Do you shop at Walmart?

[Parche]

Poll question: Do you shop at Walmart?

[applegrove]

1. I was out of touch with public sentiment a decade ago so I shopped there until

I realized their stand on unions.

[mnhtnbb]

2. I used to go once a year--in the spring--for their flowers until a couple of years ago.

Now, I either use what I find elsewhere or do something else
if I can't find the annuals that I want. So I haven't been in
WalMart for several years.

[femmocrat]

12. You aren't missing anything. Their plants are terrible.

They had a lot of those blighted tomatoes last year. I try to buy from local growers as much as possible, or grow my own from seeds.

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

3. Nope

They went out of business here a few years ago. Too friendly for the locals. :rofl:

[PassingFair]

4. I would never shop at Walmart unless there was absolutely nowhere else to go.

That company helped destroy the small town
economies close to me.

[MorningGlow]

5. No; I'm a Target fan, myself

Yeah, I know Target is just as eeeevil as Walmart. I just find Walmart dank and depressing. I had to go in there for a battery for my iPod dock remote (way cheaper than Radio Shack) and the negative juju weighed me down instantly. Ick. :scared:

[hobbit709]

6. My diabetes test strips are $39 per 100 there.

The VA only gives me 50 strips every three months for my other meter. The strips for that meter are about $1 each. When you have little real income and no other health coverage you buy where you can afford. I go there about every three to for months for the strips and get out.

[quakerboy]

27. I have found that

Ebay can beat their prices on those. Including having them delivered to you. Last time I managed to find what I thought a real steal, 150 for $36.

[bluedigger]

7. It is necessary.

For most household goods, the closest competitors are 80 or 140 mile round trips, while teh store of evil is a mile away.:shrug:

Groceries, hardware, auto, etc... I shop other local places, but there's a lot of crap only available there.:grr:

[Iggo]

8. Not if I can help it.

Let's call it 99% NO.

[trackfan]

9. I've never set foot in one. I've only actually ever seen the sign of one from a distance..

It's in Duarte, CA. There apparently aren't many Walmarts in the greater Los Angeles area.

[Lucian]

10. I work there.

They were the only ones who called me out of all the retail places I applied at.

I'm not going to apologize for it. I need money to pay my rent.

But I do hate that place with the fiery passion of a thousand suns.

[quakerboy]

28. A job is a job

and rent is pretty important.

[Inchworm]

11. Sometimes I HAVE to

Because every other place that would have what I need is either closed down or 50 miles away.

Oh.. then there are the times when I'm reeal high, riding with others and foolishly decide to go in rather than chilling in the parking lot.

:hi:

[Kali]

13. I try to make other family members go instead

I hate going in there, but they put two other stores in town out of business and Safeway is generally pretty expensive so when the evil has butter for $2 and safeway wants $3.50 hell yes I go over there.

Their brand tea and coffee creamer is a lot cheaper too. You have to watch them all the time though - they tripped me up on some dried 1lb legumes a few weeks ago - 1.18 a bag. Safeway had them for .88. Kind of pissed me off and once again I vowed not to buy anything I didn't check on at Safeway first. sigh.

They really are NOT cheaper for the majority of groceries. The town to the east has an IGA store - good prices on produce there (big Hispanic clientele too so good chilis and limes are cheaper too)

[tigereye]

14. nope. Their economic policies and treatment of employees

are some of the reasons.

[Lucian]

15. Oh you don't even know the half of it.

The treatment of employees is much worse than what's commonly known. More on that sometime (not today).

I hated that place ever since I watched an anti-union video in my first ten minutes I was employed there.

[bigwillq]

16. Yes

At times I do. It really is cheaper, sadly. I do think these big box stores have ruined it for "mom and pop stores", and that saddens me. But, I only make so much money. I mainly go there for essentials, and it really is a lot cheaper.

[TreasonousBastard]

17. If they have what I want at the price I want-- which is rarely, but...

I just don't understand the special hatred for Walmart when there are so many other places every bit as rapacious.

(Amazon, for instance.)

[Manifestor_of_Light]

18. Don't have a lot of choice.

Wallyworld is 20 miles away, which is the nearest grocery store. Also a small Kroger.

Target is 80 miles away.

Costco is 150 miles away. Whole Foods is 150 miles away.

[elocs]

19. There are DUers who are very self righteous about not even setting a foot in a Walmart.

Unfortunately they choose to ignore that there are those who may either do not share their convictions, or who have no other choice. Plus as we have seen from this thread there are DUers who are employed by Walmart. What, are they supposed to quit their jobs because it upsets other DUers.

Please, have the courage of your convictions--just don't try to impose them on others or judge others because they do not share your convictions.

[Lucian]

21. Oh I share their convictions.

I've done a lot of research on Walmart, and many of their clothes, especially their Faded Glory brand, are made in children's sweatshops in China and Bangladesh. Children make two cents for every pair of jeans they make, and they're supposed to make between 10 to 20 per hour.

Walmart treats their employees like dog poop, management makes us work past our scheduled time (it even goes against Walmart's own policies), and they make us do work that's not even related to our job description. It's not even a reasonable request.

As soon as I can afford not to, I'm never shopping at a Walmart again. But for now, I'll have to tough it up and work there for the time being. :(

[elocs]

22. Whether it's working there or having to shop there, people do what they have to do to survive.

As far as Walmart goes I'm not going to judge anyone concerning their personal choices about it any more than I would judge someone for eating meat if I was a dedicated vegetarian.

[cherish44]

20. The rural area where I live we have 3 Walmarts within 10 miles of each other

If I can find what I need somewhere else in the area I'll buy it there but sometimes I shop at Walmart because driving 50 miles to get it somewhere else is just plain silly.

[baldguy]

23. All the crap WalMart sells is - well, CRAP.

[Orrex]

25. 95% of that crap is also sold at Target and Costco

Just sayin.

[Orrex]

24. Well, I can drive 52 miles to get the stuff I need, or I can drve 14 miles to got o Walmart

I'm not thrilled about it, but asking the lower- and lower-middle income population to do something about Walmart is, for all practical purposes, just like shoving the tax burden onto them.

Can't think of a single good reason why I should have to drive 3.5X the distance to pay 10% more for something. Yes, Walmart is the worst of the worst (even slightly worse than IKEA, which is horrible), but if I withhold all of my future business from Walmart, they won't even notice it.

[emilyg]

26. Yes I do.

[Systematic Chaos]

29. And you're always so proud of it.

:rofl:

[emilyg]

35. You bet I am. Retired and

trying to survive on very little without asking Govt. for a handout.

[Heidi]

30. No. We don't even have Wal-Mart here.

And Germany no longer has Wal-Mart.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,2112746,00.html

[Swampguana]

31. Buy LOCAL!!!

Wal Mart doesn't need my business. No one should support large franchises such as wal mart.

[GOPisEvil]

32. You're hilarious.

Don't you realize there are people with limited means and limited options in this country?

I don't shop at Wal-Mart because I have the means and opportunity to do otherwise. Many people don't.

Buy local. Right. If possible, when possible.

[Swampguana]

34. I think I qualify as one of those people

I don't make very much, less than 15000 a year, so yes I not only realize but understand it first hand what it's like to live with limited means. Granted it is more expensive, but buying local when you can helps everyone. I'm not saying people with limited means can't or shouldn't shop at Wal mart, I'm saying anyone can make a contribution to local businesses. If I can, I think most other people can as well as long as you are intelligent with your money.

[emilyg]

36. I'd like to buy local. Let me give

you an example - a can of cat food local is .60cents - Walmart is .40 cents.

[Swampguana]

37. don't get me started on pet food

or should I say meat by products

[emilyg]

39. Ok I won't - but my cats will. Hug.

[Swampguana]

41. May your cats live long and healthy lives

[Graybeard]

33. No WalMart has ever been allowed in NYC.

There are some indications of weakening on this however. A lot of speculation of one getting approval in Staten Island.

[Chan790]

40. DC used to be able to say the same...

now they're building one on RI Ave. NE in violation of their own zoning laws forbidding construction of any big-box stores anywhere in DC. The law was passed in response to the construction of a Home Depot 10 years ago (right next to where they're building the WalMart.)

Local anon. agitators are now postering and graffiting the neighborhood of their intentions to burn both down. So glad I work on the other side of town and live in the 'burbs. (Actually I hate living in the burbs and want to move closer to work but I'm glad I don't live anywhere east of North or South Capitol Ave.)

[Seedersandleechers]

51. The costco's in queens

is the place to go! Love costcos.

[madinmaryland]

52. Heh! Walmarts would be required to use Union Labor to build their facility.

THAT should be interesting.

[GoCubsGo]

38. I have no reason to.

I can get better prices at the local grocery stores, since they, with the exception of Food Lion/Reid's, double coupons. In fact, I have gotten stuff for free, or had them pay me to take stuff on several occasions. Anything I can't get at the grocery store, I can get at Target, Roses, drug stores, Home Depot or Lowes for as good, if not better prices. I spent 20 minutes in the Walmart looking for their "extra low prices". I never saw them. Their prices were only pennies difference from the grocery stores and Target.

Yes, I realize I am lucky I have a choice.

[Dulcinea]

42. No.

I have 2 clean, well-lit Targets within 5 miles of my house. The nearest Walmart is a dump, full of shoddy merchandise. As for groceries, the BOGO items at my neighborhood Publix are a much better deal.

[Ikonoklast]

43. Not too often, mostly to buy motor oil when on sale.

But their prices haven't been very competitive lately.

For food items?

Never.

I have a unionized grocery chain store 3.5 miles one way, and a CostCo 5 miles the other.

I don't hardly buy anything that isn't on sale between the two places.


DISCLAIMER:

I happen to carry a lot of WalMart products as a carrier, and deliver to at least two of their distribution centers every week.

I get to make money off of WalMart.

[timtom]

44. Once every six years, or so...

[Petrushka]

45. Yes . . . once a month for prescription refills and, while I'm there, items stocked near the . . .

pharmacy . . . such as mouthwash, bath soap, hand lotion, etc.

[w8liftinglady]

46. my partner has to if he wants certain things.

either that,or drive 40 miles to the next town.walMart has put small shops out of business in rural areas.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

54. I would shop elsewhere if I had a choice.

Here in Rural America, Wallyworld has destroyed the jobs and businesses.

[Mad_Dem_X]

47. Haven't been inside one in over a decade. n/t

[quickesst]

48. I voted yes...

....and I suspect that at least half those who voted no are not being exactly truthful, but you gotta keep that image thing going, right? Thanks.
quickesst

[DeadEyeDyck]

49. yes, but only to pick up chicks when I can't get a

date at Wafflehouse.

[Akoto]

50. Yes, almost exclusively.

I'm on disability at age 26, so I only get a small monthly benefit plus food stamps. Every cent has to be stretched, and I can actually get a few things at Wal-Mart. I know it's not ideal, but it's what I have to do.

I get my prescriptions there, too. I'm on five different things for pain management and I've always found their pharmacy to be reliable. Convenient to get those meds during shopping, as well, since it's tough for me to get out.

[GreenPartyVoter]

53. As little as possible. I have to get my scripts there, though.

[REP]

55. Not even when I was super duper poor

[orleans]

56. no. and what's with the pic of the plane? is that your sig line? n/t

[ScreamingMeemie]

59. Parche used to post pictures of planes...until the tombstone.

[orleans]

60. omg--i blink and parche is gone?

not that i really knew parche
but i know the name
and i hate it when people go.
(i have seperation issues apparently)
thanks for responding to my question.

[annonymous]

57. I only shop there as a last resort.

[KamaAina]

58. Nope.

The nearest one is miles away from me, anyway.

If I ever end up near one, I might well experience a crisis of conscience.