Oldfort, I am the opposite. Online shopping is stressful and unsatisfying to me.
I like the experience of walking around, looking and touching before I buy.
It’s the same with books - I prefer going into a library or bookstore to browse rather than browsing online to pick my next book.
I have become a big online shopper for clothing, but like to pick my own produce and meats. Are there online grocery services now? I remember fifteen years ago or so they were starting, but where I lived then (middle sized midwestern city) they were short lived.
And I like service for groceries, people to talk to me and sack my purchases. I will stand in line to see familiar faces rather than do self check. But then even though I shop at a large, regional supermarket, many of the employees are either long time workers or high school kids I recognize.
@scholarme,
I also enjoy wandering around and discovering all kinds of junk I had no idea I “needed”.
We go to Sam’s once a month or so to stock up on household goods in bulk. So I really have very little need to go to Target or Walmart. I don’t find shopping at those stores enjoyable. I am a minimalist at heart and don’t like to go to places where I get tempted to buy stuff that just winds up cluttering my house.
I really dislike shopping for clothes or household items, but I enjoy food shopping a lot. I love to cook and often get inspired while wandering the market. I try to go when it’s not crowded and I’m not in a hurry, buy a cup of coffee and browse. I find it relaxing. I don’t shop for food at stores that sell other things. Even Costco is not great for food shopping, imo, although they do have some good deals.
I shop at Costco and local neighborhood supermarket, plus CVS for Rx. Costco apples and oranges are MUCH cheaper than anywhere else. They gave better gluten free bread at lower prices too.
I buy luggage from Costco. Have also purchased luggage at Macy’s and Ross. We usually buy a new piece every 5 years or so. We all only buy a roller board that can be brought onto the plane or checked. We generally can fit everything we need for a 1-5 week trip in that plus a small backpack or personal item. We have gifted D with our 2nd hand luggage, which suits her fine, since her Ross suitcase wheel developed a flat spot and didn’t roll as smoothly. H likes to check in one bag and the rest of us generally just roll our bags on and off the plane.
Target and WalMart aren’t convenient to our home. Costco is only 5 minutes away and I like their quality for food, clothing and most things. I love their no Q’s asked return policy and the very nice and happy workers at the store nearest our home.
I avoid Walmart like the plague. Last summer I was on a long road trip by myself, when I discovered the phone charger I’d brought wasn’t the correct one when I was out in the middle of nowhere, I think in Nebraska somewhere. The first civilization I came upon was a town of probably about 10,000 or less, and they had a Walmart right by the interstate, so I went in. I got my charger and got out of there, but as I pulled out of the parking lot, I just wanted to take a shower.
^^ that’s funny teriwtt…I have found the more rural Walmarts to be better than in more populated areas…although I have never been to Nebraska. We went to one in a very small town in southern Illinois a few years back. It was the hub of the town. We were staying at a local hotel for a wedding and the pillows were like postage stamps and the room wreaked of cigarette smoke…so pillows and Febreeze was what we needed to survive two nights in a place that was pretty gross
We are retired and live in a very rural area. We drive 15 miles just to get to Walmart. There’s another regional grocery store in our area but it’s nothing to get excited about and Walmart is less expensive. To get to a more “upscale” store we’d have to travel 25 more miles. So yes, we shop at Walmart. I would love to have a Target nearby. I do buy some things online.
And yes we did chose to live here after DH retired last year!
Well our Target is very nice but I have been in ones that are run down. One Walmart we have is not so nice and the other is much better, even in the same town. I hate going to them but rarely H goes for specific food items on odd hours.
We live in a rural area, but
the county is 100,000 pop.
Target is my ‘go to’ store and Sprouts is his.
I cannot stand to walk into WalMart and see the seasonal garbage that is always by the entrance. Junk made in China. Lots and lots of bright colored plastic “stuff”. Gag. I pop in there maybe once a quarter for this and that I cannot find easily elsewhere. There is not a Target real close to me. They are nice, though. I go maybe twice a year if I happen to be in that area.
Tuesday Morning ususally has a good selection of brandname luggage. I’m not one to care that it was last year’s model.
^^Our Target has the same sort of a display of seasonal plastic junk - right past the horrid popcorn-smelling cafe. It gets better after that, if you can make it past the “obstacle course”!
I only go to Target or Walmart a few times a year as I am in a non-consumer mode right now.
Lived in my area for around 15 years now and the Target has gone downhill while the Walmart has drastically improved. I would have given Target the edge in the past in terms of merchandising and consumer experience but no longer.
As I mentioned elsewhere, Target does have good quality, inexpensive swim separates for young (and young at heart) women. That’s what I buy there in addition to cooking wine, cleaning products, yogurts, and 2% milk.
We bought luggage for ourselves at Macy’s-- splurged a little cause we’ll be empty nesters next year;) I bought little Biaggi suitcases on sale. They collapse and fit under my daughter’s bed in her dorm room so I’d recommend checking them out for storing in small spaces. We’ve been picking up odds and ends at CVS now that I’ve moved all of our family’s prescriptions there. Walmart and Target are a bit of a drive more for us even though we live in a suburb in the Midwest. TJMaxx and DSW are on my list.
We stopped at an Ikea outside of Baltimore yesterday…we needed to pick up a cheapish kitchen table and chairs for our in-law apartment. We have guests coming soon for 10 days. I was coming down with a cold , so I really wasn’t in the mood to shop…and that smell was in the entire store…glad that is over with