Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

vox.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

41–50 of 374 posts

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#41

Post by zippergz »

HideousKojima wrote: post #3
mc32 wrote: post #2

I think Wal*Mart has an image problem. I’ve gone into their stores. Their stock assortment isn’t bad compared to the competition. In fact, aside from Whole Foods on the organic/bio side of things, they measure up very well and better compared to their competition. They are more of a hypermart where you can do one stop shopping ala Carrefour. The issues I see are: very drab color palette. Working class shoppers. Sure,…

>They could likely address this by having a second more upscale brand. That's kinda what Sam's Club is, though Sam's is competing against Costco

Sam's is more upscale than Wal-Mart, but in my experience it is very much the "Wal-Mart of warehouse stores" in that it feels less nice than Costco in the same area. I'm sure it varies, that's just based on the ones I've been to.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#42

Post by SteveNuts »

krapp wrote: post #17
cogman10 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably the best thing about COVID is now all stores here do curbside pickup. I don't understand why it took COVID to make companies realize that "hey, a large part of your clientele don't want to wander your aisles."

>I don't understand why it took COVID to make companies realize that "hey, a large part of your clientele don't want to wander your aisles." Because making shoppers wander the aisles leads them to buy more things than they intended to. There's a reason best-selling items are always placed at eye level.

Ehhh I like to peruse the apps for new stuff I've never tried before. It's easier to impulse shop in an app than it is to bounce back and forth between aisles.

For example you might see a novel ingredient in the ethnic food section of the app, go look up a recipe that includes it, add all the rest of the ingredients all without putting on pants.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#43

Post by zippergz »

grillvogel wrote: post #26
mc32 wrote: post #2

I think Wal*Mart has an image problem. I’ve gone into their stores. Their stock assortment isn’t bad compared to the competition. In fact, aside from Whole Foods on the organic/bio side of things, they measure up very well and better compared to their competition. They are more of a hypermart where you can do one stop shopping ala Carrefour. The issues I see are: very drab color palette. Working class shoppers. Sure,…

maybe i'm weird but i actually prefer the vibe at walmart to the pseudo upscale feel of stores like target. at walmart you know what youre getting, theres no pretense that you are there for any other reason than cheap crap. people of all economic backgrounds are all there just to get the best deals.

I don't know what's "pseudo" about cleaner floors and surfaces and better-organized merchandise. It's not just about decor. The Wal-Marts I have been to are a filthy mess, and it's clear no one cares.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#44

Post by mike_d »

crznp wrote: post #33
mike_d wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Longer lines and things like the occasional light bulb burned out psychologically made people think they were getting a better deal. The store is just like a Vegas casino, every last thing has been thought out and everything is A/B tested down to a regional and sometimes city basis.

I believe it, but what were they trying to optimize? If all of their changes are focused on near-term bottom line, is it really surprising if that comes at the expense of customer/employee satisfaction and brand reputation?

Walmart ultimately measures everything against lifetime customer value. They don't really care about maximizing revenue on a specific trip because most people come in to the store with a fixed budget of what they can spend anyway - but they sure as heck want you to return.

Fixed income customers see things like an ultra clean speed and efficient store as 1) intimidating and 2) overhead that makes prices go up and "wastes" their money.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#45

Post by ourmandave »

If they're worried about Instacart, that might be why they deliver things I order on Sunday that afternoon even when I qualify for free shipping by ordering over $45 (or some amount).

I don't expect it for a couple days but if it's in the local store they have random people bag and deliver it within hours. Even on a Sunday.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#46

Post by subpixel »

krapp wrote: post #17
cogman10 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably the best thing about COVID is now all stores here do curbside pickup. I don't understand why it took COVID to make companies realize that "hey, a large part of your clientele don't want to wander your aisles."

>I don't understand why it took COVID to make companies realize that "hey, a large part of your clientele don't want to wander your aisles." Because making shoppers wander the aisles leads them to buy more things than they intended to. There's a reason best-selling items are always placed at eye level.

Not only that, there is real money made in in-store product placement (end caps) etc.

Less foot traffic, less money.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#47

Post by everdrive »

mc32 wrote: post #2

I think Wal*Mart has an image problem. I’ve gone into their stores. Their stock assortment isn’t bad compared to the competition. In fact, aside from Whole Foods on the organic/bio side of things, they measure up very well and better compared to their competition. They are more of a hypermart where you can do one stop shopping ala Carrefour. The issues I see are: very drab color palette. Working class shoppers. Sure,…

>Working class shoppers. Sure, it’s elitist, but people like shopping alongside people in their own stratum.

Elitist or not, wouldn't this advice simply move them from one stratum to another?

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#48

Post by g00gler »

godot wrote: post #14
mc32 wrote: post #2

I think Wal*Mart has an image problem. I’ve gone into their stores. Their stock assortment isn’t bad compared to the competition. In fact, aside from Whole Foods on the organic/bio side of things, they measure up very well and better compared to their competition. They are more of a hypermart where you can do one stop shopping ala Carrefour. The issues I see are: very drab color palette. Working class shoppers. Sure,…

> Working class shoppers. Sure, it’s elitist, but people like shopping alongside people in their own stratum. Not going to comment on the ethics/politics of it, but if people like shopping alongside people in their own stratum, then they have to accept that they have to pay a premium for it (i.e. shop at Whole Foods). You can't really say "I want to shop at the discount store but I also want only other wealthy people…

> if people like shopping alongside people in their own stratum, then they have to accept that they have to pay a premium for it (i.e. shop at Whole Foods).

I agree that Walmart can be extremely unpleasant compared to a regular grocery store for many reasons.

However, I’ve found Whole Foods staff to be extremely unwelcoming unless you seem like you fit in regardless of how much money you make.

Can definitely recommend wegmans for a more upscale shopping experience (Eg fancy cheeses, meats, selection of fish) without any of that “too cool for school” factor if you’re not in an “in” group.

Edit: Trader Joe’s is also pretty cool but it reminds me a bit of Aldi.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#49

Post by subpixel »

Red_Leaves_Flyy wrote: post #16

I want someone , *anyone*, to knock Amazon down. So here’s some free advice to Walmart. Consider Walmart’s weaknesses and how other companies address them. - manually stocked shelves Consider Costco’s model of placing pallets of product on the floor. Most Walmart’s have the vertical space to go up. Obviously redesigning their store experience is expensive and difficult with a stagnating industry and a lot of staff th…

Combine all this with a plan for Walmart to be fully employee-owned. Then millennials will be lining up not to shop there but to work there.

While this is perhaps impractical in the case of WalMart, I think you don't compete with Amazon at what they are best at. You have to change the game.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#50

Post by madengr »

HideousKojima wrote: post #3
mc32 wrote: post #2

I think Wal*Mart has an image problem. I’ve gone into their stores. Their stock assortment isn’t bad compared to the competition. In fact, aside from Whole Foods on the organic/bio side of things, they measure up very well and better compared to their competition. They are more of a hypermart where you can do one stop shopping ala Carrefour. The issues I see are: very drab color palette. Working class shoppers. Sure,…

>They could likely address this by having a second more upscale brand. That's kinda what Sam's Club is, though Sam's is competing against Costco

Costco is like Sam’s Club, but without the tattoos.
Post reply on HN