What are good ways to avoid shopping at Walmart? (fit in, sales)

[stan4]

Um, why is it hard not to shop at Walmart?
When I had to live in El Paso for three years, I never once shopped at the freaktastic Walmart there. No problems.
Now that I live back home in Plano, there is a lovely Walmart near me, but I still don't really go there. There's no difficulty in not shopping at Walmart. So many other options no matter where you are.

[loves2read]

agree--there is no reason to go to WalMart if you don't want to shop there--
you just have to accept the consequences of that decision--
maybe some inconvenience, paying more vs why you don't want to shop there...
no big deal--
frankly WalMart won't miss you--
there are unfortunately enough people who probably didn't shop there before the recession who have started that the numbers have grown...

[stan4]

Honestly, the Walmart near is nice and I have no qualms about Walmart or any hatred for them. I don't go there because their giant parking lot makes me crazy and the place is so big, I get annoyed at having to cross the entire store to pick up two different things.
But if I did hate Walmart for their policies or whatever, there are tons of alternative places...just be aware they may have policies that are less well-known that you'd find repulsive, as well...I'm not aware of any business who is squeaky clean and pleases everyone with their policies.

[loves2read]

WalMart has been the target of some disquieting documentaries and news stories about how it leeches value from its employees and towns it has stores in to enrich the corporation--
it has become a symbol of much that is negative in modern corporate culture...

and while other companies probably share many of the same practices and corporate mindset Walmart just seems to take more pride in doing what others find abhorent...

[SloopJohnZ]

I rarely go to Walmart, but sometimes it's just so damn convenient. The day is not long enough to sit around coupon hunting and cutting. I do love the Aldis that have popped up everywhere. For name brand groceries I usually hit up Tom Thumb or even the Super Mercado.

[orbius]

Target pays just as bad wages as Walmart so I dont shop their either. I try my best not to shop at a place that pays cashiers $8/hour. Why should I support a store that forces me to pay for the food stamps and section 8 housing via taxes you know these people need to make it?

Costco pays its employees really well so I try to get most of my stuff from there.

[Debsi]

The only meat I have bought at Aldi was a pork tenderloin for $4.50 and it was very delicious and gobbled up by 3 adults in one dinner. I won't buy their milk again, it wasn't disgusting or anything but it just wasn't as good as my usual brand.

Another tip for cheap shopping is only buy certain items when they hit your designated price point - then stock up. The cheapest way to buy Cottonelle T.P. for instance is to wait for Kroger to have it for $5.99 to $6.99 a 12 pack which happens fairly frequently. The rest of the time the same item goes for $9 or $10 I think.

Sprouts has great produce prices, when I have time to do 2 markets I will get produce and whatever cheese is on sale there (plus some bulk items) and get the rest of the groceries at Kroger. Tom Thumb is so overpriced on all non-sale items I won't even consider it.

I hate Target. They have non-fresh sandwiches and salads in the deli section and the manager's lack of interest when I called turned me off forever. Also their clothes are very cheap quality.

[Mister Nifty]

Originally Posted by Debsi

The only meat I have bought at Aldi was a pork tenderloin for $4.50 and it was very delicious and gobbled up by 3 adults in one dinner. I won't buy their milk again, it wasn't disgusting or anything but it just wasn't as good as my usual brand.

Another tip for cheap shopping is only buy certain items when they hit your designated price point - then stock up. The cheapest way to buy Cottonelle T.P. for instance is to wait for Kroger to have it for $5.99 to $6.99 a 12 pack which happens fairly frequently. The rest of the time the same item goes for $9 or $10 I think.

Sprouts has great produce prices, when I have time to do 2 markets I will get produce and whatever cheese is on sale there (plus some bulk items) and get the rest of the groceries at Kroger. Tom Thumb is so overpriced on all non-sale items I won't even consider it.

I hate Target. They have non-fresh sandwiches and salads in the deli section and the manager's lack of interest when I called turned me off forever. Also their clothes are very cheap quality.

In regards to speaking to managers, the real ones at Walmart will often times try to hide from customers. They utilize go betweens called CSMs, customer service managers, who take on the customers most times. You are right. The state of Texas is becoming Hispanic when it comes to complaining. When a person does complain, store policies make the customer feel odd. As a result, in Anglo parts of town, lines at check outs are shorter while in Hispanic parts of town they are much longer.
I've come to appreciate Walmart employees. If you can work at Walmart and still smile at life, then you are a special person indeed. I often times see them out in front of the stores sitting with the panhandlers smoking their cigarettes.
This collasal company is no longer run by managers, but by quasi-legal managers. Lawyers from 600 miles away now run the show over these semi - attorneys. That is why I prefer smaller stores because managers tend to deal with their employees and customers on more of a direct, intimate level.
Another negative about Walmart is how they make a profit. They make a profit by paying their employees as little as possible while, at the same time, they allow shop lifters to walk out of the door with millions upon millions of dollars worth of merchandise. How can they afford to do this? The cheap products they import from China allow them to do it.

[Mister Nifty]

Originally Posted by orbius

Target pays just as bad wages as Walmart so I dont shop their either. I try my best not to shop at a place that pays cashiers $8/hour. Why should I support a store that forces me to pay for the food stamps and section 8 housing via taxes you know these people need to make it?

Costco pays its employees really well so I try to get most of my stuff from there.

You know, I've had an idea for a different kind of retail, but a lot of forum members in here seem to get shocked at any thought of change. It would be a niche thing that kills a lot of birds with one stone. So, this particular idea is one I'm keeping to myself.
See, that is why we shouldn't just automatically go out and buy an attorney to solve all our problems. Mr. Walton once said that every lost customer amounts to losing a million dollars and it was this philosophy that created Wal-Mart. That means Walmart has over a million employees worth more than the company itself.
But, of course, when you have been lifted up as a manager over the world's largest company, sometimes it is hard to see reality for the clouds.

[Mister Nifty]

Originally Posted by SloopJohnZ

I rarely go to Walmart, but sometimes it's just so damn convenient. The day is not long enough to sit around coupon hunting and cutting. I do love the Aldis that have popped up everywhere. For name brand groceries I usually hit up Tom Thumb or even the Super Mercado.

Yes, I have the same problem with shopping at Walmart. Although the money saved shopping there will never pay for what vandels did to my vehicle in the front parking lot, I still shop there.
Aldis ran Wal-Mart out of Germany and now they are taking them head on in this nation. I expect the stores look like they do right now because they are still working out a niche in how to compete.