Many years ago when I worked at a chain grocery store, items were priced according to which zone they were in. The more affluent the neighborhood, the higher the prices of many items.

Linda

Yes we noticed the same thing around here.

Originally Walmart made it's niche by stocking goods by locality, like boots in cold climates and sandals in winter in warmer ones etc. Now they don't seem to do that so much at all. They appear to have started pricing by what the market will bear by community instead.

We have a new "Super WalMart" and the prices are higher than the old store.

I have found my grocery store to be the better option. Even Tide was $1 cheaper at the grocery store. I noticed today WM had cheaper Tide, but it was 10 ounces smaller!! Geeze!

I don't know about prices being different locally because we only have one WM here.What ticks me is that they are "remodeling" and unless they make a lot of changes before they are done it is going to be the pits! they are changing everything around and I can't find anything! I see less inventory and variety of stuff.They are taking out the fabrics altogether and that was the only place within 50 miles where you could buy fabrics.Not that I do much anymore but a lot of people do.Craft supplies are pretty much gone as well as a lot of other stuff.I have noticed a little higher prices on some items already so I'm sure there will be other things that will go up.They tell us all the time to spend our money locally but we can never find the things we need locally! With gas prices it isn't exactly economical to drive 50 miles to shop either.
We only have one grocery store here too,HEB.I use to shop there but they started cutting back on a lot of stuff.Some prices are higher and some are lower than WM but I figure I would about break even doing all my shopping at WM because they have everything and I only have to shop in one place.LOL Guess we can't win for losing.LOL

We went thru the same thing. Went from a regular Walmart to a Super Walmart. Nice beautiful "warehouse" lots of missing stuff, check stands never open, could not find any things, and KMart and Target jumped on that and their stores prices went down, more inventory and the income increased between 20-40%. New manager at Walmart, ended up getting fired and the one now is really struggling.
Local markets went down in prices, better checking out, and better selection of food.

We noticed a difference in Wal-Marts when we moved. In New Mexico there was a lot more variety and a good selection of the Great Value brand. Here the Tulsa area there is little selection and not as many products in the Great Value brand. We figure they must have run off some more of the companies willing to do business with them because some of the Great Value products we have found have lowered their quality. I've started doing most of my shopping at other stores.

I've got a pretty good background in retail and in fairness, stores aren't going to carry what doesn't sell well. On the fabrics and the like, let's be realistic, if it sold in that area, it'd be carried probably in multiple places. Shelf space is expensive and to carry products that don't turn isn't a good business practice. Same with the Great Value brands. I'd guess they sell well in one area and not the other and income doesn't determine it, it's the turns (or "turnovers", aka sales). I like some of the GV brands, but I just don't shop Walmart much.

That said, I do recall Kmart used to (and may still) have a disclaimer on their ads saying something like actual prices may vary due to local competition. I found it interesting that the Kmart there (a smaller town, about 20,000 people) had quite a bit of competition from Woolco, Pamida, Shopko, etc.

I work in retail stores a lot and I notice Target changing stock a lot. I see new brands come in and after only a month or so, the stuff is on clearance. I imagine they are just testing things and bounce the slow movers. I question though whether they've given it a fair chance. But Target is having a lot of problems and is scrambling to try to gain some market share and a little profit.

I just don't like these "supercenter" stores. Too much like the Scam's Club concept and just not for me. Bigger is not always better. In fact, often, quite the opposite.

I think it is hard to find one store, where you can do all your shopping. I watch the weekly ads and make a list and get the specials where the price is the best. The stores are in the same area so I'm not running all over from one to the other. Our KMart asks for your zip code; that lets them know what is selling in that area. Of course, some people get upset and don't want to give their zip code, like that is going to do them harm in some way.

I changed some of my shopping because of WalMarts $4 Rx plan. As long as I was dropping off and picking up the Rx I would shop. But their fresh vegetables never looked good, and the general opinion here is that you don't want to buy meat there. Now Kroger is doing the $4 Rx and my next refill will be done at Kroger. Kroger is my very favorite grocery store.

I will say this for WalMart. I found the clerks there to be very well trained when asked for instance where to find a certain product. They not only knew where it was, they took you to it.

Shopping for price/quality is a quandary anymore, though.

Sue

I have always been a faithful Wal*Mart shopper....inspite of my husband...he is/was 100% UNION!

however;

I am weaning myself away from them. Not crazy about our store or their pricing. It seems the quality is not what it used to be. They quit carrying several brands/items I buy.

I was livid last week when I tried to do a return...I had my receipt and the clerk was questioning it's validity! I
stated "I was done with Wal*Mart and that could shove the shirt where the sun didn't shine!" That is not like me!

I just read this article today about Walmart's decline.

Here is a link that might be useful: The end of the Walmart era