• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
programming forums Java Mobile Certification Databases Caching Books Engineering Micro Controllers OS Languages Paradigms IDEs Build Tools Frameworks Application Servers Open Source This Site Careers Other Pie Elite all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
Marshals:
  • Campbell Ritchie
  • Jeanne Boyarsky
  • Ron McLeod
  • Paul Clapham
  • Liutauras Vilda
Sheriffs:
  • paul wheaton
  • Rob Spoor
  • Devaka Cooray
Saloon Keepers:
  • Stephan van Hulst
  • Tim Holloway
  • Carey Brown
  • Frits Walraven
  • Tim Moores
Bartenders:
  • Mikalai Zaikin

If Not Wal-Mart then Where?

 
Ranch Hand
Posts: 15304
6
Mac OS X IntelliJ IDE Chrome
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
This post might be slightly biased towards shoppers in the USA and in fact since I shop in the USA suggestions should probably focus on USA based businesses.

So, I hate Wal-Mart, but it is a one stop shop and they generally have lower prices than most other places. Speaking of super markets specifically most places around where I live (Price Chopper, Lipari's, etc) are usually 20% higher on general items than Wal-Mart.

I'm not adverse to going to multiple places but considering gas prices and what not I'd like to be able to limit my driving. I realize most of you can't speak for the Kansas City area but where do you do your bulk purchasing of food and general goods (toiletries, etc)? We've started buying our meat and vegitables from a whole foods store because they are organic but will still are pulled into the Wal-Mart for most everything else.
 
Bartender
Posts: 9626
16
Mac OS X Linux Windows
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
If Target sold ammunition, I'd never set foot in WalMart.
For everything else, there's Target and Giant Eagle (grocery store).
 
Gregg Bolinger
Ranch Hand
Posts: 15304
6
Mac OS X IntelliJ IDE Chrome
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Joe Ess:
If Target sold ammunition, I'd never set foot in WalMart.
For everything else, there's Target and Giant Eagle (grocery store).



So how is Target better than Wal-Mart?
 
Rancher
Posts: 4803
7
Mac OS X VI Editor Linux
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Gregg Bolinger:
So how is Target better than Wal-Mart?



How do you define "better"?
Target aims a click above Wal-Mart. It has slightly better stuff, stuff with more style, and is usually slightly more expensive. Its not Bloomingdales, but its not KMart of WalMart.

Wall-Mart is actually an amazing technology story. They really know what is selling, how to get it to the stores, what the prices should be. Without megadollar IT, Wall-Mart could not exist.

Are their any hippie co-ops in your areas? They typically sell wheat, corn, oats, etc. in bulk.
 
Joe Ess
Bartender
Posts: 9626
16
Mac OS X Linux Windows
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Gregg Bolinger:
So how is Target better than Wal-Mart?



As Pat points out, the style and quality of goods is better. I understand it's FaceLessMegaCorp vs. FaceLessMegaCorp, but Target (at least the one's I've been to) also seems cleaner and better maintained than the local WalMart.

Originally posted by Pat Farrell :
Wall-Mart is actually an amazing technology story.


That's the truth. I've heard stories about how their logistics are managed (my brother-in-law's in the business) and their supply chain is about as tight as can be.
 
author & internet detective
Posts: 41860
908
Eclipse IDE VI Editor Java
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Gregg Bolinger:
but where do you do your bulk purchasing of food and general goods (toiletries, etc)?


Do they have Costco in Kansas City? They are good for bulk purchases. And they sell huge volumes of things so you can go infrequently.

What don't you like about Walmart? FacelessCorporation, big box store, employee practices, etc. I only ask because recommending "better" is tricky without knowing what it means.
 
Sheriff
Posts: 67746
173
Mac Mac OS X IntelliJ IDE jQuery TypeScript Java iOS
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I grocery shop at my local H-E-B (wisely not named "Butt's Groceries") and get my gas there too. Other stuff is usually from Target. Wally-World is a last resort for stuff I can't get elsewhere.
 
author and cow tipper
Posts: 5009
1
Hibernate Spring Tomcat Server
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I must say, after about a week of working in Europe, I'd do anything for a 24 hour Walmart. There is something great about being able to get everything you want at 3:30 am.

-Cameron McKenzie
 
Pat Farrell
Rancher
Posts: 4803
7
Mac OS X VI Editor Linux
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Cameron Wallace McKenzie:
I must say, after about a week of working in Europe, I'd do anything for a 24 hour Walmart.


There are lots of countries in Europe that seriously restrict shop hours. To the point that folks working on the usual IT schedule can never find a store open. Being able to shop until 9PM would be a big win.

We had a big project in Den Haag (The Hague) Netherlands. We had to hire someone as a generic gofer to do shopping, take stuff to the dry cleaners, etc. because the IT folks never could do it when the shops were open.
 
Cameron Wallace McKenzie
author and cow tipper
Posts: 5009
1
Hibernate Spring Tomcat Server
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
It's funny. Americans, which to me includes Canadians, really enjoy convenience. Drive-throughs and 24 hour Walmarts make many Europeans shake their heads. Our desire for 'convenience' is often though of as laziness, but I really think it's preparedness.

I remember being in Germany and having a nasty, nasty cold. I couldn't get to a pharmacy or drug store before they all closed at 4pm or whatever. I discussed my dilemma with my class, but I got no sympathy. They couldn't believe that I would be so unprepared when I traveled.

-Cameron McKenzie
 
Pat Farrell
Rancher
Posts: 4803
7
Mac OS X VI Editor Linux
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Cameron Wallace McKenzie:
. I discussed my dilemma with my class, but I got no sympathy. They couldn't believe that I would be so unprepared when I traveled.


Right, the Germans specifically believe that shop keepers deserve to have dinner with their families, and Sunday to go to church.

I don't think they have as high a percentage of dual-income couples, which are needed on the coasts to live :-)
 
author
Posts: 23951
142
jQuery Eclipse IDE Firefox Browser VI Editor C++ Chrome Java Linux Windows
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
I actually don't see a benefit with using a superstore. I don't mind having a superstore, but to me, it would just be another store. If I had a Walmart nearby, I would go. I definitely do go to the nearby Target, but I don't see it as an all in one place type of store.

For example, Target has a supermarket section, but I don't use it. As another example, I like my local Stop-N-Shop, as it has everything that I would want from a supermarket. But I also go to smaller supermarket like Trader Joes, Hong Kong Supermarket, Trade Fair, etc. And in the case of Trade Fair, that one seems to be completely different from neighborhood to neighborhood -- it is more like a bunch of independent bodegas with the same name.

Henry
 
Henry Wong
author
Posts: 23951
142
jQuery Eclipse IDE Firefox Browser VI Editor C++ Chrome Java Linux Windows
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Bear Bibeault:
I grocery shop at my local H-E-B (wisely not named "Butt's Groceries") and get my gas there too. Other stuff is usually from Target. Wally-World is a last resort for stuff I can't get elsewhere.



I have to admit that my one regret, when I was down in Texas, was not visiting an H-E-B. I keep hearing stories about it from friends, but have never seen one.

Henry
 
Bear Bibeault
Sheriff
Posts: 67746
173
Mac Mac OS X IntelliJ IDE jQuery TypeScript Java iOS
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Henry Wong:
I actually don't see a benefit with using a superstore.

Our local Wa-Mart is a superstore. I really got put off once when I observed that among the items a woman in front of me was buying was a steak, and a little-girl's white frilly dress. Both of which got put into the same bag.

Now I know that that's just poorly trained baggers, but still... some things just aren't meant to be purchased together.

Originally posted by Henry Wong:
I have to admit that my one regret, when I was down in Texas, was not visiting an H-E-B. I keep hearing stories about it from friends, but have never seen one.

Most H-E-B's are garden-variety supermarkets (though nicer than average in my experience) -- you may be thinking of H-E-B Central Markets which, yes, are tourist-attraction worthy. When visitors come to town, we always include a stop at the original Central Market as part of the tour.
[ June 29, 2008: Message edited by: Bear Bibeault ]
 
pie sneak
Posts: 4727
Mac VI Editor Ruby
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator

Originally posted by Bear Bibeault:
I really got put off once when I observed that among the items a woman in front of me was buying was a steak, and a little-girl's white frilly dress. Both of which got put into the same bag.


I remember a commercial for... I think Kroger where the camera was looking down on a cashier's counter belt with tires and sewage pipes mixed in with produce.

Yummy.
 
What are you saying? I thought you said that Santa gave you that. And this tiny ad:
a bit of art, as a gift, that will fit in a stocking
https://gardener-gift.com
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic