OT: Walmart

[Walkthedawg]

I don't understand how Dollar General stays in business. I live in area with a populatuon of probably 30,000 people and there atleast 12 DG stores within 20-25 minutes of my house. Inventory management at most of them seems non-existent. There are more products in boxes on the floor and on carts there on the shelves. Nobody at the checkout counter - you have to squeeze and squeak a rubber chicken dog toy to get someone to come check you out.

They don't own the retail locations. They usually lease. If a location underperforms.. they can yank up shop and shut the doors with little issue. That is part of what doomed Fred's. They were rooted in their locations.

And the stores, in rural areas, are usually between a section of population and larger box stores where they don't exactly blow the doors off of customer service either. And you can usually get away with poor service if the price is right on items.

Basically Dollar General runs on a modified foreign born convenience store owner model. Except dollar general doesn't pack up the store in the early morning hour and leave a large tax and fuel supplier bill unpaid when they vanish.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

Hell, that business model seems to work. Dollar General with that business model did run Freds Dollar store out of business. Maybe Walmart should look at it.

No, Michael Bloom killed Fred’s and Family Dollar. He’s the kliff kingsburry of CEO’s.

 

[leeinator]

slight thread hijack. Why did the Walmart in Starkville feel like it was 100 miles away from campus? I swear to god when I drove there I felt like I lost an entire day

The part he left out was the item he failed to scan was an 85 inch Samsung. Oops.

120 now I wonder where it was 30 years ago. I am guessing even with the drop you would have made some money. My wife inherited 250K six years ago. She asked me what she should do to invest it. I did not want to tell her because if it went south, I would feel guilty. I started to tell her to buy silver. I wish I had now. It would Probably be worth three times that. It has been in CD's earning 3% to 6%. I now feel guilty for not telling her. To her credit she has not spent it.

I bought about 200 ounces of silver over 20 years ago for about $9-10 an ounce. They were American Eagle coins. Still have them in my bank vault box. Should I sell them or just hang on to them a little longer? I really don't know much about precious metals and just bought them cause a few of my friends got some.

 

[GloryDawg]

I bought about 200 ounces of silver over 20 years ago for about $9-10 an ounce. They were American Eagle coins. Still have them in my bank vault box. Should I sell them or just hang on to them a little longer? I really don't know much about precious metals and just bought them cause a few of my friends got some.

I don't know. It has dropped from it 103.00 per ounce.

 

[RocketDawg]

I don't fully get the business model in bigger places, but they definitely provide a needed service for small communities that are now completely ignored by literally every other big retail name in the country.

Last time I looked, there were something like 14 Walmarts here. The Walmart I go to occasionally is only a couple miles away. They really suffered during Covid, and I've been there maybe 4 or 5 times since then. There are only 4 Targets but another one is being built. Can't remember the last time I went to Target.

 

[She Mate Me]

Last time I looked, there were something like 14 Walmarts here. The Walmart I go to occasionally is only a couple miles away. They really suffered during Covid, and I've been there maybe 4 or 5 times since then. There are only 4 Targets but another one is being built. Can't remember the last time I went to Target.

I was actually talking about Dollar General in that post you replied to. They go into tiny markets WM will never touch.

 

[TroyMcClure2025]

If you’re considering stocks and haven’t already purchased DG, you missed the likely forever peak. WM on the other hand? It split a couple of years ago and is up ~70% since. I’d recommend buying on the next rare split and maybe even now. WM is an institution in many towns for better or worse. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. DG has turned into the half-brother of Dirt Cheap. A place where one’s exit makes one consider hand sanitizer and maybe a vaccine. Their hiring process results in what appears to be former Whitfield residents.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

If you’re considering stocks and haven’t already purchased DG, you missed the likely forever peak. WM on the other hand? It split a couple of years ago and is up ~70% since. I’d recommend buying on the next rare split and maybe even now. WM is an institution in many towns for better or worse. I don’t see that changing anytime soon. DG has turned into the half-brother of Dirt Cheap. A place where one’s exit makes one consider hand sanitizer and maybe a vaccine. Their hiring process results in what appears to be former Whitfield residents.

You make a good point. Walmart is working hard to compete with amazon. They have a lot of potential in that space. They’ve worked hard to improve their delivery accuracy. That service was a crapshoot at first, but it’s pretty good now. They already have the physical buildings everywhere so one day or same day delivery is easier than for Amazon. I think they have some ties to the paramount streaming service as well (might be wrong on that). I expect to see WM push more into the media world.

 

[mstateglfr]

I buy mulch there every spring. It’s the only thing I have purchased from that hellscape for the last 6 years.

I load the mulch up before even paying. Then I take a picture of the barcode, walk inside, and scan the barcode at the self checkout.
In and out of that place in a minute this way.




It's fast and easy, so I view it as a feature and not a failing.

It's just $1.47 for a 2cuft bg of brown mulch right now.
Helluva deal, even if the stuff is dyed with cancer chemicals that'll make me grow a 3rd nut...or lose one.


Proof that claims of inflation are total bullshít. **

 

[TaleofTwoDogs]

Downhill? They’ve been at the bottom of the hill for a while. I only do pickup or delivery at Walmart. I refuse to step foot inside and be amongst the dregs of humanity.

That's fine with us dregs, we don't want your lazy, entitled arzs in the store anyway.*

 

[TaleofTwoDogs]

I bought about 200 ounces of silver over 20 years ago for about $9-10 an ounce. They were American Eagle coins. Still have them in my bank vault box. Should I sell them or just hang on to them a little longer? I really don't know much about precious metals and just bought them cause a few of my friends got some.

Depends on how greedy you are and if you need the money. Sell before the ***** hits the fan and take your profit. Don't forgot that selling cost can be up to 40% (pawn shop) or up to 15% on most internet sites. Your internet pay out can take up to a month to receive on some sites. At $9-$10 oz, you made a great investment so you're pretty much guaranteed a profit. How much and when is up to you.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

It's just $1.47 for a 2cuft bg of brown mulch right now.
Helluva deal, even if the stuff is dyed with cancer chemicals that'll make me grow a 3rd nut...or lose one.


Proof that claims of inflation are total bullshít. **

Well as long as you’re not eating the mulch I think you’ll be ok.

 

[MarkDallas]

Walmart has been in Starkville for a long time. Used to be a little closer in. I have no idea what's there now, but Remington Hunt Club was in part of the old Walmart I think.

I'm sure they located where they are now because they wanted to be on the bypass. All about traffic count.

Walmart used to be where Lowe’s is. They moved to build a Supercenter.

Side note: West Point used to have the smallest Walmart I’ve ever seen. You could have a conversation with someone on the other side of the store. Was still that way till the early/mid 2000s.

 

[blacklistedbully]

Went to Walmart this morning to buy some mulch. They're well stocked but absolutely nobody was working in the huge garden department. Had to go halfway across the store to the customer service desk, pay there, then go load it in my SUV. Nobody checked the receipt - I could have taken all I wanted.

It was hard for Walmart to go downhill, but they managed to do it.

There is a Walmart out here in Oakland, CA that has had to put all their jeans behind lock & key, followed shortly thereafter having to do the same on their freezer items. The theft of jeans, combined with frozen pizza, ice cream, etc. was costing them way too much money.

Liberal policies and gov't officials brought this hell down upon us, favoring criminals over victims. It's truly hard to grasp how we could elect these kinds of people, but the TDS has gotten so bad we have a majority of Democrats voting for this abomination. They vote for whoever convinces them they hate Trump more than the other candidates.

And thank you, George Soros, et al., for continuing to pour millions upon millions of $ into making this a reality. Out here they are literally inviting theft, proclaiming they would not pursue anyone who stole under $1,000 at any given time.

 

[kired]

During Covid I was able to completely avoid Walmart for 6 months, March 2020 - sept 2020

 

[ZombieKissinger]

I’ve seen drastically different quality of chains based on where I’ve lived. I think it is a combination of local education, culture, and minimum wage. It’s going to vary based on where you are in the state as well. Washington was amazing. It was a weird combination of a super high minimum wage, educated population that took at least some pride in work, and little ambition. You had really sharp people who cared working at Taco Bell and whatnot

Mississippi << North Carolina < New Hampshire < Washington.

 

[Shmuley]

I’ve seen drastically different quality of chains based on where I’ve lived. I think it is a combination of local education, culture, and minimum wage. It’s going to vary based on where you are in the state as well. Washington was amazing. It was a weird combination of a super high minimum wage, educated population that took at least some pride in work, and little ambition. You had really sharp people who cared working at Taco Bell and whatnot

Mississippi << North Carolina < New Hampshire < Washington.

As much as I travel out west, the more apparent this becomes …. especially for hospitality, food and service industries. The “help” is on a completely different level of human. Almost never run into a shi++y attitude or a lazy @$$ demeanor. It is shockingly refreshing.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I’ve seen drastically different quality of chains based on where I’ve lived. I think it is a combination of local education, culture, and minimum wage. It’s going to vary based on where you are in the state as well. Washington was amazing. It was a weird combination of a super high minimum wage, educated population that took at least some pride in work, and little ambition. You had really sharp people who cared working at Taco Bell and whatnot

Mississippi << North Carolina < New Hampshire < Washington.

You’re pretty spot on. People taking pride in what they do even if it’s Taco Bell goes a long way. You find that sporadicly around here but it’s few and far between

 

[johnson86-1]

You’re pretty spot on. People taking pride in what they do even if it’s Taco Bell goes a long way. You find that sporadicly around here but it’s few and far between

In service industries in the South, when they care, they usually end up on viral videos getting yelled at or attacked by scum because they don’t just let the scum tear up the place, steal, or abuse other front line employees

 

[TroyMcClure2025]

Walmart used to be where Lowe’s is. They moved to build a Supercenter.

Side note: West Point used to have the smallest Walmart I’ve ever seen. You could have a conversation with someone on the other side of the store. Was still that way till the early/mid 2000s.

Based on West Point, I’d say those people on opposite sides of the store needed stun guns and nets…practically Planet of the Apes without Charlton Heston.

 

[Dawgbite]

Aberdeen Ms is the only town that I’ve ever seen WalMart just say 17 it and close down and leave. Towards the end, they had a chicken wire cage around the entire electronics section.

 

[RocketDawg]

Aberdeen Ms is the only town that I’ve ever seen WalMart just say 17 it and close down and leave. Towards the end, they had a chicken wire cage around the entire electronics section.

I've heard - from someone who grew up in the area (my wife) - that much of the theft in Aberdeen was from employees.

 

[Dawgbite]

I've heard - from someone who grew up in the area (my wife) - that much of the theft in Aberdeen was from employees.

Years ago I went in the Aberdeen WalMart to buy shotgun shells. They were something like $3.50 per box. There’s a whole pallet of cases of ten boxes sitting in the floor in sporting goods. I grab a case of ten boxes and set them on the counter. She scans the bar code on the case and it rings up $3.50. I’m a firm believer in karma so I explained that $3.50 is the per box price and there is ten boxes in the case. She tells me that she knows how to do her job and doesn’t need my help so I smiled and told her that I’d take the entire pallet. I’m still shooting Walmart shotgun shells and they’ve probably been closed 20 years.

 

[Perd Hapley]

Walmart has been in Starkville for a long time. Used to be a little closer in. I have no idea what's there now, but Remington Hunt Club was in part of the old Walmart I think.

I'm sure they located where they are now because they wanted to be on the bypass. All about traffic count.

Old Wal Mart was where Lowe’s now sits. It didn’t move that far.

The old Wal Mart was also the old size, before the Supercenters became the new standard.

 

[skip dog]

I prob ably have less than 5 things that I buy that have to come from WalMart, and they are a once a quarter need.

What I have found with Walmart's are the following:
1. I go in the mornings (benefits of self employment), and get just about get a "team member" to walk with me and show me where all my needed items are.
2. small town walmarts are the best in the morning. Their best staff members are on hand
3. I don't like WalMart and minimize my visits.....that said, they do serve a need.
4. We need to, as a society, get back to people realizing their job is to serve

 

[She Mate Me]

Old Wal Mart was where Lowe’s now sits. It didn’t move that far.

The old Wal Mart was also the old size, before the Supercenters became the new standard.

Anybody wanna go for a trifecta of correcting me.

I kid, I kid...

 

[Perd Hapley]

Anybody wanna go for a trifecta of correcting me.

I kid, I kid...

My bad, didn’t see the other reply.

 

[She Mate Me]

Old Wal Mart was where Lowe’s now sits. It didn’t move that far.

The old Wal Mart was also the old size, before the Supercenters became the new standard.

Anybody wanna go for a trifecta of correcting me.

I kid, I kid...

My bad, didn’t see the other reply.

No worries. I'm just being overly sensitive about my wrongness on a dreary Monday.