Walmart question

Customer service is the reason Walmart isn't here; Walmart makes its business decisions based on $, and the market here is captive, regardless of the quality of customer service. Unlike PR, which has Walmart, we are outside the customs zone, so it is more cumbersome for businesses to open here, and many don't think our relatively small population is worth the effort. Also, Walmart's competition is well established here. But I believe the main reason Walmart isn't here is because the powers that be in the USVI actively fought against Walmart, to protect locally owned business interests.

dnt: I also suspect that the onerous labor laws here have something to do with it.

Hi EE - You're right, I forgot to mention the burdensome labor laws. And my first sentence should read, "Customer service is NOT the reason Walmart isn't here."

and what about the instore theft? would walmart tolerate that? neither would target for that matter.

I had heard that Walmart tried to go in at Sunny Isle but couldn't open a "Super" Walmart because Pueblo's contract stipulated that they would be the only grocery store in the shopping center. Of course Pueblo is gone (now Officemax) and we are stuck with KMart.

I will say this, IMO the Kmart West is one of the nicest KMart's I've ever been to. But that's not really saying much.

Sean

I go here to get my Wal-Mart fix: http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/

heard kmart west is stocked better and also kinder people. just hate to drive that far and discover they don't have what i need.

just keep hoping home depot will have nicer things and more to choose from.

walmart ships down here so will have to deal with that for now i guess.

Dixie: even though Kmart west might not have what you needed, they always have something else you didn't know you needed instead! *-)

I wasn't suggesting there should be a Walmart - just wondering was there is not.
50,000 people is way more than Walmart needs to build in an area and generally dominate or outright destroy the locals which is one reason I don't shop Walmart if I can avoid it. The cost of business would likely be less for Walmart as I wouldn't put it passed them to operate their own freighters. As far as red tape Walmart's in Japan. Talk about a protectionist country.

righttttttttttt. i always find something at kmart i need. i think its the music they play. makes me want to buy.....

Great site, queenofderock! I'm originally from southern Missouri, so those pics make me feel right at home.

there was a rumor a few weeks ago that the shopping center west was being sold and a walmart was to replace the Kmart.

Associated Press
Tuesday, October 6,2009

$2M for fired
Wal-Mart worker - BOSTON- A former pharmacist at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. who claimed she was fired after asking to be paid the same as her male colleagues is entitled to $2 million in damages awarded by a jury, Massachusetts's highest court ruled Monday.

Cynthia Haddad was fired in 2004 after working more than 10 years for Wal-Mart, seven of them at a store in Pittsfield.

How do you think Wal-Mart would do with the Labor laws in USVI?

The manager from Puerto Rico at the big K-Mart here was my neighbor for a while & he had never seen so much theft. A cashier was not ringing up merchandise her friend, a female cop was purchasing & got caught doing it. K-Mart lost & the cashier kept her job & they had her nailed dead to rights. Walmart' was lucky they didn't come here.

The manager from Puerto Rico at the big K-Mart here was my neighbor for a while & he had never seen so much theft. A cashier was not ringing up merchandise her friend, a female cop was purchasing & got caught doing it. K-Mart lost & the cashier kept her job & they had her nailed dead to rights. Walmart' was lucky they didn't come here.

This is terrible!
That`s why were are getting racked over the coals w/ our prices here!
One of my(few) arab friends told me it`s inpossible to have stateside prices BC of theft....
I`m not a retailer, but isn`t there a easy, enforceable theft deterrent????

Heh heh, that theft deterrent probably won't come from the person that signs autographs at the exit. I've never once had them look to see if what I was carrying out matched up with the receipt. They just initial the receipt and out ya go.

aussie,
It's not what you have in the bag, Its that you can't use the same receipt for a second visit with empty bags for the two for one special.

Ah! Thanks, Lizard. That one has always puzzled me.