Those other people you see buying oil at walmart

[Samilcar]

Originally Posted By: ionbeam22
The choice to shop at wal*mart is usually not the result of reasoned thought. It's an instant unconscious thing.


Wow. I didn't realize I was such a mindless automaton. Thanks for setting me straight. Believe it or not, I think you've influenced a few people here today. Not in the direction you wanted, but still...

 

[Pluto5]

In a recession most people probably forgo oil changes in favor of more pressing expenses like food. I'll bet Wally's oil sales will go up as unemployment goes down.

 

[ionbeam22]

I was going to come up with a reasoned, logical rebuttal to moonbeam22's posts, such as the fact that everywhere a Walmart has been built the locals quickly adapt to it and are happy to have it in the neighborhood.

How do you know that the locals are happy to have a wal*mart around? All of them are happy with it? Or just some?

In my town, an old concrete pipe factory closed down, and there was a fight at the zoning board to prevent wal*mart from moving in. In the end the zoning board declined walmarts requests for variances and so walmart abandoned the effort.

As of 2009, the nearest walmart is over 15 miles from where I live.

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: Pluto5
In a recession most people probably forgo oil changes in favor of more pressing expenses like food. I'll bet Wally's oil sales will go up as unemployment goes down.

I would forgo a meal before I forgo a oil change...It would prabably do alot of people good to forgo a meal after what I saw walking the streets in Miami Beach last night.

 

[ionbeam22]

Originally Posted By: doitmyself
You chastise the whole Walmart idea, then turn around and suggest people shop at places like Autozone, the "Walmart" of auto stores.


I was only citing Autozone as illustrative of the idea that walmart does not always have the lowest prices. In many cases you can get products that are "equal to or better" than what walmart offers, for prices that are "equal to or better" to walmarts.

Autozone is not of the same scale as wal*mart and has plenty of direct competitors within its market (Advanced, Pep boys, Oreilly, NAPA, Parts+, Federated, CarQuest etc).

Walmart's only direct competitor is Target, and perhaps Costco/BJ's in the club store segment.

Quote:
Autozone and the other big box auto stores put all of the mom and pop auto stores out of business. Stores that carried better quality parts and employed knowledgeable counter help.


Mom and pops will have joined larger parts networks such as NAPA or the hardware networks such as ACE/Truevalue. In addition there are many smaller autoparts chains such as VIP-parts.

Quote:
Like it or not, the big box store phenomenon is about all we have today. Where can one go to NOT buy Chinese products of any type.....clothing, auto, building materials?


You have to seek it out. For example when I buy tires, I inspect the tires to see where they are made. Not all of them are made in China.

Same deal when shopping for clothing etc. What you buy and where you buy it matters.

 

[doitmyself]

"You have to seek it out. Same deal when shopping for clothing etc. What you buy and where you buy it matters."

Maybe as little as five years ago, you could "seek it out". Today, in many instances, to buy American, you have to special order it, pay five times more, and in some cases, get an inferior product.

That's the reality. At my workplace, I find it exceedingly difficult to buy domestic made repair parts (plumbing, etc.), yet alone blue jeans.

I agree with you in principle about the mess we are in. I'm not sure our "pocketbook" vote is effective anymore.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Please.

I think out EVERY purchase and shop at Wal-Mart to the tune of over $2000 a month. Go there once a week at the min.

You really need to get over your problems with Wal-Mart and understand why they are the nations #1 retailer.

They provide service/product for a good cost. I value every cent I spend and don't need to throw away money.

Bill
Amen, well said! I shop Wallyworld once a week or more. Can't remember the last time I purchased oil elsewhere. Quite simply the best everyday prices on oil and a great selection. I don't get hassled, I can take my time and browse the shelves. Sometimes I might even offer some advice or talk to one of the guys that works in the TLE when they come to get oil. I like to compare the automotive/oil departments in different Walmart stores.

Don't care for AZ much. They twice made BITOG take down a promo posted from slickdeals on the Promo board. Yeah, they got this new gimmick with the 5+ (1/4) qt jugs, but Wally's everyday price per unit beats AZ's everday price hands down. And, I don't have to buy their oil filter choice to get the low price for the oil.

Not interested in making any political statements by not shopping at Wallyworld. If shopping at AZ or elsewhere makes one feel superior, guess I'm not one of those people. Just looking for good values and trying to save money in all the Wally departments, and I'll continue to do so.

 

[Nickdfresh]

Originally Posted By: ionbeam22
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
You chastise the whole Walmart idea, then turn around and suggest people shop at places like Autozone, the "Walmart" of auto stores.


I was only citing Autozone as illustrative of the idea that walmart does not always have the lowest prices. In many cases you can get products that are "equal to or better" than what walmart offers, for prices that are "equal to or better" to walmarts....


Irregardless of what anyone thinks of Wal-Mart, and I do buy oil and auto stuff there, they certainly DO NOT always have the lowest price. They use the tried and true 'bait-and-switch' adverts to draw people in the store with their smiley face price cuts. But then you might wander over to electronics and buy something that is high-dollar that could be gotten at most other stores for the same price or less...

 

[MojaveK20]

I bought my Goodyear Wrangler AT's at Walmart. $150 per tire, good price, bought two five quart jugs of Castrol GTX while I was there too.

 

[Greggy_D]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah


Please.

I think out EVERY purchase and shop at Wal-Mart to the tune of over $2000 a month. Go there once a week at the min.

You really need to get over your problems with Wal-Mart and understand why they are the nations #1 retailer.

They provide service/product for a good cost. I value every cent I spend and don't need to throw away money.

Bill


Bill....you are an extremely intelligent guy and can understand the corporate evil contained within these two articles. Sometimes there are things more important that saving a few cents.

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/77/walmart.html

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/102/open_snapper.html

Please read both of them all the way through. They are quite intriguing.

 

[jcwit]

Just today I was looking for rubber floor mats to use this winter to keep the snow and mud off the carpet of the car we use in the winter. Stopped into WalMart and checked their best quality $19.98. Went down to Advance Auto and checked theirs, $28.99. Same size and comparable quality, however different manufacturers.

Well shame on me for going back to WalMart and saving $9.00, enough to buy the next oil filters.

 

[ionbeam22]

Originally Posted By: sayjac
Not interested in making any political statements by not shopping at Wallyworld.


You are making a political statement by shopping there. It's unavoidable.

For example, guess which company is lobbying against 100% inspection of shipping container's coming into US ports?

http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/feature/ports/

Is this something you want to support? Be honest.

-----
The fact is that the profits from your business are used to further walmart's agenda.

http://www.waltoninfluence.com/

http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00093054

http://www.walmartmovie.com/

 

[Sayjac]

"You are making a political statement by shopping there. It's unavoidable."

Dude, I didn't call you out before. My reasons for shopping at Wallyworld have ZERO to do with politics. You can spin it any way you want to, but I stated my reasons for shopping there. No need to waste your time posting propaganda for my benefit, not interested.

 

[ramblar]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
Just today I was looking for rubber floor mats to use this winter to keep the snow and mud off the carpet of the car we use in the winter. Stopped into WalMart and checked their best quality $19.98. Went down to Advance Auto and checked theirs, $28.99. Same size and comparable quality, however different manufacturers.

Well shame on me for going back to WalMart and saving $9.00, enough to buy the next oil filters.



Yeah, what the [censored] was you thinking?

 

[ramblar]

Originally Posted By: ionbeam22
Originally Posted By: sayjac
Not interested in making any political statements by not shopping at Wallyworld.


You are making a political statement by shopping there. It's unavoidable.

For example, guess which company is lobbying against 100% inspection of shipping container's coming into US ports?

http://www.wakeupwalmart.com/feature/ports/

Is this something you want to support? Be honest.

Walmart is the best place to shop, and I am being stupid posting all this other junk.

-----
The fact is that the profits from your business are used to further walmart's agenda.

http://www.waltoninfluence.com/

http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2.php?strID=C00093054

http://www.walmartmovie.com/






I agree

No, really quit posting this political [censored] before you get this locked.

 

[stranger706]

5 large corporations get the majority of my paycheck.

Bank of America
Ford
Mazda
Shell
Walmart

I think I may go support Walmart just to spite this nutjob.

 

[ramblar]

+1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00,

 

[tig1]

I don't buy much at WM. Just my food, cloths, medicine, shoes, electronics, toliet paper, paint, light bulbs, greeting cards, all hardware supplies, eye glasses, oil and filters, fishing gear, ammo, guns, camping gear, lawn equiptment, diapers for the grandkids, etc.

 

[jcwit]

Don't forget the floor mats.

 

[ramblar]

Yeah, I agree tig1, I don't get much there at all. I only get everything.....



Go tig1!