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Confidential Wal-Mart Memo Discloses Substantial Drop In Store Traffic Compared To Year Ago
As if we needed another confirmation that the US consumer is running on empty, here comes Bloomberg with valuable disclosure from an internal, and supposedly confidential, Wal-Mart memo on store traffic patterns which indicate that in US store locations open for at least a year have seen a 2.6% drop in traffic in the February to June period compared to a year earlier. While this may not sound huge, keep in mind the company is massively leveraged to even the smallest marginal moves in traffic, courtesy of already razor thin margins. Specificall, the Wal-Mart stores in question had "82.8 million fewer visits through the first five months of the company’s fiscal year." More than anything this is an indication of just how exhausted the US consumer is becoming if even the most beloved, widespread and cheapest option for purchases is now being shunned outright. Bloomberg continues: "Wal-Mart’s plan to recapture customers by returning thousands of products to U.S. store shelves has failed to reverse a decline in foot traffic at the world’s largest retailer, said Jeff Stinson, an analyst at Cleveland Research Co. That’s primarily because Wal-Mart’s core low-income customers are shopping less and going to other retailers more often, according to two recent shopper surveys." This should not come as a surprise to anyone, since frequent Zero Hedge readers will recall the post in which the CEO of Wal Mart America said that "shoppers are running out of money"; and there is no sign of a recovery." When it comes to marginal traffic, it appears shoppers have just run out of money. And that includes those who no longer pay their mortgage and pay for everything with their now well maxed out credit cards.
Wal-Mart, led by Chief Executive Officer Mike Duke, is restoring an average of 8,500 products to its stores to lure back shoppers still pinched by persistent unemployment and gas prices that have risen 36 percent in the past year. Sales in U.S. Wal-Mart stores open at least 12 months have declined for eight straight quarters.
Wal-Mart’s traffic decline comes as some of its direct competitors are getting more visits.
Wal-Mart’s decline is close to the 2.5 percent drop in shopper traffic at all retailers from February through June, according to retail industry data provider ShopperTrak in Chicago.
The two shopper surveys, from Morgan Stanley and retail consultancy WSL Strategic Retail, found that the removal of items from stores in 2009 to reduce clutter wasn’t among the top reasons why shoppers are visiting Wal-Mart less frequently.
“Consumers are not very concerned about removed items or breadth of assortment,” Mark Wiltamuth, an analyst at Morgan Stanley, said in a July 11 report that included the survey. In the WSL survey, 7 percent of Wal-Mart shoppers said they were going there less because it stopped carrying products they buy.
The scariest news for Wal-Mart: it no longer has the deep discount retailer halo it has held for decades:
Many shoppers don’t believe Wal-Mart’s prices are the lowest anymore, the surveys found. These consumers are shifting more of their spending to dollar stores, Target, and supermarkets such as Kroger’s, WSL said. Both surveys polled about 1,500 shoppers.
“The biggest surprise from our survey is that Wal-Mart appears to have lost some of its low-price reputation,” Wiltamuth said in the report. “Wal-Mart now has a price perception problem.” The New York-based analyst rates the shares “equal-weight.”
“They are taking incremental mini-steps at a time when they need to knock shoppers’ socks off,” Liebmann said.
The possible culprits for the drop are many, but none of them change the fact that there is less shopping happening:
Traffic declined by an undisclosed amount at U.S. Wal-Mart stores in the fiscal year ended Jan. 31 after increasing 1.3 percent in the previous year. Shopper visits continued to drop in the first quarter of the current fiscal year. Duke has said customers are making fewer shopping trips and spending less when they do shop because of higher gas prices.
“Our priority right now is trying to provide that opportunity for customers to go to one place and have everyday low prices on the full assortment that they purchase,” Duke said at an April investor conference.
Wal-Mart has forecast that the change in second-quarter fiscal 2012 comparable-store sales in the U.S. would be negative 1 percent to positive 1 percent. Cleveland Research estimates same-store sales to be down as much as 2 percent.
“The data points don’t look great,” Dan Binder, an analyst at Jefferies & Co., said in an Aug. 2 note to clients. “There is downside risk to sales in the second quarter and potentially over the balance of the year.” The New York-based analyst cut his recommendation to “hold” from “buy” in the note.
In a May study from Deloitte Research, almost three out of four respondents said they are making fewer trips to the grocery store to save money and two-fifths said they are purchasing fewer items overall.
The worst news is that despite 3 years of failed attempts, US consumers appear happy to redirect funding from other sources of cash use, such as paying for mortgage (which will end up being the reason for a TARP 2 bailout of the banks soon enough), but far more averse to actually levering up, or, if they wish to do so, appear to no longer have the capacity. Which is easily the worst possible news for the Fed which is now actively preparing to launch QE3.
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I'm sure you meant "historic" - but I gave you a +1 for "histrionic" - fitting!
Could "histronic" be a contraction?
You're right - histrionic, as in dramatic, exaggerated, over-the-top, unrestrained, etc.
Your +1 is something I will treasure for . . . I would like to thank my parents for . . . and ZH . . . and everyone else I . . . the list is too long . . .
I work on several super centers [plumber] the floor trafic is down . only grocery and sporting goods[fishing , ammo] is busy
Well fishing supplies and ammo would be me.
:)
pods
It is summer. Some people have to make the choice between more cheap Chinese crap, and air conditioning.
Seems an easy choice to me.
I am not a "low income" person per say and I like shopping at Walmart for for some items but lately I have noticed they raised their prices alot, even on their store brand items and that is propably the main reason many are going somewhere else. Aldi's is one of the chains taking business away from Walmart also Dollar Stores as mentioned by others. The other day I walked into a very nice Dollar store in the suburbs and I was surprised they carried brand names items, for example 42oz Arizona iced tea bottle for one dollar not to mention various cleaning and household items.
just be sure that it's not Airzona Iced Tea (product of China)
Do you have a link? I found the same company seems to make China Mist Tea, but the only article I could find about manufacturer said both pos were made in Brooklyn.
i hate Walmart but i would never shop at a dollar store, no matter how desperate i got
If you are "shopping" you don't know jack about desperate.
Yes you would. I'm sure many people would be surprised at what they can do when they are truly desperate.
Do you have children? You have no idea what you're wasting if you do and do not go to dollar stores. Think about it. My wife is going to buy them crap anyway, so I might as well have her buying the $1 crap. At least when the garbage toys get thrown away or break, I can rest easy knowing not as much of my wealth has been wasted. Yes, I go to dollar stores, and I'm proud of it. I guess it's possible to be wealthy and waste your money, but it certainly makes staying wealthy more difficult.
Fucking boss! +1
e.g. kids need calculators for school.
Walmart prices: $4.98-$9.98
Dollar Tree $1.
Tax Walmart $ .35 - $ .70
Tax Dollar Tree $ .07
2 calculators at Walmart $ 10.66 - $ 21.36
2 calculators at Dollar Tree $ 2.14
no i will never shop at a dollar store (for food).....i rather cut back on other stuff and if i become desperate and dont any dollars left , then even a dollar store will not help
Walmart's food sucks ass... I would opt to get some better produce elsewhere (although I do buy some produce there)... the quality of stuff between sams and walmart is night and day if you're lucky enough to have a sams in your locale. I strongly suspect costco is an exact substitute with sams... (but with a better credit card/rewards card). Essentially, sams costs about the same for many items, but you get a lot better quality and/or volume for the price.
still corporate food, even if you pay less for it.
Are you one of those free range chicken people?
At any rate, obviously fresh, locally grown produce is better... and if you grow it and know all the inputs, that's a bonus... but, practicality, cost, and availability dictate a lot of the equation...
"but, practicality, cost, and availability dictate a lot of the equation..."
just the way walmart wants the equation to be dictated.
well, I have chickens that get to "free range" if that's what you're accusing me of - in other words. yes, I'm not in favour of Tyson & Foster Farms mass produced, hormone & antibiotic added value Chikken, and I'm equally wary of GMO soy & corn, which are additives in most corporate food products, and is responsible for much of the health related issues amrkns suffer from - the corporate food chain includes the pharma industry, for obvious reasons. . .
the FDA - Monsanto revolving door is certainly enough to make anyone suspicious of what they're "selling". . .
and I do realise that "practicality, cost & availability" must be factored in - but so does health - I'm not a food-nazi by any means, but the bulk of what I choose to eat and serve others is locally sourced, and corporate additive-free, whenever I can.
I feel the same way. I don't have a choice about the chicken I buy (foxes, skunks, coyotes, etc.) - but the beef we raise is all natural, and the wild hogs around here are also about as natural as they come. Until they graze in the old chemical waste dumpsite - but that's a topic for another thread.
you'll no doubt be very popular in the coming years, as a valuable local food source barter - look forward to reading the hog tale some day!
Agreed. When I saw that Walmart was embracing "organic" I knew it was over. Harris Teeter has better stuff and just as cheap $ wise.
BJs (haha) is a club like Costco or Sams (here in NC) and has some pretty decent stuff. We buy our bulk produce there for Vitamix shakes. Grocery stores just dont carry 4-5 lbs of baby spinach a week.
For eating produce, nothing beats local farms or farmers markets. We do alot of bulk pick you own berries in season and freeze them for homemade ice cream, shakes, etc.
pods
just put up some marionberries in the freezer, mmmmmmmm!
you're right to suspect the new, improved (compromised) "organic" foods - check this out:
http://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/organic-elite-surrenders-to-...
corn, wheat, soy, sugar beets, the list grows. . .
I don't like "Dollar Store" or Dollar General" because it's more than $1. But Dollar Tree is very cool.
I hate Wally's World too. They have destroyed small manufacturing companies in the U.S. and they treat their employees like cattle.
i do shop at walmart but cash only. I notice that walmart's traffic at the beginning of the month is large, the parking lots are full, the lines are long. As we get towards the 3rd week of the month the traffic drops very much. There is almost no wait at all in the third and fourth week - and the parking lots are empty during that fourth week. People are having trouble budgeting and making their check stretch for the entire month. Checks are flat but prices have risen so the average walmart family has a bad week at the end of the month. And we have the midnight "good funds have arrived" ritual at the beginning of the month.
I live in a nice suburb in the Midwest. I don't go to WalMart anymore. I was insulted, when upon exiting during Christmas season, some greeter/geezer was checking reicepts and bags people had before they could exit the store. The line to exit the store was long. I just stopped to pick up a few toiletries. I understand the concept of shrinkage, and every low life is trying to steal a barbie something for their kid, but really, what is the geezer going to do if he finds a stolen items? I pay a little more, the experience at Target is better.
If you just walk the hell out, even if they send someone after you, just show them the reciept. Instant front of the line.
Dare them to lay a hand on you when you have proof of payment and are willing to show it.
Quit being sheep.
Lines are for betas.
Costco has the sheep pretty well corralled. I've always wanted to use the emergency exit door, but haven't had the guts.
Heh. Most people don't know TSA is forbidden from asking you if you are really a business traveler if you get into the express lane.
The stupid fuking yuppies have been putting up with that shit at Costco for years. They even pay a "membership" fee to get the opportunity. Costco says it's to make sure they've got everything they paid for.
Gee, I could wager a guess that there are a lot of low income earners out there that are deciding to eat instead of buying more Made in China junk. It's just a hunch. Food or junk? I think I'll go with food. Those folks should call up their local welfare office. Maybe with a little paper work, we could get the food stamp roles up to 80 million.
Become vegetarian. Grass is plentiful and free. Ooooh NOOOO BLYTHE, KEEP OFF THE GRASS!!!!!!! Nooooooooooooo...
the latest thing in SoCal is artificial lawns. big problem is that dogs treat them just like regular lawns, and after awhile they stink. a few of these lawn makers are now addressing the problem with better drainage, and materials which resist odors. final answer is to trade in fido for a plastic replica, and use a plastic pooper scooper to pick up his plastic pooh.
High School football and soccer fields are being "upgraded" with this plastic stuff. There are now higher incidents of infections to players that have minor scrapes and turf burn. This is because this artificial turf needs to be hosed down to clean it off.
god forbid they put in a food garden.
S O U R C E S do you know where the food is coming from when you buy it at the "dollar" store (or Wal*Mart)? You could very well be buying the worst quality and most contaminated products on the market/planet.
Every dollar you spend at a box store GOES AWAY from you and the community you live in. The "savings" you enjoy for a few seconds impoverishs you and your community now and later.
When there is no profit there is no production.
When there is no production you must import. And someone else will make a profit at your expense. You also undermine any incentives for local production to resume by importing a deflation in wages which further reduces local production incentives.
When you import, you must export your wealth. And you import a structural dis-incentives into your environment.
If you repeatedly export more than you import you are on the road to poverty.
At a certain point you export so much of your wealth you can not service your existing debt, and certainly can not take on more debt. At which point you are a dry, hollow husk.
Starting to sound familiar??
selling groceries made by someone else isn't production... maybe a necessary evil given the inefficiencies of our transportation system, but not production...
Further, your local grocery store owner probably outsources his deposits to a financial institution located outside of his immediate vicinity... or, if locally deposited, the bank then converts his funds and holds them elsewhere... subject to confiscation by external parties. Not sure what you're getting at with this point, but I think it pulls the blinders over your eyes about the world economy and its unavoidable and interconnected nature...
Unless your local economy/national economy, can export and maintain a surplus in balance of trade compared to imports you will consistently become poorer. You will end up selling your children to maintain appearances.
Sure its an "interconnected world". But think about it, the dynamics are scale invariant.
Unless and until we can become a net creditor, instead of a net debtor we will be on the losing end of that "interconnectivity".
Comparing "savings" on imported purchases is foolish, particularly on recurring expenses. And as I noted when you import you are importing a structure into your own economy, not just the "stuff".
And if you hand your money to a bank or other financial house you are chosing NOT to use that capital productively where you are (local investment). They will lend it to people who are making the stuff you have to buy, who in turn are making the money you are not making.
Possibly that is difficult to grasp. Go find a small town that is dying and stay there for a few days and watch what is driving it into extinction. Then you will see a small example about which I am writing. Family, town, state, nation, its all the same dynamic. If you do not play the dynamic to your advantage you will go extinct.
Yes, but what I'm telling you is that production leads to excesses... which are converted and stored somewhere other than where production occurred... and, further, are NOT completely exhausted into the local economy... This is for many reasons, but political instability, fear, treatment of capital, and opportunity cost are certainly at the forefront. This is something that is PERMANENT in the system moving forward, given our interconnected economies and banking.
What you're talking about is a pipe dream fit only for an academic vacuum.
In addition, it's not as simple as you make it. This effect is not solely determined by whether we are net importers or exporters. For example, look at China... massive exporter... sure, the standard of living is increasing, but what happens when their reciprocals go belly up? American consumers go tits up and then china goes tits up... who knows where either lands. Simply put, these things are vastly more dynamic than a simple metric of trade. (there was quite a while where our standard of living increased while being a net importer...)
Also, what you're ultimately arguing is for a command economy... dictating capital flows... well, all I'll say about that is it's destined for failure... It might be possible to temporarily exploit external conditions and jam pack the rest of the world with the fruits of your production, but ultimately there is a ceiling to the amount of junk they need or want... and eventually there will be a snap back. I also have significant reservations about the morality of this type of system and how it may interact with our common notions of autonomy (what little are left).
Centrally produced & distributed industrial agriculture requires subsidies on its processes & low price fuel to compete with its locally produced, fresher, better tasting alternative.
Agriculture purchased from international sources gets more expensive as the $ slides.
Food stamps & other aid have not kept pace with the cost increases Wal Mart is incurring.
Conclusion: Wal Mart better start re-considering its central purchasing & distribution model, if it wants to remain the low cost leader.
Remember not long ago when Wal-Mart stated it was revamping the stores to bring in a different clientèle? The higher prices are for their new clientèle - the middle class. It doesn't seem to be working out well... :)
+ $88.88
The so-called middle class is getting shafted as usual, and we cannot fall back on welfare (corporate or individual).
The Wally World's here shortened all their shelving, widened all the aisles, and 'cleaned' up the store. In reality, they expanded the housewares section to include a whole bunch of those celebrity branded items from the whole TV cooking craze and doubled the size of the electronics section. I use them for dog food, the $3 bottles of Aussie wines(great when the guests are already bombed and I reuse the bottles for my own wines), and their clearance shelves. Typically though, Target is much better on clearance and meats(Buffalo burger, awesome), Big Lots has tons of name-branded foods and products for cheap, and Gordon Food Services has all the bulk items I need at better prices than Sam's or Costco and no memberships. When I shop now, I cruise aisle ends for clearance items and then get what I really came for. A good day is picking up clearance items I put on Craigslist which end up paying for my whole trip, like a $60 propane cooker for $15, bought all 8, sold them for $30 on Craiglist and the guys who bought them still got a deal. The next time it was a $150 prepaid cell phone for $35 I put on Ebay for $80, sold the same day.
Bump for Big Lot cookies prices.
I have heard that if you are less than 300 pounds you won't trip the automatic door openers at WalMart.
maybe some posters here who shop at WalMart can verify that rumour for you?
Went to WalMart last night after work around 1130 PM, just to get some filters for my central air system. The place was a madhouse, EBT cards out to the max, people loading up to the gills on 'stuff'. It has gotten really bad around here between the 30th and 5th of each month every store (convenience stores, walmart, target, costco, etc.) and restaurants (even upscale) are packed. Then after the 5th like a ghost town again. Doesn't take a genius to figure it out. It must be nice to pay for it all with someone else's money...reason # 3172 to get the fuck outta SoCal-watching others live large off of your confiscated wealth.
i find better prices at the super chains, if you shop sale items and use coupons. not sure why WalMart is not being as price competitive
I have found the same thing. I used to buy more groceries at Walmart about 3 or 4 years ago, then their prices started to rise in comparison to the local super chains. For example, swiss cheese, bluberries, and coffe creamer rose anywhere from 20 to 40% in the last year (just a sample of the things I buy and track). There are still a few items that are consistently cheaper at Walmart (cocoa powder, tea, truvia, olive oil) but the gap keeps closing. My theory is that after many years of squeezing producers with thin margins on long contracts, this model no longer works. Those multi-year contracts are expiring and the producers cannot no longer sell at a inflation adjusted loss to Walmart, especially since the price of oil jumped and is staying high. Walmart is feeling the pressure. They can't beat the Dollar stores on price. they won't get those customers back very easily.
Corporate execs: "We've moved every part of our company that wasnt' bolted down to China, and stuck every increment of new profit into our own pocket, and now middle Americans seem to have less money for buying our goods and services.... Hmm, there must be some connection, but what is it?"
Hmmm I wonder if Walmart is running into a consumer optimization problem. What I mean by that is the following: Are some consumers so cash strapped that they are willing to discount search for those sales that do happen and are cheaper then Walmart? Remember their low cost approach is based on the idea of lowest prices all the time, not loss leader for a month to influence potential customer attraction. This makes sense unless the consumer has the time and means, via the internet perhaps, to search for the absolute best, one of, deals around town.
If this is the case, what are the implications on the broader market? Is this just a consumer goods phenomenon due to the already intense competition? How do consumers behave when they are cash poor and time rich?
More likely than not, you're just talking about people that are too stupid to understand that they're burning $2.00 in gas to save $1.00 driving across town...
The only way your proposal works is with perfect pricing information and no marginal transportation costs... big ifs
Maybe they just go after whatever weekly flier looks the best for the items they're likely to purchase... but, the savings between the stores, at this juncture, are immaterial given marginal transportation costs... big ticket items should always be shopped around for... (and are most likely cheaper online)... but at some point materiality comes into play... I guess if you have an infinite amount of free time, then your material threshold is lower, but still... hence why the extreme couponing people are stay at home parents and their job is literally saving money on costs.
I suppose this is another reason why walmart is losing and more towards your thesis (and for a totally different segment of consumer)... given ability to coupon there is less... and their discounts are less on particular items (while overall being the same/slightly cheaper)... people have enough free space to "stock up" on a particular item when it goes on sale... and I think you're seeing bigger purchases for many items (meat), which are then stored... which also makes sense in an inflationary environment. (much better return than keeping the money in the bank). The savings on this particular item(s) justifies the marginal transportation costs.
Quality is also an issue... many items at walmart are sub-par... kitchen utensils... meats... many produce items... these items might be similarly priced elsewhere, but better quality... (e.g. costco).
I am not so sure if perfect pricing information is such a stretch these days. Google is all powerful. Likewise you have a multitude of group buying sites popping up. I do realize that group buying tends to be a specific for the day, but I am sure people do watch it for those ridiculously cheap and relevant deals. The main point I would like to drive home here is that with internet access and a little bit of sleuthing know how garnered from some hot shot frugal blog should lead people to the discount sales they are looking for.
Your point on transportation cost is a good one. I don't particularly put much faith in people, but I would hope they aren't burning $2.00 to save $1.00. With that said I am a bigger fan of the higher effort transportation as I do believe that people do a have more time and as such will choose to bike / walk more often. This replaces transportation spending a fair amount and fits more with a cash strapped consumer. I would think that a cash strapped family would be forced to consumer little and often as opposed to putting in inventory for 6 months worth of meat. This type of consumer also doesn't have to worry about the convenience of the space required to bring said supplier home.
I do like the reference to people having more ability to stock up. I just don't believe they have the capacity to do so if cash flows are tight. Anyway this was more or less a thought experiment and I'll be honest I doubt that this behaviour could seriously explain a drop like this in Walmart, even if the relationship was there.
At the very least, this type of behavior could partially explain the effect at walmart.
The thing is, internet sites pop up all the time with discounts, coupons, etc. Given the mantra of free shipping or, at least, cost neutral shipping with sales tax avoidance, online shopping is the place to be for everything other than basic fresh food (and I suspect that will change too). Whether it's mrrebates, slickdeals, or coupon sites, there is always some ridiculous deal on a particular item... for all the durable purchases (cosmetics, toiletries, vitamins, bags, tools, repair items, cooking ware and utensils), these types of one time blowouts are going to be the norm going forward... and act to significantly pull demand forward. There are going to be more and more segments of retailer product offerings that are simply more economical to purchase online...
And yes, cash flows limit this approach... but it's the marginal people walmart has to worry about... essentially, all of the marginal customers are going to be gone... they're going to be left with a core customer base of people only getting a particular segment of product (food and consumer disposables) and everyone else will have fedex deliver their stuff. (all things equal).
If we're to the point where this is true, then we can't possibly have many more places to nail our coffin shut.
As I drove to the bank today to deposit a few checks I thought about the "business model" that enables our "way of life". If it were not for gasoline (and diesel) how would one cover the distances needed in order to conduct the daily exercises we take for granted. Bicycles possibly, but the increase in transit times themselves would have a profound impact.
Wal*Mart is seeing TRAFFIC declines, that does not address declines in receipts. That is feet into/outof Wal*Mart stores, fewer visits. At $3.75/gal most working Americans have, in the past months, had an extra $200 or more pulled out of their pockets to fuel their vehicles. So, they have reduced their 3 item shopping trips to conserve.
Since they can not print money, they will count their pennies and decide not to take that extra trip. Bro has said to me "every time I go for a drive I end up buying something. I do not drive and I save alot of money.
every time I go for a drive I end up buying something. I do not drive and I save alot of money
I think bro's correct.
I used to say I couldn't leave the home without it costing me $100.....now I just don't leave home...
George Carlin's words ring truer today, "The don't give a Fu@k about you."
http://lonerangersilver.wordpress.com/2011/08/02/george-carlin-they-dont...
I've stopped shopping at Wal-Mart some time ago. I was browsing in the computer/electronic/videos & games section "store within a store" arrangement, when I heard over the PA system some code words that got my attention. I paid for my purchase at the internal cashier and proceeded to leave the store. Before I left a woman came over to check my bag, finding nothing amiss, I was allowed to leave. I didn't like the feeling of being a criminal for the crime of shopping at Wally-World (as a friend used to say) while doing nothing wrong. Some under paid, security camera watching employee with nothing better to do must have flagged me for extra scrutiny for some reason. Never been back since. I don't need to pay good money for extra harassment.
I have ceased to do business with HSBC, B of A, Chase Bank, Staples and Qwest for various annoying and sundry reasons.
Couple of things about Walmart. They are no longer low cost. They usually have one low price loss leader item but anything name brand costs the same or more than if you bought it elsewhere. For example the cheapest toaster $9.99 but the better name brands are not bargains.
Second, watch what they charge you. Frequently I get charged a higher price than was posted on the shelf or advertised in their flyer. If I catch them they say it is an inventory error but they never offer to give me the lower price, and the error is always in their favor.
Third, their food prices are higher than the supermarkets around here.
Finally about the so called Greeters. They are not there to hand you a shopping cart, they are there to catch shoplifters running out the doors. The greeting is just to make it look good.
Im not surprised they are losing trade. I dont go there if I can help it. They are supposed to be a blessing to small towns but that was a long time ago.
It's because Wal-Mart sucks ass. Migration to local shops. Who the &^%& wants to drive to Crap-Mart when you can hit Walgreens right down the street for the same items, same price.
I find your definition of local shops amusing.
"I choose to buy my identical corporate products at Blue store, avoiding Red store. It's all about having a choice!"
couldn't click your green arrow, but +1.
If you’ve ever visited a dollar store, you’re paying a dollar for a lot of things that are worth 50 cents; you can get a whole set of tableware for a few dollars; but in a week you need another set. They’re fine as long as you don't wash them.
I’ve started stopping by a Wal-Mart Superstore on my commute to stock up on staples - most all considerably cheaper than the chain supermarkets in my area. And, BTW, the chain supermarkets have been lowering their prices a little because of Wal-Mart; I remember $5 dollar bread, vividly, at Safeway before Wal-Mart came to town…
Sure, there's plenty of crapola at "dollar" stores. Ya gotta have a clue, but WalMart prices generally are higher for staples and they sell a lot of the same cheap chinese crap.
Try reading the ad papers of your local chain supermarkets...there are many deals.
WalMart near where I live is packed. Packed with Brazilians and Venezuelans that is. Other than that, I can imagine this being the case for the rest of America.
Business may be running dry but the theft taking place from the couple of WalMarts near me is staggering and headed higher. Management just watches that merchandise flee the store! These punks come in with WalMart bags in their pockets, fill them and head on out the door while some aged AARP member waves at them! Yesterday some "hood gangsta chicks were at the Lands End in the local Sears store and came up to the counter asking for a bunch of bags and quickly left the store only to head off to another Mall and fill them.......truly brilliant employees.......
The lies and thievery coming from our Government is trickling down!!
Leaders would set an example but what we have now it "lord of the flies".
Dont point your anger against the few small time ignorant hoodlums. Its morality that trickles down.
Still that you feel anything is a good thing in its self it shows that as a culture and people how ever loosely defined is not gone...Yet.
I used to like WalMart. Then some BrainChild high up the Ladder there came up with some "new" marketing plan which turned out to be a TOTAL Flop. Prices rose instead of falling and they are losing market share in many areas faster then your can say "Deflation."
They are no longer competitve for most foods, etc. Hey, when Kohls is cheape then WalMart, they (WMT) has a BIg Problem.
I hope they turn it around. Like many companies, they need better leadership.
Leadership (which in the Broad Sense includes management)....seems to be a most scarce item these days.
I had the unfortunate opportunity to visit this bastion of humanity this past weekend and was shocked at the purile and disgusting nature of not only the mass over-consumption and sloth-greed present in the general concept of this company but the subset of humanity dressed to the nines in sweatpants and nascar t-shirts exemplified by the pregnant woman casually dropping f-bombs as loud as day.
I had the unfortunate opportunity to visit this bastion of humanity this past weekend and was shocked at the purile and disgusting nature of not only the mass over-consumption and sloth-greed present in the general concept of this company, but the subset of humanity dressed to the nines in sweatpants and nascar t-shirts exemplified by the pregnant woman casually dropping f-bombs as loud as day.
Maybe if walmart offered more micro-brews and local wines they would do better. At least they would create a reason to shop there. But then maybe i was just spoiled, living in NY. I didnt want to trade off good food and drink for wamth.
Need to find somewhere warm low toxicity and good food. But then dont we all.
aye, no one wants to live in the nest they shit in.
Interesting. Doesn't the US have non-taxed / trade / wholesale stores for small / medium sized retailers? e.g. Makro, Cash-n-Carry. A far better option would be to shop tax free, if you're reading this site? Or via online without sales tax (hello Amazon)? Allegedly.
Anyhow - Wal-mart's real issues, methinks:
About to launch Vudu [sigh..], 3rd attempt at digital streaming service. Like netflix isn't already a footnote to the big players ($3bil being a dribble compared to the average merchandising for a single summer blockbuster)... oh. Wait. Why are they bothering?
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-walmart-takes-anothe...
Mexican profits are down (meaning.. if the "aliens" someone concerned about in here are returning home, they've learnt not to shop where they worked in the US)
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-19/wal-mart-de-mexico-posts-second...
And online - Amazon is looking to duke it out with Wal-mart directly; even to the level where Wal-mart (so known for their abilities to avoid taxes, legislation and so forth) are demanding / supporting an e-commerce sales tax to match bricks-n-mortar ones:
http://www.jimlillig.com/internet-marketing/why-walmart-is-fueling-the-a...
There's three areas which I'd be interested in as an investor / I think the old vampires in charge are totally bat-shit crazy to spill blood on.
p.s.
Bonus round - another direct mirror of ZH, named... http://wethesheeplez.blogspot.com/
If there was a item and walmart had the last one in the world, I would deleat my desire for that item before i entered there parking lot
We have a NEW SUPER STORE in our fair city, I have been in it several times, looking around, and checking prices.
Bottom Line, on produce, Kroger beats them badly,or at least is not higher on any items we use(and that's lots of fruits, and vegetables).
If you can show them you can get it lower somewhere else, they will match it.
Screw that, as A Wal Mart Super Store, there should be ZERO chance of a chain like Kroger, or Tom Thumb beating you open the same items, every time.
Looking for a Flat screen, forget it, cheapest grade(Brands), and higher priced + sales tax, than off the web.No tax and free freight.
I have yet to find anything we use, at a major savings. So, why the hassle of parking, and getting treated like shit.
City of 80k plus Upper Middle Class, and it's almost empty except on weekends. Service?, what service?........9:00 a.m., 18 registers #17 open, and it's at the far end......
IF you were in the market,Sam's /Costco,neither will show advertised prices on line,because they want you to come in, and they know they are also higher.
Last week we were down in Panama City and dropped by the local WalMart to pick up some salt water fishing gear after the bait stores were closed......if you ever need some quick humor on a Friday night in Panama City, Florida just swing by the WalMart and bring a camera.
If it weren't so sad it might really be hilarious. And these people all or usually all breed........
Couldn't have happened to a better company. In the original "The Age of Walmart" on CNBC, David Faber interviews a factory owner Walmart "forced to outsource" his factory (or he would have went out of business), but in the newer version it is no longer in there. It disappeared like CNBS' credibility.
I am a Walmart shopper only because I live in a rural area and there's not much choice in where to shop. I don't think Walmart's prices are any great shakes; I can find cheaper in Dollar General and I noticed the move from WM to DG years ago. However, you have to know your products and prices or you will get screwed.
Also, there has been major inflation for the last two years (which I have been posting about the entire time) and which is ignored or denied. Recently I went to buy sugar at DG, which has the lowest price, and the shelf was completely empty. Their price is $2.75 for 4 lbs; Walmart is $3.08 and the supermarket is $3.38. The price of sugar has gone up about 50%. Dog food is up by 40%. Candy and cereal packages shrunk by 25-33%, and so on.
Walmart also cut the number of choices in some areas. I used to buy their cheap brand of paper towels but it disappeared. When I go to buy a coffee maker at WM, there are maybe two cheap choices and everything else is expensive. Often the cheapest choice is not even on the shelf or they order so few of it that you can't find it. When I shop for one type of dog food, there's a 50-50 chance there will be any. And if they do have it, there is only a dozen cans.
One more thing: I also found out that prices vary from store to store. If I travel 25 miles in the opposite direction, the WM there will charge me a few cents less for the same pet food. I asked the managers at both WMs for an explanation and they had none.
Consumer Electronics
Wholesale Raincoat
Men Beauty Care
Wholesale Compass
Consumer Electronics
Wholesale Scissors
Wholesale Clap Hands
Wholesale Radio
Wholesale Calculator
China Wholesale
Wholesale lable
Entertainment Supplies
Wholesale Tag
Wholesale First Aid Kit
Wholesale Cards
Wholesale Glasses
Wholesale Bookmark
Silicone Products
Wholesale USB Products
Wholesale Cup
Wholesale Banner
Advertising Material
Stuffed Animals
Wholesale Vase
Wholesale Ashtray
Muslim Products
Silicone Products
Pet Supplies
Wholesale Suppliers
Wholesale Calendar
Wholesale Playing Card
Promotional Gifts
Wholesale Glove
Audio Video Equipment
Wholesale Compressed Products
Wholesale Kitchenware
Health Care Products
Wholesale Stapler
Wholesale Whistle
Crystal Gifts
Wholesale Playing Card
Wholesale Racks
Reflective Safety Vest
Patient Care Products
Inflatable Products
How full is that big Wal-Mart Bonded Warehouse in China ?
Traffic - I watch and listen to the number of cars at all hours of the day. Traffic tells me that there is far fewer people driving around, especially at hours that use to be the time to go to work. Traffic has been down for 3 years or so, and its getting less and less.
People waiting to get a Ride to Work - They are gone for over 4 years now. I never see anyone waiting. A lot of people have gone back to their home countries, well over 2 years ago.
Job Jumping - I have a neighbor that has had over 7 jobs over the past 3 years. Now the partner has a full-time job at night, and keeps the small business going during the day.