Crying Grocers?

[BOSS]

I just watched a report on CNN about groceries crying that Walmart is eating (pardon the pun) into their profit margins, and forcing them to cut prices to try to continue selling.

The "specialist"... suggested that the grocers find a niche to compete with Walmart on. The suggested item... prescriptions... huh? Really?

This might be a good thing... if other industry segments are finally getting bit (yea, pun again) in the buttocks then maybe, just maybe some people will wake up.

For what it's worth... I submit....

 

[Queen of Weddings]

In my area some Markets are giving prescriptions of antibiotics for free, now, So what the markets are insane, Heavens 16.99 for a small steak, That means that a man better be carrying it over his head to me,,,I hate to spend money on food, So the king Better get over this crapola, So he can take me out, I hate Walmart, Sorry< Can't deal with screaming children>>>

 

[Rhonda]

I'm a wally hater too (claustrophobia in most stores)
but really, what home town grocery store can afford a pharmacist. Even Rite Aid here can't keep pharmacists to staff their hours.
Just another reason why so many towns are making restrictions on big box stores. And with the economy the way it is now, who's going to move into the old wally stores they're abandoning for their superstores they build two streets away?
crawling off the soapbox...geez

 

[roysecityfloristand gifts]

Not a surprising report. You can see it happening.

In a small town between where we live and our shop, there was a friendly small grocer that wastaken out by the new Brookshires. Then Brookshires was seriously wounded by the new Walmart that opened two years later.

Brookshires, keeps hanging on. Me thinks they should have cut their losses before now, but I do understand that being such a new store they were still way in debt and probably felt they had to hang in as long as possible.

That Walmart also closed a florist positioned at one of the entrances and the other florist at the other entrance, is going to be gone soon I suspect. The owner started doing real estate work.

Walmart ruined the Holiday business for those shops. You just can't compete in that small a town.

It's tough out there!

 

[lizzie ann]

yup, good old walmart. I won't shop there because in every town that they open ,local small businesses close because they can't compete. People assume that walmart has the lowest prices,but that is not always true. I really get PO'd that city government will give them tax incentives to build and the utility company gives them a special rate,while the small businesses carry the load..........
AND I couold on with my rant but I will spare everyone......just really ticks me off

and then there is hobby lobby that has their merchandise priced double of what it really is and the runs half price sales starting in october for christmas...is the public so stupid that they haven't figured this 50% scam out? oh well........

 

[Eric S]

yup, good old walmart. I won't shop there because in every town that they open ,local small businesses close because they can't compete. People assume that walmart has the lowest prices,but that is not always true. I really get PO'd that city government will give them tax incentives to build and the utility company gives them a special rate,while the small businesses carry the load..........
AND I couold on with my rant but I will spare everyone......just really ticks me off

and then there is hobby lobby that has their merchandise priced double of what it really is and the runs half price sales starting in october for christmas...is the public so stupid that they haven't figured this 50% scam out? oh well........

Same Here.

This past summer i went up to visit my sister in Klamath Falls OR and was amazaed at all of the empty buildings on their Main Street. Walmart was pretty much the only place to go. What a shame.

 

[RWK]

Well, For all the "evils" of Wal-Mart, Costco, Hobby Lobby, and other stores - contrary to what JB thinks......We DO HAVE one thing they don't seem to be willing to invest in.
That one thing being UNIQUE, CREATIVE and DIFFERENT designs......even the 'cookie cutter 'just pretty flowers in a vase" does not have to look like everybody elses.

 

[vghstaffer]

Sorry, not a Walmart hater here....love Walmart. They serve a need and a purpose where I live...if anything has brought more traffic and people to this particular area. Business's (yes even small ones) building around them to take advantage of it.
Again our lovely Governor passed a bill this week saying that ALL clothing that is sold, even in consignment shops for children under the age of 13 has to be CERTIFIED that their clothing did not come from China using a particular dye.
So our local "Gem Shop" who sells clothing on consignment and gives the proceeds to our school arts and music program will be shut down. We have a lovely young lady who just opened a gently used childrens clothing store on our main street will also be closed. There is no way they can CERTIFY their clothing...as it is used.
Do these people lay awake at night thinking of utterly stupid things to regulate??
Last month it was taxing regular soda! called an "obesity tax".
Welcome to New York.........and they wonder why people run screaming from here to somewhere else.

 

[ctherose]

I'm a wally hater too (claustrophobia in most stores)
but really, what home town grocery store can afford a pharmacist. Even Rite Aid here can't keep pharmacists to staff their hours.
Just another reason why so many towns are making restrictions on big box stores. And with the economy the way it is now, who's going to move into the old wally stores they're abandoning for their superstores they build two streets away?
crawling off the soapbox...geez

Our old wally is getting refurbished into a church!

 

[KLAN808]

We've noticed a trend here where most big box stores are either cutting their floral depatments or scaling them back to almost nothing.

 

[prestonway]

We've noticed a trend here where most big box stores are either cutting their floral depatments or scaling them back to almost nothing.

Is there an OPPORTUNITY here?

What parts did they keep (deem most profitable)?

What parts did they get rid of (not as profitable, but perhaps still with potential)?

No different than when a competitor closes.

Lament the loss (for a brief second), then examine the effect of this closure on YOUR business.

 

[Kristine]

Is there an OPPORTUNITY here?

What parts did they keep (deem most profitable)?

What parts did they get rid of (not as profitable, but perhaps still with potential)?

No different than when a competitor closes.

Lament the loss (for a brief second), then examine the effect of this closure on YOUR business.

Most likely keeping the pay per scan - no risk on their part.

 

[JCT]

It's nice that what goes around comes around.

Not sure where you were going with your post Boss. I read it as: 'grocery stores are finally feeling the pinch that other smaller retailers have felt for awhile'. I know our local Hannaford store has done everything they can to compete with the local 'specialty' shops. Big floral dept, big natural foods dept. to compete with an independant natural food store, new liquor dept. to compete with local wine retailer, huge greeting card dept. to compete with Hallmark store two doors down. At one time they got into selling a large selection of bird feeders as there was a Bird supply shop in my plaza (which went out of business).

If I didn't have to eat, I'd never step foot in Hannaford. They are affecting local businesses the same way Walmart is affecting them. Funny how they can't see it both ways.

 

[BOSS]

Just putting it out there... but you pretty much covered it.

 

[KLAN808]

Is there an OPPORTUNITY here?

What parts did they keep (deem most profitable)?

What parts did they get rid of (not as profitable, but perhaps still with potential)?

No different than when a competitor closes.

Lament the loss (for a brief second), then examine the effect of this closure on YOUR business.

Some of the big box stores are going from a full service floral department to a cooler with wrapped bouquets. They have even stopped staffing the floral departments and left the care of the flowers to the produce departments.

It looks like they don't want to staff a full service floral department and just offer flowers on the go.

Now remember this is probably a regional thing and other mass market stores are not following suit.

 

[Chezbloom]

I have seen a small amount of downsizing here in Mpls/St. Paul in groceries floral dept. Even Trader Joes next door to me has downsized their floral area (for now) and most groceries have no one in charge, just grab from the cooler and go. Its very small, but I am seeing it. I am also noticing the prices have been raised a bit. Perhaps they are realizing that flowers are not a great loss leader item as they need to be maintained and are perishable. Duh? I hope I'm right.
I too abhor Wallfart, but mostly because I don't want to get knifed whilst shoppping. That happened in our local Wally's a few months back. Nutball stabs Wallmart shopper. Really, I don't have time to shop for anything but flowers anyway. I eat alot of oatmeal.