On Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:34:55 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:


I have one a Kmart a couple miles from my house. It's about 15
mins to Walmart, so I'll go to Kmart once in a while for
convenience if I need a particular item right away. The Kmart is
much smaller and older than the Walmarts.

Last year just before Xmas I was in there and the cash registers
were running extremely slow, with people backed up. Just as
I made it to pay, they decided to reboot the whole system. At
that point, they should have just told everyone that it's going to
take the better part of an hour, because that's how long it takes
to reboot the whole system. As part of the reboot, they have ot
be brought back up one register at a time. The thing was
a very old IBM system, guessing it's at least 25 years old.
From listening to the cashiers, the system being slow or
crapping out isn't uncommon.

I waited about 30 mins before I finally went up to the manager
and asked if I could just leave the items and come back later.
They gave me a bag and I put my name on it. Soon almost
everyone else was doing the same thing.

I saw the same thing happen again a couple months later.
And I only go there maybe once every couple months.
That article says that Wall Street analysts say Kmart hasn't
invested in their stores to keep them current. Seems spot
on to me. It's interesting how a company like Kmart can
sit around for decades and let a competitor like Walmart
emerge and sink them. Older store, less choices, longer
lines, cash registers that don't work, what do they expect?

Not at all the same, but I had an "odd" incident in a Walmart
in Florida maybe 3 years ago.
Some town near the west coast by the Crystal river.
Went to the sports department to get a couple fishing licenses and the
guy told me he had to boot the computer and it would take at least
half an hour to get up and on-line.
I had people waiting in the car so I said "no thanks."
Looked like the mid-tower he back there was old as the hills.
Maybe an IBM PS1 with a 486 CPU like I had in 1993.
Called the state game department on the cell and got my license
confirmation number using a CC. Cost a couple bucks more.
Surprised me because Walmart runs a slick operation.
This year I picked up a cheap Shakespeare spinning rod for 15 bucks at
a Walmart in Punta Gorda. About the third cast with a 3 ounce bottom
rig it snapped about 6 inches from the tip.
It wasn't a smooth cast, but the rod was defective.
Never saw anything like that.
Some how our schedule didn't get us back to Walmart so I tossed the
rod in the trash.
Shakespeare and many other former "American" brands are now made in
China. That's why the rod was 15 bucks, and it showed.
I'll stay with Ugly Stiks from now on.
Still Shakespeare, but never had one break on me unless I slammed the
trunk lid on it.

--Vic