551 replies to this topic

[gumgum]

Oh good. I was really needing a Dora backpack and a 50 back of dinner rolls last night at 3am. I will never be in that situation again.

[sebberry]

Big-sis giving spy orders in the walmart checkout lines:

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ntCYiegLcxw

[sebberry]

Ahh, I knew someone would come through and shower Ms. Neapolitan or whatever her name is with reports of suspicious activity at Walmart:

http://www.naturalne...CBD262A53D8B071

[Sparky]

^ That was funny.

[ressen]

Langford Wal-Mart is being reconfigured to become a mini supper store (whatever that means ) they will be selling fresh vegetables and more food items than the do now.

[LJ]

^I'm guessing they meant "super" store. I almost never think of WM for supper!

[davek]

Mark Perry writes on the role of Walmart in serving "food deserts" -

"Who needs "public-private intervention" to make "fresh, healthy and affordable food more readily available" in poor neighborhoods when you have Walmart willing to do a "private intervention" by opening stores in food deserts and solving the problem?"

[G-Man]

We need public policy to prevent food deserts from occurring in the first place through better land use planning.

[davek]

We need public policy to prevent food deserts from occurring in the first place through better land use planning.

I don't think the saints we elect nor the geniuses they hire are capable of overcoming the knowledge and incentive problems that cause them to create food deserts in the first place.

[Phil McAvity]

I like Wal-Mart, I think it's awesome!

And for once folks, i'm not being sarcastic!

[VicHockeyFan]

Walmart Canada Corp. is preparing for the arrival of Target in Canada with a strategy that may strike greater fear in the hearts of Canada's grocery chains than in its general merchandise competitors.

The country's largest mass-merchant hosted an international analyst meeting in Toronto on Thursday, and food was a major focus of several executives who spoke to the crowd.

http://www.timescolo...3280/story.html

[Bob Fugger]

While Target will offer a selected assortment of frozen, dairy and dry goods in Canada as part of a deal with grocery chain Sobeys, the Walmart rival's bread and butter is its general merchandise such as apparel, home goods and decor.

I wonder if Target's groceries are going to be massively overpriced liked Thirfty's, given that the use the same supplier. Also, what's going to happen at Hillside, with Thrifty's established as an anchor tenant there?

[martini]

I wonder if Target's groceries are going to be massively overpriced liked Thirfty's, given that the use the same supplier. Also, what's going to happen at Hillside, with Thrifty's established as an anchor tenant there?

My real hope is people will consciously shop at a 100% B.C. owned and operated food store.
People have complained about Thrifty's since it was taken over. Well why are you shopping there?! Go to Save-On-Foods.

[VicHockeyFan]

My real hope is people will consciously shop at a 100% B.C. owned and operated food store.
People have complained about Thrifty's since it was taken over. Well why are you shopping there?! Go to Save-On-Foods.

Fugger:

I wonder if Target's groceries are going to be massively overpriced liked Thirfty's, given that the use the same supplier. Also, what's going to happen at Hillside, with Thrifty's established as an anchor tenant there?

Like it or not, Thrifty's was good at promoting themselves as the local rags-to-riches local guy, with friendly staff, and great place to work etc. and their green smile logo was brilliant, even if they never knew it.

That can go a long way towards masking higher prices. I mean, Fairways has ALWAYS been the better deal price-wise, but they have never had a flair for marketing.

[martini]

Fugger:

Like it or not, Thrifty's was good at promoting themselves as the local rags-to-riches local guy, with friendly staff, and great place to work etc. and their green smile logo was brilliant, even if they never knew it.

That can go a long way towards masking higher prices. I mean, Fairways has ALWAYS been the better deal price-wise, but they have never had a flair for marketing.

Yes agreed. And Alex was well loved. Fact is it's not the same under Sobey's.
On the odd occasion I've run in I've been plain aggravated at the crappy service.
If customers are conscious of where they spend their money...staff treatment and wages should be a consideration as well.

Save-On pays it's members well and treats them well.
Staff turnover is almost non-existent.

Sorry if I've veered off topic.

[Bob Fugger]

My real hope is people will consciously shop at a 100% B.C. owned and operated food store.
People have complained about Thrifty's since it was taken over. Well why are you shopping there?! Go to Save-On-Foods.

I know that you're not going to like this, but I'd rather go to Wal-Mart for my generic groceries than anywhere else. My dollar goes way further and allows me to spread my discretionary spending out further.

From the comments I've read on Facebook lately, the employees are treated fairly well, some of whom regard Wal-Mart as a lifeline when no one else would hire them.

[Holden West]

^You have a point there. I doubt many WM employees are picking up evening shifts at Cactus Club. And as much as I hate the idea of taking my business there, the price on many grocery staples is hard to beat.

[Bob Fugger]

^You have a point there. I doubt many WM employees are picking up evening shifts at Cactus Club. And as much as I hate the idea of taking my business there, the price on many grocery staples is hard to beat.

Holden, why does the thought of shopping there make your stomach cringe? I don't think that you need to apologize for it.

Wal-Mart is a global brand that can provide low prices precisely because of its economy of scale. This has both positive and negative effects on suppliers: on the plus side, suppliers are forced to supply products for the lowest cost to meet Wal-Mart's demand. On the negative side, suppliers don't want to give up margin, so they tend to make products more cheaply and the resultant drop in quality means that they don't last as long. Of course that's not always the case.

I don't buy the whole movement to blindly support local products and retailers. Either we can compete or we can't. If we can't, why not reallocate those resources into another sector of the economy, rather than continuing to piss up a rope?

Besides, local businesses aren't exactly the saints and saviour that people hold them out to be. For example, I'm sure that you will find the employment practices at Wal-Mart to be far superior and more respectful than, oh I don't know, a certain local pizza & pasta chain that just opened up a new location on the north edge of downtown? I'll bet my left plum that Wal-Mart won't charge you $2 if you break a dish and will pay you overtime when you hit the eight hour mark.

[Mike K.]

Save-On pays it's members well and treats them well.
Staff turnover is almost non-existent.

Save-Ons is also getting expensive and their selection for many items is lacking.

Red Barn Markets are still the best place in the CRD to shop for vegetables, fruits and locally-sourced meats. Where Red Barn can't keep up is the big name brand items that are always sold cheaper at the big brand stores. For that though the Wholesale Club in Esquimalt blows EVERYONE out of the water. You'll easily save $0.20 to $0.50 on most items which can save you $20 on a weeks worth of groceries.

[martini]

Holden, why does the thought of shopping there make your stomach cringe? I don't think that you need to apologize for it.

Wal-Mart is a global brand that can provide low prices precisely because of its economy of scale. This has both positive and negative effects on suppliers: on the plus side, suppliers are forced to supply products for the lowest cost to meet Wal-Mart's demand. On the negative side, suppliers don't want to give up margin, so they tend to make products more cheaply and the resultant drop in quality means that they don't last as long. Of course that's not always the case.

I don't buy the whole movement to blindly support local products and retailers. Either we can compete or we can't. If we can't, why not reallocate those resources into another sector of the economy, rather than continuing to piss up a rope?

Besides, local businesses aren't exactly the saints and saviour that people hold them out to be. For example, I'm sure that you will find the employment practices at Wal-Mart to be far superior and more respectful than, oh I don't know, a certain local pizza & pasta chain that just opened up a new location on the north edge of downtown? I'll bet my left plum that Wal-Mart won't charge you $2 if you break a dish and will pay you overtime when you hit the eight hour mark.

No one should be blindly supporting anything! But there should be a conscious effort on the part of the consumer to know/decide where their dollar is going.

I asked a local retailer if he could match or at least come close to a competitor's price on a specialized item.
He was shocked at the retail price his competitor could sell for.
Based on buying power, he couldn't even get it wholesale for that.
The point being I tried, and he appreciated that.
Certainly an eyeopener for both of us.