scrubbedexpat091

Interesting article on Wal Mart and the crime that occur in their stores.

In Tulsa last year the police were called to the city's Wal Mart stores just under 2,000 times, compared to Target 300 times.

Mostly shoplifting however they have had 5 armed robberies and some violent crime as well happen.

Nationwide Wal Mart sees an average of 1 violent crime per day somewhere in its system.



Oh the article mentions some of the security Target uses one of which is software in their camera system where it alerts security if you linger too long in font of products, so don't linger when in a Target store...

https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2...ebook-business

WEBlue

Yes, quite interesting reading! I didn't realize Wal Mart let RV people stay overnight in their carparks.

scrubbedexpat091

They do and some of their parking lots are trailer park trash heaven, they do up here as well, sort of, the corporate owned parking lots allow it, but Wal-Mart leases a lot of their land/parking lots/buildings so those generally do not.

The one in my town does, a mini RV park at times during summer.

tom169

I know there are certain Walmarts in the surrounding area that the Mrs deems complete no-go zones.

That said, I prefer Target and with the app you can get some decent coupons.

WEBlue

I've seen all sorts of lorries & heavy vehicles parked in our local Wal Mart carpark. Snowplows in the winter, always a few school busses year round, road construction vehicles, bull-dozers, etc. I've also noticed more than a few RVs, some giant, but all those do stick to a fairly limited area that's around the side of Wal Mart, whereas all the cars park along the front.


I guess I've never gone to our Wal Mart at night (nor do I want to! ) so I didn't quite realize the RVs are allowed to overnight there....

markonline1

Ah. That explains why there is a big dot matrix sign in our one saying no RV parking then.

Keith S

RV's are not allowed to overnight in Florida. If they were there would be no room for cars to park in winter due to the snowbirds!

dc koop

Our Walmart started to transition to a Super Walmart two years ago. it's still not finished

tuxedocat

Some areas have respond by upping the value of merchandise that they will give a citation for. I wish I could find where I read it.

What can a security guard do anyway if someone shoplifts? Can a security guard detain someone? If Walmart has cameras that should be enough as far as what they need to do on their part as not to waste polite time.

One thing to add is Target seems to be in better areas or in shopping centers. It's not uncommon to find a stand alone Walmart accessible by bus and not far from low income housing.

bremmner

As you say some do lease the land and have to abide by town ordinances. If there are houses nearby it may have a noise ordinance which means no noise at night so the locals can sleep.

scrubbedexpat091

Both chains do have different demographics for sure.

Meet The Average Wal-Mart Shopper - Business Insider

scrubbedexpat091

One of the stores in the city over from mine was remodeled into a super store, took them about 30 months start to finish, they built and opened a new store in the same city from ground up in about a year, seems to take a lot longer to renovate an existing store vs building a new one.

We went from a normal Wal-Mart to Super center, but they built an entirely new store and then closed the old store which was outdated, it had been built probably in the 70's and was part of the chain Wal-Mart had bought when they first entered Canada in 1994.


No Target here (they came and they left, lasted maybe 2 years if even that, but most of it was because they botched the entry into Canada.) so Wal-Mart is the primary big box general retailer. The other big box stores are more specific and not really the same, they sell some of the same things, but Wal-Mart is the best one stop shopping source.

WEBlue

Hmmm wish our small town had a Target, but the closest is 45 mins away. We are stuck with Wal Mart.



What is it that makes a Wal Mart a super Wal Mart? Is it that it sells food perishables? Ours stocks lots of dry, packaged, and tinned food goods, and even has a small refrigerated section for milk, orange juice, eggs. But no frozen stuff, meats, fresh veg, etc.

scrubbedexpat091

Super Wal Mart have a full grocery section like bakery, meat, produce, fresh and frozen foods etc.

Normal Wal Mart may have what you describe with a selection of food but but not quite a full grocery store.

WEBlue

Thanks! That's what I suspected. We have another store, a full grocery supermarket, in the same shopping strip as our Wal Mart, so that Wal Mart location will probably never become a Super Store.... That supermarket is expensive, though (--Shaw's) so I never use it. Have to truck across town for my perishables at Stop&Shop.