Wal-Mart or Target

[Iron Mego]

I'm not really talking collectibles (although I can relate, it's a good 40 minutes to a comic shop that orders toys), I just meant general, everyday kind of stuff. I've seen a lot of good people get destroyed by these box stores, so when I can, I try to spend my money with local, independently owned business.

This is easier for us to do at least.

[Hector]

Hey I'll meet you at In N Out for lunch those are the best take out burgers you can get!

Double Double Animal style, oh yeah, baby, lol.

[ubermanx]

I did find that Target had nicer stuff. More exclusive items. But the roll out was very botched here in Canada.

Pricing was very off and stock issues abound. Many empty shelves at most locations.

So no surprise really they are giving up in Canada. I suspect Walmart will move some of their older stores into empty Targets if the location is nicer. I just don't see anyone else jumping in to compete with Walmart.

- Marty

[Mikey]

Target - as well as Kmart can afford to have nicer bathrooms and checkout counters because their stuff is higher priced.

[Earth 2 Chris]

The few K-Marts left around here are nastier than our Wal-Marts. But the staff is friendlier. Go figure.

Chris

[PNGwynne]

Our small, solitary K-Mart is hanging in there. Not nasty, just showing it's age a little. But it's clean & bright and Chris, you're correct--the staff is great.

[EmergencyIan]

Target is nicer, but Wal-Mart has better deals on the necessities (and, maybe, everything else). Though, at this point, due to living in NYC, I really only go to either one when I'm in Indiana. My wife loves Target in Indiana.

- Ian

[SentientApe]

I cannot stand Wal-Mart. The stores are always dirty, disorganized and cluttered. I actually went to two separate Wal-Marts for Xmas shopping, and ended up wasting valuable time and gasoline chasing down very specific "in-stock" items that were actually not in stock at all (I called ahead). During this recent debacle, I also encountered the most rude and disrespectful store employees ever. Every time I step into a Wal-Mart, I am overwhelmed by the unpleasant odor - which seems to be a combination of poor personal hygiene of its customers (not the store's fault) and stale hot dog water from the snack bar.

At the complete opposite end of the Big Box Store spectrum, Target is a clean and organized store. There is rarely clutter, and that only ever is in the toy aisles when there are a bunch of very young kids running around. Available cashiers actively solicit shoppers to choose their check-out lanes, eliminating confusion. Bonus : most Targets have a Starbucks. And the chain often offers special "Target Exclusive" collectible toys.

Of course, one should consider the fact that there is no web page dedicated to the hundreds (thousands?) of viral photos titled "The People of Target."

[Relic]

Target blew it up here in Canada. They had miles of empty shelves. Not sure why they could not make a go of it as many Canadians shop at Target when in the USA. If Target had simply kept the stores full of product at reasonable prices they would have succeded. The selection at US Targets is much better with good prices.

[Iron Mego]

I must be shopping for different stuff, because whenever I've compared prices--on toys and food items mainly--Wal Mart has never been any cheaper than Target.

[cjefferys]

When I take a quick trip over the border to the US, I prefer Target over Walmart, but Target's foray into Canada was a colossal clusterf---. The few times I entered a Canadian Target, they just seemed like a Zellers with a new coat of paint slapped on, so-so prices and selection, and a bunch of empty shelves. I feel bad for the 17,000 employees who will be out of jobs, but I'm not surprised that Target Canada was dragged out behind the shed to be shot.

[Duncan]

I strongly prefer Target for the reasons everyone has mentioned. I have one 5 min from my job, and spend at least one lunch per week wandering through TGT. On occasion I will go to Walmart for specific items, but I generally don't "shop" there. I also have to agree with another previous comment that Meijer is way better than Walmart. Meijer & Target are my go-to stores.

[Tyme2tyme]

I drive past two Walmarts to get to Target.

[Donkey Hoatie]

Target all the way. Every once in a blue moon, out of necessity, I need to get something at a Walmart. What bugs me is that I seem to be the only person in the entire store who wants to get out of there as fast as possible. Everyone is meandering around, plowing down the middle of the cramped aisles, taking their own sweet time. I want to get in, get out, and get that funky Walmart smell off of me as soon as I can and everybody from the greeter to the customers to the notoriously slow checkout lines are preventing me from doing that.

[SentientApe]

target all the way. Every once in a blue moon, out of necessity, i need to get something at a walmart. What bugs me is that i seem to be the only person in the entire store who wants to get out of there as fast as possible. Everyone is meandering around, plowing down the middle of the cramped aisles, taking their own sweet time. I want to get in, get out, and get that funky walmart smell off of me as soon as i can and everybody from the greeter to the customers to the notoriously slow checkout lines are preventing me from doing that.

^ this.