We used to shop at Kroger all of the time, and seldom at Walmart. Then the Kroger close to where we lived closed down, and the nearest other ones involved driving through heavy traffic to get there, so we stopped shopping at Kroger. I could shop there with Instacart, but just like Sam’s Club, they do not take EBT for purchases not made in the store itself. Once more stores will take EBT online, more people will probably use services like Instacart; but right now, Walmart and Amazon are the main places where you can shop online with EBT. If you have things shipped in from Amazon, you might want to compare prices with Walmart, @Don Alaska . As I mentioned in another post, the very same gallon of vinegar was over $30 from Amazon, and under $7 from Walmart. Now that I have the free shipping from Walmart, I am definitely going to be comparing prices on items that I usually buy and have shipped to me.
I used Walmart's "Ship-to-Store" capability quite often. It saved me freight costs, and since I am in the store at least twice a week, I incurred no inconvenience. COVID killed that benefit, and I'm not certain it's yet back in full force.
I liked that really well, too, @John Brunner ; but I have not seen that option recently. They might have stopped doing that when they started promoting Walmart+, and it was an easy way to have something shipped and save shipping costs.
It got to the point where the folks who worked that section knew me. It was a standing thing with us...the App notified them that I had arrived in the parking lot, I'd grab a cart, I'd walk through the door, they would be standing there with my package as some Olympic relay team member, flawlessly hand it off to me, and I'd be on my way without missing a stride or exchanging a syllable...except for a mutual chuckle. As an aside, I see that they changed their website again. I left less-than-positive feedback last time, and they reverted to the old one by [un]popular demand. We'll see how this one works. I just now went on to see if there was anything with Ship-to-Store options, and their Filters include "Pickup" and "Available Today," but I fail to see the difference. I already don't like it. The old site would give me inventory in my store and in the stores that are nearby. This site does not do that.
Walmart doesn't ship much here if ordered online. We can, however, buy quite a variety of things in the store. If the store doesn't carry it, you cannot get it. The same occurs with other stores, but not so extreme. I have ordered things online from Sears (no longer exists), NAPA, and Lowe's. Not everything that is available online are shipped here. Sam' Club, while it was quite popular here, pulled out completely from Alaska and Costco has moved in. Sam's Club left recently purchased memberships unfulfilled and just announced that everything was closing. Both the employees and the members were totally unprepared. Quite a few things available on Amazon are not shipped here either. Many times we get messages that "We don't ship outside the United States." Anything explosive, such as filled propane bottles, ammo, etc., and anything that is heavy doesn't ship here by normal channels. I try to avoid any merchant who cannot use the USPS, as that is generally the only acceptable way to ship here. I did, however, ship stained Glass windows here by FedEx Ground and the shipping was only $250 when we had been quoted almost $600.
Better gasoline discount from Walmart+... "Walmart+ will soon make it easier for its members to save money at the pump. The retailing giant announced Wednesday it is increasing its discount on fuel from 5 to 10 cents a gallon, effective immediately. Walmart is also expanding the discount's availability, allowing members to use it at 12,000 Exxon and Mobil stations. The discount is already available at Walmart and Murphy gas stations. Walmart+ also provides access to member prices at Sam's Club fuel centers." https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/walmart-bumps-fuel-discount-10-040110862.html
When I signed up for Walmart+, the fuel discount was something that I was looking forward to, since the Walmart gas station is only a few blocks away, and Sam’s Club is a lot farther to drive. However, when we bought our gas there, the people at the station said that they did not honor the Walmart discount, even though it was a Walmart branded gas station, and was on the same property. She said she didn’t know about the discount , or how it worked, just that it did not work at that gas station. So, it is apparently only good at some of the walmart fuel stations.
Gas coupons have never been honored around here. I don't care what store gives them out. I had saved about $20 worth of them from Safeway just to find out they were only honored in Pendleton and only for $10 each time if a $50 purchase of gas was made. So I sharpen my pencil and crunched the numbers and decided a trip costing me $20 in gas wasn't worth the trip to save $10. A friend was making a trip over to pick up some horses so I rode along and volunteered to buy $20 worth of the diesel using my valuable coupons. She would fill one tank and use $10, finalize that transaction, and then fill the other and use the other $10 to equal the $20 bonus I earned being a loyal Safeway shopper. I was really proud of myself for outsmarting the tricky coupon system. The scanner at the pump wouldn't accept them, so the attendant came out to say they only honor ones from the Pendleton Safeway. I knew the young man wasn't responsible for this "scam" that gives away bonuses they know they will never honor because of all the fine print that no one reads unless they have a scientific grade microscope, so I spared him my wrath over being duped by the tricky smooth mouthed gift horse coupons. The man changed his mind about selling the horses and it was apparent to me he was trying to get her to up her offer that he previously accepted. She didn't, so we went to Hamley's Steak house lunch counter (my treat) and had overpriced local raised beef prime rib sandwiches. I bought a couple of overpriced Hamley logo heavy-duty coffee mugs (I am drinking from one as I type) to commemorate the trip. I have never accepted gas coupons since. I can't afford them.
I signed up for a Shell gas program that gives a routine 5¢/gallon discount at the pump when you enter your Member ID, and runs deals where you get 10¢-15¢ off if you fill up twice in a given month. I have a small tank on my car (13 gallons) so if flat on Empty we're talking 65¢ to $1.95 per tank, even if I did fill up twice per month (most months I do, but Shell stations are out of my way, and I gotta get there twice.) I think I signed up for the program when the promo was 25¢ and prices were cheaper, so they enticed me with pennies. But these days the savings-per-tank amount to a fraction of a gallon of gas. Regarding Walmart...neither my local Walmart nor the SuperCenter in Charlottesville sell gas. I've always put Sheetz in my truck (the cheapest in town) but use national brand Top Tier gas in my new·ish car...at my retirement rate of consumption, the extra cost is not that great.
I listen to the gas pump as well as look at the counter on the pump. Often the numbers start spinning before I hear the gas flowing. Our farm supply store offers 4 cants off per gallon with purchase in the store. Well I called them on the gas not making it to the car until about 35 cents was on the dial. The girl at the register did not check anything. Just said, Well, that hasn't happened in a while. It is getting harder and harder to find a pump at the stations around that does not do this. Even with a state monitoring sticker on them. My handy man says never get gas containing ethanol for my older vehicles or equipment. He said ethanol can eat the rings (?). the newer vehicles don't have the problem. Different rubber or composition? So I get pricey gas. Fortunately I have no where to go, normally, except the gas station.
I've never had Walmart+ so I have no idea how it works. We get a 7%-10% discount on gasoline and petroleum products from our former employer's employee discount program. The discount appears on our monthly statement; we don't have to do anything but use their branded credit card.
We don’t have Wallmart in Australia however we’ve had Costco which sorta sounds much the same as Wallmart ( without the weird dressing) mind you I’ve seen and increase in both adults and kids shopping in their PJs as the cooler weather sets in here …..I was Adelaide last week and it’s school holidays till next week ….so lots of loud / screaming kids in the shopping malls where I went ( next to Costco) The shopping mall has a med size fast food section with an indoor… playground it was packed to the brim with screaming kids in their Pjs ( at lunch time)..so kids ….in training to be Walmart kids fancy dress adults