. That drawer would have been counted out right then. JUST for her being a little female dog. I'm funny that way.


Like I said before, I love my local Walmart. I also quite like the people they hire for the front area (greeting and cashiers) they are mostly retired or even elderly, and they are friendly and interesting. I am one of those people that can strike up a conversation with anyone who smiles at me the right way. My husband will no longer shop with me.
 

Winchester

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Originally Posted by resqchick

I have no clue what she was thinking, but I would have cured her of her bad attitude if I knew I was right. That drawer would have been counted out right then. JUST for her being a little female dog. I'm funny that way.
Absolutely. I've been known to argue over a nickel, so yes, there would have been issues. Sometimes it's the principle of the thing.

I don't care where people shop; it makes no difference to me at all. It's our personal perference not to shop at WM. Again, for us, sometimes it's the principle of the thing.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

If they can easily pay, maybe... but even a lot of reasonably wealthy people are obsessed with bargain-hunting. I do consider W evil, in a number of ways... but I'm too poor to shop anywhere else.


I was at W the other day and paid cash, including a handful of change. The girl counted it, and I saw her count some quarters as nickels. I started to say something and she said, "You're 85 cents short." I said, "Well, I noticed that you missed some quarters," but she just shook the change in her hand and said, "Eight-five cents" louder. "Ma'am, I really don't think --" "EIGHTY-FIVE CENTS!"

There were a lot of people in line behind me, so although eighty-five cents is a significant amount to me right now, I just said ooookay and fished out nearly the VERY last of my money for her. Then when she handed me the receipt, I smiled and said, "Your drawer is going to be over at the end of the night," and she said, "I know" and started on the next person's purchase.

Now what on earth was that woman thinking?
Carol, by letting her get away with that you have reinforced her bad behaviour. I know it's hard when you don't want to make a scene but in your case where you are on such a limited budget, you should really have called her to task on it. Who knows how many people she does this with and takes the overage at the end of the day?
 

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I finally found the bad Wstore people yesterday - they bring them out on Tuestdays and dust them off for stocking shelves in the pet department. There were two women 'stocking' the pet aisles and they let out a constant whinge about people shopping and interfering with their work, the pet food aisles should be at the end of the store where no one goes, they didn't know why people expected them to get out of the way when they were 'working' and on and on, very loudly. I grabbed what little was on the shelves, made a return trip to see if more was on the shelf, and you guessed it, they were STILL whinging and hadn't put a single item out nor moved their trolley. By contrast, down the dairy aisle, the stock people asked if they could help and apologised for the placement of their trolley. Same at a grocery store - almost ran into a woman dragging her huge wagon around (those things steer about as well as a grocery cart) and she apologised; told her no problem, I cant drive anyway. We both walked away laughing,
 

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I hate it when service people act like I am in their way or I am an inconvenience. I feel like telling them that I and people like me is why they have a job. The new vet clinic I go to has several plaques around the clinic with their philosophy. After the first part about some people wanting a higher level of care for their cats and they are committed to providing that level of care they have that they will not forget that their clients are the reason for the clinics existance. A lot of service people need to understand that as well.
 

resqchick

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Originally Posted by sk_pacer

I finally found the bad Wstore people yesterday - they bring them out on Tuestdays and dust them off for stocking shelves in the pet department. There were two women 'stocking' the pet aisles and they let out a constant whinge about people shopping and interfering with their work, the pet food aisles should be at the end of the store where no one goes, they didn't know why people expected them to get out of the way when they were 'working' and on and on, very loudly. I grabbed what little was on the shelves, made a return trip to see if more was on the shelf, and you guessed it, they were STILL whinging and hadn't put a single item out nor moved their trolley. By contrast, down the dairy aisle, the stock people asked if they could help and apologised for the placement of their trolley. Same at a grocery store - almost ran into a woman dragging her huge wagon around (those things steer about as well as a grocery cart) and she apologised; told her no problem, I cant drive anyway. We both walked away laughing,
I would have asked the pet department stockers who were doing nothing but whining, when they expected their stock to be on the shelves. if I got an "I don't know" answer, I would have asked if perhaps their manager knew, because I'd like to buy something.

Sorry, my father had a store my whole life and I was taught courtesy and to work fast. people who are left to wait, go elsewhere instead of waiting. My father was a tough boss, but taught me how to treat people.
 

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Originally Posted by resqchick

I would have asked the pet department stockers who were doing nothing but whining, when they expected their stock to be on the shelves. if I got an "I don't know" answer, I would have asked if perhaps their manager knew, because I'd like to buy something.

Sorry, my father had a store my whole life and I was taught courtesy and to work fast. people who are left to wait, go elsewhere instead of waiting. My father was a tough boss, but taught me how to treat people.
Had I not been in a hurry to get out, to the next store and back home, I would have gone looking for a manager and told him/her. Honestly, I have never been in there on a Tuesday when they dust off the trash and try to make it do some work.
 

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

Sam would turn over in his grave if he saw what his kids have done to his stores. Of course, he remembers what killed his competitors, like K-Mart (bad checkout) or Gibson (bad merchandise).

I hear people complain all the time about W.... putting small stores out of business, but that is hooey. It's not hard at all to compete with them. People really will pay for good merchandise and good service.
I rarely go in the ones in my town because they are FILTHY! It makes my skin crawl.
 

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Im gonna hang my head in shame after I say this...
I LOVE WM!!!!!!!! Seriously its my fun time every weekend. I always pop in and talk to the electronics people they are SO NICE! There are two cashiers we always go to that ask how the dog or cats are doing and make polite chit chat. The door greeter kid is always so happy and enthusiastic when he says hello that Df cant help but be cheerful after saying hi back. I adore my WM even if I think it could stand to be a little cleaner.

I have had a couple issues looking for cleaners and hitting a bad day where everything was out of stock but thats nothing that a trip to the dollar store didnt fix.

Im not allowed to go to Target to shop...Df hates that place because their cd selection is horrible and I dont like it because their book selection is atrocious so we avoid that place at all costs.

One thing I wont do though is purchase things like meat, milk, eggs stuff like that from WM just because its the type of store where people will walk around with their carts loaded up and then have an oops I dont need that moment or something like that. Well atleast thats how my brain thinks. I just think that going to Weis for my groceries is safer when it comes to things like meat and eggs.
 
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