Every now and then I like to go to Walmart. It's a form of masochism, but it hurts a little less than whipping myself. Just a little.The other day I gave in to temptation and checked out the nearest Wally Mart. Right away, I remembered why I'm a Target girl. From the dingy floors to the dank stench to that freaky smiley face, everything about the store made me want to take a long, hot bath. There were a few surprises - a cute bowl, a decent pair of shoes - but most of it was lackluster.
When I went to check out, I took an item out of my cart and set it aside because I'd changed my mind about buying it. Before I could say anything to the cashier, she hollered, "Could you give that to me now so that I don't have to walk around and get it myself and put it back where you found it?" I went to explain that I was going to do just that, but before I could say anything she said, "Now, please!" Um, OK.
Then, the woman behind me in line began to gush over Miss Dub, commenting on her elastic-banded Robeez shoes. "What cute Indian shoes," she said, which is probably culturally insensitive and totally weird but not my point. Hearing this the cashier said, "Lift up one of those Indian shoes so I can see it" ... since it was blocked by the debit card machine and her neck was apparently incapable of turning. I lifted up Miss Dub's shoe so she could see one, to which she responded, "What's the point of those? I don't get it." I just stared blankly.
Finally my total rang up on the debit machine, but before I could pay the cashier directed me to the screen. "It's a survey. You have to say if I was friendly or not to you, ma'am. Hurry up. Pick an answer." Of course, I wanted to say, "NO!" but she insisted on watching me complete the survey so I settled for, "Ignore."
And I dare you to find someone who prefers Walmart over Target.
Clearly Walmart knows their customer service is lacking. So does the rest of the world. Just read this.
But maybe it's just me. Maybe it has to do with a car accident I got into in a Walmart parking lot seven years ago. Yes, it was technically my fault, but the guy who hit me was cruising through the lot at 40 mph and ultimately paid my bills. And the stop signs in the lot didn't coordinate with the curbs or lane intersections, prompting the cops to say, "Stupid Walmart! We're out here every day for an accident."
But the best part is that after my car stopped spinning following the impact, I was jolted by another thud - the wreck had propelled me into a parked car. And who do it belong to? A sweet, old Walmart greeter, who I could tell prides himself on customer service in a sea of angry employees.
Maybe the whole ordeal prompted him to get a job at Target. Let's hope. It's much less dangerous. Oh, and it doesn't smell like mildew.
What's your worst Walmart story?
42 comments:
I couldn't agree with you more. I hate HATE HATE Walmart and the last time I went in their I left feeling a little suicidal. OF course when you go in there is usually some weird woman who hasn't showered in a week ready to do the job for you with her power scooter. (please tell me I am not alone there)
I have a love/hate relationship with WalMart. I like the prices and they have so much stuff it's nice to get everything you need a once. On the other hand I had a terrible experience trying to buy a vacuum there. I needed one from the top shelf, but could not get it myself since I was 8 months prego. So guess who they send over to help? An 75 year old grandma who can barely push a shopping card! Hello?! How is she going to help lift a vacuum from the top shelf. I left and went to Target.
One time I had to wait for four and a half hours (and I am not exaggerating AT ALL) for an oil change at Wal Mart. You can only stroll around the craft section for so long before you want to strangle yourself with embroidery floss. Almost every time I go it's a less-than-wonderful experience, but I keep going because there's a WM Neighborhood Market really close to my house and, for most stuff, they really are cheaper. And money talks.
p.s. great topics/posts lately, Mrs. Dub.
Very interesting blog and article. The creepiest thing for me is always the other shoppers there (which is why I tend to see myself there when I haven't had a shower that day, etc. I figure I fit right in the clientele). I tend to get the overly-friendly- customer-behind-me-in-line thing too. I love the "Indian" shoe comments! Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Wal-Marts start closing and we can return to having no choice but to shop local. On a postive note - I always get a good parking spot.
I can proudly admit that for over 2 years I didn't step foot in a Wal-Mart. I'd had so many bad experiences there I imposed a personal boycott. But then David quit his job, we had no money, and I was forced to admit that Wal-Mart's prices are pretty dang cheap. Now I go there on occasion, usually when we're out of edamame (it's $1.56 at Wal-Mart compared to over $3 at our Kroger).
well... i used to work at wal-mart! the photo lab actually, which technically isn't wal-mart, but it is! there are far too many stories to tell. but the photo lab was fun :P
The thing I don't like is the amount of people that are always there. So many, it drives me crazy and I end up in a horrible mood, making the lower prices not worth it to me. My sister worked there, and they treat their employees horribly - which explains the poor customer service.
I agree with all the above comments concerning Walmart -- their disgruntled employees, scary clientèle, and not-so-organized merchandise. Not to mention the oh so lack of knowledge on the part of the aforementioned disgruntled employees ("ummm...I don't know if that mp3 player is Mac-supported" DUH! Read the box -- I was calling on the phone or would have read it myself).
Anywho, cheap prices and close locale speak to me and my budget (time as well as money) and so I do find myself there buying diapers and other necessities on many occasions.
And then there is the Target comparison (if you can even call it that). Target for me is like a warm blanket. Cushy and yummy. I could wander its aisles for hours and spend lots of dough. Whereas Walmart is the itchy wool blanket -- probably gives off better heat (better prices - you catch my drift) but my is it uncomfortable.
Oh I forgot to mention the RETURN POLICY. Walmart there wins hands down.
First of all- our target isn't all that - I would like to come to yours! I live in the SL Valley (what they call it) and there are 2 Targets within about 40 miles of eachother (mas o menos) so everything is picked over and it is dang annoying- For example I went a couple of weeks before school started to get supplies and they (Target) were out of everything- and I thought to myself (Why didn't I just go to Walmart!) Which I did and BTW they had everything! Mind you- I don't shop there always- just when I need one stop shopping- I would never buy their meat and their (Walmart & Target) produce is soooo.. gross... So- granted at Walmart you don't have 15 people asking you if you need assistance (like at Target) but like some of the other ladies have said- you can't beat the prices. I do find when I go there I get kind of freaked out by some of the people- but hey- and I think to myself (again) 'Where do these people come from?'
Let's admit it - we all shop there sometimes... If I can get huggies $3 dollars cheaper than anywhere else- it is worth it... And they have some of the cutest girl hairbows!
I live in Orem,UT and most people know to avoid the Orem Wal-Mart like the plague. One day, however, I gave in and went there to have the battery replaced on my car. They told me that it would be 1 1/2 hours so I decided to walk around the store with my mom. After almost 2 hours I had not heard from them and went back to the auto service area and was told my car had not even been touched and probably wouldn't be for a while. I was furious. The mechanics were not nice but eventually took my car in for a replacement which took 15 minutes. I don't think I will ever go back!
i shop at walmart for one reason - my husband makes me because it's cheap. :) well, not really MAKES me... but... kind of. and literally LITERALLY every time i go, i have a funny story.
like the time i found myself in line behind two ladies in their 50s (at least) who were clearly twins and who were dressed in identical clothes, had identical hair, same earrings, same make-up, same purses... i was in shock... and so of course i took pictures with my camera phone. this had nothing to do with walmart, BUT i assure you i wouldn't have seen them at target.
basically, walmart sucks.
OH! one time, i went to their website and complained about my experience at the store (terrible customer service, shelves completely picked over, horrific lines, dirty everything, etc etc) and the manager of the orem store called me. i was impressed that he called, and being a generally dipolmatic person i was pretty honest but dignified in my rant about his store... but the only thing he could say was "we're aware of that. we're working on that. we'll take note of that." well CLEARLY you're not working on it hard enough! he specifically told me to come find him if i was ever having a problem in the store... but frankly, i don't have time to find him everytime i go there.
AND i've learned from experience that you NEED to check and make sure you have all your bags everytime you go. i swear 1 in every 5 people leaves at least one bag on the turny-thing (that's the technical term for it).
and i'm stopping there, because i could go on and on and on about how much walmart sucks. oh... and avoid utah walmarts on saturday evenings at ALL costs.
thanks for the shout out mrs. dub. :)
I make the pilgrimage about once annually to get a few Christmas presents for my kids in an effort to save a few dollars, but the toy section at ours isn't even that great. Ours has self-checkouts, which makes it a little more bearable. But still, every time I go I ask myself why.
Any time Hubs & I hear of a new scheme they're pulling, like $4 prescriptions in an effort to shut down the little guy, we discuss it disgruntledly and vow to never return.
The only time I got really mad was when I'd picked out an item online (a $200 bouncy castle) and went to the store to buy it, only to find that it cost about $30 more at the store. Nobody had a good answer for me as to the disparity between prices at Walmart vs. Walmart.com. Very frustrating.
My sisters and I call Walmart the "crying baby store." I got overloaded when I go there...my senses are all asaulted. It smells, too many things crowded on every shelves, and the noise is always on the high end of the scale. I do have a friend who likes Walmart better but she is more patient than me! (she likes the return policy better than Targets. I say, just keep everything you buy!)
Saving $2.39 isn't worth the little piece of my soul that dies every time I step into Wal*Mart.
I don't have one story in specific, it's just the accumulation of every visit, hanging over me like shame.
We all know that the Orem Wal*Mart is the 7th circle of Hell. Toddlers screaming because they are out at midnight. Dirty aisles, crowded, picked over, I just can't take it. I go about once a year, usually at some unseemly hour, like 2am because nothing else is open. There's always kids there. I don't understand.
I went with a preggo friend at some unseemly hour, she was looking over the maternity clothes. Wal*Mart had three tops and two pairs of pants. What kind of stupidity is it to have the tiniest maternity selection in the world at the Orem Wal*Mart?
Don't get me started on their business practices...
I HATE Walmart. Hate, hate, hate it.
speaking of return policies at target... since everyone hates them so bad... anyone wanna know a MAJOR loophole?! and i've done it so i KNOW it works. (it might take a bit to explain, so i won't tattoo your comment wall with more of my ramblings unless you're all interested).
i hate walmart. everything about it. especially their bad business ethics.
i hate even more that it's a vicious cycle b-c i understand that many ppl need to shop there for $$$ reasons, so walmart can continue being evil without a problem.
Pokemon Showercap,pink fuzzy slippers ,Big Dog t-shirt, ripped up sweats=a vision of elderly loveliness in my old Wally world it was as if a neck tatoo was not optional there. Viva La Target!
I try to avoid the Orem walmart at all cost but find Springville or PG to be a much more pleasant experience.
And of course this took place in Orem. So I was waiting in a forever long line to but the one thing I thought I could just quickly run in and grab and then run out. But the whole ordeal was becoming very frustrating and taking a long time with the never ending lines. So me and a hundred other people are waiting very patiently when a very obvious college student decides to cut in front of the whole line. I very kindly said "actually all of us are waiting in line." I dont know why I thought he would admit his mistake and take his place at the back of the line? But he said "SO?" My red head horns came out and I was immediately LIVID all the while the cashier was watching what happened. She just shrugged her shoulders and said that people do it all the time. As I walked by him on my way out of the store I noticed his CTR ring on and it was all I could do to not say something about that. Maybe a possible topic of discussion for you...
So, I dont know if that is directly against target or maybe just more directed at the madness it creates in perfectly normal people to be in an environment like that.
i actually love wal-mart. i mean, where else can i go and feel like i am the richest, most classy person in the group? it is the only place where i have by far the nicest teeth and the most clean kids. not to mention the fact that i get to spend the same amount of time in line as it took me to get my entire shopping done. come on, that lil' smiley face is adorable!
Our Wal-Mart happens to be new, fresh and sparsely populated. I shop for groceries there regularly, however I'm still a Target girl for all my other shopping needs.
My 2 worst Wal-Mart story's are a tie.
One was when my 3 year old son started pitching a fit because I wouldn't buy him play-doh. All of the cashier's started rushing around him, wiping his face (WHO SAID YOU COULD TOUCH MY CHILD'S FACE?) and giving me the evil eye. They started pelting me with questions, "What did you do to him, why is he crying, poor baby, blah-blah-blah" I was literally seething because my three year old was really turning on the waterworks while giggling under his breath hoping it would get him that darn play-doh!
Second worse story was 10 years ago when a Wal-Mart cashier mistook my ID/checkbook for someone who was wanted for stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. What a fun morning THAT was...
Oh WAIT! I have another! What about the time that all my groceries had been scanned and bagged and the cashier accidentally hit delete! Everything had to be un-bagged, re-scanned, etc.
Oh WAIT! One more. There was the time their debit card machine wasn't working and I didn't have any checks with me, so they made me store my groceries in customer service while I ran home and got a check!
Wait...why do I shop there?
Loophole. yes please!
ok... i spotted a loophole request. :)
so... when i got married we registered at target (of course), and we were told that we could use our registry as a receipt for 90 days after we got married (we were, of course, not made aware of that until AFTER the 90 days had passed and we were trying to return something). ANYway, so we spent 90 blissful days returning gift after gift with our target wedding registry and were treated like royalty. day 91, the bliss came to a screeching hault. i received a bathroom shelf in the mail from someone who sent a late gift. we'd long since determined we didn't need the shelf, so i attempted to bring it back. this experience ALMOST made me HATE target. the lady at customer service explained that not only could i not return it for in-store credit, but the ONLY option i had was to exchange it for something in the same department (everyone has had this experience, thus the hatred for targets return policy). the woman agreed it was ridiculous, called her manager to come talk to me ('cause i was, for lack of a better word... pissed) and me and the manager had at it... well, i got pissed at her while she smuggly stood there saying "i'm sorry, there's nothing i can do. i'm sorry, there's nothing i can do." after loudly stating to her "well you be sure to pass along to your boss that this is the DUMBEST return policy i have ever heard of", i stormed out to the car.
and then it hit me... registries. registries is the key. just cause i'm married now, doesn't mean my registry possibilities have ended. so i went to work. got on my computer and suddenly became "due in 9 months".
i created a baby registry.
i added my item to the registry (and a few extras for good measure). printed my registry, went back to the store, and they took it back for in-store credit -- no questions asked. AND i know had 9 MONTHS (plus 90 days) of blissful returning at target... though it sort of got a little fuzzy when i got a little closer to my "due date". :)
anyway, that's it. registries. they're your ticket to returning heaven at target.
So I come from a completely different part of the country where WalMarts are big and new and (yes!) clean.
Now... I think I know which WalMart Mrs. Dub went to. And, can I just say, AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!
And, though my heart belongs to Target (and a great deal of my disposable income), I really miss the new, big WalMarts near my home town. (As a side note, since moving away from that area, I ONLY go to WalMart when I am back... never here!)
The registry idea is so great...super smart!
My worst walmart story was when a couple in front of me with two toddlers were in the line ahead of me. Suddenly I noticed a pubble of liquid pooling under their basket. To my disgust I realized that liqued was urine...yuck. The boy sitting in the cart had wet his pants. His dad yelled at him in some redneck fashion and I expected them to call it to someones attention so it would be cleaned up. To my horror, they continued to check out and didn't mention their son had had an accident. I carefully stepped over the pee and told the lady behind me what had happened so she wouldn't think my todler had done it. I told the cashier and luckily she did look disgusted and called for cleanup. The cleanup took forever and by the time I left people were just walking through the pee in the line. Now I think twice before putting my girls in a walmart shopping cart!
janaya:
good work!
i used to work at target in the return department. i got a lot of crap, but i loved finding my own loopholes inside the system to help someone who just wanted to return something.
if someone was clearly distressed and frazzled, i would ask them about registries, cards they might have used and do whatever i could to get them something for their hard work (i hate returning things).
someone must have forgot to tell me the "department" rule because i always gave everyone a regular gift card that could be used anywhere in the store because i thought that was what i would have wanted. i was never told otherwise by anyone above me, so i probably cheated a lot.
the gift registry is by far the best way to return things. i had a newlywed couple come in with two carts full of gifts and the registry will save you everytime.
if you are gonna go the baby registry route, i'd wear a maternity shirt when you go to return, just in case.
as far as Walmart goes, i hate em. my hubs likes the prices, though, so i go there with him. but if i ever go with just gracie, it's always to target. 5 times last week :)
i also like that every target i walk into usually has a security person standing at the carts. it makes me feel safe. plus i know all the security secrets of target which makes me feel even safer.
sorry that was so long.
Can't beat Wal-Mart for anything practical, price-wise at least. You also can't beat the characters seen in your local Wal-Mart. It is a year-round Halloween fest.
Target is a happy place, a frosting type of place for me. I try to avoid the practical items aisles there because I always want to associate Targe with fun rather than droll housekeeping items. Also, Target has hands down the BEST ad campaign spanning the last five years or so. I LOVE their commericials. Total eye candy and oh so clever.
Hate the return policy. My mother-in-law bought my son a huge inflatable pool for his birthday which we did not want. It retails for $29 and Target won't take anything back without a receipt over $20. I was like, "just give me the $20" but of course lame Target wouldn't allow it.
I blame the Europeans who own Target for their cruddy return policy. Target is run by some European company, right?
janaya,
that sounds dishonest. if you feel good about it...then maybe you should re-think yourself.
ouch.
i also know a great loophole in the system, it's called saving your reciepts. i know, i know, sometimes hard to do, but works everytime.
I don't always get receipts with gifts, so it can't work if you don't have it.
wow! let's be nice anonymouses. (or is it anonymice?)
as for target, you might remember that i emailed with one of the big wigs a while back, and he assured me they are working on a new policy.
but, for now, each to his own!
i had a huge hassle with t-town a while back involving baby gifts received that were not on my gift registry. i was told i had to exchange them for items in the same department of the EXACT same price or less. yeah, so for every $9 item, i had to find a $9 or more item to replace it with. totally stupid ... and from what i'm reading, not exactly their return policy.
still, it beats walmart any day!
My worst experience with a Wal-Mart was when my daughter called from there, and she had been in an accident . . .
I'm not allowed to go there on saturdays - it ruins my mood for weeks. I try to avoid it or go in the middle of the night when less people are there - although yes, you will have all the poor crying babies that need to be IN BED...
they do have the cheapest cilantro around though. and I HEAR from one of the high-ups at wally world that they are going to open a huge line of organic foods - which will in turn bring down the price of organic stuff everywhere else. so that's one good thing.
i'm not going to talk about wal-mart because i don't EVER go there, so i have no stories. i am a total target snob.
i'm just sad for all of you who don't have a super target. you know, all the targets here in Texas are super targets. you can always use something from the grocery department, so you always have an excuse to go to target here. and they have super yummy chocolate rice-krispie things near the deli meat section. anyone else love those?
although, when i lived in LA (where wal-marts are non-existent. i think there's one in the entire southland), our ghetto (culver city) target was not worth the trip. i only went like twice in ONE YEAR.
i KNOW. shocking.
WalMart is the DEVIL. Ugh. The last time I was there of my own free will was at 3am because it was the only place I could buy sheets at that hour (after Viola had thrown up on every available sheet or blanket in the house) and the washer just wasn't washing fast enough. That's about how desperate I have to be to go there.
Ilene: Target is not owned by a European company. Target was owned by Dayton-Hudson corp (which used to own Mervyn's and Marshall Fields.) Dayton Hudson changed their name to Target Corporation.
Back during the whole anti-French fervor in the run up to the Iraq war, somebody started a rumor online that Target was a French company and urged people not to shop there. There are dozens of false rumors floating around about Target. I can only assume that those rumors come out of Bentonville, Arkansas.
I hate Walmart, but I deal with it, because I am poor and I have a baby who needs formula... and Walmart has the best prices. But I have to admit that I almost always have a headache by the time I leave the store. Yuck...
As for your challenge... I actually have a friend who is anti-Target (seriously). He has actually said that he prefers Walmart to Target.
I used to love Walmart back home in my small town. It was open 24hrs and everyone was super friendly. It was never packed because there weren't that many people in town.
Now, I live on the south side of Chicago. The inner city Walmart experience is super scary. I'm a social worker and I used to think that I was open minded. Then, I went to Walmart. There was garbage everywhere. On the ground, spilling out of the trash bins, collected in store corners, and even in the middle of the aisles. I had dared to come by myself and was followed around my a very strange man that I'm sure had a dual diagnosis (mental illness+drug addiction) I asked for help from an employee and he started hitting on me as well. (I'm not ugly, but I'm NOT cute.) There is no legitimate reason for all of this attention.
A woman in front of me in the check out line was arrested for trying to smuggle little girls dresses inside of a comforter she was buying.
Needless to say, it wasn't worth the ten bucks I saved.
Hope you don't mind, I'm a lurker. I currently live about 15 miles from the nearest store (Walmart). That may not sound too bad but I'm on an island and going to Walmart involves an expensive reservation and a 45 min. boat ride. So I LOVE going to Wally World. There are no Targets within the area. Also, when my liquid crack (diet Mt Dew) is going for $5. a 12 pack on island and $2.99 off-island, it's all good.
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