Life Without Wally World

[Teallaura]

I haven't set foot in Walmart in at least two - I think three - months. I don't miss it.

[Kelp]

How did you pull that off?

[lilpixieofterror]

I haven't been to one in 4 months. (although it helps that the closest thing I got to a store here is a tent with some stuff on the shelves).

[Little Shepherd]

Poor Teal. You're totally missing out.

[eudyptes]

been in one twice in the last 2 years......bought something one of those two times.....

[Teallaura]

been in one twice in the last 2 years......bought something one of those two times.....

My hero!!!

[Teallaura]

How did you pull that off?

Mostly Dollar General, Fred's, Piggly Wiggly and Tractor Supply! Once Tractor Supply moved in I could get my dog food cheaper ($18 for a 50lb bag vs Wally World's $22 for 40 lb) and the break was complete!

It's only two stops - DG and Tractor Supply are in one strip mall and Fred's and PW share another. It's also one heck of a lot less walking - all the stores are human sized and not stadium wannabes. Cost wise, Wally World doesn't usually beat any prices by more than a few cents and on a lot of things they are the same or more so overall I spend less. PW has a rewards program that saves even more. DG usually beats Wally World on staples and both DG and Fred's beat Wally World on households (excepting toilet paper but they are getting closer). All four have much better flyers (Wally World usually spends most of its ink on electronics and toys - I buy groceries, household supplies. Burke's for clothing if I need anything - which is rare. Most clothing store sales beat Wally World anyway because the quality is much better) which makes planning a breeze.

Tractor Supply beats the pants off Wally World in hardware both in selection and service. Their clerks actually know something about the product lines and do a great job helping you figure out what you need. Yesterday a clerk spent nearly ten minutes helping me find the file I needed - I had been thinking whet stone but the file is MUCH better! No blank stares and no long waits if you need help. I have a wrist brace that is supposed to help with carpal tunnel (assuming that's what's wrong.) A few weeks ago I walked in and grabbed the cart to go get pet food (no basket). One of the clerks came around to go help me without even asking if I needed it - now THAT'S service!

I sooooo don't miss Wally World!

[eudyptes]

Use a locally owned hardware store for several of my "evil empire" replacements....a little more cost, but more money stays local, it's closer to me (now occupying some of the empty space left behind by one of "wally's" moves, it's easier to shop there...and the service is top notch....if I have a special need, they'll do what they can to help me out. It's right by my grocery store, so between the two I can get most of what I need. There are a few other stores in town that I can go too as well, and most of them are locally owned.

[Kelp]

Mostly Dollar General, Fred's, Piggly Wiggly and Tractor Supply! Once Tractor Supply moved in I could get my dog food cheaper ($18 for a 50lb bag vs Wally World's $22 for 40 lb) and the break was complete!

It's only two stops - DG and Tractor Supply are in one strip mall and Fred's and PW share another. It's also one heck of a lot less walking - all the stores are human sized and not stadium wannabes. Cost wise, Wally World doesn't usually beat any prices by more than a few cents and on a lot of things they are the same or more so overall I spend less. PW has a rewards program that saves even more. DG usually beats Wally World on staples and both DG and Fred's beat Wally World on households (excepting toilet paper but they are getting closer). All four have much better flyers (Wally World usually spends most of its ink on electronics and toys - I buy groceries, household supplies. Burke's for clothing if I need anything - which is rare. Most clothing store sales beat Wally World anyway because the quality is much better) which makes planning a breeze.

Tractor Supply beats the pants off Wally World in hardware both in selection and service. Their clerks actually know something about the product lines and do a great job helping you figure out what you need. Yesterday a clerk spent nearly ten minutes helping me find the file I needed - I had been thinking whet stone but the file is MUCH better! No blank stares and no long waits if you need help. I have a wrist brace that is supposed to help with carpal tunnel (assuming that's what's wrong.) A few weeks ago I walked in and grabbed the cart to go get pet food (no basket). One of the clerks came around to go help me without even asking if I needed it - now THAT'S service!

I sooooo don't miss Wally World!

That's neat!

We don't have PW, DG, or Tractor Supply here, but I'll remember to try to look around for equivalents.

[Dee Dee Warren]

I have always hated WalMart. I though think I have fallen in love with IKEA

[moreta]

I try to stay out of WalMart. but there are a few things that I justcan't get anywhere else for the price. I also tend to get my khakis for work there. They are cheaper, and they usually have my size. I hace redicovered Sears, although they seem to have cut waaaayyy down on stock, and K-mart, although the store here isn't the most pleasant of places to shop. I have found really good sales on their slap-it-together furniture for my son and DIL. I never by groceries there, other than a thing or two if I'm already there and need something. We have a TSC, but it's farther away than just about everything else. Everything is so spread out in this town, and not near where I live, so I just suck it up and do as much of my running around as possible on payday.

[Teallaura]

I've been in Sears once since Momma died. Not sure why I went - won't be doing it again. Wal-mart I just don't like - Sears I have a grudge against. Hint: don't let them fix your car - they've already had to settle class actions for deliberately and maliciously over-charging. And I don't mean a little - the blood suckers committed fraud. They settled not merely to avoid a costly suit but to keep from being bankrupted by the court ordered settlements.

Wally World has just gotten too big both for its britches and to do a decent job. Sears is evil. No, I'm not being fair - its a corporation, not a person and fairness it forfeited a very long time ago. It was evil 15 years ago and I see no sign that it has changed.

Once I shopped Sears for just about everything - all my appliances were Kenmore. Now I won't darken the door. I figure that's at least $25,000 in purchases and car repairs that I would have gotten at Sears since then. I hope the $800 they cheated me was worth it, 'cause I'll never trust them again.

We now return you to our pick on Wally World fest, already in progress...

[Hamster]

I use Target instead. I don't have any articulate philosophy against shopping at Walmart because of their policies or the way they practice trade or whatever... I just can't stand the way people act in it. It's always crowded and noisy and frantic and dirty

[Teallaura]

I have a confession... I went to Wally World yesterday.

I couldn't find a good box for Peake's memory box so I broke down and went to Wally World. Not just any Wally World but one of the new Supercenters which is easily as long as a medium strip mall and could fit a high school stadium inside with room left over. I finally found what I wanted -in the back of the store. It was in one of the areas I expected but the layout is so weird I had a hard time finding it (even then, it's not really what I want but is good enough for now).

From what little looking around I did it appears Wal-mart is trying to become a higher end department store. I'll pass, thanks.


If it hadn't been for my girl, I'd feel guilty about now. But I am viewing it as an experiment in confirming why I hate Wally World. My opinion has not improved.

[Sparko]

What's wrong with wal-mart?

Beat's target, kmart and meijers any day.