Wal-Mart

You can't escape it. It is everywhere, the Wal-Mart presence. With retail as my background, I couldn't have a stay in Shanghai and pass up the opportunity to see how the retailer extends it's brand in the global marketplace.

A student of Nichole's was kind enough to accompany us. Wal-Mart is located in a mall (moderate image), but does not have a dominant presence from the street. Walking through the glass double doors gives entrance to a side entrance of the mall. You know you are getting close because there is a stand of Wal-Mart advertisements for the customers. Only through taking the nearby escalators can Wal-Mart be reached. Since real estate is at such a premium, there is no such thing as the sprawling expanse we see in the U.S. Wal-Mart occupied three floors and seemed to come up a little short on the square footage when compared to the Grand Forks store.

There was no missing the familiar blue vests and similar signage, and you still needed to navigate around the large bins and displays that were in the aisles...it was an annoyance here, too. Most of the grocery items were on the first floor with the home and fashion areas on the other two floors. Interspersed were appliances, sports, books, health and beauty aids--the usual offerings. Organization seemed to be more haphazard and didn't have the adjacencies we are accustomed to.

Along with the major checkout lanes at the exit of the store, there were many checkout stations throughout the store. Certain items must be paid for before leaving an area. Small appliances and electrics, books, and certain food items were those that I noticed. When the item is put in a plastic bag (very lightweight, not the usual Wal-Mart bag), the top is twisted and placed in a machine that wraps a tape for closure. If this tape is broken, I am sure that would be a clue for security to check the items in the bag for being shoplifted. If the item is small, then the receipt is taped to it.

Plastic bags are used sparingly in China in order to reduce the waste. At Wal-Mart, the two small items that I purchased did not receive a bag; they were small enough to fit in my purse. Nichole purchased a cotton bag (it had the Wal-Mart logo on it) to carry home her purchases. It seems that shoppers are responsible for providing their own carrier. Even at the Lotus Center, customers are charged for a plastic bag if they desire one. This certainly magnifies the waste we have when often, only an item or two are placed in bags back home.

What attracted my interest were the escalators. They were not steps but a straight incline or decline to accommodate taking the shopping carts from one floor to another. The customers that are taking this ride, are a captive audience for the items that align the railings and the advertisements that are on its side walls. It is easy pickings to grab the items from boxes. Some of the items were similar to what we would find at checkout lanes--snacks, lotions, etc.

It wouldn't be a Wal-Mart unless there was a greeter, and lo and behold, there she was. I didn't notice her on the way in, but she was present when leaving. I am sure she was thanking us for shopping at Wal-Mart. Even though I didn't know exactly what she was saying, it still felt like a 'slice of home.'