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Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

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Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#291

Post by dalbasal »

nly wrote: post #289
dalbasal wrote: post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> Walmart gets a lot of flak In a way, it reminds me of "MSFT is Dead" stuff from circa 2008. Google had taken email by storm, was moving on office and seemed to be making web into their own OS. Windows Vista & IE sucked. Google just seemed so much nimbler. Apple had risen from the dead, and was reinventing consumer electronics. MSFT was looking decrepit, the next IBM. MSFT never panicked. Software was a great busin…

To be fair a lot of this is because Google can't execute properly. Office 365 just destroys Google Docs, everything MSFT offer just integrated well, is priced well. Chrome OS + Android + Docs could have been the productivity Windows PC killer if they'd executed it with vision.

Sure, but this covers a lot of territory.

Executing well on a new paradigm for a 30 year old suite, maintaining compatibility, etc. These are really hard, and MSFT's speciality. Office became office originally for maintaining meticulous compatibility with its predecessor, Lotus.

It's incredibly tedious, frustrating work. Takes a ton of perseverance. Google docs came out of the gate to oohs and ahs. It was slick. Cool, innovative features like real-time collaboration worked well. MSFT's start was much clunkier, and expectations were already high. It took years before it wasn't an embarrassment. Even then, office 365 was never cool, not even now.

These two companies are at opposite ends of the spectrum. Google likes paradigms, impressive launches. Then, they expect that the paradigm, being better, will just win. Everyone will adapt to their new way. They don't have the belly for years of kludgy, schleppy work while everyone makes fun of them.

Google cloud was a great example of this. It was early. It solved the problems that needed solving, in theory... especially the sexy ones. Everyone just needed to abandon everything they had been doing and come over to the New Way.

This is the exact opposite mentality to the one that maintains badly thought out feature of excel from 1996, itself design to clumsily support Lotus notes features from 1985. A million boring details, technical debt and nothing sexy. Where there's muck there's brass.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#292

Post by mschuetz »

nly wrote: post #289
dalbasal wrote: post #287

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> Walmart gets a lot of flak In a way, it reminds me of "MSFT is Dead" stuff from circa 2008. Google had taken email by storm, was moving on office and seemed to be making web into their own OS. Windows Vista & IE sucked. Google just seemed so much nimbler. Apple had risen from the dead, and was reinventing consumer electronics. MSFT was looking decrepit, the next IBM. MSFT never panicked. Software was a great busin…

To be fair a lot of this is because Google can't execute properly. Office 365 just destroys Google Docs, everything MSFT offer just integrated well, is priced well. Chrome OS + Android + Docs could have been the productivity Windows PC killer if they'd executed it with vision.

> Office 365 just destroys Google Docs

I disagree. Office licensing and the whole Microsoft account managament is so incredibly annoying to the point where I prefer the google suite simply because it works. Office recently left me stranded with an outdated license and no way to enable it because the ones in charge were not in office that day, so I went with google, and I'm sticking to it now even though there would be the option to enable to license. I don't want to go through the same hoops and hurdles every 6 months again.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#294

Post by hellbannedguy »

jcpham2 wrote: post #270
throwawayboise wrote: post #246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Amazon has nailed free shipping with prime. Not everywhere. I didn't renew my prime subscription a few years ago, because they rarely met their delivery times and I was starting to get broken, counterfeit, and obviously returned/resold items.

Never paid Amazon a dime for Prime, like ever. I’m sure I’m missing something but in general shy away from any and all subscriptions. I consistently and daily choose no, fuck off and give me the free shipping I’ll wait. If I don’t have enough in my cart for free shipping I wait and add more to my cart later

I'm with you on anything charged monthly, even though I feel Amazon Prime Videos outshines Netflix in terms of good older movies.

That said, I know too many people who renew Prime like it was a church tithing. (Yes--I know about their yearly deal.)

It's not movies these people like either. These people love the formulated crap Netflix vomits.

Your post resonated with me because I try hard to avoid any monthly fees for any product. Plus--unless you order a lot, people are just giving Amazon free money.

You just reminded me to cancel Apple storage.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#295

Post by VoodooJuJu »

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,…

This comment is just so wildly delusional. Aristotle was right when he said that most envy and elitism is directed at other members of one's own class.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#296

Post by hellbannedguy »

reducesuffering wrote: post #175
barry-cotter wrote: post #172

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re just describing how Target and Walmart have different business models, same as CostCo does. There’s a continuum there. Walmart has lower profit margins, lower prices, stocks many more items, has many more options for size rather than all bulk and will hire far lower quality workers. CostCo is at the other end on all of those and Target is intermediate. People really, really care about price.

I’m fairly certain Costco has lower prices and profit margins than Target. So it’s not “on the other end on all of those” with Target being intermediate.

A few years ago, I would agree with you on profit margins at Costco.

I do not see deals anymore. Sure they like to bundle (especially in threes), but the product is usually the stuff that isn't selling elsewhere, and the price isn't much if the consumer divides by 3.

I used to buy there all the time because of the no question asked return policy. That has changed. They question a lot more than electronics returns too.

Oh yea, most high end watches you see in the case are Grey Market bought, and have no manufacturer's warranty.

What's keeping Costco happy is the membership fees. That is pure profit.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#297

Post by megablast »

bushbaba wrote: post #114
paxys wrote: post #107

Walmart gets a lot of flak for being old school and allowing Amazon's rise, but they are one of the very few retailers who have actually been able to respond to competitive threats over the last decade or two. Walmart Labs has some great tech and hires top software talent in the industry. They aren't shy about making large acquisitions when needed (like Jet). They have built out their own delivery and logistics netwo…

And yet I don’t use them. I use Etsy. I use chewy. I use other niche e-commerce but I never use Walmart online. They can’t just replicate Amazon they have to be better than Amazon.

You do food shopping on Etsy?? Ok.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#298

Post by hellbannedguy »

kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #217
Spooky23 wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Walmart has some weird cultural issues that make store operations hard to adapt. It’s a pretty miserable place to work. They hire anyone, turn them out quickly, and have weird work rules for things like gathering in a group. Target’s pickup operation is superior in every dimension. They made the decision to put it front and center, and their employees seem happier. It takes The other issue they have is that their log…

I'd just like them to observe Walton's imposed limit of no more than two customers in line. I'm getting really fed up with retailers that won't staff their registers. And no, self checkout is a slap in the face where you exit the store as a presumed criminal after providing free labor. It's like they want me to buy from Amazon.

Safeway has this problem.

Safeway has managed to piss off every singe one of their employees.

My local Safeway couldn't find help for years.

Since the epidemic, that is changing. They are hiring people who don't care much about conditions, or pay, and I know I'm suspose to say that's great.

Those people will get tired of being treated terribly in the future though.

I bet Safeway is lobbying the state right now to allow booze sales through self-checkout. The only people I see in line waiting five deep is liquor sales.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#299

Post by bsenftner »

barry-cotter wrote: post #172
Spooky23 wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Walmart has some weird cultural issues that make store operations hard to adapt. It’s a pretty miserable place to work. They hire anyone, turn them out quickly, and have weird work rules for things like gathering in a group. Target’s pickup operation is superior in every dimension. They made the decision to put it front and center, and their employees seem happier. It takes The other issue they have is that their log…

You’re just describing how Target and Walmart have different business models, same as CostCo does. There’s a continuum there. Walmart has lower profit margins, lower prices, stocks many more items, has many more options for size rather than all bulk and will hire far lower quality workers. CostCo is at the other end on all of those and Target is intermediate. People really, really care about price.

Walmart uses their market size to force suppliers to produce special packaging for Walmart that is a slightly different sized box for many food items, where that product is a bit lighter than the same sized box at another retailer. The catch is Walmart advertises their price, which looks lower in print, but if one purchases that product at Walmart and also at another grocer you will find the Walmart version is slightly more expensive by weight, holds less than the other same sized box but labeled with the correct weight. Only a careful consumer will notice that Walmart costs more, if calculated by weight.

Re: Leaked Walmart memo reveals competitive threats

#300

Post by emodendroket »

cgriswald wrote: post #267
olivermarks wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

'Amazon nails in person pickup or Walmart nails online shopping.' Amazon has nailed free shipping with prime. In person pickup costs money in time, fuel, available vehicle. Feels like checkmate in 2021 but this may change

I dislike Walmart rather intensely but I know if I order a new Kitchen Aid mixer from them I’m going to get a new Kitchen Aid mixer. Ask me how I know the same isn’t true of Amazon. No matter how good your delivery logistics, it’s not “nailing it” if I get the wrong thing fast.

Do you really though? They do the same third-party seller thing as Amazon.
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