Preparing Main Street For The So-Called ‘Retail Apocalypse’

[mhays]

jtown, I didn't say they had different brands (though some are), I said the same brands can have lower standards. I'm including Target in the low-quality group.

Claims that the same exact product can be of lesser quality at Walmart are anecdotal, and assume different standards for what they put back vs. send back, and so on.

But it's certain that companies make special sub-brands for the cheap stores. Walmart's buying power has played a big role, though yes, the K-marts, Targets, and other budget chains have participated too. Levis is a publicized example...they have a separate brand called "signature" for these stores that's lower in quality.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by BrownTown

Not sure where you live, but none of that has ever been true in my experience. And really the "trashy" nature of one store or another isn't about the store itself, it's the clientèle. A WallMart in a poor area might be pretty trashy, but one in an affluent area will be quite nice. The same is true for every other chain store. It's just some chain stores ONLY exist in affluent areas so you don't have any ones with trashy customers because they avoid those areas.


Still the same shit though. Anyone trying to make a moral argument about WallMart pushing globalism or treating its workers poorly can't just pretend Amazon is any better.

In terms of relying on overworked/ underpaid employees peddling crap from China, there is no difference between Walmart to Amazon or Target. My point is that Walmart is trashier because their core clientele is the poor and working class and that's who they position themselves towards. Target sells itself as an upmarket 'alternative' to Walmart even though they sell the same crap and their clientele reflects it. Regardless of where they are located. There is a Walmart in west Houston that is beyond horrible; fights, dirty diapers left in the isles, and just utter chaos. Yes, the area is a total shithole but there is also a Target a block or so away yet that store is almost always quiet, clean and mostly devoid of the total dregs of society you see in the nearby Walmart.

[James Bond Agent 007]

Originally Posted by mhays

And you've been jumping in to defend them just as long. I'm guessing you've worked for them in your GIS field.

No I have never even remotely come close to doing anything for any retail company in my GIS career, Walmart or otherwise.

I very rarely even go to Walmart, maybe once or twice a year. I don't even like the place that much, but it's not horrible either. It's just that your hatred for them borders on the irrational and pathological.

[mhays]

Whether you're just not paying attention or have personal involvement, you sure post a lot in their defense.

Yes I have an issue with the company that's done more to hurt small towns and US manufacturing than any other, even though they've mostly worsened existing trends. Their scale and their relentless pursuit of the cheapest crap put them on another level. Even if their apologists try to claim otherwise.

[BrownTown]

Originally Posted by JManc

My point is that Walmart is trashier because their core clientele is the poor and working class and that's who they position themselves towards.

Yeah, because heaven forbid a company actually sell to poor people! Companies that only choose to locate in upscale areas are clearly doing so much more for society because.. reasons.

And again WallMart isn't trashy, it just has stores everywhere. So there are stores in trashy areas that have trashy customers and there are stores in more affluent suburbs that have affluent customers. This same shit is true for every chain store.

Originally Posted by mhays

Their scale and their relentless pursuit of the cheapest crap put them on another level. Even if their apologists try to claim otherwise.

Once again I have to point out that you're totally misrepresenting this issue. Most high-end stuff isn't make in the US either so it's not like WallMart is doing any worse to outsource jobs than say Apple despite Apple's much more attractive stores. Indeed WallMart is by FAR the largest employer in the US even though companies like Apple have a larger market capitalization.

[mhays]

You can read about supply chain type stuff online.

(And yes, Apple is really bad with outsourcing, though their issue isn't a relentless pursuit of crappiness. Personally I don't buy their stuff, and my electronics are comparatively ancient btw.)

I don't know what your point is about their employee count. They represent a net loss of retail jobs...that's a defining feature of the big-box model that they've honed to a science.

[Shawn]

Originally Posted by James Bond Agent 007

mhays has been spouting that spiel about walmart for years. Clearly he's never even been in one, because if he had, he'd know it's no different than the stuff you get in Target or any other store.

Not true. Walmart, like TJX on the other end of the value spectrum, is the recipient of special design considerations by lots of OEMs: they make a unique model just to be sold at Walmart. The Walmart versions will inevitably have lower specs and / or cheaper components, or be bundled with less throw-ins. Maaaany OEM and consumer electronics brands do this for Walmart. Black & Decker, HP, Acer, Bose, LG, Nikon...

This is the same deal you'll see for all those Premium Outlets and such (and the likes of TJX brands like TJ Maxx) - all those luxury fashion brands can be had at such low prices because you're getting an inferior version.

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by mhays

Walmart's very existence is about ever-cheaper crap, which has pushed offshoring to new levels while also giving their buyers crappy products.

Over half of Walmart's sales now are groceries. As a rough guess (because I'm also guessing you haven't been in a Walmart lately), about 75-80% of the grocery dept of the store is the same shelf-stable items you find in every grocery store only at least in my AZ community they carry a much larger selection than the regular supermarkets. The other 20-25% is perishables like meat and produce which I mostly stay away from since I do prefer organic.

But back to the shelf stable section: Because there is a large Hispanic community here, they carry a huge variety of Latin groceries (uniquely Latin products and Mexican brands), but surprisingly they also carry quite a few Asian products too; so many that I use to have to haul stuff from San Francisco when I came down here but that really isn't necessary any more.

The rest of the store has a lot of useful stuff too--everything from auto products like polish and oil to cat litter (their cat litter is the best I've found anywhere).

And, mostly, it's all sold for less than competitors' non-sale prices--even when domestically produced--and a great deal less than the boutique prices in SF.

Walmart is a boon to low income consumers. It should be part of any city's retail mix. Ironically, Target has found a way to open stores in SF and so has CostCo which carries a smaller assortment but at the lowest prices of all (and generally very good quality).

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by Shawn

Not true. Walmart, like TJX on the other end of the value spectrum, is the recipient of special design considerations by lots of OEMs: they make a unique model just to be sold at Walmart. The Walmart versions will inevitably have lower specs and / or cheaper components, or be bundled with less throw-ins. Maaaany OEM and consumer electronics brands do this for Walmart. Black & Decker, HP, Acer, Bose, LG, Nikon...

This is the same deal you'll see for all those Premium Outlets and such (and the likes of TJX brands like TJ Maxx) - all those luxury fashion brands can be had at such low prices because you're getting an inferior version.

So you're telling me there's something inferior about the Persil laundry detergent or Heinz ketchup I buy at Walmart?

Again, consumer electronics are maybe 10% of the space in a typical Walmart and some of that is Apple products or other manufacturers who I know don't sell inferior versions.

And to repeat myself, a few of their products are superior like the aforementioned cat litter (which I love because it's the silica gel type but with much smaller grain sizes--like actual fake sand--that doesn't hurt kitty's little paws--and if you disagree I'm sending her to rip your thoat out).

[Kenmore]

Originally Posted by jtown,man

Wal-Mart has done more for the poor than any government program when looking at the entire United States.

pretty radical take, this is some extreme right garbage

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

So you're telling me there's something inferior about the Persil laundry detergent or Heinz ketchup I buy at Walmart?

Again, consumer electronics are maybe 10% of the space in a typical Walmart and some of that is Apple products or other manufacturers who I know don't sell inferior versions.

Electronics. Walmart can undercut just about everyone on Black Friday TV deals because those TV's are specifically supplied to Walmart. They may look like a TV you could get at BBY or Target but they have a unique model number and are typically inferior...justifying the low cost. I'm not sure about the rest of the year; I bought my mom a Vizio TV from there a while ago and it still works just fine and has a great picture.

[uaarkson]

Originally Posted by Kenmore

pretty radical take, this is some extreme right garbage

Yeah I chuckled at that one. Walmart has done MORE than ANY social government program! lmao

[mrnyc]

there was already a retail apocalypse on main street in the 1960s when indoor malls were built. the answer to the new e-commerce stress on main street is to increase residential and walkability and take advantage of its built in uniqueness. its happening to varying degrees. that will help main street weather these e-commerce changes.

[woodrow]

You know what small town that is having wonderful growth, with a charming, booming town square? One where strip malls are being bulldozed for urbanist design? Bentonville, Arkansas! - https://www.bentonvillear.com/ Home of WalMart. LOL

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.3729...!7i3328!8i1664 - make sure you look at 2007 image and then 2018 image

Just a very small sample of articles -
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/le...-travel-guide/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/enter...935_story.html

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...-arkansas.html

The irony is rich, given this discussion.

[jtown,man]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

Over half of Walmart's sales now are groceries. As a rough guess (because I'm also guessing you haven't been in a Walmart lately), about 75-80% of the grocery dept of the store is the same shelf-stable items you find in every grocery store only at least in my AZ community they carry a much larger selection than the regular supermarkets. The other 20-25% is perishables like meat and produce which I mostly stay away from since I do prefer organic.

But back to the shelf stable section: Because there is a large Hispanic community here, they carry a huge variety of Latin groceries (uniquely Latin products and Mexican brands), but surprisingly they also carry quite a few Asian products too; so many that I use to have to haul stuff from San Francisco when I came down here but that really isn't necessary any more.

The rest of the store has a lot of useful stuff too--everything from auto products like polish and oil to cat litter (their cat litter is the best I've found anywhere).

And, mostly, it's all sold for less than competitors' non-sale prices--even when domestically produced--and a great deal less than the boutique prices in SF.

Walmart is a boon to low income consumers. It should be part of any city's retail mix. Ironically, Target has found a way to open stores in SF and so has CostCo which carries a smaller assortment but at the lowest prices of all (and generally very good quality).

Ironically Wal-Mart also sells more organic food than any other chain.

[jtown,man]

Originally Posted by Kenmore

pretty radical take, this is some extreme right garbage

Can you ever formulate a response that has any substance to my hyperbolic statements? LOL

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by JManc

I bought my mom a Vizio TV from there a while ago and it still works just fine and has a great picture.

I bought one myself for the bedroom and ditto--I'm very satisfied with it so what's the issue with Walmart? If their "inferior" products work well and are reliable, why pay more?

By the way, your Mom may be in for some cash. Are you aware of this: https://www.viziotvsettlement.com ?

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by jtown,man

Ironically Wal-Mart also sells more organic food than any other chain.

In absolute volume, I'm not surprised. They do sell organic products where I live also, but they don't have the variety regular supermarkets (and especially higher end markets like Whole Foods competitor Sprouts) do and are often out of stock (I guess because so many people are going organic these days).

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Pedestrian

I bought one myself for the bedroom and ditto--I'm very satisfied with it so what's the issue with Walmart? If their "inferior" products work well and are reliable, why pay more?

I don't think it means they are necessarily 'junk' but people who buy a $200 TV on Black Friday are getting a $200 TV. The Vizio I bought from them was one of the better ones; LED and paid a little extra for it.

Are you aware of this: https://www.viziotvsettlement.com ?

I do now!

[Pedestrian]

Originally Posted by JManc

I don't think it means they are necessarily 'junk' but people who buy a $200 TV on Black Friday are getting a $200 TV. The Vizio I bought from them was one of the better ones; LED and paid a little extra for it.

Mine was a $350 TV and was, as I said, for use in the bedroom so I can have Fox News in the background all evening and come up with stories to annoy certain folks which is so much fun because they are so easily annoyed . And I'm even content that Vizio has let the world know my viewing preferences .

Like I also said, I've got no complaints about it and expect it to keep working until 8k sets become as cheap as it was (meaning a l-o-n-g time). So I see no reason to complain about Walmart selling it to me.

Walmart does sell sets that are cr*p. But that's a brand thing: One example begins with E. Like you said, if you expect to get something other than cr*p for the price of cr*p, you will likely be disappointed. In my experience, and I own two now, Vizio sets are quite good for the price, whether from Walmart, CostCo or wherever.