Why Do Enthusiasts Hate Walmart Products?

[Donald]

I think the Walmart branded product needs to be cheaper not just a little less. Branded oil for $20 and SuperTech for $18 and I will choose the branded.

But what I don't believe (which I have heard) is that the branded oil at Walmart is a lower quality than the same oil bought at NAPA or AZ or AAP.

 

[Donald]

I do think Walmart treats their employees (lower level) pretty crappy and does not value the time of their shoppers.

 

[That John dude]

I drink Wal-Mart's "Great Value" decaffeinated coffee. It's not nearly as bad as you'd think it is... LOL.

And I get a 2 pound can of it, for what some people pay for one grande cup of whatever at $tarbuck$.

Facts. I worked at Hiland dairy (prairie Farms) manufacturing plant. We didn’t switch vats whenever we ran great value versus Hiland milk. It's all the same stuff but Walmart buys it at a cheaper price point.
Walmart also inspected, and made sure our plant was up to their standards.

 

[That John dude]

I do think Walmart treats their employees (lower level) pretty crappy and does not value the time of their shoppers.

When I worked at my local Walmart a few years ago (after covid killed the oil industry) I was treated very well. They didn't think twice about letting me take days off for personal things I had going on.

 

[Hall]

After a hit piece against Walmart years ago employees spoke out and said the company has really turned itself around and isn't that bad to work for.

I know some people in store-level management and higher and they are compensated very well at WM. The stories in the past about WM paying so low that employees qualified for "assistance" weren't accurate either. Since this could be interpreted as "political", all I'll say is factor in # of hours worked, # of people in a household, etc and you will understand why some employees would qualify and at the end of the day, it's on the employee far more than the employer.

 

[Hall]

WalMart's gas stabilizer is half the cost of the real Stabil product. It also takes twice as much for the same protection....

While deceiving, this falls on the consumer to compare.

Their DOT3 brake fluid is a lot cheaper and has a large size, so I use it

Brake fluid is brake fluid. If it's DOT3, it's mandated that it meets the "DOT3" standard. Any add'l chemical composition is generally a waste of money for the manufacturer and consumer.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Sometimes I wonder if people feel superior to "Walmart shoppers". I love Walmart shoppers. I just make sure I go early cuz I hate checkout lines...

 

[SammyChevelleTypeS3]

Probably because people like my friend join the group. He has it planted in his head that the Pennzoil he buys from the parts store is superior to that at Walmart because it’s not Walmart because he thinks Walmart has special formulas made for them. I’m like Walmart is the only place I buy oil because it’s usually on sale but even if not still cheaper than the parts store. He always tells me that I’m going to blow up my car with the Castrol from Walmart I’m like uh no but I can guarantee I’m going to spend less money for the same thing lol. Personally I don’t use store brand oils but there is nothing wrong with any of them from any place.

Funny. So ask him to explain this to you. Based on how many thousands or more folks daily use the motor oils from Walmart, across the globe, plus the fact Walmart Tire & Auto does thousands of oil changes... Where are the great numbers of blow engines he expects will happen from use of their oils? If his theory is correct where is the evidence?

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Sometimes I wonder if people feel superior to "Walmart shoppers". I love Walmart shoppers. I just make sure I go early cuz I hate checkout lines...

It's more prevalent here in Southern Michigan where Mass Transit was ruled out 25 years ago because of the divide. I have never seen anything resembling a suit & tie or a double-take, sharp looking female in dress walking around any Walmart store here.

It's the worst divide as you travel north from Detroit and venture only several miles north in bordering suburbs. The fancier folks from the burbs only visit inside Detroit when sporting events or fancy, special eateries are the topic of the month here. Even those with a little suburban wealth that want new housing in Detroit (for job purposes) don't shop at Walmart to save. They wouldn't be seen dead in one.

 

[bunnspecial]

I don't have a problem with Wal-Mart itself.

I hate the experience of going to the(big) Wal-Mart closest to me, so going there is a last resort.

On the other hand, the Wal-Mart right by my work has the same prices, 90% of the selection, and is always way less busy. They also have the least expensive gas in town(and put enough pricing pressure on the other stations in town that the middle-of-nowhere town where I work tends to have the best gas prices in the area) although you take your life in your hands trying to get in and out of the gas station at a busy time.

I admit to never having checked SKUs, but even if Wal-Mart has unique SKUs I kind of find it hard to believe that there's a huge difference in major brands sold there vs. other sources. The big brands do have a repuation to uphold, after all.

Someone mentioned cameras above. I've owned, well, a fair few cameras in my life. Somewhere or another I have a Nikon N65 with a receipt from a local camera store in the box from around 2004. I have another N65 kit with a Wal-Mart receipt in the box. I have never looked at the SKUs, but an N65 is an N65. It's a consumer grade SLR with all the good and bad that comes with it. They have the same crummy variable aperture kit lens. The camera store one was $275, and the Wal-Mart one $200. The receipt shows that the camera store also threw in a UV filter, a cap keeper, a battery, and two rolls of film(plus developing coupons are still in the box) for no extra. Considering all of that, and the fact that the camera store could have actually helped the person use the camera properly, I'd say the camera store buyer got the better deal despite the extra up-front cost.

We shop at Sam's club a lot too, and are generally happy with a lot of the "Members Mark" branded products. My go to coffee is their store brand Columbian Supreme. I'm not a coffee snob by any means, but after changing a few years ago to drinking black I've come to like darker/bolder roasts. I have a few coworkers who are coffee snobs, and I've given then cups of this without telling them what it was-they were favorably impressed.

 

[4WD]

I hit Walmart yesterday right as a labor bus arrived - they must of had 40 get off - all 20’s-30’s males … What surprised me was they were all filling baskets - spent hundreds - and none could use the self serve - so they formed long lines at the only two manned checkout spots …
I was hunting the clearance aisles and didn’t get much …

 

[John105]

While deceiving, this falls on the consumer to compare.


Brake fluid is brake fluid. If it's DOT3, it's mandated that it meets the "DOT3" standard. Any add'l chemical composition is generally a waste of money for the manufacturer and consumer.

Mfgs do encourage waste, which increases demand and sales. This goes all the way back to the ingenious Arm and Hammer commercial where they encouraged customers to pour the product down the drain (and their money).

Today, one cannot truly cross shop laundry detergent as it’s super concentrated. Why not make it so concentrated that every load is one drop? Many will have a tendency to say let me use a little more, ie two drops. Now sales is essentially doubled. Toilet paper is also not easily compared across brands.

I won’t lie. When Costco first had their own full synthetic oil, it was two 5 qt jugs for $22. I was not interested because I was not sure about it, sounds too cheap. Today we buy it for $28-$30+.

 

[AZjeff]

I drink Wal-Mart's "Great Value" decaffeinated coffee. It's not nearly as bad as you'd think it is... LOL.

Reminds me of my dad going to the VFW for $3 spaghetti dinner night, he said it's not that good but the price is right.

 

[Hall]

Mfgs do encourage waste

Not necessarily. We (consumers) usually don't read the usage instructions or we use what we're used to using in the past. 9 out of 10 people use too much laundry detergent, toothpaste, etc, etc. A bottle of car wash soap tells you how much to use but how many people follow that ? Most people, myself included, just glug-glug-glug it into the bucket. How much toothpaste do you use ? If I were to guess, you cover the brush, right ? That's what almost everyone does but you only are supposed to use a "circle" drop.

Toilet paper is also not easily compared across brands.

Yeap, good luck there. Sheets per roll, single vs double layer, # of rolls per package, and on and on ! My wife's rule on TP is no store-brand and no single-ply !

 

[walterjay]

have never seen anything resembling a suit & tie or a double-take, sharp looking female in dress walking around any Walmart store here.

I have seen actual pictures taken by @Zee09 of WalMart parking lots. So I know that is not the case here. Keeping the wealth.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I won’t lie. When Costco first had their own full synthetic oil, it was two 5 qt jugs for $22. I was not interested because I was not sure about it, sounds too cheap. Today we buy it for $28-$30+.

Well, Kirkland must be better than Super tech, right? I'm pretty sure Warren makes 2 separate batches, probably a secret recipe too.

 

[Nick1994]

I’ve followed your page for a while now. Saw your name pop up today on a post you shared and realized it was your group. I chuckled.

I used to hate Walmart. Love it now. They’ve really come a long way the last year or two. Great Value is a really good lineup now with good stuff and the one I go to has self checkout that’s all lined up in a giant rectangle, works great.

 

[AZjeff]

Speaking of WM, they recently reset the local supercenter, beyond not being able to find anything they rearranged the checkout area, took away the larger self checkout lanes with the conveyor belt and funneled everyone through a single entry point with the full service checkout lanes in the middle and self checkout at both ends. Now people line up at the nearest full service lanes, clog the isle and nobody can get to self checkout. Someone in Bentonville thought this was an improvement somehow.

 

[John105]

Speaking of WM, they recently reset the local supercenter, beyond not being able to find anything they rearranged the checkout area, took away the larger self checkout lanes with the conveyor belt and funneled everyone through a single entry point with the full service checkout lanes in the middle and self checkout at both ends. Now people line up at the nearest full service lanes, clog the isle and nobody can get to self checkout. Someone in Bentonville thought this was an improvement somehow.

The one near where I live, a man was killed a while back related to road rage. Maybe a bit overly dramatic, but I avoid it and go to the one near work. At this one, the order pickup was moved out of the store and to the back of the building. Requires a 5 min drive as the building is big. Normally they seem to be at the returns counter or back of the store by the restrooms.

It’s quite a drive and pretty confusing and spooky. The one time I used it, there was a hand written sign: Do not bang on this window (blacked out and reminiscent of a DMV or social security office), wait in your car and use the app to check in. Strange but not exactly welcoming

 

[midnightlaundry]

I had 15qts of ST Mercon V shipped to my door for under $100 bux.. I changed the Power Steering and Tranny Fluid.. Truck runs mint..