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When Shoppers Skip Wal-Mart, You Know They're Rolling Back On Spending
Forbes ^ | August 15, 2013 | Abram Brown

Posted on 08/15/2013 5:14:53 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

If discount every-day necessities can’t tempt shoppers into stores, it’s a clear signal that consumers feel stifled by a tough economy at home and overseas.

That’s the picture provided this morning by Wal-Mart’s latest quarterly report. The world’s largest retailer cut its annual profit and revenue outlook and reported second-quarter figures that missed expectations.

Wal-Mart, operating 10,800 stores across 27 countries, is seen as an economic bellwether because it’s a go-to spot for so many households, where they shop for groceries, home supplies and gasoline. Nonexistent wage gains and a sluggish recovery are hampering spending in America and Europe, while slowing growth in developing companies keep the emerging middle classes there from spending much, too. Listen to Wal-Mart CFO Charles Holley: “”The retail environment remains challenging in the U.S. and our international markets, as customers are cautious in their spending.”(continued)

(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Front Page News; US: Arkansas
KEYWORDS: bhoeconomy; economy; obama; recession; retail; walmart
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To: steve86
for me,I shop sales at my local Fred Meyer...I'll go to Winco once in a blue moon, but I follow the ads and if its more than one item on a good sale, I'll be there....

Walmart prices seriously, are not that great...

61 posted on 08/15/2013 7:06:17 PM PDT by cherry
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To: HiTech RedNeck

As long as you’re not preaching, it’s all good.


62 posted on 08/15/2013 7:06:18 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: All armed conservatives.)
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To: VerySadAmerican
I think the answer is simple. Walmart doesn’t fudge the numbers.

I do believe your thinking is correct.

63 posted on 08/15/2013 7:07:47 PM PDT by Gabz (Democrats for Voldemort.)
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To: cherry
I'll be putting up my own peanut butter in a month or so. That should last me until next year on PB.

Everything I'm doing is stuff my grandparents would be familiar with. It's not rocket science. ;)

I try to avoid 'shopping' as much as I can.

/johnny

64 posted on 08/15/2013 7:08:16 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: steve86; LongWayHome
It isn't exactly lazy -- it is generally an understaffing problem.

Speaking as a member of the hourly management team at my own Walmart, I can definitely agree. Work hours are allotted to each store from above, and there's a correlation between sales and allotted hours. The individual store's scorecard also gets a big hit if you have too many WOSH (Work Over Scheduled Hours).

A lot of the stocking problems stem from performance in the backroom; if the backroom is in order, the front of the store has a much better chance of functioning. And as I've come to learn, it only takes a few screwing up the backroom processes to make everything come screeching to a halt in terms of inventory.

/and no matter how much you want to fix it
//there is never enough time to get to it
///NEVER

65 posted on 08/15/2013 7:11:14 PM PDT by Ultra Sonic 007 (Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst.)
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To: cherry

Yes, Winco average prices definitely are lower. My wife just said that looking at an item a couple of days ago. Probably 80% of our food budget is spent at Winco.

For those who don’t know, Winco is a regional chain with emphasis on volume and self service. Do your own bagging, for example. No credit cards. Customers who want to be pampered aren’t going to be happy there. They are a little like Costco but no membership fee.

In several places Winco has moved into abandoned Walmart buildings.


66 posted on 08/15/2013 7:12:29 PM PDT by steve86 (non politically-correct comment)
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To: Lera
and obnoxious cashiers

What cashiers? I check myself out.

67 posted on 08/15/2013 7:12:43 PM PDT by PAR35
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To: tumblindice

What’s yer problem with preachin’, son? Rednecks wuz born (again) to preach. In their bones.

I ain’t preachin’ brimstone here. I’m preachin’ pearly gates.


68 posted on 08/15/2013 7:12:53 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck (The Lion of Judah will roar again if you give him a big hug and a cheer and mean it. See my page.)
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To: Gabz

It’s not based on resort area .
Their price point for food is based on how much competition is around them.

If you are looking rural verses resort area you won’t see a difference . If you look rural verses average large city you will notice a difference .

On some items price difference can be as much as 20%
This is on food (not regular store merchandise)
This does not include things like eggs and dairy products since those prices are based mostly on local dairy laws.

If you live in a suburb and you have multiple Walmarts around you and you check around you can find that certain ones will be much cheaper than others .


69 posted on 08/15/2013 7:13:54 PM PDT by Lera (Proverbs 29:2)
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To: Lera

Thanks for the reinforcement. We do have a Krogers somewhat near but it is dirty and the staff not helpful at all. I only have so much free time and I can either spend it on FR and sending articles to friends or look for coupons on-line. Guess which I prefer doing!!!

Even though there is just me and the cat, I have managed to amass enough stuff to feed us and my son’s family for at least three months. In exchange, my son has all the camping and wilderness survival gear so we’re pretty good to go.


70 posted on 08/15/2013 7:15:08 PM PDT by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
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To: who knows what evil?

That isn’t maple syrup... :-)

He thinks it is after I add some maple flavoring and heat it up with some melted butter added to it. Thrifty people can only afford to be so picky!


71 posted on 08/15/2013 7:17:39 PM PDT by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
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To: CatDancer; Red in Blue PA; dalereed
Wow, it’s nice to know how you feel about us “low end trash” and “dregs of society” that can only afford to shop at Walmart.

Thank you. Well said.

I can, now thankfully, actually afford too shop elsewhere but I choose to stick with the local WM most of the time. I get great service, I can find what I am looking for because unlike other local stores they are not constantly rearranging things, and when I can't find what I'm looking for someone i around to find it for me ---- or direct me to another local retailer that carries what I'm looking for.

72 posted on 08/15/2013 7:18:49 PM PDT by Gabz (Democrats for Voldemort.)
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To: Lera
If you live in a suburb and you have multiple Walmarts around you and you check around you can find that certain ones will be much cheaper than others .

You are generalizing from your own area again.

Three Walmarts here; identical pricing. Some differences in floor space and inventory. There is another Walmart about 40 miles away in another state where the prices are very slightly different, but they have more local produce.

Also, large cities in this part of the country are nothing like large cities in your part, in terms of grocery pricing, demographics, and just about anything else.

73 posted on 08/15/2013 7:21:03 PM PDT by steve86 (non politically-correct comment)
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To: JRandomFreeper

How do you preserve your pb? I’m in the Ohio Valley, but I’ve been researching growing peanuts. It’s a staple in our house, and the stuff off the store shelf with just peanuts and salt on the label is getting too expensive.


74 posted on 08/15/2013 7:22:43 PM PDT by goodwithagun (My gun has killed fewer people than Ted Kennedy's car.)
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To: VerySadAmerican

How long before WalMart is called racist for not making Barrry look good?


75 posted on 08/15/2013 7:23:00 PM PDT by matt04
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To: CatDancer
Wow, it’s nice to know how you feel about us “low end trash” and “dregs of society” that can only afford to shop at Walmart. Becoming a bit elitist in here, are we?

Yeah, this. Shopping at Wal-mart does not make one pond scum.

I like Wal-mart alot, but the one on the way to and from work has had a few assaults in the parking lot (large city), so have to wait until we can go to more rural one in a different city.

Due to union power in certain cities, some Wal-marts do NOT have self-check out.

76 posted on 08/15/2013 7:23:14 PM PDT by madison10
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To: CatDancer
Wow, it’s nice to know how you feel about us “low end trash” and “dregs of society” that can only afford to shop at Walmart.

I am one of those dregs, too, apparently. I love my local Walmart. I like that they'll price match other store's prices. The sporting goods guys will holler at me to let me know the ammo situation if they see me walk by.

Their USDA choice meat is good, and yes, being a low end dreg, I usually buy it when it's yellow tagged. They have pilgrim's pride chickens which I like better than Sanderson Farms tough birds.They have rice noodles, and mung bean threads for Asian Cooking., and they just expanded their Asian Foods Section.

I also like thae "Go Texan" produce..and I've only ever seen one person there who was shopping in their pajamas.

77 posted on 08/15/2013 7:24:09 PM PDT by sockmonkey (Of Course I didn't read the article. After all, this is FreeRepublic..)
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To: HiTech RedNeck

You could always tell when my azz went to sleep sitting on those hardback pews Sunday morning & evening and Wednesday evening:
Both ends of me were snoring.


78 posted on 08/15/2013 7:26:31 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: All armed conservatives.)
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To: steve86

Look at Walmarts own corporate statement which even admits to price differences between stores.

http://corporate.walmart.com/frequently-asked-questions

Why is there a price difference between Walmart stores?

Prices may vary from store to store because each store is required to manage its own inventory. Therefore, a manager may lower a price to clear out an overstock item, to reward customers with an in-store sale, or to compete with local merchants. It is not our policy to price match our own stores or our online service since we are not in competition with ourselves.

If you would like more information on pricing policy, you may contact your local store management.


79 posted on 08/15/2013 7:29:32 PM PDT by Lera (Proverbs 29:2)
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To: Grams A
He thinks it is...

That's what matters most...

80 posted on 08/15/2013 7:30:34 PM PDT by who knows what evil? (G-d saved more animals than people on the ark...www.siameserescue.org.)
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