Nevada Daily Mail

One Stop Shopping

Posted Friday, September 14, 2007, at 10:03 AM
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This is in part in response to The Fort Scott Tribune blogger, Michael Glover (My Two Cents), who wrote about the inconvenience of the ever-convenient Wal-Mart. It struck a cord with me and I decided I should post my own blog.

I try to stretch every dollar and in the past this has meant heading to Wal-Mart for EVERYTHING. However, I have had SO many bad experiences there, I now try to only shop there for canned goods and diapers since I can't find them for less anywhere else.

I have a bad experience nearly every time I go into that place for any substantial shopping. I would be underestimating to say that 50% of the time I have the pleasure of needing help from a really grumpy or useless employee.

I could write all day about the things that have made me act like an insane person there so I'll have to give just one example.

I took both my small children to Wally World one night around 9 or 10. We were in desperate need of diapers and toilet paper. I managed to get my small amount of necessities plus a 20 lb bag of dog food and a large container of laundry soap.

I believe the only two lanes open that late were one express lane on each end. So I made my way to the nearest one and got caught in the squinting stare of the gentleman behind the counter as I approached.

I was sweating. My baby was literally hanging by my neck in a sling. My toddler had broken into a tantrum and there was little I could do to manage it. I managed to get all my items on the counter by myself (baby swinging, mind racing, toddler screaming) as I caught the shrewd uncaring eyerolls of the clerk as he waited on me. Finally, it seemed almost over. Frantically, I searched for my debit card. Wait, oh no... why me.... oh no... NO! I had left it in my other purse!

"I don't have my card, can you hold this stuff up here, while I run home?"

"We don't do that."

(I know for a fact, because I'm one of the most forgetful people I know, that they do.)

"You can't, huh?"

"Uh, NO."

"Fine."

I leave the store, with no necessities, two angry babies, and one heck of a twist in my knickers. I went home and got my card and went to Ramey's. Thank you, sweet, helpful Ramey's employees for saving my sanity.

It's not just the service either. I have to take everything back because it breaks. Or it will break 31 days later so I'm stuck with it. I hate it when companies don't live up to their advertisements. Wal-Mart is the worst of those. They seem so happy and helpful on the outside, like a hometown hero, but almost everything is out of China. I have a good mind to send someone, (but who) a letter outlining every item I have bought and has instantly fallen apart. However, I am content to do most of my shopping at the Mom and Pop's and if I find diapers cheaper anywhere else... I'll be sure to post it.

Comments
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I hear you on this one sister! It seems they've gotten sooooo BIG that you have to walk across the store to get something else....even if it's only two items! The Wal Marts (notice the added 's'! haha) is fun to go to when your bored, but not when you need just a couple things and you are there for in and out shopping! Thank you for posting a comment on my blog! I appriciate it very much!! It's good to know that someone else has had a hard time with they're name!

-- Posted by Chassedi Cooper, Nevada Daily Mail editorial ast. on Fri, Sep 14, 2007, at 2:30 PM

Well, I'm going to have to throw my two cents in, also, and agree with you.

It seems that everytime I step foot into Wal-Mart which is one my way home after an 8 hour day at work to pick up some things for dinner, etc., and, yes, occassionaly by some alcoholic beverage.

And at 5:30 p.m. when all the working parents are trying to run in and get stuff for dinner, etc., why is it they have ALL UNDERAGE CASHIERS working. It never fails there are only maybe two lines open that you can go to that does not have an underage cashier. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT TRULY PUTS MY PANTIES IN A TWIST!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, Wal-Mart has become so big, (they think anyway) that they no longer have layaway. I CAN PRETTY MUCH PROMISE YOU THAT IF SAM WALTON NEW WHAT HIS FAMILY HAS DONE TO HIS BUSINESS HE WOULD BE TURNING OVER IN HIS GRAVE AS WE WRITE THESE BLOGS!!!!

The sad part is we all can gripe and moan and that's all that's going to be done.

BRING BACK THE MOM AND POP STORES AND STOP SHOPPING AT WAL-MART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Posted by sabybee on Tue, Sep 18, 2007, at 1:41 PM

Natalie Leeper's response:

So funny that you should say, "I CAN PRETTY MUCH PROMISE YOU THAT IF SAM WALTON NEW WHAT HIS FAMILY HAS DONE TO HIS BUSINESS HE WOULD BE TURNING OVER IN HIS GRAVE" because a man I personally know used to work for THE Sam Walton and he said the EXACT same thing.

I personally think, yes if you are going for a few things Wal-Mart is WAY too big for that kind of shopping, BUT on the otherhand where i live (in the UK!) to get everything on my grocery list we have to shop at 4 or 5 different stores- and when you have a child to drag around they get sick of looking at the same groceries over and over again! Plus you drive around for ages going to all these different stores and in the meantime we use half a tank of gas!

Wal-Mart is awesome for some of us that don't have the convienece of such a big store loaded with absolutely everything-so it has its pros and cons!

-- Posted by southern harmony on Fri, Sep 21, 2007, at 6:44 AM

Natalie Leeper's response:

Of course it does, you're absolutely right. And thus the vicious cycle begins...

I am tickled to hear someone elses comments on Walmart.

I try NOT to shop there, except to go fo an oil change "early in the morning" and only go to the furthest back corner for that purpose.

It is interesting how they have 20 check out lanes and the few times I have been in Walmart,never have I seen a clerk in each one of them.

p.s. if anyone needs curtain rods, call Interior Motives!

-- Posted by bobbi on Thu, Sep 27, 2007, at 5:59 AM

UPDATE:

Here's a little Wal-Mart sanity saver: Maybe other smart mommies know this but I didn't until recently... You can save a little more than a dollar on wipes by venturing outside the BABY isle and finding the Equate brand in the soap isle!! Happy shopping!

-- Posted by supernaturally on Thu, Sep 27, 2007, at 9:35 AM

Well,

Here is my wal-mart complaint, again, this time I'm at the wal-mart in Fort Scott, Kansas and my husband and I pulled into the speedy checkout line and the woman cashier says you have to many items you will need to go to another lane.

My husband who then counted the items in our cart and said we have 23 items. And of course the cashier could have cared less. I myself wanted to put three items back and go back to that line. My husband in return said we will never come back here again.

And if you all didn't know this bit of information for the shoppers that are just getting by to feed their families until next payday.

The WAL-MART FORT SCOTT, KANSAS IS MUCH HIGHER IN PRICES COMPARED TO WAL-MART IN NEVADA, MO. For this little town of Fort Scott, Kansas the residents here are getting SCREWED!!! So next time you have to go over to the MO side and you must enter that forbidden place they call wal-mart go to the one in Nevada.

Also, if you are in Joplin, MO, I would suggest visiting SAVE ALOT AND FOOD 4 LESS they do have better prices than even WALLY WORLD!!!

I wish Mr. Sam Walton was here to see what they've done to the company he built to help us little people!!!!!

-- Posted by sabybee on Tue, Oct 9, 2007, at 3:55 PM