Wal-mart puts bullseye on Target

[Deja Q]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8244689

CHICAGO - Wal-Mart Stores Inc., which has gained a reputation for leaving opponents limping into bankruptcy court, is taking on Target Corp. in a fight that it just might lose.

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Wal-Mart, the No. 1 retailer, is widening its array of stylish-but-cheap goods in hopes of winning over middle-income customers, putting it head-to-head with a rival that has proved it can compete and thrive against a company six times its size.

"Can Wal-Mart make merchandise improvements that will drive incremental sales? Absolutely," said Darrell Rigby, head of the global retail practice at consultants Bain & Co. "Can Wal-Mart beat Target at Target's game? I doubt it."

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[all.of.me]

1. this ought to be good

:popcorn:

[Dover]

2. Yeah.........pass the popcorn. I wonder if they're giving odds...

I'd put my money on Target any day of the week.

[all.of.me]

11. ditto: target

[xmas74]

6. Could you pass me the popcorn too?

I wanna see Walmart get their ass kicked. I can't stand them and the way they set themselves up as the only option in most small towns.

[all.of.me]

12. let's build some bleachers...

so all our friends can watch, too!

did you EVER think you'd see the demise of wally world?! maybe it will go hand in hand with the impeachment. there's GOT to be a good graphic in there.... where is distressed american?!

[xmas74]

14. I've got some 2x4's out in my shed.

We can begin the bleacher-building process.
Walmart is the only game in my town. I can't stand them anymore. Even my parents, who usually don't give a crap about much of anything (dad actually defended * once but Dad likes to play Devil's Advocate too) have decided to stop shopping at Walmart. They said that it is becoming one of the crappiest places they have ever shopped at and that the merchandise is substandard.

I hope Target takes them down!

[all.of.me]

19. i have a bunch of screws and a brand new drill!

wal mart is all we have. target is 2 hours away. bummer. i hope wal mart goes under and we can have our very own target. that would be the best!

[xmas74]

21. We have a Target about an hour away from here.

I still don't get up there that often. People think that I'm silly but I don't like to go up there unless I plan out a full day. I just don't like to waste my time and my gas.

[all.of.me]

23. yup. same here

i go to target when i'm going that way, either to the airport (not that often!) or if i have other errands to do in that town. it is a FULL day to go there, so you have to combine all your errands. when i lived in tucson, i NEVER went to wal mart. i always went to target, even though it was twice as far. it was still closer than what i have now!

[blondeatlast]

3. You either got it or you ain't. Any takers for Wal-Mart to win?

I didn't think so.

This is not going to get me into Wal-Mart if a team of wild horses couldn't do it.

[NewJeffCT]

4. Just a 1% shift in customers is huge

At that level, if Wal-Mart takes away 1% of Target's customers, it is huge.

Personally, I hope they both get beaten up & bloodied.

[Danmel]

5. No- Wal Mart just does not have the Cache of Tar-zhay !

eom

[TripAndFall]

28. Ah yes

Tahr=zhey...that fancy French retailer

Damned If I Know

[Coventina]

7. How can Target possibly lose?

The few times I ever have been inside a Wal-Mart the shopping experience has been TERRIBLE!!

Filthy stores, crap strewn EVERYWHERE! Trashy families bickering about their ongoing "issues" in life. If you need help there is no employee to be found.

I was in there to buy fragrance for my mother-in-law once, and it seemed that every bottle worth more than $10 was kept in a locked case. I went searching for help (of course there was no one at THAT counter!), and was told "It isn't my department" so many times I became pretty infuriated.

This was all before I learned how evil the company is.

I had decided they are a shit company before I realized that it all comes from the top.

Target is Rodeo Drive in comparison.

[Deja Q]

13. Why need employees? One security camera every 5 square feet is better.

My walmart, in a conservative town, is worthy of photographing as an exercise of just WHO needs to be taking antipsychotic medications...

[friesianrider]

31. Same experience...

WM used to be relatively nice, but in recent years it's been horrible. They used to carry nice cheap stuff but everything there now is total garbage. My local WM is always dirty and there is always tons of cheap garbage thrown about. And, like you say, few if any employees to help if you do have a problem.

[redqueen]

8. Reading this makes me want to shop at Target.

[Left Is Write]

10. I've been shopping at Target since my mother introduced me

to it in the early 70s. I have no plans to stop now. Wal-Mart and Target have both been around since the early 60s. Wal-Mart is not going to crush Target.

[redqueen]

16. I get groceries at Kroger, usually. I think I'll hit SuperTarget

on the way home, instead.

[Dukkha]

9. Bring it on Wally World

I would love seeing Target totally bitch slap them at this. They don't have a chance! Target shoppers are a completely different crowd. Given the choice they would never set foot into that dank dirty shit hole full of third world junk. Wal Mart already suffers from a very bad PR image and the middle class will not support them for their shoddy business practice.

This arrogant ill-fated move could finally knock the evil retail Borg off it's pedestal and create a more fair competitive retail market.

[hyphenate]

15. That will be an interesting battle

solely on merit alone.

There is both a Target and a Walmart here--I frequent the Target more than the Walmart. Walmart has a layaway program which I've used time and again, Target doesn't. Regardless, they both have some items I can use. As it stands, it's often difficult for me (with little to no income) to go anywhere else. (On the other hand, I should buy stock in some of the $1 Dollar Stores, since I'm there more often than anywhere else!!)

[GOPBasher]

17. Okay, I should shop at Target. n/t

[DS1]

18. Stylish-but-cheap?

Stylish next to what?

[SOteric]

24. Next to

trailer trash, - very stylish.

[DS1]

25. That's not a very progressive outlook you have there

You should switch to Geico *mega-groans*

[SOteric]

26. Don't be reee-dick-yoo-liss.

I is thee most democrat person in the hole danged trayler park. So I duzn't need inshurence. I gots welfare.

[DS1]

33. You a democrat?

Then gimmie summadat beer, I know yew got it from the gubmint someways

[nickgutierrez]

20. I tried walking into Target one time...

...but I missed.

[blondeatlast]

34. Ouch.

That's funny!

[nickgutierrez]

35. I can't take credit for it.

That joke belongs to the late Mitch Hedberg. :)

[jmowreader]

22. There's one way to pull this off and they won't do it

I have no doubt that Wal-Mart could wipe out Target, Kmart, Sears, the regional department stores and the boutiques all in one fell swoop.

They'd have to open a chain of high-end Wal-Marts, which would go completely against their entire business model.

[RevCheesehead]

27. Fortunately, we have ShopKo here.

ShopKo is definately my favorite store, but I'll also go to Target and even K-Mart before Wally World. :puke:

To the demise of Wal-Mart: :toast:

[Bombero1956]

29. I'm lucky

I have a Target 3 miles from where I live so its a no brainer for me and very convenient. Now if I can get my wife to stop shopping at Wal-Mart I'll be all set. This woman is the daughter of a lady who was a rabble rousing progressive Democrat, who ran the food bank for the local community action organization and distributed food stamps to the poor and working poor. This woman who died 10 yrs ago from breast cancer and who lived in Nazi occupied Holland once built a government cheese hut to protest Reagan's policies on hunger and cuts to social service programs. She would be spinning like top in her grave if she hadn't been cremated if she knew where her daughter makes her purchases. I have told her on many occasions how evil Wal-Mart is but to no avail. BTW my wife once ran the local fuel assistance program, go figure!!

[friesianrider]

30. I LOVE Target...

Although they are relatively big GOP donors, I don't think they're as bad as Wal-Mart (but I may be wrong).

Wal-Mart used to be more Target-like, but they've really gone down the dump in recent years.

[greekspeak]

32. I enjoy Target. I will no longer shop at WallyWorld

Walmart is the Antichrist. Sam Walton is rolling in his grave.