Northborough Walmart - Never Again!

Well, it's also not worth it for me to drive 40 min to Taunton/Raynham to go to a Marketbasket. And it's cheaper than Shaws as well. But, Stop and Shop by far has the best deli for chain stores. I was upset when my local butcher closed. He always had the best cuts of meat.

You don't have to drive to Raynham. Get on 495 and head North to Bellingham (Rte 126) and you can shop at both Market Basket and Wally World at the same time and save a small fortune. It should take about 15 minutes each way depending on where you are in NA.
 
Fail. When I go to a gun store and see WWB from Walmart marked up 2x, it's not "their price plus a small markup." The gun store aplogists always use this phrase: "for a couple of dollars."

How much is it worth to "support a local store?" I can buy brass-cased, name-brand 9mm 115gr FMJ for right at $20/100 rounds on my doorstep. At Walmart, at my last glance, 9mm WWB is $24/100. At the local gunshop, it's $19.95/fifty. What exactly do I get to offset paying twice the price for my ammo? I can wait at the sporting goods counter at Walmart (which I never have, BTW) for a long time, to save that kind of money over the gun store.

how many rounds does your local gun store buy? 3K, 4K? maybe less, since they have to keep many calibers in stock.
now, how many rounds does walmart buy? 3 million? 4 million? (remember, they have over 1k stores) maybe more. bulk discount = lower price.

I don't know how you guys can even compare WallyWorld with the local gun shop.
Even if both entities get the ammo at the same cost do you think Wallmart cares a rats ass if they make a few bucks off ammo considering they provide and sell all the necessities of the entire market. It's clear local management would prefer to not even deal with it.

every retail store cares. every square foot is worth a certain amount. they wont stock products that wont sell. Thats why the selection of ammo is limited. But they still make money. they day they stop making money on ammo, they will stop carrying.
Why take up the place with ammo, when they could have something that makes money instead?
Its all about the bottom line. always.
 
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... Dick's which is in a mall that is nearly inaccessible on weekends (Blackstone Valley), let alone the day after Christmas.
That's really not a mall, but a plaza.

Forget Blackstone, and hit the Dick's in Lincoln plaza if you're going to a DSG store. ....

They are a bit better.



... got it down pat to where it only takes 5-10 mins. I walk in the store and as I get close to sporting goods I ask the first employee I see to call someone for the ammo case. They always do and as I get there I still ring the bell to let them know I'm serious and waiting. I usually have someone there within 2-5 mins and have my LTC and CC ready to go. At least at this Walmart its all about preparation.

Good game plan. I'd just stop at the front desk on the way in, because it still takes some time to rally someone to get there.


... So I circumvent the whole process by just having my LTC out and ready.

Another good time saver.


My 12yo son bought an air soft combo set & 2500 plastic BB's this morning at the Salem nh Wally world. Cashier rings it up, the plastic BB's come up as AMMO! Must be 18 to purchase...he has a gift card he gave her, she flipped out! "this is a weapon! He cannot purchase this!". WTF ??
"it's a toy"
" no it's not it's a weapon and he's under 18"!
"it's only a weapon to Walmart, I'm over 18 and you're a twit"...

Priceless.


I've got 5 Walmarts on speed dial (Including Northboro) on my phone. I call ahead to see what they've got...

Another potential time and frustration saver.
 
how much does wal-mart contribute to the NRA? i know everyone in my local shop is pretty much a member and regular contributor. if every gun shop in america closed up shop, how much money would stop going to the lobby in favor of firearms? what %age of the ammo price at your local gun shop go's towards a contribution to the NRA in the effort to preserve 2nd amendment freedoms?
 
how much does wal-mart contribute to the NRA? i know everyone in my local shop is pretty much a member and regular contributor. if every gun shop in america closed up shop, how much money would stop going to the lobby in favor of firearms? what %age of the ammo price at your local gun shop go's towards a contribution to the NRA in the effort to preserve 2nd amendment freedoms?

I just want to bump my question, because no one seemed to address it so far. Do FFLs even actually consider Walmart to be a serious competitor? I really feel that the argument that you and others are presenting is trying to create a problem where none exists. If Walmart is sucking up so much business from FFLs, why is it that if I stop buy Four Seasons over lunch on a drill weekend I always see people waiting in the hallway outside the shop because it's so packed inside? Heck, I went R&R Sport Shop a few weeks ago on a fricken Tuesday evening and had to wait for 3 other people to complete their purchases before I could pay for my new rifle. Gun shops that are properly run seem to do just fine. Gun shops that are improperly run seem to struggle. That's business. It's a retail establishment, not a charity foundation.
 
i dont disagree with you...i was just presenting a sort of devils advocate comparison...

Fair enough. I just wanted to reiterate that a lot of people seem to overlook that Walmart and a gun shop cater to completely different niches within the market. And outside of MA this fact is even more obvious. I've seen gun shops in free states that really stretch the concept of "shop" and are more like gun warehouses stores.
 
I just want to bump my question, because no one seemed to address it so far. Do FFLs even actually consider Walmart to be a serious competitor? I really feel that the argument that you and others are presenting is trying to create a problem where none exists. If Walmart is sucking up so much business from FFLs, why is it that if I stop buy Four Seasons over lunch on a drill weekend I always see people waiting in the hallway outside the shop because it's so packed inside? Heck, I went R&R Sport Shop a few weeks ago on a fricken Tuesday evening and had to wait for 3 other people to complete their purchases before I could pay for my new rifle. Gun shops that are properly run seem to do just fine. Gun shops that are improperly run seem to struggle. That's business. It's a retail establishment, not a charity foundation.

I doubt that local FFLs consider Walmart direct competition. However, a customer that stops into Walmart for a couple hundred rounds of 9mm won't step into the gun shop that day. Again, the shops aren't necessarily as concerned about the profit on the rounds, it's more about what else you would have bought or the thing you would have seen that you just to come back later for.

Best Buy will swear up and down that BJ's, Costco, and Sam's aren't competitors. But, those club stores sell a butt load more TVs that Best Buy. While big blue might not be worried about the paltry markup on TVs that they lost, you can bet they miss the opportunities to sell overpriced cables, entertainment centers, and surround sound equipment with those TVs. Similar concept.
 
Why do you guys torture yourselves like that to save a buck?

Even in free states I don't bother with walmart.

One of the few times I agree with Jose here. I hear people bitch and moan all day about how much they hate the fact the jobs are going overseas and that small town American Mom and Pop stores are disappearing. Well, this is one place you CAN and SHOULD make a decision to back up what your feel. I NEVER shop at Wal-Mart and never will. They drive small businesses out, they treat their employees like shit and people still shop there to save a few bucks.

So, I buy local whenever possible. So should you.
 
I doubt that local FFLs consider Walmart direct competition. However, a customer that stops into Walmart for a couple hundred rounds of 9mm won't step into the gun shop that day. Again, the shops aren't necessarily as concerned about the profit on the rounds, it's more about what else you would have bought or the thing you would have seen that you just to come back later for.

Best Buy will swear up and down that BJ's, Costco, and Sam's aren't competitors. But, those club stores sell a butt load more TVs that Best Buy. While big blue might not be worried about the paltry markup on TVs that they lost, you can bet they miss the opportunities to sell overpriced cables, entertainment centers, and surround sound equipment with those TVs. Similar concept.

That is a good point and something I had not considered. However, many of the accessories and such that are the bread and butter of a gun shop's profit aren't even sold at Walmart. If anything, I'd say that gun shops lose FAR more sales to MidwayUSA and the like than to Walmart. I purchased a Model 10 via FTF in First Defense's parking lot during the summer. I then went up to the shop to look for some grips. First Defense didn't have any in stock, but MidwayUSA did. I doubt there's a Walmart in the country that stocks aftermarket grips for a Model 10.
 
One of the few times I agree with Jose here. I hear people bitch and moan all day about how much they hate the fact the jobs are going overseas and that small town American Mom and Pop stores are disappearing. Well, this is one place you CAN and SHOULD make a decision to back up what your feel. I NEVER shop at Wal-Mart and never will.

I guess you and I offset each other, because I shop there all the time. And save serious money doing it. Perhaps you have that much more disposable income than I do.

They drive small businesses out, they treat their employees like shit and people still shop there to save a few bucks.

Capitalism is a bitch. If "small town American Mom and Pop stores" can't figure out how to provide value to compete with Walmart's price advantage, then they die a natural death. So be it.

So, I buy local whenever possible. So should you.
As many times as I've been to Walmart, I've never seen Chinese nationals working there. I have seen people who are my neighbors working there. They sure seem to be local, and that's where they get the paychecks they use to pay their mortgages and buy groceries.

ETA: this thread is drifting into Walmart bashers vs supporters, so to contribute to the original post, the Amherst NH Walmart is well-stocked with ammo and courteous help at the Sporting Goods counter. Look for Dan, the retired Navy guy.
 
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I just want to bump my question, because no one seemed to address it so far. Do FFLs even actually consider Walmart to be a serious competitor? I really feel that the argument that you and others are presenting is trying to create a problem where none exists. If Walmart is sucking up so much business from FFLs, why is it that if I stop buy Four Seasons over lunch on a drill weekend I always see people waiting in the hallway outside the shop because it's so packed inside? Heck, I went R&R Sport Shop a few weeks ago on a fricken Tuesday evening and had to wait for 3 other people to complete their purchases before I could pay for my new rifle. Gun shops that are properly run seem to do just fine. Gun shops that are improperly run seem to struggle. That's business. It's a retail establishment, not a charity foundation.

I don't think that they do, as Wal-Mart doesn't carry a fraction of stuff that I still might need to get a the local gun shop. Now, do FFLs consider places like Dicks, Bass Pro and Cabela's competitors? You bet they do. Just look at what a local FFL did to Bass Pro...on several occasions.

However, a customer that stops into Walmart for a couple hundred rounds of 9mm won't step into the gun shop that day.

I would tend to disagree. If I'm doing some shooting..or getting ready for a shoot...or a class. I will, and have, done both. I've gone to Wal-Mart because no one else can touch their prices on .22. It seems that they don't even know it's gone up everywhere else. Then go to the FFL for other things I might need.

That is a good point and something I had not considered. However, many of the accessories and such that are the bread and butter of a gun shop's profit aren't even sold at Walmart. If anything, I'd say that gun shops lose FAR more sales to MidwayUSA and the like than to Walmart. I purchased a Model 10 via FTF in First Defense's parking lot during the summer. I then went up to the shop to look for some grips. First Defense didn't have any in stock, but MidwayUSA did. I doubt there's a Walmart in the country that stocks aftermarket grips for a Model 10.

This I would say as well. Online houses have more product and almost alway cheaper than the local guy. But I will also give the local FFL a call to see if they can order it for the same price, and save me the shipping costs...as they can sometimes just roll it in with stuff they were already ordering.
 
That is a good point and something I had not considered. However, many of the accessories and such that are the bread and butter of a gun shop's profit aren't even sold at Walmart. If anything, I'd say that gun shops lose FAR more sales to MidwayUSA and the like than to Walmart. I purchased a Model 10 via FTF in First Defense's parking lot during the summer. I then went up to the shop to look for some grips. First Defense didn't have any in stock, but MidwayUSA did. I doubt there's a Walmart in the country that stocks aftermarket grips for a Model 10.

This is why the competition is not direct. What the ffl loses to Walmart are impulse purchases and the browsing that leads to future purposes. It's not about a premeditated shopping excursion since most folks include online shops when they know exactly what they want to buy.

I guess you and I offset each other, because I shop there all the time. And save serious money doing it. Perhaps you have that much more disposable income than I do.



Capitalism is a bitch. If "small town American Mom and Pop stores" can't figure out how to provide value to compete with Walmart's price advantage, then they die a natural death. So be it.

This. It's easy to point out "big evil corporations" but the shops that close when Walmart comes to town either weren't good enough, adaptive enough, or smart enough to be competitive. It's the way capitalism is supposed to work.

I would tend to disagree. If I'm doing some shooting..or getting ready for a shoot...or a class. I will, and have, done both. I've gone to Wal-Mart because no one else can touch their prices on .22. It seems that they don't even know it's gone up everywhere else. Then go to the FFL for other things I might need.

My statement wasn't an absolute. I apologize if it seemed so. While you may make several stops before shooting and I'm sure there do, most shoppers just don't operate that way for something unless they are intentionally bargain hunting. So, in the majority of the cases, if they don't come to your shop for the ammo, they aren't coming until there's something else they need that you offer either exclusively or cheaply.
 
What gun shop are you going to that has ammo for only a buck more than walmart? Let us all know so we can go too.
Walmart does have the cheapest ammo, it seems. Still, it's only like a buck more at a "real" gun shop, and, unlike Walmart, you can touch the box before you pay for it. You don't have to wait for someone with keys who probably thinks you're a pyscho for buying 1,000 rounds at a time.

Actually, Riley's price on Fed Automatch (I've been stocking up on 22lr lately) is all of 13 cents more per box, so that not be always true.
 
One of the few times I agree with Jose here. I hear people bitch and moan all day about how much they hate the fact the jobs are going overseas and that small town American Mom and Pop stores are disappearing.

Wal Mart employs nearly two millions American citizens.

Winchester and Remington, who by far dominate the ammo shelves, are American companies.

Well, this is one place you CAN and SHOULD make a decision to back up what your feel. I NEVER shop at Wal-Mart and never will. They drive small businesses out, they treat their employees like shit and people still shop there to save a few bucks.

They show small businesses the nature of capitalism. If the small businesses and their proprietors can't adapt and change to overcome the adversity of a big boy on the block... Should we legislate WalMart into oblivion to help out Ma & Pa? Quick fact: WalMart pays on average nearly twice the national minimum wage to entry level employees.

So, I buy local whenever possible. So should you.

Telling people what they should do won't get you far around here.

Also, if you're referring to MA as being local, I would have to argue that a gun shop may be the ONLY time you should buy local. Supporting this infernal machine by "buying local" is not going to help tear it down any faster.
 
I NEVER shop at Wal-Mart and never will. They drive small businesses out, they treat their employees like shit and people still shop there to save a few bucks.

So, I buy local whenever possible. So should you.

At what point does a business become "bad" because it is too big? Sam Walton started with one store and figured out how to grow. He too was up against the "big boys" of the day and beat them all. It is capitalism, pure and simple. If some other Mom and Pop shop can't do the same they will cease to exist. Same for the employees. They choose to either work there or not. The "moral" argument carries absolutely no weight in a free market. It is survival of the fittest.
 
Always someone at the counter waiting in Putnam, CT Walmart and for the past 12 months they've had everything in stock even .380 and .223 and since you can still buy ammo without a license here that part is a non-issue.
 
What gun shop are you going to that has ammo for only a buck more than walmart? Let us all know so we can go too.

Riley's has it for $14.60, and must have like twenty boxes of it, while Walmart wants $14.47. I grabbed a box of Federal 36 grain 525 count bulk for $22; Wallyworld wants $19 for that. Federal 40grn brick (the 510 Champion stuff, don't think Walmart has that) is $23, and they have lots of that; there was something else for the same price, and the rest of the bricks were up from there. [Some Wolf match too, but at prices above what I'm willing to pay.] CCI CB Shorts are $7.95, same price at both places; usually the Mini-Mag's run more at Rileys but for some reason they were not marked at Riley's this time. [They run $6.47/100 at Walmart, and I don't think Riley's runs but a buck more usually.]

I don't own anything else other than a 38spl; so I only took notice that American Eagle 130grn FMJ is $18/50(?) (not available at Walmart), Speer 158grn +P TMJ was $23/50 (also not at Walmart), there was some yellow box something for well into the $30's per fifty, and some Nyclads (125grn, 20 rounds) for $30. A few other SD boxes, like 110grn Hornady FTX (don't remember price).

I've been buying my 125grn Hornady XTP's from Morses's in Hillsboro instead; 25 rounds for twenty bucks. They also have M&M reloads but I haven't check the price lately and those reloads seem about the same price as factory-fresh at Riley's. I want to say 148grn CPWC was 17 or 18 dollars per 50 there. Both places seem to charge too much for the non-reloadable CCI Blazer stuff, usually only a buck less it seems than factory-fresh brass stuff. [Seems like it should be lots cheaper.] But Rileys did have CCI Blazer in 148grn WC, hadn't seen that before.

Riley's also has hard-cast 148grn WC and 158grn SWC for $37-39 per 500 count, and I think Bullseye is still $20/pound. Don't know what primers cost but Walmart has none of that stuff either. Also got a used RCBS 357 seater while I was at it, didn't want to mess with the one I have set for WC's. [Just to keep the Walmart-hate going.] Although, I might have to see what Starline brass goes for online, Riley wanted $19/100 fresh brass and at that it's cheaper to buy 100 rounds of WWB. Which was like $31 or $32 at Walmart and it was a buck more at Rileys (not that either place has it on a regular basis, it seems).

Rileys is on the way home from work; Morse isn't but I swing in once in a while. Walmart is on the way to work. So I try to hit each place on something of a regular basis. Fuel and time ain't cheap.
 
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Gun shops are one of the few retail businesses where a small shop can compete with the big boys. They aren't going to do it on the few items a WalMart or Dicks carries, but once you get into specific handguns, self defense ammo, etc. you'll generally find that the big box stores charge more than a competitive small shop like Four Seasons, CCG, or many of the others listed on this forum. In fact, as far as I know, firearms are the only product that Bass Pro has specifically excluded from their price matching policy because the little guys were undercutting the Bass Pro prices on a regular basis.
 
What gun shop are you going to that has ammo for only a buck more than walmart? Let us all know so we can go too.

Walmart is only better on maybe 10 items in the whole lineup they sell... their main advantages pricewise are .22 LR, 9mm (WWB) .40 (Fed or whatever they sell) .45 (WWB) and bulk shotgun clay breaking blowing stuff up birdshot ammo.

Once you get outside of those ammo categories, you can do far better online or at a gun shop, or dare I say it, even at one of the regional gun shows. (At the last show in Fitchburg not long ago, there was a vendor there selling 50 round boxes of very high quality 9mm FMJ for $9 a box!)

ETA: Not all that long ago gun shops were a lot closer to Walmart, expecially when you factor the numbers in at case price levels. I remember buying cases of WWB years ago for only about $10 more a case at a gun store than what it would have cost me at walmart. Right now the gun shops are still suffering from the mid level distributors screwing them over royally during obama mania, some of these gun shops still have this overpriced ammo that they paid too much for sitting on their shelves, which is stagnating the supply chain a bit. Some of this ammo was sold to them at such an overprice that even if they sold it at cost it would be hard to move it.

-Mike
 
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Why do you guys torture yourselves like that to save a buck?

Even in free states I don't bother with walmart.

No "torture" required here. For 80% of my ammo needs I walk about 10 feet from where I sit right now, and start making ammunition. Before I go to bed I will produce another 100 rounds of .45..... at a whopping cost of like $9.50 for 50 rounds....

-Mike
 
I feel special. The sporting goods manager at my walmart (Old Saybrook, CT) is a shooter. Sometimes it takes 5 minutes to find the key, but I just go do my shopping and come back. I reload most of what I shoot, but last week I picked up some .380 for $12.99

Don
 
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