The average American Walmart shopper?

Hi lelin, it cetainly sounds like a handy place to shop when it is raining hard and you don't need to endlessly drive from shop to shop to find what you need.
It sounds rather like some of the larger branches of the UK supermarket chains but we haven't got anything which covers nearly so much stuff under one roof.
We have a couple of supermarkets which have branched into a bit of household stuff such as pans, and one which has electric stuff too, but none of the other things. Here it is only possible to buy things like medicine and vitamins from the pharmacy. We have one large shop which sells a mix of car accessories and household stuff but no food. And we bank at the banks and go to the hairdresser. The put down was obviously by a person who is too self important to be seen going in one or maybe sends someone else to shop for him.

Yes there are people in the states who act like they are above such a store. I have to tell you if I was even rich I would still shop at Walmart. I see it this way why pay high end when you can get the same basic thing at a lesser price.

I agree with that, I'd still stick with clothes without designer names and look for bargains, the money wouldn't last if it was frittered suddenly.

lelin how right you are... being from the USA.. I shop at walmart and will sometimes spend up to 3 hours in any one store also on rare occasion that i can't find something in the store i will probably be able to find it on the walmart.com website where i am sure to find something and be able to order online and have it shipped to my front door

awesome store and a great selection of merchandise... although i will say this (not as an insult either) but sometimes you will find great quality products however unfortunately you will come across an item that is of poor quality. as for insults about the store? it beats me as to why one can speak so negatively about a retail chain with stores in just about every state in the United States as for internationally well I haven't been outside the US so I don't know if Walmart has had any stores made elsewhere but yeah... definately the place to be!

Hi EOE, I didn't realise they owned ASDA now, I used to be on the ball on all these things when I was there. I even took a trip there for childrens clothes on my one and only visit back to the UK and got rather confused when I went to pay as they'd changed the whole system involved with handing over a debit card and pulled out some machine and I hadn't got a clue what it was for. We don't even use cards over here. I must have looked like I'd just got out of prison or something as I looked helplessly on.

I dislike the concept too of big places putting the normal small shops out of business and think we've got at least another decade here before we see signs of life, there again our own local shops are the ones who deserve to be put out of busioness as they have us over a barrell with their massively inflated prices. Almost £1 for one apple yesterday for goodness sake.

I believe that the person who made the comment has a rather jumped up view of his own self importance and is already dragging the proverbial across the floor. I expect he shops there in disguise.

i knew walmart owned asda. hey i know everything. anyway, yes there are plenty of things to criticise about walmart (and all the big chain stores) but criticising shopppers there is pretty pathetic. btw i just hopped in to agree.

EnemyofEmpire It isn't walmart that controls whether Walmart is union it is the employees.

Deebomb -

I didn't say WalMart controlled unionisation, I mentioned their ATTITUDES towards unions. They have consistently fought against unions in their stores and are prepared to go to extreme lengths to discourage unionisation. For example, in August 2004 the WalMart store in Jonquieres, Quebec was officially certified as a UFCW shop. Two months later WalMart issued a press release stating that the store was not meeting it's business model and was not economically viable. So they were prepared to close a store rather than have a union there.

Ecellently put Frajil, your expensive furniture shop is for those types who in the UK felt the need to keep up with the Jones's next door. They have a newer car, we have to outdo and have a bigger and newer car. One of the big advantages of a walmart would be the parking as well as the bargains. I have no idea if there are any plans afoot to let them through the Greek door but there are definitely plans afoot for a more local IKEA than in Athens, the new one would involve a 3 hour round trip which is perfect as I often pass that way back when I'm up in the mountains at The Greeks.
Now where on earht did you get the idea I don't know IKEA, there was one in the UK which I was often in. I even brought my wood and white IKEA chest of drawers out here with me and like it to this day. One of my friends is off to Athens this weekend and I did ask if he was going to IKEA as had a thought I may be able to get a duvet there as Greek quilts are nothing more than padded sheets, but alas it was a pleasure jaunt and not an IKEa shopping day out.
Do let me know if they have warm proper duvets there these days, I'm sure you must have a catalgue lying around.
As for the pompous one he will be having a lovely life sitting on his non IKEA sofa looking down his nose at the masses.

Here you go then!!! My pleasure!!!! Just happened to have one really handy and with Greek prices, should that be relevant!


I know I KNOW..¤%#&¤=? LINKS!!!!!
This is the best my mouse can do at this distance

http://onlinecatalogue.ik... just pretend it isn't really a link but a glossybacked colourful thick paper catalogue from someplace in Greece!

ER.. uHUM...I use online alot to check supplies of items I like in the nearest IKEA... so I don't drive there needlessly.. waste money.. gas...

hallOOOO?? HAAAAAAAAAAllo..

Thank you kind sir, I will check to see if they have one to keep me warm enough - unlike you I hate to be cold.

Hi Shirley, oh now I get how the phrase was used, trailer trash, yes I think that would fit his summation quite well. Having read through a lot of these responses though it seems as though we're deprived here by missing out on Walmart and all its bargains. I would use it but would worry about the effect on the landscape as it seems they draw other outlets together in an out of town place thus making areas all appear the same. But they have car parks.

After rechecking your post I see your not really getting down on Walmart but want to know about the people who shop there! I shop there and am an educated American and do like the prices there, some of the quality of the products leave a little to be desired! Walmart set a new standard for others Marts buy, buying in volume for all the stores and actually dictate the price they will pay their suppliers for the products they purchase, so if you want their business you have to play by their rules! It sure seems to work! I have friends who've never shopped there in the past but because of the current situation with the economy are starting to go there to save some cash! This is why they are still in profit while others are hurting! Thea if you ever get a chance you should check them out, I think you'd be surprised by some of the deals they have! T-----

Hi td, I'm glad you took the time to re-read my intro as I wasn't criticising but mentioned that I had come across a rather arrogant view about them. I'd be more than happy to check one out but we don't have any at all. My worries would be that they would close small businesses down but quite honestly the two local supermarkets could do with it as they are ripping off the local community at a beyond realistic level. I drive to town to shop 40kms away but if run out of anything then local pricea are generally about 4 times higher. But the way big businesses operate with their buying methods is good for the consumer just not if they knock out the good plces we have. I'd certainly like a change from Liddl as our cheap option.
But I've always been money wise and see nothing wrong with a bargain as long as it's quality, what we have at the moment though is the opposite, overpriced manky vegetables. We don't have many foreign shops and chains here at all though which makes our shopping so different to malls everywhere but I think they will start on land on the other side of town and to make frajil happy I hope that IKEA will be coming soon. I'm not sure if they'd be too keen on letting Walmart get a foot in or not as they do try to keep all taxes on goods going towards the Greek economy which is why they have clamped down so much on customs imports. But I would go that extra distance for a worthwhile bargain on necessities and if there was a walmart expect to find half the village had made the trip up there too.

Hi kitty, how are you, sliding quietly in and out of mylot. I'm used to that kind of shop in the UK but we don't really have things like that out here yet, which is why we pay more for everthing. We have one shop out of town which is a mixture of DIY and cheap furniture and electrical and I'll drive the extra for something specific. I went a few weeks back when the hairdryer exploded and they were about $60 dollars in town, likey yeah $6o for a hairdryer, so I went the extra to this place and paid $11 for a travel size one. It all makes a difference though.
In the UK there was a rather looked down on clothing store called Primark but for childrens clothes it was fantastic as everything was 100% cotton and rely cheap, like a couple of dollars for teeshirts. Over here I'm looking at about $14 dollars for one boys teeshirt which will be grown out of in no time.

I look at it this way, when I drove out expecting to spend $25 on a hairdryer but only spent $11 I had the difference for something I needed as can't be frittering these days.

a lot of the adult clothes are actually pretty nice in primark.

Hello my friend

This is so true my friend, they do have many stores here where you can actually get good deals, I have no problem saving wherever I can, someone told me recently they have a store for adults where you can buy jeans for 4 dollars, not the best in quality but hey 4 dollars is 4 dollars, so with all the price hikes we have to endure there are some people that actually try to look out for us, this is always great to see.

Thanks my friend.

To be honest Kitty if it fits and looks great I'd rather go for 5 pairs at $4 each than one pair at $20. I've never wasted money on anything designer and the best jeans I ever had in my life were purchased on a designer imitation market stall in Turkey, where they fitted so perfectly and were so cheap I bought at least 4 pairs, and the man brought me a cup of Turkish tea whilst they set to work turning them all up for me for no extra charge. Turkish markets are the best in the world for leather bags, jackets, jeans, tee shirts, and silk pieces which can be used as sarongs on the beach or wraps. Eventually the jeans gave up on me (sob) but I remember them to this day.

Hello my friend

I wore my 4 dollar jeans today, the zipper broke but I fixed it lol

They use to have a store like this years ago, everything was cheap but the cloths were good quality but after a while they closed, guess the rent was more than they were making so they left, really sad.

Smoochesss my friend.

btw..a local claim to fame..Our Asda store here in Enniskillen had so much trade last Christmas from the UK VAT rate being cut to 15%,coupled with the higher rate across the border and a Strong Euro, it brought shoppers in their Droves from the Irish Republic,making our store a top 10 Earner for the Walmart group worldwide!

LOL I forgot about ASDA being owned by Walmart so technically we do have a Wallmart then

Hi ShepherdSpy, I'd be quite happy to try one out if had one and preferred Asda when grocery shopping anyway. Can't see there's anything to put down about a place if it's like Asda.
But you have the wrong idea if you think I'm after designer gear, it is all such a rip off and I've never been a walking advert and I like the fact that people over here really don't give a toss about things like that and the place is much less materialistic. Of course my son would be more than happy if the carpark was full of porcshes as like most boys he is intruiged by all cars which cost more than a block of houses.

My sentiments exactly on the subject of designer gear..why would anyone want to pay so much to be a free walking advert for the brand of clothing they wear?! If the company want their stuff advertised,they should be paying US! The TV stations,Radio and print media seem to be doing ok from them..!

ps..I wasn't hinting that you were the WAG Wanabe interested in shopping for bling and labels..that was intended for those that are knocking the budget and discount shoppers that would go for reasons of financial and budgetary limits to such places as Walmart!

I am heatily relieved you didn't have me down as a bling type.

Hi jellymonty, I must say I was never a fan of Woolies much at all and the last time I was in one it just looked so run down and seedy really, a bit depressing. Just because somewhere is cheap doesn't mean they can't be a bit cheerful with it.
I was a primark shopper for my sons clothes though as cheap and decent quality, unfortunatly no one I keep in contact with lives any where near one or I'd be emailing his winter needs for age 11. Why can't these places get themselves on line and post to Greece. Even M & S won't post to Greece.
I like the one euro shop out here but its cheerful and smart.

Hi sunny, I thought adverts were supposed to intice consumers not put them off and mock them, rather defeats the object I'd say. I've never been influenced to buy anything by adverts but certain ones will put me off buying a product especailly the ones that used to be on in the UK on the TV which delberatly misused grammar and spelling. It just really used to annoy me as it could influence children into thinking that kind of language abuse is acceptable.
I know the prices here between supermarkets like a calcuator on legs.

with kids getting more pocket money to spend, ads are mostly targeted towards them. they seem to be influenced by things we cannot even imagine. selling to kids and teens is certainly a big business as for them price is not a consideration unlike you and me...

Luckily mine has inherited my cynical side and the only advert from the tv he goes on about is the one which says the date of publication of his favourite magazine. It's so nice the see the good points of oneself replicated. Cynicism.

lucky you!!....

Hi Amber, you're sort of in a catch 22 there, hubby works for them but they aren't very good to their employees but then you spend his wages there because it's the cheapest place to shop and like everyone else with sense you shop wisely, but if they started treating their employees better then prices may well rise.

That explains it all! Though we hope that he can find a better job. I hope to start working soon ( I keep saying this but really maybe I should explain) and then maybe he can look for better work as well, though he says he'll stick it out until he can find a better job.

Let me explain why I keep saying a job soon. One day my husband and I went with MIL to grandma's house and grandma had mentioned me applying to be an in home aid for her mother (my husband's great grandmother) I agreed and went up to apply. I was well aware it would take some time, and have since been waiting. I've gotten various different news from "your sure to get the job" to "they're hiring three people and you'll be one of them" to " They had a hiring freeze and that's why it's taking so long for you to be hired" to "they are most likely not going to hire people" but now my newest news is "The nurse they've had from a different company come out won't come back and it seems like they may call you on Monday (tomorrow)." Now I've been told that said nurse will be there for two days, and then someone else. I have no idea what's going on but will impatiently await a call tomorrow, and then hopefully I'll finally be able to proclaim "I have a job again!" lol.

My last job was two years ago, and I quit without a two weeks notice.