Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats • Hacker News Board

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#81

Post by jejones3141 » Sat, Jun 05, 2021, 1:59 AM UTC

handrous wrote: post #12

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,…

Observations about the nearest Wal-Mart: 1) All the employees look sad, all he time. 2) They've obviously carefully tuned their check out staffing so that the lines are always long. This is such a constant that it has to be intentional, and they're doing a good job of it. 3) Sometimes they attempt to check receipts at exit. I don't get that at any other non-membership store. 4) All the shoppers look sad. 5) It's the…

Here in far west West Des Moines, they have LOTS of checkout lines, which once had a fair number of people behind the registers. Now, you're lucky if two of them have people. I think they are really nudging you to go through the self-checkout or to order via the web and either pick it up or have it delivered. The number of aisles occupied by people either stocking or shopping for online orders also seriously encourages you to go away and order online.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#82

Post by orhmeh09 » Sat, Jun 05, 2021, 2:01 AM UTC

hogFeast wrote: post #58

542354234235 wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Online retail, much like offline retail, is about physical infrastructure. You still need warehouses with all the product, you still need fulfilment, all online changes is the balance of those factors. The core assets don't change. Which is why it is so weird when offline entities adding online lose out over and over to online only. They already have most of the infrastructure and their infrastructure is being paid…

Ikea is the example I often cite. I am in the UK. Many of their locations are adjacent to motorways, they literally have a warehouse in the store, and all they need to add is a fulfilment network (which, btw, they already have just not large enough to meet demand). Admittedly, the stuff they carry is pretty heavy/expensive...but they are 99% of the way there. Instead, you go on their website, a lot of the stuff on th…

I suspect you could be right about executive profits, but do you have any specific indication that this is what ails IKEA?

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#83

Post by bobthepanda » Sat, Jun 05, 2021, 2:01 AM UTC

handrous wrote: post #12

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,…

Observations about the nearest Wal-Mart: 1) All the employees look sad, all he time. 2) They've obviously carefully tuned their check out staffing so that the lines are always long. This is such a constant that it has to be intentional, and they're doing a good job of it. 3) Sometimes they attempt to check receipts at exit. I don't get that at any other non-membership store. 4) All the shoppers look sad. 5) It's the…

Also, it doesn’t quite help that their color palette is fluorescent white and blue, which is something that evokes, say, a dreary clinical setting, and not necessarily somewhere you want to shop.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#84

Post by _wp3r » Sat, Jun 05, 2021, 2:01 AM UTC

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…

To be clear the actual wealthy people always shop at Walmart, because, ya know, they are wealthy because they don't waste money on more expensive groceries because the floors are nicer, and they probably don't mind being around other hard working people.

Only half tongue in cheek, and completely agreeing with you.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#85

Post by late2part » Sat, Jun 05, 2021, 2:01 AM UTC

edgyquant wrote: post #60

handrous wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Observations about the nearest Wal-Mart: 1) All the employees look sad, all he time. 2) They've obviously carefully tuned their check out staffing so that the lines are always long. This is such a constant that it has to be intentional, and they're doing a good job of it. 3) Sometimes they attempt to check receipts at exit. I don't get that at any other non-membership store. 4) All the shoppers look sad. 5) It's the…

#3 really irks me, because they don’t check everyone’s receipts. I was stopped and asked for a receipt two days ago for a gallon of milk I had in the cart because it “wasn’t in a bag” while other people walked past. I can understand e.g. when I buy a TV, but a gallon of milk is ridiculous and profiling.

In most states in the US (all?) you are not obligated to stop and show your receipt. It may be polite, and you may do it, but you are not required to do so. For membership stores, it may be a condition of membership, but it still may not be legally required.

Any employee that stops you might be guilty of kidnapping.

https://www.lawyers.com/legal-info/consumer-protection/prote...

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#86

Post by late2part » Sat, Jun 05, 2021, 2:03 AM UTC

g00gler wrote: post #48

godot wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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 recommen…

Yes! I remember my first time at Whole Foods I asked where to find the Coca Cola and they were very rude about not carrying it.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#87

Post by paulpauper » Sat, Jun 05, 2021, 2:04 AM UTC

According to memo, Walmrt has competitors. who knew

Look how well the stock is doing and has done over the past 4 or so years. to say they they are facing challenges or are struggling is overly-dramatic.

Online shopping will never replace Walmart completely. Rather both will grow together.They both serve a role. A lot of ppl do not want to use amazon or don't have good internet access or cannot receive mail easily.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#88

Post by dlbucci » Sat, Jun 05, 2021, 2:04 AM UTC

cogman10 wrote: post #13

Animats wrote: post #4

Instacart is a threat to WalMart? That's a surprise. I had no idea Instacart was that big. I think of them as a gig-economy delivery service that delivers only 80% of what you order. The whole business of sending people to do shopping in retail stores seems a temporary business until the grocery industry gets fulfillment figured out. It's like a throwback to the early days of Internet commerce, when the web site didn…

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."

Funnily enough, that's actually how grocery stores used to operate: people would bring a list of items they wanted to the store, and the employees would go get them. Piggly Wiggly (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piggly_Wiggly) popularized the concept of self-serve grocery stores that we know today. I recall that people preferred this because they could pick their preferred cuts of meat, or veggies, or what have you.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#89

Post by porknubbins » Sat, Jun 05, 2021, 2:04 AM UTC

throwaway0a5e wrote: post #55

pengaru wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most of what you're observing is simply a reflection of the area demographics. It's similar to visiting a small town DMV. Your description of gambling machines reminds me of my last visit back home in IL, after they legalized gambling. It's very jarring to walk past locals glued to video slot machines at 9AM in a gas station. It's depressing as hell, I'm sure the walmarts have cashed in on the action too but I didn't…

I don't know why this is downvoted and I don't know why I didn't think of this comparison. I've lived in five different states and been to Walmarts and flipped cars and the variance is EXACTLY like variance in DMVs in both QoS, clientele/employee demographics.

I was going to say Walmart has exactly the feel of a US public institution like a prison, DMV, immigration and customs etc. You can get a good deal but as soon as any human effort to provide service is required all bets are off, and the whole place feels vaguely hostile.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#90

Post by IAmGraydon » Sat, Jun 05, 2021, 2:05 AM UTC

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,…

You only believe these things are a problem because you don’t understand positioning (in marketing terms). They are successful because of these qualities, not in spite of them.