Battle of the Brands: Wal-Mart vs. Target

Target Refused and Stopped the Salvation Army from collecting donations at Christmas 2 years ago and continued in Christmas of 2007. I called the Corp and emailed them and they Defended the Stopping of it. The Salvation Army is a Part of the Holiday Season and collects Millions of dollars to Help many many people. The majority of the donations are made during the Christmas Buying season. They were relentless in Stopping what is done at Walmart and tons of other stores. If this isnt reason enough to Not shop Target , I dont know what is.

I prefer Target over Wal-Mart. I never have to wait in a long line, the cashiers are always friendly. The give plenty to the community to make up for the lack of bell rigners, girl scouts, etc plus treat their employees great vs. Wal-mart. Target is always clean, plus they frequently run sales to make their merchandise cheaper than Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart doesn't think they have to run sales. Wal-Mart gets an attitude if you use coupons where Target always gladly accepts them. The person who stated that Wal-Mart is better since bought out by Sears must not listen well to the news as that was K-Mart, not Wal-Mart that merged with Sears.

Walmart does not pay very well to its employees is a fact. However, neither does TARGET. TGT just has a lot of stuff that looks very good. Looks can be deceiving ... I am a single mother of two, when I need something the place where to shop is Wallmart...

I hate to use the word "ignorant" but all of you who keep putting Target down for "not having bell-ringers" or "not having the Scouts selling their cookies" Well, you are, because you obviously don't know a thing about what Target is about. They do give a million dollars to organizations like United way and Salvation Army. They also give 1% of all purchases to schools of peoples choice who sign up for their Red Card. They donate monthly to oraganizations and schools in the community. They also have a Childrens Cancer Hospital and right next to this hospital is a facility for the families of these children to stay while being treated. They hold an AIDS WALK every year and they built a Park in Brooklyn and help paint houses for people who cannot afford it.
As far as their return policy goes, yes it is alittle tough but if you read it is posted everywhere in the store, at Guest Service, at every register, and right on the receipt. Clearly states, when you purchased and when you need to return if you return and also states that if you return after that 90 days(which is 3 whole months)that you will have to go through the manufacturer. If stores (any stores I might add) had a free for all return policy, first of all they would go bankrupt in a matter of a few years on top of that people would just use things as long as they wanted til they were tired of it and return it and well never have to pay for anything, right?
Target is all about the "Guest" they keep a clean store, keep all annoyances away from the buyer, and make it a Fast, Fun and Friendly experience.

I have been working at Target for a little of 2 years now. Target donates to many charities...quit complaining about the bell ringers not being allowed to ring their loud and annoying bells outside the doors and browse the Target website... Here is the link for the illiterate ones (www.target.com). Although the bell ringers are not outside Target donates money to the Salvation Army and also offers products sold in the store that are set up for all the proceeds to go to the Salvation Army. Target stores are clean unlike grungy Walmarts around the country. We have 3 superwalmarts within a 20 mile radius. Why the hell do we need that many walmarts.. Especially not to mention 1 Sams Club too. Target is the place to shop and come back. Trust me...we know who our repeat shoppers are and make sure your experience at Target never lessens. Also for people complaining about the return policy for receipts. Everything is clearly stated on the receipt and guest service. Sorry for the honest ones who need to make that exchange/return, but i work in Assets Protection and too many people try to work the system and ruins it for the honest people out there.

Funny; WalMart on the local level bends over backwards to save people money. Gives to the community like no other local donor and is looked down on by who? The tar-jay snob that imagines style and substance can be bought? And full service gas stations are gone as well, you that complain about lack of service and pull your head out. They're gone because price mattered more to you than service and Wally World is just an extension of the same thought you had. Welcome to your new world order....

I don't shop at Walmart. I live in South florida and the 2 Walmarts that are near me are dirty and the help speaks Spanish. If you don't speak Spanish you can't get any one to assit you.

I like Taget. I find their store brand products to be very good, the sales associates are polite and helpful and their prices are good. If I spend a few pennies more at Target I'm happy to do it because they treat me like they want me to shop their. Unlike Walmart.

Walmart offers cheap manufactured, low priced items and allow you to return just about anything in any condition because they know the products they sell are cheap. As for Target we like to offer a Fast, Fun, and Friendly atmosphere. Yes the prices may be a little bit higher but you are buying quality merchandise. If the theives of this world would stay out of Target prices would be a little more competitive with Walmart.

I have worked as a salaried manager for both Wal-Mart and Target for nearly 11 years. Wal-Mart has many flaws, but Target is a flaw. Target's main concern is it's appearance, nothing more, nothing less. Customers or "guests" are no where close to being a primary concern of the company. The worst treatment by managers toward employees came at Target.

My medical insurance (which was the same insurance available to hourly associates) was less expensive at Wal-Mart, had a lower deductible, and a larger doctor network.

Wal-Mart takes heat because of its hiring of part-time employess, but I hired more full-time employees at Wal-Mart than part-time (3:1 easily). Target required me to hire part-time instead of full-time (4:1).

There was no Christmas at Target, it was the Winter Holiday, our Christmas party was the "Year-End Party."

I'll give Target credit, it's stores are more quiet, cleaner, and it's team members are more helpful. But Target is more expensive.

Wal-Mart does more to help it's community. Stores will donate or match money raised by schools, churches, ball teams, or individuals with medical conditions who do fundraisers at the stores.

In my experience, Target can't fill Wal-Mart's shoes. I would cherish the opportunity to work for Wal-Mart again over my current position at Target.

I use to work for walmart... they are low, conceided, and extremely selfish. I wasnt there but 2 days, they stuck me on Customer Service, (with no training) and I was told to "call" if i needed help... people, this was on a Saturday morning, we all know that that day is "Customer Service Hell Day" I was so frustrated. But, it seems like Walmart is getting worse and worse, none of their cashiers can speak english, and the ones that do, have no respect to even tell you to have a good day. Just the other day, I was shopping, and as I was in line, an elderly woman was the cashier, she was the rudest woman I have met in my life, she would not engage in any kind of a conversation with me, and when it was time to tell me my total, she pointed to the moniter, now, I KNOW this woman was not hard of hearing, because when the CSM came over to tell her it was time for her break, she had no problem telling the people in line that she was now closed. I just dont understand. Unfortunatly i do not have that kind of money to be spending at Target, although, I LOVE their stuff.... especially the kids clothes, but i find it much more expensive... so im stuck... mainly, when it comes to household items, (I.E.) cleaning supplies, trash bags, ect... i go to the Family Dollar Store, of Dollar Tree... they deserve my money much more than the big cooperations.

Target is the best hands down, every walmart that I have been in was dark and gloomy, and the lines were horribly long, Ok so they don't allow bell ringers at the holidays WHO CARES!!! It's not that serious. When you walk in Target it is so clean and bright, the staff is always willing to help, and I really enjoy the shopping experience. Walmart is ghetto fabulous, with the workers and clothing choices one word for Wallie World HORRIBLE

Wal-mart sucks in the last year 3 new walmart supercenters have been built in my area. and they local stores around them have had to shut down. wal-mart is a eating cancer. people make me sick when they run to wal-mart there are other stores besides wal-mart. there old, cheap , & poor customer service. i once took somthing back and did not have the recipt i bought it on a credit card wal-mart cant even look up something that u bought on a credit card but Target can and wal-mart is supposed to be so big? you guys that are crying about salvation army TARGET does not want them begging for money at the front door. customers dont want to be hounding or felt bad about not giving money. instead Target takes there money they make and send salvation army a CHECK so they do give them money. did u guys hear about the lady that worked for Wal-mart and got in a crash and was paralyzed well she was getting money from the trucking company that hurt her and was gettting disabillity from wal-mart. well when Wal-mart found out that she got money from the trucking company WAL-MART SUED her. they want there disibility money back. this is a multi billion dollar company and there suing a lady that is now paralyzed and cant work and her family is poor. for like 200,000 dollars. WAY TO GO WAL-MART so for u clowns who think wal-mart is so good. i think u should take another look. yea you get low prices but at what cost to others around you?

I don't like Target because it wants to make money off of americans but it won't even let the salvation army put up stands at xmas. I wants to make money off of us but that is it. It is owned by France. If you are going to be in this country honor the things we believe in and stand for.

I would just like folks to get off this kick about WalMart's pay and benefits for several reasons.
1. If you haven't worked there you don't know what you are talking about.
2. The pay and benefits at WalMart are the best in the retail industry.
3. Target's benefits are not any better than WalMart's.
4. I would bet you would not be willing to pay higher prices at any business to just to provide higher pay and benefits to the people that work there.
In response to big boy's comment about the lawsuit involving the lady in the accident, it was dropped with apologies to her. Changes have been made to ensure it doesn't happen again.
Finally, if you don't like the effect that Target, WalMart, Home Depot, Lowes, or other big boxes have on a community-DON'T SHOP THERE! Just remember-the big box stores were once small businesses also.

It would be nice if people would educate themselves on actually "factual" information by researching information themselves. If this were the case they would see that Wal-Mart was at one time a "small town, locally owned business" who has "successfully" turned into a "big box" store. Should we punish them for being successful?

As far as low wages. Let's see I am a college graduate, single mother who worked in an office doing A/P & A/R working 5 days a week 50+ hours making $16,000 in 1999. I had never worked in a factory or anything outside of an office. I ventured out and applied at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center that was built in my home town. I started out as an hourly associate working 3 days 12 hour days. My annual salary was over $26,000 my first year not to mention stock option matches up to $1800 yearly. 10% off regular priced merchandise at the store. Quarterly bonuses. Over 80 different benefits including cell phone discounts, car rentals, hotel stays, mortgage and refinancing discounts on and on.

After being with the company for three years I was promoted to Logistics manager. I have more than tripled my original annual salary along with my yearly bonus which depending on the companies performance could be up to 25% of my annual salary. Stock options (given to me) along with all of the other discounts listed before. Of course, these are just my personal gains.

Community gains
Every year we fight tooth and nail to be able to donate to local charities, merchandise that comes through our facility. Ironically we filled a old "closed" K-Mart building full of donations ranging from blankets to toothbrushes for our local homeless during the holidays. This merchandise would of been tossed if it wasn't for people fighting to serve its community. We donate "local grants" yearly up to $60,000 just from our facility which include groups like 4-H, schools, conservation society, United Way, women’s shelter, etc. Not to mention we designate a whole to CMN called Miracle Month, where all proceeds go to Children's Miracle Network. The list goes on.

Furthermore, I would say that Target also has its benefits and its "good deeds". I would ask that before you start bad mouthing these organizations that you do your research and make sure your judgement based on the information that you have seen. Not what you have heard.

Education your minds!

I shop at Walmart for a lot of reasons but the most important to me is
#1 the return policy
#2 the children's clothing isn't over priced and wont shrink to pieces.The kids can trash it and I dont worry about a $3. They have good clearance racks as well.
#3 wide width shoes for the kids. I cant' even fit our feet into target shoes.

I LOVE WALMART!! SELF CHECKOUT ROCKS!!!
and you can return things hassle free! :D

I've read the comments, concerning WAL-MART, about low pay and lack of benefits. My concern is how easy it is to make these type of comments, with little or no knowledge of the true facts. It is easy to accept negativity and spread it, especially when it is the popular view of mainstream media. I would suggest if you really care, do some investigation and get the real story, 2 million associates cannot be wrong, Thanks Wal-Mart for all you do and for the savings that you afford my family.

Hey-- Target does donate to the Salvation Army! Every year they participate with United Way-- which supports ALL community endeavors, including the Salvation Army. They even allow their Team Members to donate from their checks every week to the United Way!!! That's an amazing partnership. I appreciate that they do not allow solicitation on their property-- it's a distraction. Being a good American citizen, I donate accordingly and do not have to be begged for my pocket change. Thank you Target! Rock on!