Walmart observations

[storewanderer]

This was happening at a Wal Mart on Reno on 2nd Street now too. Also that store has quite a few more cashiers than the other Wal Marts around Reno. The register basically does some kind of a strange reversal - if the total is 24.99 and you give them 30.00 the register will say change 6.00... and will show on the receipt as such... pretty simple.

Observed multiple customers in a not very polite manner after they had already left the register coming back and accusing the Wal Mart cashier of cheating them out of their change. Multiple customers going back to the cashier saying you didn't give me my change. Some did not seem to understand that they were actually receiving more money back than they were entitled to.

I may have missed it but I did not see any signs posted about this new policy. Maybe since they can turn it off the second the truck arrives with coins.

Again- what a mess.

[veteran+]

This was happening at a Wal Mart on Reno on 2nd Street now too. Also that store has quite a few more cashiers than the other Wal Marts around Reno. The register basically does some kind of a strange reversal - if the total is 24.99 and you give them 30.00 the register will say change 6.00... and will show on the receipt as such... pretty simple.

Observed multiple customers in a not very polite manner after they had already left the register coming back and accusing the Wal Mart cashier of cheating them out of their change. Multiple customers going back to the cashier saying you didn't give me my change. Some did not seem to understand that they were actually receiving more money back than they were entitled to.

I may have missed it but I did not see any signs posted about this new policy. Maybe since they can turn it off the second the truck arrives with coins.

Again- what a mess.

Oh wow............................that's hysterical!

[ClownLoach]

The Walmart Supercenter in my home town was built about 25 years ago. When it opened, the store did not have a food department, just some snacks. About five years later, food was added, then liquor and, in the past two years or so, a car delivery area. The staff is generally friendly and helpful now, unlike the old days.

In the past few weeks, the store has been undergoing a renovation, including painting the outside and removing the tile floor inside, replacing it with polished concrete. It is the latter on which I will comment. I went a few weeks ago and then again this past week to see the progress.

The store is in a total state of chaos, not only with the usual stuff stacked and waiting to be shelved, but stuff is moved around and shoved in places; it seems like randomly. Trying to get through an aisle (they kind of have them some places) is difficult, particularly when an associate is trying to get by with a cart; it is a game of chicken.

Rather than getting better, the store seemed worse the last time I went. Now most of the checkout stands are gone (there were maybe 5 left; one or two manned) and the lines were quite long, even at the self checkout. I left both times without buying anything. I wonder how many other potential customers did the same. I guess this is all short term inconvenience, but that remains to be seen.

I remember when Target was testing complete store remodels through a 5 day closure. There was a store in Tustin, CA which closed at 7pm on Sunday and remained closed until a Grand Reopening Saturday at 10am. They had 24 hour construction and added the entire P-fresh department (which of course necessitated resetting the rest of the store to reduce SKUs, move all gondolas, redo every single planogram in the building, markdown or transfer or donate all discontinued product, replace entire tile floor), repainted the entire interior and removed the neon, reconfigured all checkout counters, etc. And it worked. Sounds like what Walmart should be doing versus trying to operate a store under complete construction. I can't imagine that they don't lose more sales during a three month plus remodel (as customers buy less or leave empty handed due to store conditions or are unable to locate what they came for) - versus what they would lose to just be closed for 5 days and be done with it. The only thing that would be a problem is trying to do such a project in a one store market and Walmart has lots of those.

[pseudo3d]

The Walmart Supercenter in my home town was built about 25 years ago. When it opened, the store did not have a food department, just some snacks. About five years later, food was added, then liquor and, in the past two years or so, a car delivery area. The staff is generally friendly and helpful now, unlike the old days.

In the past few weeks, the store has been undergoing a renovation, including painting the outside and removing the tile floor inside, replacing it with polished concrete. It is the latter on which I will comment. I went a few weeks ago and then again this past week to see the progress.

The store is in a total state of chaos, not only with the usual stuff stacked and waiting to be shelved, but stuff is moved around and shoved in places; it seems like randomly. Trying to get through an aisle (they kind of have them some places) is difficult, particularly when an associate is trying to get by with a cart; it is a game of chicken.

Rather than getting better, the store seemed worse the last time I went. Now most of the checkout stands are gone (there were maybe 5 left; one or two manned) and the lines were quite long, even at the self checkout. I left both times without buying anything. I wonder how many other potential customers did the same. I guess this is all short term inconvenience, but that remains to be seen.

I remember when Target was testing complete store remodels through a 5 day closure. There was a store in Tustin, CA which closed at 7pm on Sunday and remained closed until a Grand Reopening Saturday at 10am. They had 24 hour construction and added the entire P-fresh department (which of course necessitated resetting the rest of the store to reduce SKUs, move all gondolas, redo every single planogram in the building, markdown or transfer or donate all discontinued product, replace entire tile floor), repainted the entire interior and removed the neon, reconfigured all checkout counters, etc. And it worked. Sounds like what Walmart should be doing versus trying to operate a store under complete construction. I can't imagine that they don't lose more sales during a three month plus remodel (as customers buy less or leave empty handed due to store conditions or are unable to locate what they came for) - versus what they would lose to just be closed for 5 days and be done with it. The only thing that would be a problem is trying to do such a project in a one store market and Walmart has lots of those.

There's also the issue that Walmart Supercenters lean heavily on food, and have a substantial customer base that uses it as their main grocery store, and it could cause some problems even if there are other stores in the market. When the local Walmart remodeled in 2016 (following a massive remodel and expansion in 2010 that converted it to a Supercenter), it remained open, and closing it would've put many of its customers in a bind, as it was closest enough to enough low-end apartments that you could walk to the store. That and the nearest supermarkets close to it (a Kroger and an H-E-B) were already pretty crowded.

[Alpha8472]

Some Walmart stores underwent remodels a few years ago in the San Francisco Bay Area and those were very organized. Walmart uses their own store employees for remodeling. The employees get scheduled starting at midnight and rearrange the shelves so that floor tiles can be removed. The problem is that there are not enough employees in the store to handle a 5 day closure.

[ClownLoach]

Some Walmart stores underwent remodels a few years ago in the San Francisco Bay Area and those were very organized. Walmart uses their own store employees for remodeling. The employees get scheduled starting at midnight and rearrange the shelves so that floor tiles can be removed. The problem is that there are not enough employees in the store to handle a 5 day closure.

Target was pulling in employees from all the neighboring stores to complete the work at the remodel tests. The challenge is that outside of a metro area they can't staff a project like that effectively. I'm just surprised Walmart hasn't tried this as it seems their remodels take forever for what amounts to a minimal cosmetic difference once completed.

[BillyGr]

I remember when Target was testing complete store remodels through a 5 day closure. There was a store in Tustin, CA which closed at 7pm on Sunday and remained closed until a Grand Reopening Saturday at 10am. They had 24 hour construction and added the entire P-fresh department (which of course necessitated resetting the rest of the store to reduce SKUs, move all gondolas, redo every single planogram in the building, markdown or transfer or donate all discontinued product, replace entire tile floor), repainted the entire interior and removed the neon, reconfigured all checkout counters, etc. And it worked. Sounds like what Walmart should be doing versus trying to operate a store under complete construction. I can't imagine that they don't lose more sales during a three month plus remodel (as customers buy less or leave empty handed due to store conditions or are unable to locate what they came for) - versus what they would lose to just be closed for 5 days and be done with it. The only thing that would be a problem is trying to do such a project in a one store market and Walmart has lots of those.

There's also the issue that Walmart Supercenters lean heavily on food, and have a substantial customer base that uses it as their main grocery store, and it could cause some problems even if there are other stores in the market. When the local Walmart remodeled in 2016 (following a massive remodel and expansion in 2010 that converted it to a Supercenter), it remained open, and closing it would've put many of its customers in a bind, as it was closest enough to enough low-end apartments that you could walk to the store. That and the nearest supermarkets close to it (a Kroger and an H-E-B) were already pretty crowded.

This is basically what many of the grocery chains did when converting stores from other chains.

Price Chopper and Hannaford did it here with Grand Unions after their bankruptcy in 2001, and more recently Stop & Shop and Acme did with A&P they took over in later 2015.

In each case they closed for a few days to convert whatever needed to be done (computers, shelving etc.) - they would keep access to the pharmacies in the stores that had one during this.

In many locations, there were other markets available, but at least a few were stores that were the only supermarket in their town, and people had no issue - they knew ahead of time when the closures would be and shopped accordingly, or made arrangements to go to another area if they needed to during that period.

[TW-Upstate NY]

Closing stores during a remodel only makes sense. There are two Aldi locations near me in Johnstown and Amsterdam. They have both been remodeled/expanded and each time they completely shut down with the Johnstown store closing twice over the years. I think stores run a greater risk of permanently losing customers staying open during a remodel than closing for a while while the work takes place. I would also think construction costs would be cheaper at least from a labor standpoint because customers and construction crews wouldn't be getting in each other's way so the job could be completed that much quicker. And honestly, we've all shopped in stores during remodels and it's not exactly a pleasant experience.

[ClownLoach]

I think that there is also a more positive marketing message in a very brief closure - that you can come see the exciting new store in just a few days - it will build excitement in the customer. Versus some of these remodels that just drag on for months and months - some of them make such a poor experience that you just want it to be over with already and don't even care what it's going to be like when construction is done.

[Alpha8472]

Walmart is still rounding change up due to the coin shortage. A refund for $10.01 will result in $11 being given back. Multiply this by every cash refund and the store will lose tons of money.

Say you buy a 79 cent drink. You pay in cash $1. You get $1 back in change. This is free stuff. Forget the dollar store. You make money shopping at Walmart!

I also saw plastic Christmas trees for sale and I heard Christmas music playing.