Why I Despise Wal-Mart

I honestly hope "the people" at Wal-mart read this post and know that their stores and their customer service/friendliness/security all just STINK.

I don't normally just GO OFF on a store on my blog, but I've just about had enough of Wal-mart. As you know I tell everyone I meet that I was going broke grocery shopping at Wal-mart (home of the everyday low prices). I've cut my grocery bill in half shopping elsewhere.

But last night was the straw the broke the proverbial camel's back for me. There were several Christmas items that I couldn't find anywhere else -- I'd been looking quite a while for them -- so I decided to go into Wal-mart and get them plus a few other gifts since I was there. Most of them were in larger boxes so I had a cart full even though I didn't have a lot of items.

I get up front -- the only lines open? Self-check out. Great. Strike one for Wal-mart. I'm sorry. If I have a magazine and a coke, I'll do self-check out. If I've got a cart full of stuff, I don't want to deal with it. But I had no choice.

So, I start the process of checking out, but realize that you have to scan then bag each item. Well, I did the smallest things first and then with room for only two bags, I was quickly out of room. Every time you move a bag, the person in charge has to come over and "ok" it. Well, it is obvious to me that I have a bunch of "non-baggable" items, but apparently not to them as they continued to go back to the main stand and then come back. By this point I have a LINE behind me. Strike two Wal-mart. Give me enough room to put the stuff I buy so I CAN check out OR, gosh, OPEN A LANE WITH A REAL PERSON TO CHECK OUT PEOPLE LIKE ME!!!!

I get it all loaded up and head to the door where I see a man wearing a "Sheriff" hat and "Security Coat". He's standing near the entrance I came in and says, "I'm sorry, she's locking that door for the night." Huh??? I said, "But I'm parked right outside the door." He replies, "Sorry." Oh. Yeah. SO AM I!!! Strike THREE Wal-mart. I mumbled to myself as I walked away, "Well, I hope I don't get mugged/robbed/shot in the parking lot since I now have to walk to the other end of the [football field] store, go out and walk all the way back across the [football field] parking lot, after dark with the SECURITY GUARD INSIDE THE STORE?????!!!! If there were a strike four, they just hit that as well. The woman was standing by the door with the key in her hand --- please? -- where is the "customer service"?

So, yes, I despise Wal-mart. I will avoid it at all costs from here on out. "Low prices" shouldn't have to mean "low class".