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OOC, Why do people shop at Target instead of Walmart? For me, the only reason is distance---if there's a Target closer than a Walmart. Otherwise the two are pre

OOC, Why do people shop at Target instead of Walmart? For me, the only reason is distance---if there's a Target closer than a Walmart. Otherwise the two are pretty much interchangeable.

goodJobWalrus 11y ago
In the US, I shopped for (some) clothes and household items. They were much better than stuff at Walmart. This was 10 years ago, and at the time, Target was the first one to pioneer famous designers doing a low end (Target) line. So yeah, my perception was that they had better stuff.
giarc 11y ago
Are you referring to Canadian Target vs Walmart? If so, I agree. I feel like Walmart Canada doesn't have quite the same reputation it does south of the border.
skrebbel 11y ago
They tend to have better bicycle parking though.
sotojuan 11y ago
Clothes, household goods, furniture, etc are much better at Target, but the real reason is because Target is nicer. It's cleaner, better designed, the employees are drilled into being helpful (I worked there)—it just feels better to be at a Target. They get fashion designers to do collaborations with their clothing line as well, which helps their image. 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target a couple of years ago sold out instantly. In general their clothing is on par with a real clothing store. I have a cardigan/jacket thing I got there in 2011 that has no holes or damage. Walmart has a "lower class" reputation, and so do the people that go there often. Don't get me wrong, they are both big box stores. They aren't that different under the hood, but Target managed to present itself with a cleaned-up image that attracts a lot of middle and upper middle class people who don't want to be seen at or go to Walmart.
- fgandiya 11y ago
  You pretty much hit the nail on the head. The clothes I get from Target last much longer than those I bought at Walmart. Also, the staff are much easier to get a hold of.
- developer2 11y ago
  I think a lot of Canadians identify with being "lower class", as you put it. For many, it is not at all shameful to shop at Walmart. Walmart has been ingrained in us for so long, and we have such a small population (the population of all of Canada is less than that of California alone), that there is not really a market for another big box retailer. Walmart is just fine. Personally, none of my friends or family ever commented on having been to a Target. I never went to my local one either.
joezydeco 11y ago
I'll beg to differ. The Targets I frequent are cleaner, better stocked, better quality clothing items (but let's not fool ourselves here), and the aisles and endcaps also are not clogged with tables full of stuff. My Target is better staffed than my WalMart, and they will open new lanes once things start stacking up. Target also offers an EFT card that discounts 5% off your total and (up until this spring) kicked 1% of the total to the school of your choice. Our elementary school has earned a few thousand dollars over the life of the program. The card also gives free shipping on online orders. So, to me, it's not an equivalent.
- protomyth 11y ago
  I don't know if its just new stores, but the recently built super Walmarts are really clean and brightly lit. I do think the Walmart needs more automated lanes, they seem weirdly busy. Walmart has donation programs also.
  - kevin_thibedeau 11y ago
    > they seem weirdly busy. They intentionally understaff their checkout stations to cut labor costs. A far cry from the 80's and early 90's when Walton still held sway over operations and was able to impose strict waiting limits for customers.
    - protomyth 11y ago
      Weirdly it was when the lanes with staff were open. I'm trying to figure out if we're all anti-social or is there some other reason.
Spooky23 11y ago
Where I live, Walmart is like DMV. You need to avoid going there at the beginning of the month, after work, Saturday afternoon, Sunday night, after 9 etc. There's either 2/30 lines open, or 15/30 with 300 people waiting. If you go, they don't merchandise. They cut the top off a box of food and throw it on the shelf. The workers suck because the workplace sucks. Target, the prices are same or better, selection is different (i.e. You can't get car parts or hunting gear), and the staff is much more useful.
- protomyth 11y ago
  "You need to avoid going there at the beginning of the month" Yes, Walmart is the preferred vendor if you are on EBT and that is why police departments will stake them out at the beginning of the month. Walmart is pretty much the place to get the most food for the buck.
  - Spooky23 11y ago
    They also do fee based bank like services. I don't care about that at all, it's just that Walmart doesn't bother to do things like have more staff available.
- Grishnakh 11y ago
  You can get car parts at Target (at least some of the ones I've been to), but the selection is pretty lousy. They'll have a few basics (wiper blades etc.) all in one or two aisles, whereas Walmart will have an entire aisle dedicated to motor oil and filters.
- dawnerd 11y ago
  You basically just described the Target by my house. Place can be busy and only have 2 lanes open, nothing stocked, and rude employees.
mikestew 11y ago
The fact that there's no "peopleoftarget.com" should tell you something. (Well, the domain resolves, but I get a 404.) In seriousness, as others point out, Target is generally nicer. And Wal-Mart has a bit of a "low rent" feel to it, probably more so in the U.S. south than elsewhere. Everything on the shelves seems as if it is the lowest priced item the Wal-Mart buyer could find for that category. And the shoppers, oh, the things I've seen... I've found that this doesn't seem to broadly apply to the few Canadian Wal-Marts I've been to, though.
- techsupporter 11y ago
  Whether it's popular to admit or not, this is the thinking behind why a lot of people I know--including myself--shop at Target instead of Wal-Mart. I'm from the U.S. South; my hometown has a Target and a Wal-Mart facing each other across a canyon of two parking lots and a six-lane street. The difference is stark, from the merchandise to the cleanliness of the store to the customer base. Wal-Mart can do as well or better than Target. There's a "flagship" Wal-Mart on the Dallas North Tollway in Plano (Texas) that is everything a Target can be and more. It's even open 24 hours, like seemingly every other Wal-Mart in the region. (That was a little bit of culture shock when I moved to Puget Sound. The Wal-Marts in the top-left corner of the map used to be open 24 hours but stopped in early 2015 for some reason.)
  - hugodahl 11y ago
    As I was reading, I started wondering how many other places in the US had this "across the road" setup. Then read "Plano" and realized "I guess for now, just the one! That Walmart has taken a dive tho. I've rarely gone the last 4+ years, but it very much reminds me of the nearby one which is more "ghetto", just with different inside paint job (not industrial white).
protomyth 11y ago
Different set of products really. When I go shopping with my Dad we hit Sam's Club, Walmart, and then Target. He buys different things in each. Most of his Target purchases are because of the coupons and Bluray specials. He used to hit Costco, but it he bought less and less from them as Walmart and Target improved their food area. Clothes for the children is Walmart and adults is Target. [edit] Hyvee has become a goto place because of the hot food and the gas discounts with purchase. I basically can go to Walmart or the local grocery store in the next town or the reservation grocery store. I'm not a fan of the local grocery stores political tactics[1], so its the rez or Walmart. There is a K-mart but they just don't have the variety. 1) zoning to try and screw competitors is not nice
brohoolio 11y ago
I know someone that's made a career working at Walmart and he isn't happy there. The big complaint is there is no staffing, so he's dealing with a million problems in the store while being the only cashier. Pay and benefits suck too.
analog31 11y ago
For me it's been different things at different times. Target was established in the Midwest before WalMart showed up. It seemed more pleasant, better stocked. I don't buy a huge amount of stuff altogether, so a price difference wouldn't be compelling. My time is valuable. It was just harder to shop at WalMart. Today, there's a Target within walking / biking distance of my house. That pretty much seals the deal. Also, this may be unique and idealistic, but I don't shop anywhere that sells guns.

OOC, Why do people shop at Target instead of Walmart? For me, the only reason is distance---if there's a Target closer than a Walmart. Otherwise the two are pretty much interchangeable.

goodJobWalrus 11y ago

In the US, I shopped for (some) clothes and household items. They were much better than stuff at Walmart. This was 10 years ago, and at the time, Target was the first one to pioneer famous designers doing a low end (Target) line. So yeah, my perception was that they had better stuff.

giarc 11y ago

Are you referring to Canadian Target vs Walmart? If so, I agree. I feel like Walmart Canada doesn't have quite the same reputation it does south of the border.

skrebbel 11y ago

They tend to have better bicycle parking though.

sotojuan 11y ago

Clothes, household goods, furniture, etc are much better at Target, but the real reason is because Target is nicer. It's cleaner, better designed, the employees are drilled into being helpful (I worked there)—it just feels better to be at a Target. They get fashion designers to do collaborations with their clothing line as well, which helps their image. 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target a couple of years ago sold out instantly. In general their clothing is on par with a real clothing store. I have a cardigan/jacket thing I got there in 2011 that has no holes or damage. Walmart has a "lower class" reputation, and so do the people that go there often. Don't get me wrong, they are both big box stores. They aren't that different under the hood, but Target managed to present itself with a cleaned-up image that attracts a lot of middle and upper middle class people who don't want to be seen at or go to Walmart.

fgandiya 11y ago
You pretty much hit the nail on the head. The clothes I get from Target last much longer than those I bought at Walmart. Also, the staff are much easier to get a hold of.
developer2 11y ago
I think a lot of Canadians identify with being "lower class", as you put it. For many, it is not at all shameful to shop at Walmart. Walmart has been ingrained in us for so long, and we have such a small population (the population of all of Canada is less than that of California alone), that there is not really a market for another big box retailer. Walmart is just fine. Personally, none of my friends or family ever commented on having been to a Target. I never went to my local one either.

joezydeco 11y ago

I'll beg to differ. The Targets I frequent are cleaner, better stocked, better quality clothing items (but let's not fool ourselves here), and the aisles and endcaps also are not clogged with tables full of stuff. My Target is better staffed than my WalMart, and they will open new lanes once things start stacking up. Target also offers an EFT card that discounts 5% off your total and (up until this spring) kicked 1% of the total to the school of your choice. Our elementary school has earned a few thousand dollars over the life of the program. The card also gives free shipping on online orders. So, to me, it's not an equivalent.

protomyth 11y ago
I don't know if its just new stores, but the recently built super Walmarts are really clean and brightly lit. I do think the Walmart needs more automated lanes, they seem weirdly busy. Walmart has donation programs also.
- kevin_thibedeau 11y ago
  > they seem weirdly busy. They intentionally understaff their checkout stations to cut labor costs. A far cry from the 80's and early 90's when Walton still held sway over operations and was able to impose strict waiting limits for customers.
  - protomyth 11y ago
    Weirdly it was when the lanes with staff were open. I'm trying to figure out if we're all anti-social or is there some other reason.

Spooky23 11y ago

Where I live, Walmart is like DMV. You need to avoid going there at the beginning of the month, after work, Saturday afternoon, Sunday night, after 9 etc. There's either 2/30 lines open, or 15/30 with 300 people waiting. If you go, they don't merchandise. They cut the top off a box of food and throw it on the shelf. The workers suck because the workplace sucks. Target, the prices are same or better, selection is different (i.e. You can't get car parts or hunting gear), and the staff is much more useful.

protomyth 11y ago
"You need to avoid going there at the beginning of the month" Yes, Walmart is the preferred vendor if you are on EBT and that is why police departments will stake them out at the beginning of the month. Walmart is pretty much the place to get the most food for the buck.
- Spooky23 11y ago
  They also do fee based bank like services. I don't care about that at all, it's just that Walmart doesn't bother to do things like have more staff available.
Grishnakh 11y ago
You can get car parts at Target (at least some of the ones I've been to), but the selection is pretty lousy. They'll have a few basics (wiper blades etc.) all in one or two aisles, whereas Walmart will have an entire aisle dedicated to motor oil and filters.
dawnerd 11y ago
You basically just described the Target by my house. Place can be busy and only have 2 lanes open, nothing stocked, and rude employees.

mikestew 11y ago

The fact that there's no "peopleoftarget.com" should tell you something. (Well, the domain resolves, but I get a 404.) In seriousness, as others point out, Target is generally nicer. And Wal-Mart has a bit of a "low rent" feel to it, probably more so in the U.S. south than elsewhere. Everything on the shelves seems as if it is the lowest priced item the Wal-Mart buyer could find for that category. And the shoppers, oh, the things I've seen... I've found that this doesn't seem to broadly apply to the few Canadian Wal-Marts I've been to, though.

techsupporter 11y ago
Whether it's popular to admit or not, this is the thinking behind why a lot of people I know--including myself--shop at Target instead of Wal-Mart. I'm from the U.S. South; my hometown has a Target and a Wal-Mart facing each other across a canyon of two parking lots and a six-lane street. The difference is stark, from the merchandise to the cleanliness of the store to the customer base. Wal-Mart can do as well or better than Target. There's a "flagship" Wal-Mart on the Dallas North Tollway in Plano (Texas) that is everything a Target can be and more. It's even open 24 hours, like seemingly every other Wal-Mart in the region. (That was a little bit of culture shock when I moved to Puget Sound. The Wal-Marts in the top-left corner of the map used to be open 24 hours but stopped in early 2015 for some reason.)
- hugodahl 11y ago
  As I was reading, I started wondering how many other places in the US had this "across the road" setup. Then read "Plano" and realized "I guess for now, just the one! That Walmart has taken a dive tho. I've rarely gone the last 4+ years, but it very much reminds me of the nearby one which is more "ghetto", just with different inside paint job (not industrial white).

protomyth 11y ago

Different set of products really. When I go shopping with my Dad we hit Sam's Club, Walmart, and then Target. He buys different things in each. Most of his Target purchases are because of the coupons and Bluray specials. He used to hit Costco, but it he bought less and less from them as Walmart and Target improved their food area. Clothes for the children is Walmart and adults is Target. [edit] Hyvee has become a goto place because of the hot food and the gas discounts with purchase. I basically can go to Walmart or the local grocery store in the next town or the reservation grocery store. I'm not a fan of the local grocery stores political tactics[1], so its the rez or Walmart. There is a K-mart but they just don't have the variety. 1) zoning to try and screw competitors is not nice

brohoolio 11y ago

I know someone that's made a career working at Walmart and he isn't happy there. The big complaint is there is no staffing, so he's dealing with a million problems in the store while being the only cashier. Pay and benefits suck too.

analog31 11y ago

For me it's been different things at different times. Target was established in the Midwest before WalMart showed up. It seemed more pleasant, better stocked. I don't buy a huge amount of stuff altogether, so a price difference wouldn't be compelling. My time is valuable. It was just harder to shop at WalMart. Today, there's a Target within walking / biking distance of my house. That pretty much seals the deal. Also, this may be unique and idealistic, but I don't shop anywhere that sells guns.