WM will often pick up a well-known brand and sell it for a while, and the vendor is thrilled to get the exposure at such a high-volume chain.
Then they discover that they have to deal with WM strictly on WM's terms, and the glow wears off quickly. The vendor either starts funneling all their 'seconds' to WM, or they start producing a lower-quality product so they can take the financial losses that WM demands for the 'honor' of dealing with them.
So, if you see something you like that looks good, don't dawdle around deciding, get it, try it, and go from there. If you come back a few months later, what you saw the last time may have 'degenerated' in quality somewhat. Sometime later you will probably find the original has disappeared and there will be a cheap WM pseudo-clone in its place.
Caveat emptor (esp used car dealers and WM).
Sue
You're right, and the venerable Buck 119 Special knife is one example. Most outlets sell them for around $55 -$59. They often come in a heavy hang package with a high quality leather sheath beside the knife. I was surprised to see the Buck 119 at Walmart for $10 less than anywhere else. I picked up the package to examine it, and I noticed that the sheath (now packaged behind the knife) was made of 'ballistic' nylon cloth. I'm not judging the merits of nylon vs leather, but pointing out that a high quality leather sheath is more expensive than a ballistic nylon one. You get what you pay for.
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