Do you shop @ Walmart or Sams Club?

[Pryderi]

[blue neen]

1. Costco.

I love that place...much more progressive than Wal-mart or Sam's.

[ChazII]

3. This is where my family shops as well. n/t

[WillowTree]

6. I'll never shop at Costco.

Terrible sexual harassment record. Really terrible.

[Hamlette]

21. I'm surprised at your allegation. I've never heard that before

Costco has a reputation as being a great employer and they have never given a dime to a republican. Give tons to dems. 100% blue company.

[Lorien]

27. Link? Given how progressive they are

I'll need some proof on that.

[Hamlette]

37. I agree

there was a class action lawsuit filed in 2004 based on sex discrimination (glass ceiling, women not promoted to management positions) but name me one big company that hasn't had a class action discrimination filed against it! I'm not saying the suit has no merit but there are so many similar suits I'm not going to let it sway me given all the great things Costco does and the fact the suit, to my knowledge, has not gone to trial.

[dynasaw]

76. There have been cases

where it looks as if Cosco fell on their faces.

Couple of links I was able to find:


http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/123466_costco24.html

http://www.plol.org/Pages/Login.aspx?d=f0SBbEpb9GGfpUJdIuI4Yw%3d%3d&l=Cases

http://www.dailybreeze.com/news/ci_10628081

[Fearless]

33. My favorite was the bullet in the hotdog!

:eyes:


I've always said, you never get something for nothing. Walmart, etc.: They are no different.

[LostinVA]

124. Not true -- they are considered the best retailer to work for, then IKEA

Wal-Mart/Sam's club has a bad sexual harassment and discrimination record.

Like any large company, they avae Issues and lawsuits, and there have said they are getting more women into m id and upper management. I know a women who works there PT in addition to her FT job, just to get the health benefits, and she loves them.

[Lorien]

25. Yep. One of the bluest around. nt

[JI7]

43. i always get the pizza in the snack area when i go there

very greasy but very good and cheap also.

[Renew Deal]

92. Me too

And some Target. I wouldn't touch Walmart. There aren't too many Sam's Clubs around here and Costco and Target are more interesting.

[Left coast liberal]

119. Costco is a good company.

They take care of their employees with good pay and benefits.

As Corporate shitheads go, they aren't too bad. I do not know of the sexual harassment thing tho.

[Fire1]

126. ditto

[Not Me]

2. I have never darkened their doorstep

nor do I ever intend to.

[vanlassie]

4. No Fucking Way.

[aikoaiko]

5. Wal-mart weekly, Sam's monthy.

Cheapest, largest, most reliable selection around me.

There is cheaper but selection is much smaller and unreliable. There is better and bigger selection, but not cheaper.

[flvegan]

7. I don't, but I won't "judge" folks that do.

Not in this economy.

[kcass1954]

35. Same here. I live in a large metropolitan area and have lots of options,

so it's easy for me to avoid them. But Walmart has run most of the competition out in smaller towns, and many people have no choice.

[flvegan]

40. Absolutely agreed.

My mother apologizes to me every time she talks about how she went to WalMart to buy yarn or something. I'm over it. She counts ever dime, every month, and I'll not give her shit because she has to go there to save a couple bucks in an economy Bush ran into the ground.

[dysfunctional press]

8. costco, target, kohl's & meier's.

but not the spawn of sam...

[madmom]

81. meijer sucks, I would steer clear of them

[dysfunctional press]

94. sucks how?

:shrug:

[madmom]

96. I used to work there in the deli, while they claim to be a "union" shop it is in name only,

I paid weekly union dues, my steward was married to a manager, who happened to be the son of my manager. When we went to the "union" rep we were told there was no conflict of interest there, even after we told them our manager, her son and our rep. talked "shop talk" so much her husband got angry with them. There were never enough employees to allow us our breaks, if we got them ok, if not, oh well! We were promised time off well in advance then a day before, said nope ya gotta work or you're gone. I worked 39.5 hours a week and was considered part-time ( I wanted to be part-time as in 20-25 hours a week) Managers screamed at employees in front of customers. I will admit when wal-mart came to our town I (along with about a dozen others) went there for a job. I did the exact same job, made 1/2 again as much, better hours, more employees so work was not nearly as demanding.I don't know about the meijer job whether it was a bad place to work because of poor management or poor union or a combination of both. I suspect the latter. This is a short list of why I will not darken meijer's doorstep again.

[ogneopasno]

9. No. I avoid union-busting shops.

[robcon]

10. I shop at Walmart; never shopped at Sam's Club.

n/t

[1]

11. i buy food products at walmart. they really are much cheaper on most items here...

american products. not chinese. normal beans, milk, rice and whatnot.

the walmart here charges $40+ dollars for a carton of cigarettes, the gas station across the street $27. so i don't buy smokes at walmart.

i buy meat at a local grocery store that processes local beef.

i buy where it makes the most sense to buy. economic or otherwise.

[Elwood P Dowd]

12. I once pissed in their parking lot.

I go to Winn Dixie or Kroger for groceries and the Mom & Pop hardware store for other stuff. Even though I pay more, I just cannot bring myself to give these evil Wal Mart bastards my money.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EBw_da7BZk&feature=PlayList&p=9A9C2F1C8034DBF9&playnext=1&index=18

[rug]

13. Yes but I only buy vegetables.

[.... callchet ....]

14. Made in USA

Remember when Wal-Mart used to have the Made in USA signs all over the place

[Lisa0825]

97. Those were the days.....

If only they'd return to their roots.

[awoke_in_2003]

108. When old man Walton died...

the place went to hell. The only thing his kids care about is money.

[LostinVA]

125. But the stuff WASN'T made here -- that was a huge scandal and WM got in alot of trouble

My father is i textiles, and I remember him ranting back then about what liars the Waltons were for having those signs up. He went into the area WM and pulled a bunch of stuff off the racks and yelled at the Manager, because the stuff wasn't made in the US. He hasn't shopped there since. This is my Republican Dad. Soon after, WM had to take teh signs down in all their stores.

Sam Walton was't as bad as his kids, but don't fool yourself: he didn't give a damn where products were made, as long as the price was what he wanted it to be.

[SeattleGirl]

15. Not me, but then, I have a number of choices around here.

I know there are some smaller towns where WalMart is pretty much the only large store in the area.

[Hippo_Tron]

16. Very infrequently

Not so much because of politics but because Wal-Mart is just really unpleasant to be in. I go to Target and Costco if at all possible.

[givemebackmycountry]

17. Sadly, I shopped at a Sam's club this past weekend.

I even bought a membership.
I was looking for a GPS for my car and Sam's Club was selling a $399.00 Garmin unit for $199.99.
Even with the $40.00 membership fee, it was cheaper than anyone else.
And they gave me a $20.00 gift card which I applied to my purchase.
And because I gave the person who processed my membership a nice compliment, he gave me another $20.00 gift card and told me "don't tell anyone".
Back to $199.00.

I felt dirty, but I also went home and immediately showered.
My guilt may soon consume me.

Why does it have to be this way?

[awoke_in_2003]

109. If it helps..

just send the gift cards to my wife :)

[girl gone mad]

18. Never.

I refuse to set foot in either.

[Gemini Cat]

19. No.

I can't shop there. I'm lucky I have other choices. Notice I said choices, not actual money. I suppose I could save money by shopping at walmart however, that cost would be too much.

[Lorien]

30. There's Aldi's, Big Lots, Ross dress for less...

lots of other options for those of us who are living on a VERY tight budget!

[Gemini Cat]

31. Thanks

I'll give them a look.

[wilsonbooks]

102. Aldi's is great and much cheaper than Walmart.

[sellitman]

20. Very Rarely.

One or twice a year.

With guilt when I do.

[.... callchet ....]

22. Wal-Mart

If you have to pick between buying your kids more food or clothes at Wal Mat or less somewhere else you don'rt have to feel guilty. The guilt goes to our government that lets cheap junk cross our borders.

[sellitman]

26. I buy one item there I can't find elsewhere.

It's a Floppy Frisbee for my Lab.

Besides that there are other places to shop still on CT.

No need to buy at Wal-Mart.

[Donnachaidh]

101. blame the government when Walmart BUYS the cheap junk

and has lobbied for YEARS to continue bring in the cheap junk you buy? That's convoluted logic, at it's worst.

Walmart has CAUSED a lot of the economic problems in small town america. But hey - they sell lots and lots of cheap plastic whatzits, and sell cheap clothing because they purchase from vendors that use the 21st century version of SLAVE LABOR.

But hey, guess it's OKAY when you can buy MORE *stuff*, huh? :eyes:

[CrownPrinceBandar]

103. Same here......

I work in another town about 20 mi from where I live, and I usually do my shopping at Kroger after work. But sometimes on the weekends and I need something quick, I usually have to duck into Wally-world here where I live because all the other groceries have bad selection, and worse meats and produce.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

104. Stupid double post..n/t

[HughMoran]

23. Not for > 4 years!

Never again.

[tammywammy]

24. I don't shop at Walmart/Sam's Club, but I don't judge those that do

Including the owner of the company I work for that buys our bottled water for customers at Sam's.

[emilyg]

28. Yes I do.

[Lorien]

29. Never. They're partly to blame for this crap economy

In their quest to lower prices they no longer carry the "made in the USA" label. Shopping there only hastens America's demise.

[pnorman]

32. To many of us here on DU,

what Walmart represents is a far SERIOUS threat to what DU is supposed to stand for, than what's currently whipping this board into a frenzy. I, personally, regard shopping at Walmart on the same plane as crossing a legitimate picket line. But I suspect that many here who who are ABSOLUTIST on the "Warren issue", are perfectly pragmatic (ie: "morally neutral") about shopping at Walmart (or crossing a legitimate picket line!).

Don't "make the connection"? THINK it over for a while. Hopefully, you will in time.

pnorman

[Fearless]

34. I was actually looking for the connection this time...

And lo and behold... ta da!

:banghead:

[Name removed]

36. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[pnorman]

45. Democrat demands Wal-Mart pay fair share of health-care costs

JUNEAU--An Anchorage Democrat is pursing legislation forcing Wal-Mart to pay more for its employee health care.

The bill by Rep. Eric Croft requires employers with more than 2,000 workers to spend at least 8 percent of their payroll on employee health care or else pay into a fund for the uninsured.

The Fair Share Health Care Act is patterned on a Maryland law that has spawned both similar legislative attempts in more than 30 states and a court challenge.

Wal-Mart is one of four companies in Alaska with more than 2,000 employees--Providence Alaska Medical Center, Safeway and Fred Meyer are the others--but the only one known to spend less than 8 percent on medical benefits.

The Arkansas-based retailer is the state's third largest employer with 2,725 associates.

Wal-Mart employs 325 people at its Johansen Expressway store in Fairbanks, according to co-manager Brad McGinnity.

The company is forcing its workers to apply for the state-funded Medicaid program by not providing them with adequate compensation, said Croft, who is campaigning for governor in November.

Medicaid expenses, which made up 40 percent of the state Department of Health and Social Services' $607 million budget in 2005, are the fastest growing sector of state spending.
*
*
*

http://wakeupwalmart.com/news/20060216-fdnm.html

"Croft, who is campaigning for governor in November." We all know who won THAT governorship race, don't we? You betcha!


pnorman

[1]

46. so 325 folks get some more... and everybody else gets to pay for that...

is that fair to you?

[Name removed]

50. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[eridani]

49. Hey--leave picket lines out of this! n/t

[pnorman]

55. "leave picket lines out of this!" Why?

Actively supporting Walmart, and actively showing contempt for striking workers, are (to me and many others here on DU) on the same moral plane. The chief difference is that there's little perceived social stigma associated with the former.

Granted, for many it may be a matter of dire economic NECESSITY. But that's NOT the same thing as regarding it as "morally-neutral"!

pnorman

[madmom]

84. I see you have a union avatar, just curious, would those

buying a foreign car be doing the same, in your opinion?

[pnorman]

120. To me, UNIONISM is of the type best personified by Eugene V. Debs.

But even the most Progressive Unions, require a certain amount of narrow self-interest to survive. So I'll say this: "Buy American, specifically UNION MADE AMERICAN". But it won't contain anything NEAR the "moral disapproval" that I've displayed towards Walmart (or walking through a legitimate picket line).

Joyous Season's Greetings to all, including those with whom I've differed.

pnorman

"Your Honor, years ago I recognized my kinship with all living beings, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on earth. I said then, and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_V._Debs

[awoke_in_2003]

110. My problem was with my wife...

her Sam's card finally expired and I finally convinced her to check out Costco. And I finally convinced her that you get better meat from the butcher at albertson's. We have always got our veggies from the local farmers market.

[Bolo Boffin]

38. I had a Sam's Card for a long while.

Now I live close enough to a Costco. I've let the Sam's Club card lapse.

I try my best to stay away from Wal-Mart. I probably shop there one or twice a year.

[Jazzgirl]

39. I only shop at Costco and "other" stores.

I do NOT shop at any Sam's/Walgreen's stores at all. I know a lot of people at work are always telling me about Sam's/Walgreen's deals but I prefer waiting to go to Costco. I have not shopped at a Sam's type store in about 6 years and don't intend to start now.

[JI7]

44. walgreens seems expensive to me

Target seems to have the best prices. at least on things you need like toothpaste, soap etc.

[Milo_Bloom]

41. Never.

[Blue_In_AK]

42. Only my prescription.

I HATE going into Walmart.

[Name removed]

47. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[eridani]

48. No, but then again I'm not stuck in the middle of nowhere with no other options n/t

[Name removed]

51. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Quantess]

52. Extremely rarely.

I spend about $20 a year at WalMart. To me, that's not really enough to qualify as a "yes".

[proud patriot]

53. Costco Kmart and Winco

:hi:

[Iwillnevergiveup]

54. Never

never, never! And have tried to persuade others not to shop there either.

[Luminous Animal]

56. Never.

I don't support slave labor. And Walmart's business model depends on slave labor. I also do not shop at Target, K-Mart, Walgreens, Safeway, The Gap, Mervins, Ross, Radio Shack, etc., etc., etc. Other than my prescriptions at Costco, nearly everything I buy is local and/or used.

[recoveringrepublican]

57. Only when my mom sends me gift cards, she works there.

It's either not use them, or let Wal-mart just have free money.

[TheWraith]

58. Yes. Don't really have much choice, honestly.

Most of the locally operated shops stock overpriced crap, meaning that if I need something that isn't groceries (Tops) or home improvement (Valu) then I have to either go to Walmart or drive 30 miles into Buffalo.

[cboy4]

59. I think it's time to end the do you shop at Walmart guilt threads

at DU.

Obviously, I don't have the authority to stop anything anybody wants to write.

But it's clear plenty of DUers are shopping at Walmart because it's what they can afford.

And it unfair for any of us to judge them.

The only reason my grandmother doesn't shop at Walmart is because my family makes sure she has what she needs.

But others are not so fortunate. And we need to recognize that.

[Jamastiene]

62. Thank you for the most well rounded post on this.

:hug:

[RobinA]

74. Gotta Agree

I still don't get how WalMart is any worse than any other chain. They are just bigger so they atract the flak. Retailers were trying, and succeeding, in not giving people benefits since I worked retail in the '80's.

[DAMANgoldberg]

60. Both

Wal-Mart and Sam's Club, overnight parking allowed at most locations after purchase.
Mejier, overnight parking at limited locations.
K Mart, Sears, Target, Costco, BestBuy, most malls, forgetaboutit

There are only so many Truck Stops, not enough. Most communities don't want us on their streets, even though we bring their goods and materials. DOT regulations get in the way as well.

[cboy4]

61. I've never really understood where you guys can and cannot

park.

I know in my state (California), I see truckers parked near the scales along side the freeway.

But I think I have my answer, if you use the WalMart parking lot.

[wickerwoman]

63. I lived below the poverty line for years.

I've never owned a car and I've lived in several neighborhoods where the shopping options were extremely limited and I have still never bought anything from a Walmart (and only went to Sam's Club once because my uncle dragged me.) They just sell shit. Who cares how cheap it is?

What do they sell that people *need* in the larger sense? I think if most people pleading poverty would really look at how they spend their money and whether or not they actually *need* to spend money on it they could find a few things to cut back that would allow them to buy real food from real stores, get free entertainment from the library and online and not need to patronize soul-sucking companies like Walmart.

I lived comfortably for five years on $15,000 a year in an extremely expensive area (urban New Jersey) where rent was 70% of my income and still ate fresh vegetables every day (although I took the bus forty minutes each way to get them). Shopping at Walmart is always a choice and it's one you don't *have to* make.

It's not my business where anyone shops and I wouldn't want to make anyone feel guilty but if you shop at Walmart, for your own health, you might consider cutting out the processed shit that Walmart sells and consider walking, cycling or taking the bus several times a week to a shop farther away.

I waited a year to buy a new operating system and it cost a quarter of what it did when it was released. Rather than waiting in line at Walmart (and crushing one of their employees to death in a mad rush to get mine the second it was released), I managed twice the best discount Walmart would ever offer by being slightly patient. To me, shopping at Walmart represents a failure in myself of either patience. planning or imagination. There's always another way. Peace.

[comtec]

64. it sounds like you live in a metro area where that kind of life is possible

and good for you!

Most people DON'T have that option!

I'm genuinely happy you have a comfortable lifestyle. but you can't expect everyone to live like you. most people don't have the lack of obligations you obviously do.

most people have a family they need to take care of.
starving yourself, and only eating local, organic is great for you.
bully!
but people with families, and spouses, cars, and mortgages, actual real world obligations have to work harder with every penny!

I'm fortunate that I also live in such an area.
there's a Lidl close by, a fresh fruit/veg shop, as well as two markets outside to goto for cheaper greens.
the problem is that the fruit and veg are generally the same as sold in the stores, while cheaper, it's still sometimes from china!!

Yes they sell Chinese garlic, and a few other things here!
i always have to be careful where my food comes from, because even if i buy it at the market, that's no grantee it's dutch, let along European!

When i was home in California, I also avoided wal-mart like the plague, but I had options!

When I was in Alaska... those options rapidly disappeared!
You can all stand on your high horses saying "I eat organic, I'm a vegan, I'm BETTER than you" but you have no real sense of reality.

YES you can get a green house to grow your own food, IF you have land to put it, IF you have PERMISSION to have such a thing (my mom, for example, can NOT build a green house on her property in california)!

I even have to get permission if i want a FUCKING TREE (over 2 meter) in my back yard!!!!!

So BULLY for you, seriously GRATS! It's hard as hell to be in such a perfect location that you can live on $15k comfortably.

The rest of us, struggle with twice that because we have to pay taxes! (which ironically brings us down to your money level)

are we too materialistic? oh god yes!
can we do with less? oh HELL YES

Is ANYONE going to listen to you on your high horse? F U C K N O ! ! !

What works for you, will not work for the majority of other people.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

68. LOL -- urban NJ is just the ideal environment to be poor

And they didn't say anything about local organic, veganism, etc. They said they eat fresh fruit.

You just went all high horse on them.

Bizarre.

[comtec]

73. *shrugs* fair complaint

I'm just so sick of all this organic crap that's all.
maybe i mis-read it. I'm just so tired of people spewing crap that just can't work with most people.
how is that being high-horse?

[marmar]

65. Non. Jamais.

And how appropriate that the "No" response has a blue bar.

[michreject]

66. Yes

In a small town, options are limited.

[Scooter24]

67. I'll shop wherever I feel comfortable at.

There is only one Walmart that I go to that will meet my standards in this area because it was purposely built for an affluent customer (i.e., clean, well-kept, friendly, better shopping options). I don't even venture into others and I have nothing against them, it's just that there aren't many products they carry that I want.

When it comes to grocery shopping, I use a service that takes my list and gets what I needs and delivers the items by noon so everything is there when I get home from work.

For specific items, like clothes and electronics, I will usually go to the designer or a specialty store to shop.

[Fla_Democrat]

69. yes

:hide:

[Amerigo Vespucci]

70. I ordered AC/DC's "Black Ice" from their Web Site...

...because if you want that CD, unless you're lucky enough to pick up a used copy (or don't give a shit about your IP address being recorded when you download a torrent), it's Wal-Mart or nothing.

[dems_rightnow]

72. Just for fun I went the first place

... I thought of. Amazon.com

There I found oodles of Black Ice CD's for the purchasing.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

77. Yeah, they do that two ways...

...the CDs are either bootlegs (be especially suspicious of any tagged as "imports"), or the merchants buy in bulk from Wal-Mart and sell them at a profit in Amazon. So the irony is that people may think that they are on high moral ground by purchasing something from an Amazon "reseller" who purchased the product from Wal-Mart.

Example:

$27.99 + $2.98 shipping

Seller: aierec

Rating: 94% positive over the past 12 months (31 ratings.) 60 lifetime ratings.

Shipping: In Stock. Ships from FL, United States Expedited shipping available International shipping available See Shipping Rates

Comments: LIMITED DELUXE EDITION includes 30 page booklet with lyrics & exclusive photos (blue version)...ships same day

The "Limited Deluxe Edition" is the one I bought from Wal-Mart. It's currently on their site for $13.88, which means "aierec" is making a profit that is MORE than the full price of the CD.

That also happened when I purchased the "Terrapin Station Live" CD from the Grateful Dead's Web Site and saw it on Amazon for something like three times as much, plus Jeff Beck's "Official Live Bootleg" was selling on his own Web Site for one third of what Amazon was charging for the Japanese import.

I'm OK with my conscience and the $13.88 I spent.

[Balbus]

71. 3 or 4 times a week.

If Walmart had a better liquor section, it'd probably be even more.

[el_bryanto]

75. Not regularly - prefer target and costco. But on the side of town that i work

there is a walmart and neither of the other two.

[progressoid]

78. I heard on NPR that 70% of Walmart shoppers are Republicans.

Someone did a poll of shoppers political inclinations. But this was a couple years ago. Maybe the number has changed since the complete failure of the GOP.

[Strathos]

79. I shop there and am not ashamed

I'm not rich and I'm not going to spend more money for the same products at some other store just because of my political feelings.

I don't judge people who refuse to shop there and hope that people don't judge me for shopping there, but if they do, it's really their problem, not mine.


I'm a democrat, I'm a SUPER liberal, I'm gay, but not everything can revolve around those issues.

[madmom]

86. "spend more money for the same products at some other store" I agree 100%

[gollygee]

105. My brother worked at a manufacturer that sold things at Walmart

And they made a special version of their product just for Walmart and Home Depot, because those two companies were unwilling to pay what they needed in order to make a profit on the items. So they came up with a way to make the same thing cheaper - replace metal parts with plastic, etc. They looked the same and the packaging was the same, though. But they weren't really the same products.

[RobinA]

111. Our Plumber

told us this same thing about Home Depot. I would never buy anything where quality was important at either of these stores, but shampoo is shampoo, so I go to WalMart for that kind of thing. WalMart's clothing is definitely a case of you get what you pay for, but sometimes that is good enough.

[antipode]

80. Yes...several times a month.

...

[RhodaGrits]

82. Business wholesale stuff at Sam's - never ever Wal-Mart

The only place I can get bulk quantities of what I need to run one of my businesses within an hour drive is Sam's so I hold my nose and go. I am now buying all my groceries from the local health food store and the local IGA.

If you need 200 of something and have to pay retail, you go out of business. That's what Sam's was supposed to be for and got perverted like everything else from Wal-Mart.

[gollygee]

83. I did occasionally, but I've learned a painful lesson

Our Walmart is really really slow. There's never anyone there. So it's like going to a convenience store - if I need just one thing I can park pretty close, run in, grab what I need, and run out.

However, something happened that changed my mind. I had left my potholders at a potluck, so I needed some quickly and I fast ran up there to get just that. I came home, cooked, and when I pulled the stuff out of the oven, I used the new potholders, and I burned my hands! It was like I'd grabbed the hot pan with my bare hands! It was awful! I think they just cut some lightly quilted fabric into rectangles and hemmed around it, and called the final product "potholders". So I guess I've learned my lesson.

The moral of the story is that they sell complete junk. It isn't worth a penny to buy anything from there. If I buy a potholder, I need to know that it has some kind of insulating material in it, or there's no point. I need to know everything I buy will work like it's supposed to work.

[antipode]

88. When I can't find a potholder I just fold a towel and use that.

Quick and cheaper than driving to the store.

[gollygee]

99. Yes well this is before I started

so i had time. But I have just used a towel in the past. Sometimes I need to use two hands when handling hot pans, and it's nice to have a potholder for each hand.

[Xenotime]

85. I don't understand how you can be a progressive and shop there.

[RobinA]

112. Where is a Progressive

supposed to shop if her income isn't in 6 figures?

[mod mom]

87. NEVER!

[Zywiec]

89. I shop at both all the time. n/t

[Shiver]

90. Not since I started my silent boycott in

the summer of '03. Have since only gone inside to use the bathroom and steal (which I haven't done in four years). Broke up with one of my exes in their parking lot, though. As I recall, she was always trying to insist that we go there...

[Owl]

91. No.

[ileus]

93. I'd be crazy not to.

[OneBlueSky]

95. I've never set foot in either . . . I shop at Costco . . . n/t

[specialed]

98. Niether...

We haven't shopped at either in at least five years.

[Romulox]

100. Nope. I support union workers at Meijers/Krogers. nt

[Sebastian Doyle]

106. How is this a "yes or no" poll?

Shouldn't there be an option to vote for which one?

I.e. I love Costco, but would never set foot inside a Sam's Club.

(Or the reverse of that, for lurking Freepers.)

[JustAnotherGen]

107. Neither

And I've dropped shopping at Target now too.

I buy most of that stuff at Harmon's or one of the many local stores in my community.

[DebJ]

113. What's up with Target?

[JustAnotherGen]

122. Deb

Target has a program for their Credit Card holders where you can give a portion of your sales/designate it to a school district. I designate it to my niece's school district in Rochester NY.


I've had that card for four years and:
1. Never paid late.
2. Have only had ONE rotating balance and that was for 3 months (their interest kept getting me) over 2 years ago.

Here's what I do:

I go in, buy what I need using the card - then go right over to Customer Service and pay it off with the cash. I did this two Saturdays ago. I come home after running errands, get my mail - and they reduced my credit limit from $1000 to $800. That looks bad on a credit report.

Know why they did? "Administrative costs too high".

In a time when many many retailers are struggling, they had a customer who for four years has consistently spent between $50 and $100 a month. At minimum use me as a demo identifier.

Because I fear the impact to my credit score - I've cancelled the account. I also followed up with a letter that they created a bad customer experience through their own inability to see the forest for the trees.

In the meantime - why NOT use a local retailer? I live in a densely populated state: NJ. There are TONS of local business still. And in this economy . . . why not stimulate at the local level? Why not make sure I'm my brother's/neighbors keeper?

All they did with that is lose a 'good' customer - and their loss is now fully Harmon's gain. I already shopped at Harmon's if it was on my way someplace . . . but now? I'm going to make a point of getting everything I was getting a Target there. :wink: :pals:

[Dukkha]

114. I don't get the membership clubs

you pay a fee to get the same crap at the same price everywhere else.

[tkmorris]

118. Nope. I don't anyway

I analyzed very carefully whether a Costco membership made financial sense for us, comparing what we buy there with what it costs elsewhere. We save more than enough to justify the membership fee.

[Brazenly Liberal]

115. Some people have no choice

The recession hit this county a good 10 years before anyone on TV was talking about it. The three major employers all disappeared. It's not uncommon for folks to have to commute 100 miles each way to work. There are families who would be in a world of hurt without Walmart. For about 80 or so families, it's the second job that saved them from foreclosure. For others, it's the only store within 35 miles that sells much of what they need.

I'm not a fan of Walmart, but the fact is that when they opened a store in the county seat, it saved the economy of this county from completely crashing and burning. Storefronts on the main highway through the town that had been empty for several years before they came now house small businesses thriving by selling specialty items and services Big Wally doesn't. And Walmart itself donates large sums to local schools and charities.

As I said, I'm not a fan of Walmart. The only time I shop there is when I absolutely need something that can't wait until we make that 35 mile trek up north to do our regular shopping.

But flat out hating Walmart is too easy. The truth of it is much more complicated than we usually hear about.

[ACTION BASTARD]

116. No here. But I live in NYC so we can buy according to our

conscience and avoid the Satanic Spawns of Sam. However, I won't shit on those that have no choice.

[Tikki]

117. The couple times I walked by one... their shopping carts were....

really dirty and they don't put the handi- wipes out front in a dispenser
like other stores do.
I take my grandchildren shopping with me nearly every time I go out. We go
other places to shop.

Tikki

[sendero]

121. I buy....

... groceries at Wal Mart (except for produce, Whole Foods mostly) because they are 30% cheaper (at least) than the competition. I cannot turn down that kind of money.

I don't shop at Sam's because Costco is much better. They are not as cheap but they make up for it with top quality stuff, Costco does not sell crap products in my experience.

One more thing, my sister and two of her kids work at Wal Mart and by their own accounts they love their jobs. Go figure.

[LostinVA]

123. No fucking way -- Costco all the way

WONDFERFUL company to its workers, and the stuff tends to be way nicer.