and the big guys barely disguise how little they care about customer service That sure seemed to be my experience with all the little CVS stores I used in the

and the big guys barely disguise how little they care about customer service That sure seemed to be my experience with all the little CVS stores I used in the D.C. area in the '90s, but it's not what I see with Wal-Mart in the last decade in the heartland. Of course, Wal-Mart goes for fewer, much bigger stores, and benefits from higher volumes than a small CVS which is often only staffed with one overworked pharmacist (I was always extra careful to check for dispensing errors when using them). As for "race to the bottom", well, it sure looks tough. For example, Target offered upscale pharmacy service, but has given up on doing it themselves in favor of farming that out to CVS. high volume drives price efficiency, as does eliminating the need for a retail storefront with lights and chairs and Muzak and the like. And putting yourself in the likely presence of infectious people or the air they just exhaled is another reason to avoid the retail pharmacy experience if you can.