If it ends in "mart"...
Tuesday, May 6, 2008 at 09:54PM Because my blog is cheaper than therapy: Why I hate Kmart and Walmart
Let's start with Kmart. I refuse to even look at their sales paper anymore because I will inevitably see something that looks like a good deal, and briefly think about going to this horrid place. If you do go to the store, the odds of them having in the store what was shown in the ad are slim to none. If you are so blessed as to get the last one in the store, good luck finding a check out lane open. And when you do find one, be prepared to wait a millennia or so. When it's your turn to check out, one of two things may occur. Either the machine rejects your card a million times, or they can't possibly sell you the last of the item you came in for because it won't scan into their register. The number on the box is invalid. Oh, and it's way too difficult to look in the ad, see the exact item, and key in the price. Apparently even the manager doesn't have clearance to do that. If you are successful in making it out of the store with your sanity intact, and the item purchased, you will, as I, vow never to enter the doors of this store again.
And for Walmart. I really do like Walmart for their wide selection of cheap stuff. Like when your kids tell you they must have 30 skewers, 4 dowel rods, and blue and gold paint to build their roller coaster project for school. Nothing beats the .96 items. However, the chaos comes when you hit the check out lanes. I got in the ten items or less lane at exactly 8:23 pm. I know this because I was lamenting the fact that my kids would probably have just enough time to brush their teeth and climb into bed to make their 9:00 bedtime. I make it to the register fairly quickly, only to have the stupid machine tell me 7 times that it could not read my card. Not that it's denied. That it can't even read it. Not as a credit, not as a debit. Not at all! The lady (I am graciously calling her a "lady") checking me out looks at me and says, "I don't know what to do", and just looks at me. As if I know!? So, I kindly smile ('cause I'm like that you know), and tell her I'll try another lane. I go to the next lane where the people currently at the register have two carts (it was one of those extended family and a few friends thrown in kinda shopping trips.) When Grandma's card won't work, she looks to Auntie for some funds, who gets her daughter to fork over the rest. The next couple in line, who've already read an entire magazine, didn't have too many items. Whew! We're almost there. It is now 9:15pm. I am trying to keep it together. My girls are playing around. Pinching each other, poking each other, and just goofing off. I'm trying to get them to act respectable, and I'm ready to cry because now, it's almost my bedtime! Finally, our turn arrives. As the cashier rings up our stuff, I explain what happened. The total is a whopping $23.42 (or somewhere around there.) I run my card through carefully...holding my breath...praying...and beep! It says it can't read my card! I am ready to melt down. An hour ago it worked just fine at Michael's Craft Store! She runs it through her register, and it goes through. Yes! It even allowed me to get the cash back that I needed.
And that my friends is why, unless it is a life, death, or chocolate emergency, you will never find me in our town's Walmart or Kmart.
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Reader Comments (7)
I know what you mean, I can't stand those stores either for that same reason! Next time your card won't read; try wrapping the card in a plastic bag or in receipt paper and swipe it through the reader, and if that, for some strange reason won't work, make THE CASHIER key it in! I think that is their job!!!!!
I just had to comment this morning as you really gave a great and totally valid description of both stores.Thanks for starting my morning off on a funny note.
You didn't even mention how dirty and disorganized that Walmart is. Yuck! Oh boy do I hate those two stores! Thank God for Target!!
I feel your pain! This cracked me up and the perfect ending to my almost done work day. Our Super K in my town has a zillion check-out lines and 1 register open....The girl at the deli acts like you are bothering her by asking for a just a half pound of ham for your hubbys lunch.
Holly,
You made my day!!
We don't have KMart anymore (hmmm...think there is a reason for that?), but I don't go to WalMart unless I absolutely have to. I had a similar WalMart experience once with my debit card, and that on top of a couple of other negative experiences in a short time sealed the deal.
Lisa, you have to come to the KMart in St John. The St John store is never busy and never crowded (because Target is across the street <g>). The people that work there are nice too. I agree with you about the Merrillville KMart though. I will not go there for anything. WalMart...I think it boils down to location location location. I've been to good ones in other parts of the country..but that one in Scherrerville is absolutely the PITS!!