Target claims to be matching Walmarts or lowering prices below the big competition, are they?

Target made a claim that they are matching with Walmart or even going as far as price lower then the giant. I found that interesting so I set out today to see if it was true. I went to a Walmart and a Target that are on the same street back to back. So these prices may be in that area and not the same anywhere else. I plan to check others but here’s the results of today’s adventure:

Walmart: Vicks NyQuil 10oz or 12 Caplets Box     $5.27

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target: Vicks NyQuil 10oz Bottle or 12 Caplets Box  $5.29

 Walmart: My Little Pony Friends (Name seemed different at Target but same thing) $5.64

Targets: My Little Pony Fav Friends (same thing)  $5.64

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walmarts: Hannah Montana Jammin Electric Guitar with Doll, each store I went to seemed to have different selections, the names and items not the same or had the same additions like the doll.

Walmarts Price: $20.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Targets: Hannah Montana Electric Guitar without Doll. Didn’t have the combo.

Targets Price: $19.99

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walmarts: Elmo Live $59.88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Targets: Elmo Live  $59.99

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walmarts: Fabreeze Air Effects 9.7 oz Bottle $2.50

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Targets: Fabreeze 9.7 ox Bottle $2.54

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walmarts: Crisco Pure Vegetable Oil 64 oz (2 Qt) $5.94

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Targets: Crisco 64 oz (2Qt) Pure Vegetable Oil $5.94

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Walmarts: Special K 14 oz Box $2.88

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Targets Special K 14 Oz Box $2.89

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also found that the Target I went to did carry an 8 inch portable DVD Players but did carry Audiovox 6.2 inch and a brand I was not familiar with NEXTPLAY 7 inch portable DVD Players for $99.99 to Walmarts 8 inch DVD Players made by Philips and RCA for $89.99. The 8 inch seemed like a better deal but it depends on what you want I guess.

The price differences were not that significant only by a dime or quarter here and there but Walmart seemed to be lower if there was a price difference. So are they doing what they say, well, they have matched some and a few cents higher on stuff so yes for Target is trying to di what they claimed. I did notice Walmart was packed and Target was empty. These two stores sit back to back. I may venture out to see how they compete when they aren’t so close. One thing I wanted to mention in both stores I overheard people saying they had been to Target to check their price in Walmart and vice versa while in Target while in the TOY isles. It maybe because they are right next to each other. I will be listening to that when the stores are a trip and not a hop…

One thing I noticed about Walmart they had the Salvation Army ringing it’s bell and people greeting you at the door. It’s a friendly atmosphere. Target is more of a cold atmosphere, they no longer allow The Salvation Army to ring the bell because they say that their customers don’t like to be distracted and you’ll never be greeted at the door, you’re lucky to get a shopping cart at times. I feel if they are going for the kind of customer that the Salvation Army Bell Ringers bother then they are on the wrong track. People spend more when they feel a warmth and giving feeling and I have always found that bell to be that, reminding the reason for the season is to give and be with loved ones, help one another. If they want people that are annoyed by the warmth of helping another they have a rude awakening. Just one of my opinions.

The Stock Market dropped today duhhh, The India Terrorist Attack on westerners, just maybe?

Today as I listen to the media acting bewildered that the stock market dropped over 600 points.  They seemed shocked and amazed. I wondered if they has heard about the awful 3 day terrorist attack in the financial district in India where many gunmen, not suicide bombers took terror to a new level and attacked 10 locations and weeded out westerners to kill to hold hostage. They can try to say it was a Pakistan/India thing but it seemed very focused on the westerners visiting or living in the area. The news that is coming out of there seems very confusing. I don’t believe 10 gunmen did all that alone.

The reports of 2 to 4 gunmen in each building and the went into 10 locations around ther same time. That doesn’t add up. Then the continuing reports that they killed 1 or 2 gunmen and they still had one in the building. I was counting. Not sure what happened there but I do know we are not being told the truth for whatever reasons but Americans are smart so I was not surprised when the stock market took a dip. I expected it. It happens after ever huge act of terror and that was a new huge form of terrorism that I am quite frankly pretty concerned about it. Those men were well trained and if it was true and there were only 10 and they held off the police and army commandos for 3 days then “HOUSTON WE GOT A PROBLEM”! These guys were like Bruce Willis in the “Die Hard” movies and well like 9/11 it was something out of the movies and just plain unbelievable.

I hope we get more clarification about this situation. It’s just to soon to look at the damage and the amount killed and wounded and believe any news that is coming out of that area on that topic for a while as with everything we’ll get the real truth long after the event and usually too late.

Warren Buffett steps up to Help Mend Financial Markets

While the rest of the country is frozen stiff, Warren Buffet stepped up to the plate and put money into the market. No one really can say how much Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett’s company is truly worth. This man puts his money where his mouth is and trys to calm the financial roller coaster by buying when everyone is running for the sell button. Not that he is not benefiting from these great buys, a man of his means and intelligence would not be doing it if it was not going to pay off in the end. But with even saying that, he is a true patriot in this financial battle for bailouts and bankruptcy. 

I know little of his personal life as it should be in my opinion. His position in the financial world is amazing. My impression of this man is he only speaks when there is something that needs to be said. Although I am not an Obama fan I have to say that knowing this man is consulting him does give me some comfort for our countries future.

Mark Cuban you get what you give and well….

Mark Cuban has been pretty full of himself since he pulled off that Broadcast.com deal with Yahoo. Yeah, we hear all about that great deal what you don’t hear is there may have been some casualties left in the wake. He has never really been a man who cared about what he does or who he hurts to benefit “himself”.

Thinking he was bulletproof he has been fined $1,455,000.00 from the NBA for numerous things. Yes, due to lack of self control he has been slapped by the NBA many times. In the beginning every time you heard the name Mavericks he was right there to the point of making a total fool of himself, in fact not only the NBA had enough, his players were getting a little fed up with him too and well, we hear very little from him these days which I have to say is fantastic!

He went from computer geek who desperately wanted to be actor but just didn’t have it. Then overnight with a few people stomped on to do it, so I’ve heard, he became a billionaire. It was so apparent this was “new” money, not old. A person born and raised in wealth has a certain class about them, they may not be nice, but they are sure not tacky. He made a commercial for a Dallas Radio Station who was giving away a million dollars or so. It was rediculios, I believe he popped out of his new jet saying “you can be a millionaire like me”. Then posed for a mail out for a Tanning company that said “Be Tan like Mark Cuban” oh and we can’t forget his flopped TV reality show where he was giving away a million dollars to a total stranger. The TV show must have been that part of him that so wanted to be an actor and well…It was a major “dud” like his acting career. I could go on and on about this man, he’s no angel and if I had a choice to be wealthy and be him or homeless on the street I’d chose the street.

Now he is being accused of “insider” trading. His lawyer, who seems to think he wrote the laws, was on TV saying he was gonna make the Securities Exchange Commission look like idiots in court and Cuban would emerge smelling like a rose. The arrogance of the attorney was so much like Cuban, I had to take a second look to make sure he was not Cuban himself. The lawyer stated that, to a man like the “Almighty” Mark Cuban $750,000 was nothing, then you have to ask yourself why Cuban did the trade to keep himself from losing it. If I smell anything it’s a “rat”! The Judge should be asking that question as well. Plus, “he was not an insider”, where has that lawyer been, the term”insider” has been changed drastically over the years.

So why does Cuban think the laws are for everybody else and not him? If the SEC has been investigating this for over two years they had to have something. The gall of Mr. Cuban accusing them of throwing their power around. Cuban has been trying to do that, at times succeeding, ever since he made his fortune. The SEC is doing there job and I feel he is getting off light. I wish they’d humble him with a few years behind bars. He deserves far more then that in my opinion.