Thought for a long time that this chase for applying new technologies was just a phase of the leadership in their efforts to show the shareholders that they are innovating. But it looks like they’re not giving up, are they? The sad thing is that this gamble will cost employees their jobs and after a while all of these stupid solutions will be abandoned. The essence of brick and mortar stores is customer service and that’s the first thing that they want to abandon.
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Dream on. WMT will never be a "technology company" WMT management are anti-intellectual. All they care about is doing exactly what the consultants tell them to do. Plus, ensuring that the most important thing is purging the company of straight, Christian, white males asap. Identity politics, diversity & inclusion and equality of results are the most important priority. The H.R. function is destroying the company.
Yes. The page. Waiting around doing nothing for ten minutes waiting for the expert. Finally! I see the vest walking in my direction. Emotions quickly change from exasperation to ecstasy! Soon I will be free! Then, suddenly, when the “expert” is almost in reach, someone says “Can you help me? I’m looking for...”. All hopes are dashed. But after I recover from despair, I realize I still have the expert in my sights. In for a penny, in for a pound. I decide to wait 10 more minutes without letting the expert out of my vision. Finally! The other customer is gone! I quickly approach and ask for assistance only to learn it is break time. Minutes of my life I will never get back. Such a pleasant shopping experience.
It's true. Wm electronics dept. is terrible. The staff shouldn't be expected to be an insustry expert on the wares, but know SOMETHING about what you're peddling, for C h r i s t ' s sake. And the keys for a secured item? 'Ummm, we don't seem to have any....here.....lemme go look in the back..' NOOOOOO!!!! That's the last goodbye, you may n e v e r see them again----unless for them to return, sheepishly saying, 'sorry sir, I couln't find it back there either, it might be on tonight's truck (real scenario there)'.
And their phone dept.? "Sorry sir, I usually work over in shoes; I have no idea about contracts or data plans or, well, anything to do with this stuff. Lemme page someone for you..'
NOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Trust me. If I want brick and mortar electronics, it won’t be Walmart. The best place for cheap electronics is Amazon. I admit I do love my $7 private label hoodie sweatshirts and $5 private label khaki shorts. The only reason you need a sales person in Walmart electronics is that someone has to have a ring of keys to unlock the glass security cases. Give that person with a bunch of keys a broom and what do you have?
Hate to break this to you, but the profit margins on consumer electronics - both for the supplier and the retailer - are razor thin. WMT sells consumer electronics to get you in the store - puts these at the back of the store. Forcing you to walk through the apparel section - full of private label products. These private label apparel products are what generates profits. You don't need lots of store associates to sell apparel.
The benefit of brick and mortar stores is indeed customer service. If I buy electronics, I prefer to go to Best Buy so I can ask questions and learn. I am about to buy a few new appliances and will also go brick and mortar. But exactly what does Walmart sell that requires a knowledgeable sales person and, if it did, there are no knowledgeable sales people at Walmart. I just bought a three ring binder at Walmart a few minutes ago. There were several options. I struggled through without any assistance. Walmart is a commodity seller. Lowest price wins.
Dream on. WMT will automate like every other company. This is not about reducing costs. Rather, it is a big pain in the a-- to have employees. Robots don't sue for discrimination. Get used to it. And wait till Artificial Intelligence eliminates white collar jobs. Brave new world.