WineLovers Discussion Group

Wal-Mart Targeting Upscale Shoppers

By DAVID KOENIG
AP Business Writer
Mar 22, 2:52 AM EST

...In its boldest effort yet to target upscale shoppers, the nation's largest retailer is opening a new store this week with an expanded selection of high-end electronics, more fine jewelry, hundreds of types of wine ranging up to $500 a bottle, and even a sushi bar...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060322/ap_on_bi_ge/upscale_wal_mart_1

Neat post ... personally, I won't shop at Walmart, but that's just me.

It's good to see you here, though ... if I'm not mistaken, your name is a new one here, so a warm welcome to you! Hope you'll hang around and talk with us about wine.

I watched WalMart barge into a neighboring town that didn't want it, and for me that destroyed forever their "we're a good neighbor" image. To me, they are the Microsoft of retailing (well, maybe not THAT bad). I do buy things there occasionally, but only when I can't find the item anywhere else. I certainly won't be buying wine there.

-Paul W.

Robin Garr wrote:Neat post ... personally, I won't shop at Walmart, but that's just me.

Hi Robin,

That's me too. I avoid Walmart as much as possible as I don't like their personnel policies. (They don't treat their regular employees well, especially women.) I do occasionally go to a Sam's now that they are carrying better wines, but that is only maybe once a year.

I throw Walmart, Sam's, and Costco into the same heap. I just visited Costco for the first time this week. Not to shop, but to pick up some unmerchanable wine my company had sold to them. One of the bottles was a 2001 Stags Leap WC Fay's Cabernet that had nothing wrong with it whatsoever-The cork wasn't even pulled. I guess a "Costco"mer just returned it on a whim. The employees didn't know a thing about wine, although I suppose this is varies from location to location. Personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable shopping at a store where wine was considered a commodity akin to cheap electronics and over-sized boxes of breakfast cereal, but that's just me.

-Bill

Bill Hooper wrote:I throw Walmart, Sam's, and Costco into the same heap. I just visited Costco for the first time this week. Not to shop, but to pick up some unmerchanable wine my company had sold to them. One of the bottles was a 2001 Stags Leap WC Fay's Cabernet that had nothing wrong with it whatsoever-The cork wasn't even pulled. I guess a "Costco"mer just returned it on a whim. The employees didn't know a thing about wine, although I suppose this is varies from location to location. Personally, I wouldn't feel comfortable shopping at a store where wine was considered a commodity akin to cheap electronics and over-sized boxes of breakfast cereal, but that's just me.

-Bill

I never shop at Wal-Mart. Nor any of the other stores you mention.

Even if our local Wal-Mart converts to the 'new' Wall-Mart, I will refuse to participate.

This company tries all sorts of suspicious and mean spirited ways to infiltrate a community. Even when it's evident the community doesn't want them. This business is evil in the worst sense. May they go out of business in my lifetime. I will celebrate.

I won't be holding my breath though. Americans are gullible and idiots for the most part.

I just don't have any pride in being 'American' anymore. Second status we are now.

And France is still producing the best and most QPR wines. Too bad they are being Americanized, and the Global Market is berating them as backward.

And France is still producing the best and most QPR wines. Too bad they are being Americanized, and the Global Market is berating them as backward.

I couldn't agree more David.

And I'm certainly not proud of America, but I'm proud to be American, If that makes any sense.

-Bill[/quote]

..plus c'est le meme


I see that the navel-gazing anti-Walmart angst is still around. I don't have a Walmart near me in Toronto - but I must commend Walmart for revamping the moribund Woolco stores they acquired in Canada some 10 years ago.

I should note that the French are not going to be 'Americanized' because they end up following retail trends such as Walmart. For heaven's sake, it was the French who invented the mega-retailer - i.e. les hypermarche's.