Wait! You mean that smiley who cuts prices is just an actor?

We don't like to go there either. For cheap stuff, we go to Target (cereal $2 per box, other stuff at least OK). Their business practices have made us go to Wal-Mart only when absolutely needed.

The trampling incident? I really hope the lady takes them to court. Maybe the managers decided to ignore public safety because they thought it was neat having people stampede through their store. Or maybe some sort of power trip, seeing people run like a bunch of clueless hungry animals?

That's a good idea about the suppliers banding together. There's got to be a way to do that without Wal-Mart hammering everyone with lawsuits. Still, if Wal-Mart pulled out the lawyers then at least people would see that they're just another business despite those cuddly commercials.

WOW!! I've died and gone to heaven!!
I never knew there were so many Wal-Mart haters!!
I have to say that everyone is right, Wally World is just blowing smoke up everyone's skirt when it comes to prices. SHOP AND COMPARE!!
Also, with so much retail saturation in our area I spend my dollars where I like, price is not always a deciding factor anymore. Like serveral of you have already stated, the WMs in my area are filthy, cluttered, and I feel I should be armed when I go there. I have NEVER seen one of those perky greeters at the door. They are usually pissed off and grumpy. Give me Target any day, the stores are usually clean, aisles uncluttered, and most of the help there have teeth.

True story:
A new Wal-Mart recently opened up in a neighboring city, Thomasville, NC. A friend of ours son is a cop there and he told her that people were tailgating (partying) out in the parking lot!! Lawn chairs, picnic baskets, the whole nine yards. What a laugh!

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Scott Diener
89 300E
93 300E
92 Volvo 740 Wagon aka "Mutt mover"

My local Wal Mart is a damn dump. These stores do nothing to improve the quality of life in an area...just watching this country become fatter and dumber by the day.

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'90 300SE 298k
-300K and it gets put into retirement.
'80 300D 255k Purchased new by family in 1980.

Had a:
1973 220 (gas)
1980 300SD
1992 400E

I spent the last two summers in the UK and France. It seemed to me that the large chain stores (Sainsburys for groceries in the UK and E. Leclerc for everything in France) had NOT put the small main street stores out of business. There are still small bakeries, groceries and butchers on the main streets in towns with large chain stores. Why does that happen in Europe? Is it because Europeans are more likely to walk when shopping so still prefer the main street whereas American are more likely to drive to a store? Or are there laws to help preserve the small shop owner? For instance, in France, you can't even buy aspirin in a grocery store (even though you can buy alcohol there). You have to go to a drugstore. Maybe I just misread the situation. Maybe there just aren't people willing to tailgate at Walmart. Any European members who can enlighten us?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I, too hate Wal Mart. Just the thought of having to go there raises my anxiety level sky high. I think my car hates it even more, though I try to park out in the far areas of the lot, only to usually have a behemoth SUV with about a foot of space between our cars when I return with the obligitory empty McDonald's bad on the ground. My girlfriend and I have gotten into arguements walking towards the store because of our shared thoughts of this place. Hopefully, I too, will be able to shop at better places soon. I just started a new job that is a dream compared to my previous occupation (a lot better pay and benefits)
As far as the trampling incident, I find it crazy to believe that people would behave that way for cheap $39.99 DVD players that probably won't work after the New Year.

I'm really surprised because there are so many Walmart haters!

I love Walmart a lot haha. Last year, a huge Super Kmart store was shut down in San Jose because of its corporate downsizing.
The rumour is that Walmart will take over and open it early next year. Again, I love that.

One of the best things in the US economy is that we have very intense but healthy competition among vendors/retailers. That translates into lower prices for consumers. I've been to Europe and Australia, and I have to admit that I do not want to live there due to low salaries and high living costs. Please remember that this is a capitalist economy and the more competition there is, the better for consumers.

BTW, Walmart's IT division has been considered one of the best in the country. However, its IT staff seems to be more knowledgeable with more "recent" computer technologies (Windows, Linux, Solaris etc...). One of my brothers works as a programmer for a big mainframe software company and he said that Walmart's IT staff is pretty bad at mainframe stuff. However, his company's support staff has always been on constant alert and on edge whenever they receive any support calls from Walmart's IT, because it is one of its very big customers.

Eric

Walmart is ok, i go there because they have everything i need. Target does not sell fish products, etc. I dont like making two or three trips if not nessesary.

There return policy is great, with or without a receipt. But they always have a long ass line.

Parking can be a problem, but i have handicap parking so i have a slight advantage. I must admit, even with handicap i still have problems finding a spot.

They have most of the stuff i need, like automotive and fish foods, tanks, etc.

I usually pay for my stuff in the auto or sporting goods dept, so i do not have to wait a long time in line usually. And i go there so often, the people in those departments know me.

So i do hate some things about them but i also like some things about them.

There was some huge, huge lady with her skinny little husband walking through the aisle. Evrything she could get her paws around she picked up and made a comment that Wal-mart was too expensive and that the Dollar Store had it for a dollar.

I felt like telling her that is she knows that everythng is a dollar at the dollar store, then why in the hell doesn't she just go there and buy it???

On another note when I was in Mattoon Illinois I used to have a manager at an old job that swore by Wal-mart, she was a blistering idiot anyway, but it was funny to listen to her. What was even more funny was how she would brag that she would only go to thier service department to get work done on her car.

Hi CJ,

I know what you mean, i overhear some ghetto people at walmart too. All my ex gfs like target, they say target is more "upscale" than walmart.

LOL sound rediculous to me, a quart of Mobil 1 15w-50 is the same to me.

Your right about how people have this killer instinct in them when shopping at walmart, i am guilty of this. I just get pissed off waiting and dealing with the parking that by the time i actually get to the isles i am irritated.

Hows ur benz doing btw? send me an email, i still got my 300D 2.5 turbo.

JC,

PM. I have it turned on now. I lost your e-mail address.