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Walmart will hold its own. Not every person buys everything online. Many shoppers are like me, who use online for some things, and actual stores for others. Our local Walmart is always full, bustling even. Walmart may close some underperforming stores, but Target/Walmart are still going strong and likely will in the future. Even with Amazon.
I wouldn't worry about Walmart. Granted, there is an overlap with goods sold by Walmart and Amazon, but each serves different customer needs. I buy much more at Walmart now than at Amazon because of lower pricing and being able to pick things out in person. Amazon is great for finding items that can't be bought locally. Walmart is great for low-priced pharmacy items, food, and everyday wear like socks and underwear.
Prices at Amazon have risen dramatically over the past couple of years on many things, but I think many haven't noticed because they're used to things being cheap there. When all you have to do is click on an item you're used to buying, sometimes people don't realize the price has jumped. Walmart's prices remain low in comparison.
Although Amazon Prime offers many benefits, there will be many who don't want or need everything they offer for that monthly or yearly fee. We've had Prime for a few years and will give it up this October when the annual price goes to $119. Since Amazon has increased prices on things we buy, we no longer buy enough items to warrant the fee. We've streamed everything we want to watch that they offer. I like the Prime music, but I have other options.
If having basic Amazon Prime wasn't enough, they had to go and create another fee program, Amazon Pantry. As a Prime member, I don't like that I cannot purchase a pantry item should I want to. I can buy as many food items as I want at Walmart cheaper and without paying a membership fee.
One reason I've become so pro-Walmart again is the change in checkout. My local store has many self-checkout registers now and they work great. Old ones we're a real pain and I avoided them like the plague, but the new ones are quick and easy. I no longer hesitate going into Walmart for a couple of items because I can be in and out quickly now.
Rather than Amazon sinking Walmart, I believe Walmart will take back some of the market share that Amazon took from them. Walmart realizes they have to have a greater online presence, and I see things improving there. Their website, while still not as good as Amazon's, used to be pretty bad but is improving. Now, if only Walmart would buy better carts for their stores, something similar to Target's new ones.
Walmart basically ships the same stuff for the same price in the same amount of time. The 2 key differences:
You can return stuff to Walmart should the need arise.
You can buy it at the store if you need it the same day.
Advantage, walmart.
UH, no. W-M often sells 'below grade' products. (EX: An HP Laptop for "wm" has zero upgrade capacity, while the more flexible one sells elsewhere for a few $$ more.) They dropped the low price matching a few years back. And their stocking problem (due to shipping department snafus) is part of the deck chair shuffling to insure bonuses for the upper mid mismanagement. Part of the problem is due to (ahem) certain laws and programs -and- a PR stunt of boosting wages, they were caught in a personnel budget squeeze so they shot themselves in the foot by hiring 'high' but giving only part time hours, and pushing more and more work on the salaried managers. . . and reducing overall staffing. The stores are often quite empty and a haven for shoplifters. And upstairs brass keeps those deck chairs shuffling.
As to returns, that's only for W-M, not all stuff sold via W-M.com. Whereas Amazon's return policy is sweet - they pay for return shipping, and will have it picked up at your door (USPS or UPS).
Wal-Mart is having a fine time with re-arranging deck chairs after hitting the iceberg Amazon.
Between understaffing and cutting hours, employees / associates are turning into zombies, awaiting the bitter end.
Amazon beats them with lower prices, better customer service, and is taking market share away from them just when they can't "grow" their business via opening more stores.
Based on the current money madness paradigm, marketshare constriction spells doom.
Raises the question : what comes next?
Walmart doesn't always win on pricing.
From what I hear they don't treat their employees that much better either.
Anecdote: A certain family with employee discounts, once bought 98% of its stuff via W-M. Over the years, the better quality / price has shifted to Amazon, despite the two to three day delay. Only groceries are consistently purchased at their super store - and that may change as well. The quality of the produce is horrid (Navy brig grade), and stocking is a problem (personnel problem). The bulk of their other shopping is "big A". That's pretty bad, IMHO, when even an employee discount isn't enough.
From what I hear they don't treat their employees that much better either.
As mentioned before, they got caught in a squeeze with finite personnel budgets and pie in the sky promises. They would have been better off hiring more at lower wages, full time, and getting things done. If you note a 'zombie gaze' in the eyes of the overworked associates, it's that they know the ship is going down and they don't know what to do about it.
Most of the things I buy at Walmart aren't things I would order online.
Groceries, many of which are refrigerated, produce, paper towels, toilet paper, water, pop, cat litter.
I mainly reserve online purchases for things I cannot easily find locally. Like a certain brand of makeup or shampoo, slippers, shoes, electronics, vitamins, etc.
In short, I don't think Walmart has to worry about Amazon.
I agree with all of this. I currently have Publix and Kroeger within close proximity to my home but I truly prefer the Walmart which is a bit farther but worth it in my estimation. One stop shopping for me for everything I need, other than a library book.
ETA: Our produce department is top notch, always fresh produce, well stocked as well. The other departments are properly stocked and maintained also.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SWFL_Native
The core problem with Walmart are the people that shop there not their products or prices.
At amazon I never have to interact with those people.
Is it because the people who shop there resemble the "people of Walmart" videos?
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