13 Reasons to Shop at Walmart (Even If You Hate Walmart)

If you haven't shopped at the world's largest retailer in some time, here's what you've been missing.

It's fair to say many shoppers have a love-hate relationship with Walmart. Prices are competitive (love), but the giant retailer consistently receives low marks in customer satisfaction surveys (hate).

Yet, 255 million shoppers worldwide still visited its stores every week in 2024. 

The major retailer has been fast remaking itself, taking direct aim at rivals like Amazon or Target by creating competing membership plans and sales events.

It's expanding grocery selection is also putting pressure on budget and upscale supermarket chains, with prices rivaling Aldi and Kroger as well as a growing selection of premium and organic foods rivaling Whole Foods.

"Walmart sells just about everything you could ever need so planning a trip to this big box retailer could make your life easier and reduce the need to go into multiple stores,” says consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch.

The changes are working. Wealthy shoppers are flocking to the retailer in search of faux luxury fashion and organic groceries. Deal hunters are smitten with the Walmart Plus membership and the growing list of perks it offers (like a free Paramount Plus subscription).

We checked out a couple of Walmart stores in central Virginia to take in some of the changes unfurled by Uncle Wally.

We've also been tracking new features and services across Walmart's online shopping platform, and spoke with some shopping experts. Take a look at what you'll find.

Bob Niedt
Contributor

Bob was Senior Editor at Kiplinger.com for seven years and is now a contributor to the website. He has more than 40 years of experience in online, print and visual journalism. Bob has worked as an award-winning writer and editor in the Washington, D.C., market as well as at news organizations in New York, Michigan and California. Bob joined Kiplinger in 2016, bringing a wealth of expertise covering retail, entertainment, and money-saving trends and topics. He was one of the first journalists at a daily news organization to aggressively cover retail as a specialty and has been lauded in the retail industry for his expertise. Bob has also been an adjunct and associate professor of print, online and visual journalism at Syracuse University and Ithaca College. He has a master’s degree from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and a bachelor’s degree in communications and theater from Hope College.

 

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