I went to a Walgreens to buy nail clippers since I was nearby and had a bad hangnail.
Had to push a red button to wait for an employee to unlock the cabinet. After 10 minutes, I ran to find a random employee who was stocking and they got me what I needed.
That was the first and last time I ever went to Walgreens.
That’s like years ago, like 2016, I went to Walmart for the last time. They closed all the self checkout lanes, but I guess forgot to rehire cashiers. So I waited 30 minutes in line on a random weekday to buy one 50ft extension cord.
In the Soviet Union, the shopper experience wasn’t vastly different. You would stand in different lines to select, pay and collect items, so it was a good idea to bring a chair and a book with you.
I had a similar story. 2019 I went to the Walmart closest to where I live now and they had closed all the registers, and most of the self checks. I waited so long. I have a ton of stores close to me now so I was only going there on recommendation of a friend. “But they’re so cheap!”
And nearly all of the stores and restaurants that I visited while in Denver locked their restrooms and you had to either get a key or a code to enter them. I’m guessing it is related to so called anti theft measures.
I haven’t set foot in a Walmart since Dec 2014 and I don’t miss it at all. My ex used to order groceries from there but now I get Kroger delivery. Weirdly, we don’t even have a Kroger within 150miles but they’re cheaper and faster.
Yeah most of them are like this. That’s why it’s the one place where self checkout was actually an improvement. Because they never had anyone at the fucking registers before that anyway. I try to never go there but at least now I don’t have to wait an eternity if I have to go there.
Fun fact, next time you need something like that on the road just find a Dollar General. There’s one approximately every nine feet (they’re the retailer with the most locations in the US, bar none) and Dollar General don’t give a fuck, therefore nothing is locked up there. Some stuff is behind the checkout counter, but that’s all. Dollar General also doesn’t care about you stealing the nail clippers, nor paying any employees to be present, nor much of anything else as far as I can tell.
While that is generally true, I will point out that nobody marks shit up to quite the insane degree as the chain drug stores like Walgreens and CVS. If the choice is between a Walgreens and a Dollar General, DG will be cheaper by a country (possibly literal) mile because their markup is is only 500% and not 1000%.
I dunno, let’s pick a random “need it now” commodity item out of a hat. This 4 pack box of light bulbs, $15 at Walgreens and $6.75 at DG despite being in the wrong aspect ratio. A house brand nail clipper to use OP’s example, $2.49 at Walgreens and locked in a case, $1 and just hanging on a peg at DG. Etc., etc.
DG’s main problem is that they chronically and deliberately understaff their stores. It’s literally part of their official management strategy. It also is one of the factors that makes them, perhaps surprisingly, one of the most robbed retail locations in the country.
I don’t know why anyone would use Walgreens/CVS as their go to for any of the overpriced items in their store. The are both to medication as gas is to the convience stores.
Everything is overpriced but they makes sales because of the convience of picking things up with a prescription.
Yeah, I end up still using their pharmacy because the pharmacist is just a great guy and he takes care of people. But the rest of the store can fuck right off.
If you have good insurance you might not notice this, but drug prices at Walgreens and CVS are significantly more expensive than many other pharmacies, like Walmart, Costco, or HEB. Compare prices on Goodrx.com and see
I went to a Walgreens to buy nail clippers since I was nearby and had a bad hangnail.
Had to push a red button to wait for an employee to unlock the cabinet. After 10 minutes, I ran to find a random employee who was stocking and they got me what I needed.
That was the first and last time I ever went to Walgreens.
That’s like years ago, like 2016, I went to Walmart for the last time. They closed all the self checkout lanes, but I guess forgot to rehire cashiers. So I waited 30 minutes in line on a random weekday to buy one 50ft extension cord.
In the Soviet Union, the shopper experience wasn’t vastly different. You would stand in different lines to select, pay and collect items, so it was a good idea to bring a chair and a book with you.
I had a similar story. 2019 I went to the Walmart closest to where I live now and they had closed all the registers, and most of the self checks. I waited so long. I have a ton of stores close to me now so I was only going there on recommendation of a friend. “But they’re so cheap!”
Not if your time has value.
Aldi’s. No bullshit, good prices
Wal Marts in Denver have been doing this a lot lately.
And nearly all of the stores and restaurants that I visited while in Denver locked their restrooms and you had to either get a key or a code to enter them. I’m guessing it is related to so called anti theft measures.
I haven’t set foot in a Walmart since Dec 2014 and I don’t miss it at all. My ex used to order groceries from there but now I get Kroger delivery. Weirdly, we don’t even have a Kroger within 150miles but they’re cheaper and faster.
Yeah most of them are like this. That’s why it’s the one place where self checkout was actually an improvement. Because they never had anyone at the fucking registers before that anyway. I try to never go there but at least now I don’t have to wait an eternity if I have to go there.
Fun fact, next time you need something like that on the road just find a Dollar General. There’s one approximately every nine feet (they’re the retailer with the most locations in the US, bar none) and Dollar General don’t give a fuck, therefore nothing is locked up there. Some stuff is behind the checkout counter, but that’s all. Dollar General also doesn’t care about you stealing the nail clippers, nor paying any employees to be present, nor much of anything else as far as I can tell.
Dollar stores are randomly over priced and they manage to treat their employees worse than Walmart.
However, Walmart does treat their customers worse than any retail I can think of which is really weird.
While that is generally true, I will point out that nobody marks shit up to quite the insane degree as the chain drug stores like Walgreens and CVS. If the choice is between a Walgreens and a Dollar General, DG will be cheaper by a country (possibly literal) mile because their markup is is only 500% and not 1000%.
I dunno, let’s pick a random “need it now” commodity item out of a hat. This 4 pack box of light bulbs, $15 at Walgreens and $6.75 at DG despite being in the wrong aspect ratio. A house brand nail clipper to use OP’s example, $2.49 at Walgreens and locked in a case, $1 and just hanging on a peg at DG. Etc., etc.
DG’s main problem is that they chronically and deliberately understaff their stores. It’s literally part of their official management strategy. It also is one of the factors that makes them, perhaps surprisingly, one of the most robbed retail locations in the country.
Oh, most definitely.
I don’t know why anyone would use Walgreens/CVS as their go to for any of the overpriced items in their store. The are both to medication as gas is to the convience stores.
Everything is overpriced but they makes sales because of the convience of picking things up with a prescription.
Yeah, I end up still using their pharmacy because the pharmacist is just a great guy and he takes care of people. But the rest of the store can fuck right off.
If you have good insurance you might not notice this, but drug prices at Walgreens and CVS are significantly more expensive than many other pharmacies, like Walmart, Costco, or HEB. Compare prices on Goodrx.com and see
Truth.
More and more supermarkets are opening up pharmacies to compete. And in my town, private practices are now starting to also have a pharmacy.
I’m not supporting Walmart though.
I assume their entire business model is “Hope the boomers don’t notice we jacked the price up significantly.”