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May 17, 2011 3:00 AM

What Not to Buy at Walmart

By
Catherine Holahan and Bob Trebilcock
(MoneyWatch)  This article was updated on May 17, 2011.

This article is part of a package on consumers and Walmart. Read the other article, on 6 things to buy at Walmart.

While Walmart has returned to its emphasis on rock-bottom prices recently, there are still some product categories where you are better off shopping elsewhere — either because you’re straying beyond Walmart’s core competency or you would be supporting the giant retailer’s bad behavior. Here are four of them.

1. High-End Electronics

Though Walmart’s selection of name-brand electronics is not bad, the company is still focused on value-oriented products in the sub-$1,000 price range. And the sales staff tend not to be experts in the finer points of multimedia interface. So if you want to splurge on a top-of-the-line television or SLR camera — and get the accompanying level of service and accessories — you’ll want to visit a specialty electronics store. Best Buy, for example, has a customer support team (the Geek Squad) capable of explaining why you may need a television with several HDMI ports.

2. Books

In 2009, Walmart slashed prices aggressively to establish itself as the low-price leader for best-selling books. The store cut the cost of popular novels by authors such as Stephen King by as much as 70 percent, sparking a price war with Amazon.
The Walmart/Amazon rivalry translates into incredibly low prices for consumers on some of the most popular book titles. But Walmart’s prices come at a cost, say local business advocates. In the long-run, such deep discounts can drive independent booksellers out of business. And without these stores, consumers will have difficulty finding all but the most well-known authors, says Stacy Mitchell, senior researcher with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, a non-profit that advocates for local businesses.


3. Wood Furniture

Despite Walmart’s increased focus on sustainability, the retailer has a long way to go in the furniture category. In 2007 an environmental group published a report tracing furniture from Walmart suppliers to wood illegally logged in protected Russian habitats for Siberian tigers and other wildlife. Several months later, Walmart promised to investigate its suppliers and joined the Global Forest & Trade Network, an organization dedicated to eliminating illegal logging.
Environmental activists have applauded Walmart’s promise to purge environmentally rotten wood, but Walmart could take until a self-imposed deadline of 2013 to phase out the products. Until then, consumers can’t be certain that Walmart’s wood furniture comes from well-managed forests. Beyond sourcing concerns, though, the quality of much of Walmart’s furniture just isn’t very good. “Yes, their furniture may be cheap, but if it only lasts a short time, you will spend far more money in the long run,” says Kathy Woodard, a home decorating expert who frequently appears on HGTV.


4. Jewelry

Walmart is actually the largest seller of jewelry and watches in the country, with about $2.75 billion in sales in 2009, according to National Jeweler, a trade publication. But most of those sales come from lower quality, small-ticket items. “Walmart’s whole focus is to keep prices low,” says Michelle Graff, a senior editor. “When gold is selling for $1,500 an ounce, you’re going to get what you pay for.” At Walmart, that means 10 karat gold jewelry, and salespeople that likely aren’t well-versed in the finer points of cut and clarity.

Besides, asks Jennifer Heebener, a senior editor at JCK Magazine, another industry publication: “What message does it send to your partner if you buy them a ring at the same place where you get discounted toilet paper?”


More on MoneyWatch:

© 2011 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved.
Add a Comment See all 13 Comments
by LostValley January 20, 2012 7:11 PM EST
I bought a DVD player at Wal-Mart that worked great for 2.5 months and stopped working just over 3 months from date of purchase. On many items their price cannot be beat. I seriously dislike their policy of wiping out small shops and do not shop Wal-Mart. As to employee knowledge and customer service some local employees are very good but they are the exception. Economies of scale bring mass marketing to its worst is my thought. Shop locally to keep single proprietors, SOHOs and knowledgeable staff employed. It pays to have your neighbors and relatives employed in the town you live, work and play.
Reply to this comment
by LostValley January 20, 2012 7:09 PM EST
I bought a DVD player at Wal-Mart that worked great for 2.5 months and stopped working just over 3 months from date of purchase. On many items their price cannot be beat. I seriously dislike their policy of wiping out small shops and do not shop Wal-Mart. As to employee knowledge and customer service some local employees are very good but they are the exception. Economies of scale bring mass marketing to its worst is my thought. Shop locally to keep single proprietors, SOHOs and knowledgeable staff employed. It pays to have your neighbors and relatives employed in the town you live, work and play.
Reply to this comment
by FedUpwithWalmart December 20, 2011 4:49 PM EST
bouth a can of great value green beans only to find a cricket inside of it. Needless to say I'm not buying great value ANYTHING anymore. Yes, the price is cheap, but so is the quality.
Reply to this comment
by jdelsarto November 15, 2011 7:31 AM EST
As a part time sales associate at the local WalMart electronics department, I am offended by the remarks stated in this article "Sales staff tend not to be experts in the finer points of multimedia interface". I have over 15 year experience in working within the electronics field, all the way from networking equipment to a basic MP3 player. My experience includes marketing trends, sales, best over all value, and specifications of product line. I would put my knowledge against anyone of the so called Geek Squads from Best buy. And when it comes down to the Geek Squad, you are talking about kids who just graduated from the local ITT school.
When working with any customer my approach is honesty and integrity. Explaining the difference in technology and which product would best suit their needs as well as their budget.
Oh and I have applied for a job at best Buy several times. Their loss, WalMarts gain. Since I've been there I have made a name for myself and increased overall sales.
Reply to this comment
by King_Adrock January 3, 2012 2:38 PM EST
And of course, I'm sure the majority of people who work at WalMart are exactly like you. Walmart employees with decades of experience in their field are the norm, not the exception; and of course they all love their jobs and wish to stay there forever because WalMart gives wonderful career opportunities where you can only go up.

</sarcasm>

Srsly, do yourself a favor and google "anecdotal evidence". That's all your post is, and it's painfully obvious that you're completely unaware of this fact.
by matt_sayers November 10, 2011 11:19 AM EST
You forgot to mention fresh produce. As a newcomer to North America (I am from the UK) I went to Walmart whilst setting up home for some affordable house-ware and other random things. I also took the opportunity to stock up on groceries. I can not say that I had any issues with the sealed products (i.e Jars, tins, packets) but the 'fresh' items I purchased had all gone bad within 2 days. Two of the onions I sliced into were already rotten by the time I got them home. Shame on me for being lazy and not heading to a local store for produce.
Reply to this comment
by hymnsinger100 November 10, 2011 1:28 AM EST
Try to find anything at Wal-Mart that isn't made in China or other Asian countries. Everything manufactured that I have bought at Wal-Mart in the past few years has been of poor quality. I am now looking elsewhere for higher quality and American made products but it's very difficult. Try finding a home electric can opener made in the USA! Let me know if you find one! Even West Bend is manufacturing in China now. :-(
Reply to this comment
by eessydo November 9, 2011 9:59 AM EST
So let me get this straight, this article is in the "moneywatch" category, yet it's whole premise is for you to spend MORE money on MORE expensive items at other stores so you can keep them in business.

Makes total sense.
Reply to this comment
by someone3304 November 9, 2011 7:57 AM EST
Best Buy is one of the most overpriced places you could buy electronics. The sales people at Best Buy are trained to PUSH YOU to buy whatever model of TV they make the most profit on. Not the TV that you want or need the TV that makes Best Buy the most profit. Their sales people are very aggressive and they will LIE to you to make the sale.

The best place to buy high end electronics is honestly **********. You can read the reviews from other customers and get an unbiased opinion of what the item is really like. Not to mention that ********** has the LOWEST possible price and FREE SHIPPING along with the fact you pay ZERO SALES TAX makes them unbeatable.

Only fools shop in retail stores anymore.
Reply to this comment
by jbd441 November 8, 2011 3:40 PM EST
For #1, anyone who splurges on highend electronics will do enough research ahead of time as to not have to rely on Walmart employees to answer their questions about electronics.
#2 Is boycotting Walmart furniture going to make a dent in the illegally cutting of trees in Russia? Who doesn't know that Walmart furniture is cheap.. like Target, K-mart, and every other discount retailer... mostly MDF board.
#3 How can the average Walmart shopper afford books from local business? What about Kindles etc. Didn't Boarders just go belly up?
#4 What, you can trust Walmart groceries, paper products, dvds, books, records but poo-poo jewelry? Anyone who said that to me, I would dump. How come the news media won't accept the fact that the world economy is in the toliet? Stupid article.
Reply to this comment
by jade84116 November 4, 2011 4:07 PM EDT
Shoes that rarely last a month and never more than 6 months. Such has to be made at sweat shops.
Reply to this comment
by jbd441 November 8, 2011 3:43 PM EST
Where is your proof? I worked for a high end shoe store for over 5 years and the shoes we purchased were rebranded from the manufacturer who sold to Walmart and other discount retailers too. So your assumption "has to be" incorrect.
by hymnsinger100 November 10, 2011 1:22 AM EST
I agree. The Wal-Mart brand tennis shoes crack under the toe box and the upper and sole separate. I used to buy a new pair every three months until I finally got wise and bought a pair of NB's. Six months of wearing the NB's every day and no sign of cracking or separation of the upper from the sole.
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