Walmart Ammo

[Spec ops Grunt]

I buy ammo from Walmart, and a ton of other things including groceries. If you guys want to hate on Walmart for being the best at what they do and the epitome of capitalism, you go right ahead.

Is Wal-Mart good at their stated goals? Yes.

Are they the epitome of capitalism? No.


Look at how they treat their worker.

 

[lobo9er]

waited ONE time for 15 min...had someone call 2x...

15 whole minutes!

 

[Geckgo]

The simple fact is that it isn't one case of a 15 minute or 30 minute wait. The fact is that they keep all of their ammo except for shotgun shells in a locked cabinet behind a desk, and even if there is a person at the desk, they may not have the key. If you have 50 employees walking around the store and only one of them has the key and they decided to take an hour lunch break? Or they are busy because they are in a department on the other side of the store, and after other walmart employees page them repeatedly when they notice that you are still standing there, it still takes them time because they are busy with other stuff.

This is bad management. Don't get me started on customer service, I was in that field for too long and when I see the attitude of clerks and service employees in my town it sickens me to no end. Not as bad as the attitude of their managers, but lets not open that wound.

Simple fact is, if only one guy/girl is going to have the key then they should at least be in the sporting goods dept. Let the other people that I see walking around that dept deal with other things. You see someone stocking gun stuff, they can't help you. You see someone behind the desk on the phone, they can't help you. Etc.

This doesn't happen at EVERY walmart. I was surprised to see that I wasn't the only one who felt this way. I have waited up to an hour before and watched other customers who wanted to buy a firearm come and go (cutting into their profits). Why you ask would I wait so long? I didn't have anything better to do that night. I caught sight of some shiny fishing tackle and lost track of time.

 

[Lakeshore]

According to our local newspaper shoplifting incidents at the one WalMart in our little burg went from 31 to 268 in 2008, then spiked to 506 in 2009.

It irks the hell out of me that WM keeps the ammo locked up. I've lost count of how many times I've had to play hide 'n seek with the salesperson who had the ammo case key. But, at least for our store, I can understand why they do it.

 

[00]

No issues of buying ammo at Walmart for me. I shop at Walmart during non-rush hours so waiting time is minimal. Haven't experienced any of the problems posted so far. IMO, it's hard to beat the prices of Walmart ammo if you know what you want.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I shop at Walmart during non-rush hours so waiting time is minimal.

That is not a good time at our local WM as staff is reduced according to slack time. It is often more difficult to find help during the "off" hours.

 

[mgkdrgn]

Why does walmart do this to it's customers? I'm tempted to buy ammo somewhere else even if I have to pay more.

Because they can. And as long as you don't vote with your feet and buy elsewhere, you are telling them it's just fine with you.

 

[Hanzo581]

Look at how they treat their worker.

I don't care how they treat their employees. Each and every Walmart employee is there by choice and can terminate their employment at any time they wish. I worked retail for a decade, every big box retailer treats their employee the same, the difference is Walmart is the biggest, thus the biggest target.

 

[rellascout]

I really have to ask... if it bothers you so much why on earth are you still shopping there? I am not a big Walmart fan but when I go into one I know what I am getting into. I am sacrificing customer service, cleanliness and sometimes quality in order to get a better price.

There is no mystery. These days if you are willing to buy in reasonable bulk 500 to 1000 rounds you can get better ammo at the same price that Walmart is selling. If you want to buy box by box it is hard to beat their pricing.

Except the trade off or shop somewhere else. There is no way their pricing is going to stay the same if they up their service level. Its a trade you "choose" to make so really there is no one to blame but yourself.

 

[thehootman]

My Wal Mart is selling Russian Tulammo out of the Wolf factory for under 10 bucks for 50 for 9 mm and $11.95 for 50 of .45. It is hot and my Glocks eat it like candy. In my area it is on the shelf just grab a box and take it to the cashier.

Life is good.

 

[Geckgo]

rellascout, I say something similar to my wife when she complains about the long lines. For that, we do our "grocery shopping" in the middle of the night when it's easy. I'm not asking walmart to "step up the CS" by an incredible amount. But I may ask the store manager why he doesn't make some more ammo keys and give them to everyone that works in the sporting goods dept. I assume because it's the same key that fits the gun display and they only want the FFL to have it.

I see failures in management and how people run stores everywhere I go. The kids hiring on get lazier and lazier as time goes by and the management doesn't care. Everyone wants their check and a lot of them don't want to do any work for it. I told my wife when I retire from the oilfield I may go manage a Mc D's and force them to step it up, even though I haven't gotten anything there in about 2 years.

 

[rellascout]

rellascout, I say something similar to my wife when she complains about the long lines. For that, we do our "grocery shopping" in the middle of the night when it's easy. I'm not asking walmart to "step up the CS" by an incredible amount. But I may ask the store manager why he doesn't make some more ammo keys and give them to everyone that works in the sporting goods dept. I assume because it's the same key that fits the gun display and they only want the FFL to have it.

I see failures in management and how people run stores everywhere I go. The kids hiring on get lazier and lazier as time goes by and the management doesn't care. Everyone wants their check and a lot of them don't want to do any work for it. I told my wife when I retire from the oilfield I may go manage a Mc D's and force them to step it up, even though I haven't gotten anything there in about 2 years.

I hear you. Believe me I know exactly what you are talking about but we the consumer are partially to blame. We have made retail a race to the bottom. We demand the lowest possible price for everything. Jeans cost 50% of what they did 20 years ago when you account for inflation. People complain about the lack or good paying jobs and customer service in retail while wearing $20 jeans made in the 3rd world. Fewer and fewer people are willing to pay for quality. In todays US cheapest price = value.

To me a positive shopping environment is something I am willing to pay for. That is why I used to get my food at Wegmans in the VA. They are higher end grocery store but the quality of their goods and the level of service was worth it to me. Sadly there is not one where I live now. In Fredericksburg I bought almost all my meat from a local butcher who had local meats. I bought my veggies seasonally from the farmers market and only at the grocery store in the winter. These cost me more $$ but it was worth it for me. To me getting quality product and good service = value.

Again when I go to Walmart I know what I am getting myself into. I am in a race to the bottom. I cannot expect more than I get. At Walmart I simply get low prices but in all honestly very little value.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

^ I agree ^

 

[HOWARD J]

While all you Wally-World bashers are in overdrive -- don't forget to give a little thought about all the American Mfrs that have moved their factory & American jobs to foreign countries & sent back a cheaply made product at a high price.
This is the new America folks & it ain't gonna get any better.
Enjoy New Years eve & let the sober folks do the driving.........

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

I don't care how they treat their employees. Each and every Walmart employee is there by choice and can terminate their employment at any time they wish. I worked retail for a decade, every big box retailer treats their employee the same, the difference is Walmart is the biggest, thus the biggest target.

While this is not true of me, some people do not have much of a choice in employment.

rellascout, I say something similar to my wife when she complains about the long lines. For that, we do our "grocery shopping" in the middle of the night when it's easy. I'm not asking walmart to "step up the CS" by an incredible amount. But I may ask the store manager why he doesn't make some more ammo keys and give them to everyone that works in the sporting goods dept. I assume because it's the same key that fits the gun display and they only want the FFL to have it.

I see failures in management and how people run stores everywhere I go. The kids hiring on get lazier and lazier as time goes by and the management doesn't care. Everyone wants their check and a lot of them don't want to do any work for it. I told my wife when I retire from the oilfield I may go manage a Mc D's and force them to step it up, even though I haven't gotten anything there in about 2 years.

And now it's kids getting lazier and lazier eh? I don't want this to be a generational argument, but come on. Don't make me pull out the "why didn't your generation run the country better" card.

The bolded part deserves special mention. You wanna know a secret? Management at store level doesn't have much sway at all. It's all corporate.

Why do I keep going to this thread?

Stuff like this is why I'm such a misanthrope.

 

[Geckgo]

You must not live in a town with 1/3 of it's residents are living on welfare/child support or some other brown paper envelope comes in the mail once a month. It breeds lazy.

-edit:
I don't know why I responded to this. You are going to criticize the funny part of my post then I don't need to comment further, I apologise.

 

[Spec ops Grunt]

I don't know why I responded to this.

Sometimes I wonder the same thing.


Imma just avoid the barbed welfare comment.

 

[HOOfan_1]

Not to take this any further off topic than it already is, but my biggest fear about the decline of US manufacturing is what it might mean if we are ever engaged in another WW2 like situation. We won that war partially based on our overwhelming manufacturing capability. We certainly avoided more casualties and a longer war because of those capabilities. Every facet of American manufacturing went into the war effort. Ford and GM were pumping out tanks and Jeeps. Sewing machine factories were turning out heavy machine guns. There were over 12 different aircraft manufacturers. etc. etc.

Today the American arms industry has been a running series of mergers, consolidations, and bankruptcies. Beyond that the manufacturers of every day items have outsourced or closed doors. It will take a huge effort to ever ramp up production again like we did in WW2.

 

[Hanzo581]

We are still number 3 in the world as far as exporting manufactured goods. So we are still making a lot of things.

http://heralddaily.com/2010/03/29/the-worlds-largest-exporters-and-how-they-make-their-money/

 

[JTHunter]

Lone_Sheep_Dog - I don't know about the wait time down where you are but here in "Daleyland" (IL), not only does the buyer have to have a FOID (Firearm Owners ID) card, so does the clerk opening the case!
Thankfully, a new branch of a regional chain store has opened up about 5 miles away. Where the Wal-mart stores here have discontinued ALL firearms sales (B.P. too!), this Rural King store is selling rifles, shotguns, handguns, & black powder. They also have a LOT of accessories for these, archery, power tools, animal feed, small farm implements, etc. They are giving Lowe's, Home Depot, and Wal-mart a run for the money!

 

[Erik M]

Its all about the overhead and pinching pennies wherever they can. When I worked at a super center while attending college they only had 2 part time associates (me) and a department manager that worked in the sporting goods area. We were scheduled so that only one of us was there at any given time. In terms of square footage its one of the largest stores in the state. anytime we went to break, lunch, or bathroom the counter is unmanned and the keys can be passes off to any avalible associate, usually in automotive or hardware. They arent going to hire extra people to cover that counter or work 2 people at the same time, it would cost them to much on payroll. They assume you will wait, and if you don't the next guy will.

 

[jlott00]

I don't know about you guys but I'll tell you I'm inandout of W Mart alot faster than the LGS. W Mart is what it is. If you don't like what it is, take yor fussy butt down the road, RIGHT NOW! Sheesh, what a bunch of prima donnas. I get on the intercom, I click on the cash register, I demand service, right now, etc. Somebody pulling stunts like that in my store would leave with nothing and be glad nothing was all they got.

Its not your store. Its the store you run to make the waltons richer lol

I guess this is where we ask where the shirt and pants you're wearing at this very moment were made.

Not china!...i love this attitude like your on china's team or something, i bet youre always a bandwagon fan of who ever is number one.

I swear, some people go into the store just to complain about China.

You know, globalism isn't that bad, as long as you're on the good end of it.



Protip: We are.

Did they teach you that in your college classes? along with "thomas jefferson was an over quoted idiot" ive had those classes also.
But i make my own mind up on things. and do research

The reason you think globalism is "not that bad" is because....well blunty you listen to the news and "experts"....OR not to be rude, are lazy..like most americans you want to hear the easy safe answer that way you dont have to worry. Well guess what we are NOT on the good side of globalization....you will know this by the end of next year...enjoy your "world order"...
..I complain about china bc I care about my country and can see the danger we are in. this is serious. china OWNS us. all they have to do is stop using the dollar and it is over for us....overnight! Some think this will happen in 2011 So i think complaining about china is a good thing.

who won the football game doesnt matter anymore

15 whole minutes!

yeah, what the hell is wrong with you? i go in on my lunch break and it takes 15 (or 20) min to get someone over to help? yeah thats a long time!
Maybe i value my time more.....?
and dont act like you wouldnt be tapping you toe.

While all you Wally-World bashers are in overdrive -- don't forget to give a little thought about all the American Mfrs that have moved their factory & American jobs to foreign countries & sent back a cheaply made product at a high price.
This is the new America folks & it ain't gonna get any better.
Enjoy New Years eve & let the sober folks do the driving.........

i agree, but it CAN get better if we wake up

 

[9mmforMe]

For me its been hit or miss. I've lived in VA, MD, NY and IN and some were better than others. I usually find someone before even going to wait since I can't see the boxes that well from in front of the counter. If they have what I want I usually don't mind waiting...well not too much.

 

[wristtwister]

Wow... I wonder how many of you guys have ever waited 15 minutes for their food at a restaurant? How dare them take the time to actually COOK food and not have it instantly ready for you...:banghead:

I'm working in a gun store now, and that's the same mentality that we get with customers who just can't imagine why we don't have 10 different choices of the particular brand-new-to-the-market gun they've read about and why we don't have it in THEIR particular caliber and with the accessories they've decided they can't live without...

I've actually had people "cuss me out" because we didn't have some particular caliber ammo that they wanted because they suddenly decided to go shoot Grandpa's old 32-20 or some exotic caliber "that Wal-Mart doesn't carry". If we happen to have it in stock, they raise hell about how much it costs, and then act like they're doing us a great favor by buying the cheapest box they can find... usually just before asking if we can't give them a better price.

I shop prices for shooting supplies just like anybody else, but I don't expect suppliers to carry every piece of equipment I read about, or have the latest firearms in stock 20 minutes after the magazine advertising it hits the newstands. Shooters have some of the most unrealistic expectations I've ever seen.

I've bought a ton of ammo from Wal-Mart, mainly because they had it and it was "usable" for range shooting. I've also bought a bunch from dealers at the gun shows, and have a "call in order" with one of the manufacturers who travels to our local gun shows. I don't go off on them if they don't have exactly what I want, or start threatening to boycott them because they don't drop what they're doing to rush over and fill my order.

I bought a reloading press and equipment so I can make my own ammo if necessary... but I don't shout at the supplier if they don't have the particular powder I need... I just shop around until I find it. This whole thread reads like some people need to grow up and get over their "instant gratification" fits.

Our shop has 1600 guns in it, and am asked daily "Why don't you have one of these (particular gun) in stock?" If they get nasty, I tell them "The distributor sent me 10, and you're the 11th customer"...."why didn't you come in sooner?"

I won't detail how many phone calls we get at the shop from somebody who "just can't believe that you don't have a XXX gun in stock", and then run off some specific description that reads like a pathology report of stainless barrels, composite stocks, night sights, twist rates, optics, and accessories of a gun that's been on the market for maybe 10 days, or one that's been out of production for 5 years.

WT

 

[Geckgo]

Actually, last time I went to the gun store I had to wait about 20 min to get ammo too. But that was because there were 4 or 5 people in there shopping guns and only 2 clerks.

The last time I went to walmart there were three people waiting on ammo, and 3 different employees walked up to ask if they could help us and went off in search of "the guy with the keys"