Why do people still shop at Wal-Mart?

Question

Wal-mart, Best Buy, Barnes and Noble's, Starbucks...are we slowing killing our ability to choose where we will shop? Are we driving ma and pa shops out of business? I want to know what you think about it.

Answer 1

We are absolutely driving ma and pa shops out of business. Our society moves at such a fast pace that we typically don't stop to look at things in the perspective that you bring up here. I don't think we will ever see the day when small shops go away completely, however we may have seen the end of a small shop being in the same location for 40-50 years or even multiple generations just because their lack of purchasing power will never be able to compete with the huge corporations. We are clearly losing choices.

Answer 2

We're not killing our ability to choose where we shop. We're killing the ability of mom and pop stores to sell certain products. And thats not all that bad a thing.

Mom and Pop can't possibly compete with Wal-Mart's effeciency and prices at selling the things Wal-Mart does. So they shouldn't.

As the market changes Mom and Pop stores need to change. To sell the things Wal-Mart does not, To provide the services Wal-Mart doesn't.

Same goes for all the companies you mentioned. I shop at a Mom and pop specalty bookstore. "The Other Change of Hobbit" They sell fantasy and Science fiction. They have a Barnes and Nobles a block away and they're thriving! Within their specalty they carry 10 times the variety of Barnes and Nobles. The people behind the counter have read almost everything on the shelves. Tell them what you like, and they can tell you what you should buy. They're honest and critical about their own merchandise.

Think about food. How do your local restraunts compete with the big chains? Mom and Pop restraunts compete on quality of goods, and different offerings.

Mom and Pop operations that can't change to the new market are going to go out of business, but thats always been the case. Nothing new there. The challenge is different, but theres always been a new challenge. Some will go under, others will replace them.

Mom and Pop aren't going anywhere.

Answer 3

I get what you are saying. Wal-Mart especially has a lot of unethical business practices which I disagree with and I try not to shop there...but it's hard because they have such low prices. I personally prefer Target, I think they have better options in certain areas. It's hard to fight the machine. I mean Wal-Mart is a monster. I shop at the other places for certain things, but not all. I might go to Barnes and Noble's for some books, but I frequent used bookstore more often than not or use Amazon. And I've tried mom-and-pop coffee shops and not one of them has been better than Starbucks.

Answer 4

ya we are killing private family shops, and personaly i think it is a pity. i really like those shops they give you a warm feeling and a sense that these people are proud of what they're seling. in chain stores people that work there just want to raise money for a car, they don't care about the product. i love the individuality of the little shops and wal mart can never have individuality.
however, going to chain stores is easier rbecause they have everything in one place and things are so cheap. ma and pa can not sell things that cheap because they do not get as much buisness. also no matter where you go you can find a wal mart or starbucks so you know the quality that you are getting. i think that is why we tend to go to wal mart and starbucks.

Answer 5

I love Wal-Mart. They sell the same items as the grocery store so how can they be poor quality. The prices are much lower. I've never had a problem with the clothing quality and if you have problems with an item the returns are easier than Target.

Plus, they give a lot to our schools. I don't know how they are in other towns but when our Wal-Mart opened they came to our elementary school, gave us $5000 in school supplies and a check for $5000. They donate to every function we have.

Answer 6

Cheap prices. They are everywhere, so it's close to me. 1 -stop shopping and all that junk...

We are driving mom an pop out of business but I tell you, I cannot afford to keep them in business. Mom and pop stores are more expensive. I don't have the resources to support someone else, I have a hard enough time keeping things afloat as it is. Walmart is much cheaper when it comes to general goods.

Not to mention with the way gas prices (still) are, I cannot afford the time or gas to drive to a single Mom and Pop location to buy their wares. Walmart's like 10 min from my house and has everything.

Walmart has an awesome return policy. I use to work for a Mom and Pop store and their return policies suck! No offense, but they always do store credit even if I have a valid reason and reciept. Walmart is basically no-hassle.

Sorry and Good Luck!

Answer 7

Wal-Mart and other successful businesses are successfull because we live in a capitalistic society that encourages innovation and efficiency. Wal-Mart for example has a niche market and it fulfills the demands for that market very efficiently. The only way these businesses will go away is if the market demands a different type of product that they can no longer supply. There is always and will always be competition, and the mom and pop stores that go out of business do so because people no longer want their products. Quality businesses will always thrive in our society no matter what their size.

Answer 8

The Wal-Mart Cooperation has one of the largest computer systems other than the government and is able to tell what products are selling the fastest in the industry allowing them to be able to ship product to the store in real time fashion and generally sell more product for less because they have the power to influence manufactures to sell them product for less money than to other corporations. Which makes shoppers go to Wal-Mart more than any other store in the nation.

Answer 9

Our Wal-Mart is open 24 hours. So, I would have to say most people shop there for the convenience, and lower prices. I try to give my business to other places first, so that maybe someday, we will still have choices where to shop.

Answer 10

Walmart is cheaper and often it has more selection and is more likely to have what someone is looking for. As for my personal opinion of Walmart, I like the cheaper prices and I hate the store in general. Some people who work there are rude, the store normally does not have enought people working at once so I have had to stand in teh checkout for over half an hour and it is not always particularily clean (and it becomes a hangout for people because the one here is 24 hours).