Walmart vs. Target vs. Amazon

Walmart has always been the symbol of low prices. However, if you do some homework and compare, Walmart isn't really any better than Target and Amazon.

Walmart vs. Target

1.  Price is nearly the same. Target even has a price match policy.
2. Open a Target credit card, get 5% off everyday purchase AND free shipping online! - WINNER!
3. My local Walmart store is small and very cluttered. Somehow whatever's on sale and whatever that I want to get at that particular trip are 80% out of stock. If in stock, there may be 2 or 3 of each. About 80% of my Walmart trips are not completely fulfilled.

Walmart vs. Amazon

1. Prices on Amazon is generally slightly higher than Walmart.
2. Amazon has 100x more selection than Walmart. What you cannot find on Walmart, you can most certainly find on Amazon. - WINNER
3. With Amazon Prime, I get free 2-day shipping on many items. I can almost get it quicker than arranging a Walmart trip with my kids. - WINNER
4. Customer Service - 

Walmart

The brick-and-mortar based Walmart's website ordering has been giving me problem since August 2012. Every time I order something on their website, I would get a instant and then an email confirmation, following by another email notification in about 3 minutes saying that my order has been cancelled for unknown reason.

I tried ordering it 12 times with different credit cards, bank accounts, Paypal, and called and emailed their customer service. Nobody knows why they are cancelled. After about 2 days of hassle, meanwhile exhausting my last bit of patience with them, their last response was that "someone will get back to me in 3-5 days". After about 2.5 months until now, no one has ever got back to me, whether by email or by phone call, about what happened and how I can place the order. I've given up whatever I was trying to buy from them.

Amazon - TOTAL WINNER!!

Surprisingly, the internet based giant Amazon is also having online ordering difficulty yesterday and today. I am ordering something using their Subscribe and Save program for about 10 times, and each time the order is, as with Walmart, being cancelled for unknown reason. I also try different credit cards, and called customer service. Went through 3 reps and no one knows why. Their last response is, as with Walmart, that "someone will get back to me tomorrow." Whether they will call me back or not tomorrow, I do not yet know, but the 3rd rep proactively put in a free order for me to have next week while they continue to figure out their problem!

So, the next time you head over to Walmart, thinking that you'll be saving yourself a whole lot, do your homework and think again!