I was in Target the other day....

Dropped into Target this weekend (I know, big mistake) and had to deal with a horde of zombie-like, crazed, people acting as if it were the last shopping day on earth. Even the elevator ride was troublesome. I actually shoved my way out when people insisted on cramming into an already full elevator. Just before the doors closed, one guy with a huge cart ran up and said, "any more room?" to which I immediately replied with a very clear "NO." So what does he do? He pushes his way in. Thats when I had enough and literally shoved my way out. No way I'm on an elevator with a bunch of impulsive shopping zombies. If people act this nuts in a department store on a Normal day, I can only imagine what that place would look like should there be some impending danger or recent crisis. The point to this rant is that it reminded me of just how mindless, impulsive, and panicy people can be, and thats under normal circumstances.

the same scene repeated in walmart all the time. It seems like ppl trying to get out of dodge before a giant meteor strike the city. Everyone is in panic mode. Mothers try to calm their crying infants while trying to push the carts into cashier line. sheesh. ppl need to relax.

Yet another reason I left Los Angeles long ago, and have no desire to return to it, or any big city...

C'mon LED, why are they all crazed zombies and you're one of the few there shopping for legit items?

Makes you wonder if saving a few $$ is ultimately worth it.

These stores stock goods made everywhere but in the USA by people who are paid in a year what an American worker gets in a week. We consumers spend millions to save pennies, and American businesses close down right and left, ultimately limiting our choices and IMHO lowering our quality of life. Plus, the wonderful ambience of shopping in your local megmart, as is being pointed out in this thread, is truly a life-altering experience.

It's two years since I've set foot in the local WalMart. Life is too short.

Frank2135

I don't bother to shop at walmart either. Seems most of the cheap stuff is compelte crap and anything decent you can get cheaper elsewhere.
I'm currently trying to find another source for the 5 quart jugs of Mobile 1 oil, WalMart seems to be the only place that sells them, everywhere else I have to buy a bunch of the one quart jugs.

I don't know if anywhere else sells the 5 quart jug, but I do know you're not gonna find it as cheap as walmart for the same quantity.

LED,

I'm surprised that you live in L.A. and you feel this way. If you can't handle a normal shopping day at Target, you're gonna have some real problems if there ever was some sort of emergency. And if you ever visit a foreign country, it's going to be a real eye-opener. Some places make a busy day in L.A. look like a ghost town. I hate crowds too, but it's just something I've learned to adapt to. Just think of it as a survival excercise. If you can handle Walmart or Costco the day after Thanksgiving, you're well prepared for the mass hysteria following any emergency.

Its actually not any cheaper, that seems to be a common msiconception with walmart, I can buy 5 quarts for the same price as the 5 quart jug, its just easier to stack the larger jug. Een then I have to make a special trip to walmart and hope they have it in stock. A few times I've just found an empty shelf.

I just get a little frustrated sometimes and wonder how much of a madhouse things would be should normal routines be interrupted. I never mentioned being hostile or having a breakdown or anything. I mean, after a 3 month stay in Lima, living in NYC, Athens, London, and now LA for 10 years, I'm used to cities and crowds. Sometimes I just step back and say "man, what a madhouse." Of course I didn't say everyone there was a crazed zombie shopper (impulse buyer), but many were. And no, I try real hard not to get sucked into that impulse buying zone. I usually go in with a list and try to stick to it.

Thats L.A. for you, what else is new?

Don't know if you have an Advanced/Discount auto parts store near you but this is a good price,

http://tinyurl.com/2fd4wo

I was actually in Advance (there is no d in the name) a couple days ago and they didn't have it. the stores just must not stock it, I'll have to print that out and take it in next time.

Sorry, my spellin idn't very good.

The store i was at only had 2 gallons. The car takes 7 qts so i didn't get any extra. And it does depend on which location you go to, some of the stores seem to be painfully slow about getting mechandise back in stock or special ordering anything.

Hey LED, I think I was at Target the same day you were. I grabbed the last Kito flashlight on sale for $14.99, and when I turned to leave, here's what I saw:

Classic...

What a great movie!! I hope they make another installment, but I haven't heard anything...

You know, thats so true. "Hmmm, I can't remember, don't I need this....." I try and pay with cash most of the time cause its much easier to "see it go" and makes it a bit easier to stick to what I came in for. But now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure there's actually something to the psychological aspect of shopping big box stores that might account for that "mindless shopper" syndrome. Isn't product placement and store design done in such a way to encourage buying more stuff and maybe capitalize on impulsive behavior? You know, like how casinos have no windows so you don't know what time of day it is. I imagine that walking between thousands of products perfectly packaged to say "BUY ME!" its no wonder people wind up in a daze after a while.

Also a good reason to shop dedicated stores. So when your buying groceries, if your in a store that only sells groceries there isn't any camping gear on the shelves to tempt you.
The all in one WalMart type of store is crap anyway, you get less choice because there is only enough room for maybe one of every item where you go to a dedicated store and you have 10 different items of each type to choose from.

I agree that Target and Walmart are not uppity stores and some of the things they sell are not first class stuff. But if you buy the brand names they sell you will do ok.
What is the difference if you buy Maglite there that cost you $5 less that the one that you can buy in a fancy outdoor store?
It is the same quality. Just my 2 cents.

I have found that any decent brand name I can get for the same price or less at a better store than walmart. For example the LED Maglight is $1 cheaper at home depot. The 7 gallon water jugs are $1 at gander mountain than walmart.
It has nothing to do with being upity, its walmart having the low prices only on the cheap chinese crap you don't want to trust your life to anyway.

Don't get me wrong, I really like Target stuff, especially their generic Target brand which is usually half the price of name brands and just as good IMO. Thats actually the main reason I go there, because they have a quality generic brand that saves me a crapload of money.

"But if you buy the brand names they sell you will do ok."

I'm not so sure of that. Maybe 'hard' materials are okay, but things like shampoo, laundry detergents and other things often seem inferior to the exact same brand sold elsewhere, like they're watered down.

Also, I've noticed that WM is carrying fewer and fewer brands, and what's left is of inferior quality.

Sue

I've always found that a name brand like maglight you can find cheaper somewhere besides walmart. Thats why I don't understand the buying everything at walmart mentality, you pay for for the name brand stuff and get crappier off brand stuff and have less to choose from.
The LED Maglight for example that Home Depot seold for $19.99 while WalMart was selling it for $24.99