Why Would They Do That?

Wal-Mart takes some hits in the media. They are a massive employer in the US, but they still take hits. It seems that they don’t pay high enough. And it is apparently a demanding position to work the floor, talking to other employees and glaring at customers who interfere while you chat with coworkers.

Wal-Mart has super centers which combine a regular discount store with a grocery store. Even if I really wanted to, I couldn’t do all my grocery shopping there because they simply do not carry all the items I want. The stuff they do carry is cheaper. The produce is noticeably less fresh and only worth the cheaper price.

I do not understand the reason for installing heavy plastic sheeting about 18 inches wide and hanging down from the ceiling to about four feet from the floor. They put this sheeting in front of the storage area for the carts. I live in South Carolina, not known for horrible climatic shifts.

In Ohio, there were always carts pulled out by some retiree who earns spare cash at the local Wally World store. They smiled and said hello to all the customers as they came into the store.

In South Carolina, there are sometimes retirees there, and they pull out carts. But if there is a young, able-bodied person, then there are no carts. See, the young person has to watch both doors with every ounce of concentration he or she can muster, in order to put a little sticker on any items that are being returned. Unless they are talking to a friend or trying to pick up dates for the weekend.

I complained a while ago, explaining as gently as I could to the Einstein who was working his way through med school or something, that getting slapped in the face with plastic is not a nice greeting when entering a store. I was looked at with clouded eyes and a sighing expression. But within a week the carts were being pulled out from behind the plastic sheeting.

For the last week and a half, this courtesy has ceased. I talked to a manager today, another person who will, I am sure, one day be a Nobel Peace Prize winner, about getting slapped in the face for the privilege of spending money at his store. He looked at me with a sort of Rain Man look and explained that there was a staffing problem. I reiterated that I did not really care about his staffing issues, I wasn’t going to get hit in the face with plastic again.

I am betting that I will have to drive past Wal-Mart to get to the nearest Target. I can do that. I can also spend more for groceries, but have fresher produce and better meat. I have to drive farther to spend more money, but I won’t be hit in the face with anything.

I have no idea why the plastic was placed. It makes no sense. There are no howling winds unless there is a hurricane, and the store will not be open for that. There is no snow. I just don’t get why you would go out of your way to make the beginning of someone’s shopping experience so unpleasant.

But Target doesn’t do that. Hello, Target.