Walmart CEO warns company will close stores if theft doesn't slow down

[Heyo]

US could do like the UK and China and just start putting cameras EVERYWHERE. Thieves wouldn't get away then.

One discounter chain in Germany did just that. Turned out that a) it was illegal (at least the hidden cameras) and b) people don't like to be treated with such mistrust, customers went other places.

 

[PureX]

When I worked retail we were trained not to try stopping or chasing thieves. I wasn't going to do that anyway. Why would I risk getting hurt over a wage slave job?

Exactly. And the thieves know it.

 

[Brickjectivity]

They should just have the entrances set up as enclosed areas that can be locked down till the cops show up. However, the thieves could then sue for unlawful imprisonment or kidnapping or other nonsense. So that idea won't work.

Most people go in, don't steal; and we like the privilege of walking around looking at merchandise. Stores have been able to save by employing few people: just enough people to stock and charge money. That seems to be changing. I'm going to guess its due to poor leaders and an increasing number of people who think they are hopeless, but I don't know. Generally people are Ok here, and we don't think there is an excuse to steal from stores. That may not be obvious to everyone though. Some may feel that theft is reasonable.

What the hardware stores have been doing is strange. Some have put devices into their power tools which disable the tools until they are activated by the store. Its one more thing that can go wrong with the tool, however the stores have been getting ripped off by criminal gangs taking large numbers of power tools. Nobody wants such devices in our tools after we purchase them, so this is unfortunate.

 

[PureX]

Most people go in, don't steal; and we like the privilege of walking around looking at merchandise. Stores have been able to save by employing few people: just enough people to stock and charge money. That seems to be changing. I'm going to guess its due to poor leaders and an increasing number of people who think they are hopeless, but I don't know. Generally people are Ok here, and we don't think there is an excuse to steal from stores. That may not be obvious to everyone though. Some may feel that theft is reasonable.

What the hardware stores have been doing is strange. Some have put devices into their power tools which disable the tools until they are activated by the store. Its one more thing that can go wrong with the tool, however the stores have been getting ripped off by criminal gangs taking large numbers of power tools. Nobody wants such devices in our tools after we purchase them, so this is unfortunate.

It's interesting that the sellers never care about what the buyers want. It's always and only about what's good for the sellers. Making the customers check themselves out, having no knowledgeable sales people on the floor, having vendors stock the shelves (so they're always out of the one most popular item), carrying only the items sold by one giant conglomerate, and so on. It's all about the profits, baby, and now that they've driven all the local mom and pop service oriented competition out of business, they couldn't care less about pleasing the customers.

 

[Revoltingest]

It's interesting that the sellers never care about what the buyers want. It's always and only about what's good for the sellers. Making the customers check themselves out, having no knowledgeable sales people on the floor, having vendors stock the shelves (so they're always out of the one most popular item), carrying only the items sold by one giant conglomerate, and so on. It's all about the profits, baby, and now that they've driven all the local mom and pop service oriented competition out of business, they couldn't care less about pleasing the customers.

Perhaps a shopper's personality (eg, entitlement, hostility)
causes staff to recoil. This could explain your experience.
I find that people are helpful when I make friendly respectful
requests for service.

 

[PureX]

Perhaps a shopper's personality (eg, entitlement, hostility)
causes staff to recoil. This could explain your experience.
I find that people are helpful when I make friendly respectful
requests for service.

What staff? Staff cost money. They won't even hire check out people, anymore. And the few they have they won't pay a decent wage.

And all you're going to get for your request for service is, "we can order that for you".

 

[Revoltingest]

What staff? Staff cost money. They won't even hire check out people, anymore. And the few they have they won't pay a decent wage.

And all you're going to get for your request for service is, "we can order that for you".

I find staff ready to serve me in every store I frequent.
BTW, in my area, check-out clerks are in short supply.
Big labor shortage. So self check-out stations abound
at grocery stores...with friendly staff to help me when
I mess up.
I notice that people often get the attitude they bring
with them. Change oneself to change others.

 

[Stevicus]

It's interesting that the sellers never care about what the buyers want. It's always and only about what's good for the sellers. Making the customers check themselves out, having no knowledgeable sales people on the floor, having vendors stock the shelves (so they're always out of the one most popular item), carrying only the items sold by one giant conglomerate, and so on. It's all about the profits, baby, and now that they've driven all the local mom and pop service oriented competition out of business, they couldn't care less about pleasing the customers.

My issue is that, all too often, I can't find the product I'm looking for, so I try to find someone who works there who can assist, and they're just not around. And there are no directories or maps to be found in most stores these days.

At least with online retailers, they usually have a search engine available. That's something these big box stores might consider adding.

Dang hippie clerks!

 

[PureX]

I find staff ready to serve me in every store I frequent.
BTW, in my area, check-out clerks are in short supply.
Big labor shortage. So self check-out stations abound
at grocery stores...with friendly staff to help me when
I mess up.
I notice that people often get the attitude they bring
with them. Change oneself to change others.

So you're blaming the costumer, too. Naturally.

 

[Revoltingest]

So you're blaming the costumer, too.

If one wears a costume into a store,
accept that one will be treated accordingly.

 

[PureX]

My issue is that, all too often, I can't find the product I'm looking for, so I try to find someone who works there who can assist, and they're just not around. And there are no directories or maps to be found in most stores these days.

At least with online retailers, they usually have a search engine available. That's something these big box stores might consider adding.

They want you to walk all over the store looking. They think you might impulse buy that way. They keep moving things around so you have to look for it. They don't care if that wastes your time and frustrates you. All they care about is making an extra sale.

Except for Revoltingest. When he walks in all the sales people come out of hiding and polish his shoes while the managers run and get whatever he wants.

 

[Revoltingest]

Except for Revoltingest. When he walks in all the sales people come out of hiding and polish his shoes while the managers run and get whatever he wants.

That's cuz I treat staff like valued people.
I don't berate them as capitalist running
dogs who don't snap to attention for me.
If you want others to be better, then first
be better yourself.

 

[Stevicus]

They want you to walk all over the store looking. They think you might impulse buy that way. They keep moving things around so you have to look for it. They don't care if that wastes your time and frustrates you. All they care about is making an extra sale.

Sometimes I wonder if they even care about making sales.

Except for Revoltingest. When he walks in all the sales people come out of hiding and polish his shoes while the managers run and get whatever he wants.

In the past, I've noted that @Revoltingest has often spoken of shopping at a store called Menards, though @Wu Wei says the store is a myth. I've never seen one either. But if they do exist, maybe they're some kind of bizarre exception in the retail world.

 

[Revoltingest]

In the past, I've noted that @Revoltingest has often spoken of shopping at a store called Menards, though @Wu Wei says the store is a myth. I've never seen one either. But if they do exist, maybe they're some kind of bizarre exception in the retail world.

I've also gotten great service at nationally known stores
places you might've heard of, eg, Subway, Lowe's, Home
Depot, Ace Hardware, McMaster Carr.
My advice....
Don't go in with a sourpuss attitude. And don't be afraid
to ask for assistance when they don't just leap to offer it.

I've had bad service here & there too. I avoid those stores.
BTW, I like Wallmart. They don't offer me help, but I've
gotten all I ever needed. I like that. And their parking is
just about the best around...that matters with truck+trailer.

 

[PureX]

Sometimes I wonder if they even care about making sales.



In the past, I've noted that @Revoltingest has often spoken of shopping at a store called Menards, though @Wu Wei says the store is a myth. I've never seen one either. But if they do exist, maybe they're some kind of bizarre exception in the retail world.

I frequened the Menards big box hardware stores in Chicago many times. They were much better than the Home Depos, there. But that was many moons ago, before the poison of the Reagan era had infected every corner of commerce.

 

[metis]

I frequened the Menards big box hardware stores in Chicago many times.

I used to go there but stopped because of his hostile behavior of the owner towards organized labor plus his support for Trump and the Koch brothers. Thus, I mostly now go to Lowe's and Ace Hardware.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

McMillon said the key to reducing theft is Walmart working with local law enforcement agencies and ensuring that those agencies are fully staffed.

What in the serious Hell?

 

[JustWondering]

I find staff ready to serve me in every store I frequent.
BTW, in my area, check-out clerks are in short supply.
Big labor shortage. So self check-out stations abound
at grocery stores...with friendly staff to help me when
I mess up.
I notice that people often get the attitude they bring
with them. Change oneself to change others.

I've worked retail and I've never understood those people who think they'll get good service by acting like a jerk. I remember working at Sears and my manager and I were honestly trying to help a customer with an issue, but he was extremely rude and insulting from the get-go. We tried to calm him down and assist him but it seemed he just wanted to unload on us, so we told him we'd have to check the stockroom, left him there and never returned. Not sure how long he waited before he left.

 

[JustWondering]

They want you to walk all over the store looking. They think you might impulse buy that way. They keep moving things around so you have to look for it. They don't care if that wastes your time and frustrates you. All they care about is making an extra sale.

Except for Revoltingest. When he walks in all the sales people come out of hiding and polish his shoes while the managers run and get whatever he wants.

All the stores put their electronics departments at the back of the store for a reason, so you have to walk past all the other depts to get to it and hopefully impulse buy something. Companies also pay extra to stores to have their products placed on end caps which are more visible and sell product faster.

 

[Stevicus]

I've also gotten great service at nationally known stores
places you might've heard of, eg, Subway, Lowe's, Home
Depot, Ace Hardware, McMaster Carr.
My advice....
Don't go in with a sourpuss attitude. And don't be afraid
to ask for assistance when they don't just leap to offer it.

I've had bad service here & there too. I avoid those stores.
BTW, I like Wallmart. They don't offer me help, but I've
gotten all I ever needed. I like that. And their parking is
just about the best around...that matters with truck+trailer.

I certainly don't go in with a sourpuss attitude. I'm always nice to workers. My natural charm usually does it.

But oftentimes it depends on how they present themselves. If they're dealing with me as a human, then I deal with them on a human to human level. If they're dealing with me as a representative of a cold, bloodless corporation, acting more like automatons than humans, then that may be a different encounter.