People might get cheaper prices but that's about all they are getting.
That's all Wal-Mart shoppers want until the cheapest thing they bought doesn't perform like a custom high dollar widget.
I can't remember the exact figures but my brother, Toby, told me that if Wal-Mart could get one more mpg from their fleet they'd save untold millions of dollars a year. Seems like he said 150 million but I don't have the nerve to post that based on my memory.
but then while I'm not at the very end of the earth, I can see it from my front porch
yes we Alaskans have very good eyesight, thanks for asking
I'm pretty certain when we sing our anthem and mention the land of the free, the original intent didn't mean cell phones, food stamps and birth control.
I nearly ruptured myself helping an old woman get into a pick-up at Wal-Mart. For me that truck will forever be the "Wal-Mart Truck".
It was just a tiny little ancient compact truck. It looked at some point as if it had been lowered by some kid, so it wasn't much more than eight or ten inches off the ground...if that. But, as I waltzed out of Wal-Mart carrying my one box of .22 shells, I saw this poor little dried up COPD having oxygen bottle using husk of an old man trying to help his wife into the car. She was in a wheelchair and somehow, in the foot or so between the edge of the chair and the seat, she had gotten down and couldn't get up. She wasn't on her knees yet, but her legs were bent and she couldn't straighten them.
Now, I am 43 years old and a fit 5'11 180 pounds. I thought to myself, "No problem, I'll just slide over there and give her a little heft and she'll be right in the truck." So, I gallantly walked over and gingerly gave her a little lift and...nothing. She didn't budge. "Hmm, she is a bit heavier than I thought." So, throwing modesty out the door, I grabbed her from behind put my arms all the away around her midsection and heaved. "Holy [bleep], she is heavy" I silently screamed as she barely moved at all.
At this point the old woman was like dead weight and I realized too late that she was WELL north of 200 pounds...even though she didn't look it. To make matters worse, as I lifted she started screaming and I mean literally SCREAMING, "Jesus, this hurts. Help me, Jesus. Oh God, this hurts," and on and on and on.
So, by now, I wanted to just drop her and run the other way to my truck as fast as I could. But, I couldn't just leave that old lady on the parking lot. So, I put my arms around her again and gave a heave. And then...and then it happened. As I lifted my arms slid under her shirt and untucked it. Her shirt lifted up and...and...and...she was not wearing a bra. So, there I was, in the parking lot, lifting on this elderly woman from behind, as she screamed bloody murder WITH HER TITTTIES HANGING OUT.
By now, people were starting to stare. Finally, I lifted her enough that I could get my right knee under her ass and with a mighty lunge like one might do in lifting a recliner or wedging a heavy box onto a shelf, I managed to shift her over onto the seat. Whereupon, I quickly stuffed her legs in the car, slammed the door, and took off running to my truck. The old man mumbled a "Thanks a lot mister" as I stumbled towards my truck and as I peeled out of the lot, I saw them both firing up cigarettes for the ride home.
Finally, I lifted her enough that I could get my right knee under her ass and with a mighty lunge like one might do in lifting a recliner or wedging a heavy box onto a shelf, I managed to shift her over onto the seat.
I was in a walmart in Sun City (right outside of it) AZ, and it was really nice. Damn thing was a supercenter, and had everything you could dream of. The only issue was is that the place was packed. Old people everywhere. I'm guessing that's not representative of most though. I can imagine certain "populations" could run down any store in a hurry.
A few miles down the road was a Target. If you like shopping in an empty store, go to target.
A little side note.. I remember back in the day when I was going to college 15 years ago, and middle aged black gent was in one of my classes. I asked what he was up to, and he said he was retired and taking some classes for fun. He then went on to say that his wife worked for walmart for years, and had acquired a large amount of stock. I bet that guy is living the good life right now.. One of the nicer gents I met.
I've always found WM employees helpful and the stores clean. I suspect the folks that found poor service and dirty stores don't shop there.
I am glad you have had a positive experience with WalMart.
Unfortunately, I have shopped there and I am still trying to get over the trauma. LOL. I will admit that the quality of customer service is on my radar just because of getting it drilled in my head for 14 years.
I am about ready to hop on one of their motorized carts next time for my "shopping" experience. Don't know how many people I have seen use those, get out to parking lots, and walk perfectly fine with no assist. There are people that need them but isn't it seems ridiculous when we go to these parking lots and the disability spots are 4 deep, 10 wide, and half empty every time.
It's interesting where WalMart is putting their big bucks. They were recently voted LAST in retail chain stores for customer satisfaction including customer service, availability of items advertised, cleanliness of store, and who knows what else....not surprising when wages are non-union. People might get cheaper prices but that's about all they are getting.
Case in point. I have had to almost "chase down" employees for assistance only to be told they were "going on my break". I worked 14 years [many years ago] in retail for local #1439..if we pulled that stunt, it would of been a write up at the VERY LEAST and chewed out by the boss. We had "secret shoppers" all the time giving reports back to our stores.
Anyway, all that to say.. .I hope purchasing these trucks are the best use of their money.
Thats interesting, Walmart here in town, both the old and now the new store are some of the cleanest around. Constantly cleaning the floors and bathrooms and such.
If they paid union wage the price of products would be higher.
And why so? The employees here all talk to you, ask if they can help you etc... and they are rarely out of anything that we buy. Well if you don't count 22LR but I haven't bought that in years.
Though I do suspect there could be regional differences just as to how folks are in general. In general around here the folks are clean, courteous and friendly. SO I susupect that works in WalMarts favor locally.
Maybe Union is the answer to make some folks do what they should do already, without someone swinging the bat for them, but thankfully its not come to that here.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
It's interesting where WalMart is putting their big bucks. They were recently voted LAST in retail chain stores for customer satisfaction including customer service, availability of items advertised, cleanliness of store, and who knows what else....not surprising when wages are non-union. People might get cheaper prices but that's about all they are getting.
Case in point. I have had to almost "chase down" employees for assistance only to be told they were "going on my break". I worked 14 years [many years ago] in retail for local #1439..if we pulled that stunt, it would of been a write up at the VERY LEAST and chewed out by the boss. We had "secret shoppers" all the time giving reports back to our stores.
Anyway, all that to say.. .I hope purchasing these trucks are the best use of their money.
Thats interesting, Walmart here in town, both the old and now the new store are some of the cleanest around. Constantly cleaning the floors and bathrooms and such.
If they paid union wage the price of products would be higher.
And why so? The employees here all talk to you, ask if they can help you etc... and they are rarely out of anything that we buy. Well if you don't count 22LR but I haven't bought that in years.
Though I do suspect there could be regional differences just as to how folks are in general. In general around here the folks are clean, courteous and friendly. SO I susupect that works in WalMarts favor locally.
Maybe Union is the answer to make some folks do what they should do already, without someone swinging the bat for them, but thankfully its not come to that here.
I don't ever remember being in a Walmart down where you're at but I've been in lots of them in Texas and all over the southeast quadrant of the US. They vary greatly. The older the store, generally the more the problems AA is speaking of seem to manifest themselves. I'd say that overall, Walmart is A LOT better than they used to be in many respects. One trend of theirs I despise are the self-checkers. I'd rather see people in those jobs. The self checkouts almost always have a glitch too.
I've always found WM employees helpful and the stores clean. I suspect the folks that found poor service and dirty stores don't shop there.
That's probably because you don't shop at their stores in areas with a lot of minorities.
What are all ?? the stores like in an area with a lot of minorities? Have BTDT, but never gone in a walmart in areas like that. But have had to in auto parts stores and food chains and they were all the same, filthy and not good service.
I still think what you see and what you get doesn't have a thing to do with Wal Mart as a whole as it does with the general area population.
As to the empolyees being mistreated and such, the ones that I know that have a goal in life, and want to get somewhere have all done well in life. The ones that just want some money to get the next beer or dip or smoke, well they'd never make it anywhere.
We can keep Larry Root and all his idiotic blabber and user names on here, but we can't get Ralph back..... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over....
I nearly ruptured myself helping an old woman get into a pick-up at Wal-Mart. For me that truck will forever be the "Wal-Mart Truck".
It was just a tiny little ancient compact truck. It looked at some point as if it had been lowered by some kid, so it wasn't much more than eight or ten inches off the ground...if that. But, as I waltzed out of Wal-Mart carrying my one box of .22 shells, I saw this poor little dried up COPD having oxygen bottle using husk of an old man trying to help his wife into the car. She was in a wheelchair and somehow, in the foot or so between the edge of the chair and the seat, she had gotten down and couldn't get up. She wasn't on her knees yet, but her legs were bent and she couldn't straighten them.
Now, I am 43 years old and a fit 5'11 180 pounds. I thought to myself, "No problem, I'll just slide over there and give her a little heft and she'll be right in the truck." So, I gallantly walked over and gingerly gave her a little lift and...nothing. She didn't budge. "Hmm, she is a bit heavier than I thought." So, throwing modesty out the door, I grabbed her from behind put my arms all the away around her midsection and heaved. "Holy [bleep], she is heavy" I silently screamed as she barely moved at all.
At this point the old woman was like dead weight and I realized too late that she was WELL north of 200 pounds...even though she didn't look it. To make matters worse, as I lifted she started screaming and I mean literally SCREAMING, "Jesus, this hurts. Help me, Jesus. Oh God, this hurts," and on and on and on.
So, by now, I wanted to just drop her and run the other way to my truck as fast as I could. But, I couldn't just leave that old lady on the parking lot. So, I put my arms around her again and gave a heave. And then...and then it happened. As I lifted my arms slid under her shirt and untucked it. Her shirt lifted up and...and...and...she was not wearing a bra. So, there I was, in the parking lot, lifting on this elderly woman from behind, as she screamed bloody murder WITH HER TITTTIES HANGING OUT.
By now, people were starting to stare. Finally, I lifted her enough that I could get my right knee under her ass and with a mighty lunge like one might do in lifting a recliner or wedging a heavy box onto a shelf, I managed to shift her over onto the seat. Whereupon, I quickly stuffed her legs in the car, slammed the door, and took off running to my truck. The old man mumbled a "Thanks a lot mister" as I stumbled towards my truck and as I peeled out of the lot, I saw them both firing up cigarettes for the ride home.
The WalMart in my smallish hometown is relatively new and is clean, nicely staffed, and reasonably pleasant. The ones in the surrounding cities are horrible. Different customers and different workers make the difference. Along those same lines, I'd stand out in the parking at night with no worries if I was at the hometown store. I'd want a shotgun to do the same at the city stores, only 40 minutes away.
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