[Manabi]

Originally Posted by Catlady

Really? I have bought several items from Walmart recently that qualified for free shipping (to home) and have had no problems whatsoever. The last was just a couple of weeks ago, and the item (furniture) arrived a day earlier than the original estimated date.

I think they do better if nothing goes wrong in shipping. If it does, they're not prepared to handle it, whereas more Internet-based companies like Amazon excel at dealing with shipping problems. My personal theory is that Wal-mart doesn't understand how commercial shipping works because they rely almost entirely on their own distribution network to stock stores. Shipping via UPS/Fedex/USPS is a whole new ballgame to them, and they're still playing T-Ball.

Also, their internal distribution isn't designed for quick shipping. They route trucks longer distances than necessary to make sure the drivers get enough miles to keep them happy. They do that to try to avoid the truck drivers unionizing, because Wal-mart hates, hates, hates unions. So they'd rather deliver stuff to my local store from an Alabama distribution center, even though they have a closer distribution center in the same state.

Originally Posted by GtrsRGr8

Walmart, IMHO, is as stale as month-old bread. The upper management seems incapable or unwilling to innovate. About all that they seem to be able to do is to imitate Amazon, like they're doing here (and remember how Walmart copied the one day super sale that Amazon had for Prime members near the end of last year?). Granted, it's an enormous company--"the world's largest retailer"--and turning it is like trying to turn an oil supertanker. But, if they don't do it, they'll end up being the next K-Mart.

I worked at K-mart for a few years, and upper management is exactly what happened to them. They would come up with new programs, with really good ideas that would have increased customers. And then stop funding it a couple of months later. This happened a couple of times in my two-year stint with them . They needed to fire basically every manager from the district level up to the CEO. Wal-mart seems to be getting to that point too.

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I know someone that returned so many vacuum cleaners, Walmart would only give them store credit. They got a bit miffed and just kept the next vacuum cleaner.
They would buy it on a Friday night and return it either Saturday afternoon or Sunday.

They were actually lucky they didn't get banned from returns. If the vacuums had been used, but weren't actually faulty, that's abusive returns and costs the store money. Not illegal, but not something they have to tolerate either. Now if the vacuums were all faulty, I'd have to ponder the sanity of getting the same model over and over.

Originally Posted by Barty

I've bought a few things @ Walmart free ship to store without problem. I prefer Costco as the employees at Walmart seem depressed.

Costco treats their employees very well from what I've heard. Wal-mart treats their employees just awful. I worked at one for about two years, and discovered all kinds of horrible policies they have. Such as: absences for medical reasons are only excused if management approves it. You can have a doctor's note, and they'll still declare it an unexcused absence. Had that happen to me when my recovery from a surgery lasted longer than expected. They are probably one of the most employee-hostile employers in the whole country.

Oh, and they make you watch a couple of anti-union videos as part of training. They're not just anti-union, they're rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth anti-union.