The Walmart Chronicles

[jaydisc]

In America, There are Walmarts and Walmart "Supercenters". There are also Targets and "Super" Targets. The "Supers" both contain at supermarket additions under the same roof. I think both types of both already have pharmacies, garden centers, and all sorts of bonus sh1t.

[STL]

Great write up.

I'm not a fan of Walmart type vnetures not b/c of their customer service but more b/c of their business structure. As profitable as it is, it creates an unhealthy market position in the long run.

But who is to blame really? Regulators for not ensuring that such market power's not concentrated. Or ourselves for the pursuing the savings w/out a sense of business morality?

[TheDirtyDigger]

But who is to blame really? Regulators for not ensuring that such market power's not concentrated. Or ourselves for the pursuing the savings w/out a sense of business morality?

Well you can never trust the people to do the right thing concerning the greater good. Regulators need to be given teeth by the government. In the supermarket industry in Australia the big 2 are capped by the govt. at 80% market share. The greedy bastards try to get around this any way they can though.
I think a move to fascism is needed for a while to iron out all the kinks in society.

[i_amtrunks]

Thanks Griffin.

When you have a coles and a Kmart next to each other, and no other shops on the block anyway, I can't really see the difference to knocking the wall down.

Or am i the only one who does not like the idea of having meat, vegies, cereal and cat food in the same trolley as toys and t-shirts?

[jaydisc]

Costco, at least in the USA, is another departure from what we've been discussing here so far. Costco is what I refer to as membership-based wholesale. Basically, there is a yearly membership fee (e.g. US$50) which is required simply to gain entry to the store. The store is very warehouse-y in feel, and everything is sold in large quantities. For example, you can't buy a bag of chips, you buy a BOX of bags of chips. These stores have branched out to electronics and toys and naturally, don't apply the large quantity requirement there.

In the USA, this is the same as BJs and Sams Club (Walmart's wholesaler)

[MV75]

Jay, as I asked earlier, what are your thoughts on costco? How are they in comparison in the states? We will be getting them here at some stage soon.

And the hypermarket, it's great. I like the Aspley one. It's sort of a store lost in time, or how they used to be. As follows below.....

Thanks Griffin.

When you have a coles and a Kmart next to each other, and no other shops on the block anyway, I can't really see the difference to knocking the wall down.

Or am i the only one who does not like the idea of having meat, vegies, cereal and cat food in the same trolley as toys and t-shirts?

Mate, back in the day, a coles used to, as standard, have groceries, clothes, big toy aisle, etc. They used to all be in one. They often used to have cafe type resturants up the back of the store as well. They were more of a department store as standard.

I remember when they used to have the kmart/coles next to each other at Aspley as well. Back in the days where you could buy computer games, shot guns, clothes, christmas gifts, and do your shopping.

Years ago we did used to have this shopping nirvana.

Just yesterday I was wondering (on the size of northlakes, where you have to pack a lunch to trek from myer to target), at what point will people go, "nah stuff this, it's all too big". ?

I think that is coming. Shopping centres really are getting too large to be bothered going to every store. There are too many specialty shops inbetween.

I welcome the change back to department stores.

[jaydisc]

Jay, as I asked earlier, what are your thoughts on costco? How are they in comparison in the states? We will be getting them here at some stage soon.

Sorry, I must have missed the question. My partner does most of our grocery shopping and my mother does most of my clothes shopping (to this day ), so all I really shop for at retail are toys, and they don't seem to carry much. Everything else I buy online, so I don't really have much of an opinion.

If you're down with saving money by buying in bulk, it's a good deal. If you're the type who buys what you need as you need it, I doubt it'd be cost effective.

[MV75]

So they don't have the "monopoly" vibe that walmart does?

[i_amtrunks]

Mate, back in the day, a coles used to, as standard, have groceries, clothes, big toy aisle, etc. They used to all be in one. They often used to have cafe type resturants up the back of the store as well. They were more of a department store as standard.

The local Coles/Kmart near me were separated by a wall, but there was a dodgy restaurant at the back of the Kmart store for years, then in the mid 90's it was shut down. Always thought it was strange when I was a kid, but I guess it's no different to the larger complexes having 3 or 4 food courts in them!

[blackie]

The local Coles/Kmart near me were separated by a wall, but there was a dodgy restaurant at the back of the Kmart store for years, then in the mid 90's it was shut down. Always thought it was strange when I was a kid, but I guess it's no different to the larger complexes having 3 or 4 food courts in them!

i remember those resturants.
everytime i went shopping with my grandma we would go there and get pancakes