Televisions
Let’s face it – if you buy a TV from Walmart, you’re asking for trouble. Don’t be tempted by their impossibly low price points, they’re cheap for a reason – they’re made of lower quality parts than televisions you can purchase elsewhere. It may be cheap in the short term, but you’ll be picking up a replacement TV in no time flat.
A prepaid phone plan
Straight Talk Wireless, the network provided by Walmart, is abhorred by tech experts, who claim that the service has the slowest speed out of any on the market. Furthermore, their customer service is known for being subpar, meaning you’ll have a hard time resolving those inevitable cell issues.
Phone accessories
If you think that everything you buy from Walmart is cheap – think again. For reasons unknown, the corporation charges way above the average rate for phone goods such as chargers and cases. Worse still, these chargers are known to break after just a few months of use.
Laundry machines
Walmart is hardly known for its stunning array of domestic appliances – and for good reason. Their washing machines hardly compete with well-known appliance brands such as Best Buy and Home Depot. If you’re going to spend out the big bucks, it may as well be on a brand you know and trust.
Vacuums
If you want to go shopping for a new vacuum cleaner at Walmart, you’re likely going to end up severely disappointed. Not only is their range incredibly lacking, but their prices do little to compete with more reliable, established brands, offering pricey appliances without the guarantee of quality.
Luggage
The last thing you want to happen when you go on vacation is for your suitcase’s wheel to come flying off, leaving you lugging around a hefty case. Unfortunately, that’s likely to happen if you purchase your luggage from Walmart. They may be cheap, but you’ll be lucky if the goods last the trip.
Wood furniture
If you’re looking to deck your house out with some beautiful wood furniture that’ll stand the test of time, avoid shopping at Walmart. Many furniture experts claim that Walmart’s wood is more likely to deteriorate faster than goods you can purchase elsewhere, only lasting for a few months.
Gift cards
Walmart’s gift cards are nothing to write home about, coming with hefty price tags that you can scoop up cheaper at numerous other stores. On special occasions, however, such as Black Friday or during an end-of-season sale, you can occasionally pick up a gift card on the cheap.
Batteries
There’s little point in purchasing batteries from Walmart – they’ll only run out of juice after a mere few days of use, leaving you back at square one. You’re better off picking them up at Costco, who came top of the leaderboard for store-brand batteries in a recent survey.
Meat
The quality of meat you eat is vitally important. Failing to pick out the right joint can result in high levels of stomach-churning gristle, fat, and cartilage. Unfortunately, it seems as though that’s all that’s on offer when you shop at Walmart – cheap meat that’ll leave your family heaving.
Fresh produce
According to Consumer Reports’ grocery store survery, Walmart ranked at the bottom of list of stores with the best produce, sitting alongside Target. Both mega-stores received abysmal scores for both the quality and variety of the produce they offer. Next time you go grocery shopping, ensure it’s anywhere but Walmart.
Supplements
If you’ve been taking supplements from Walmart and noticed little difference to your health, it may not be in your imagination. In 2015, it was revealed that many store-brand herbal supplements could not be verified to contain the listed ingredients. Walmart vowed to correct these errors the following year- though it remains to be seen as to whether their supplements actually work.
Organic milk
In 2017, numerous claims came out that Walmart’s organic milk may not actually be organic. Reporters visited the dairy farms, finding that there were little signs of grazing. Worse still, studies on the milk came back just as acidic as their non-organic counterparts, further fueling the rumors.
Maple syrup
Walmart’s generic maple syrup isn’t the worst thing you can buy – especially for its low, low price. However, you shouldn’t settle for mediocrity. You can pick up tastier bottles of the sweet stuff at many of Walmart’s competitors, including Trader Joe’s and Costo. Not only does it taste better, but it comes with a cheaper price tag, too.
Disposable utensils
If you’re planning a party and are seeking out some high quality, durable utensils to impress your guests – steer clear of Walmart. They’re likely to snap after a brief use – leaving your guests with plastic in their food. Furthermore, they’re quite pricey – meaning you’re better off shopping elsewhere.
Diapers
When shopping for your baby, you want to provide them with the best of the best. At Walmart, however, you’re unlikely to find high quality products. For decent diapers at a low cost, consider ordering the goods from Amazon, who often offer 20% off their baby products.
Toys
Walmart’s selection of toys isn’t bad. On the contrary, they offer a wide array of play things for the little ones. However, their prices let them down. Amazon offer the exact same toys for drastically lower prices, meaning you’re better off ordering from the retail giant to save those hard-earned dollars.
Video games
Walmart offers a fair selection of video games, often featuring the latest releases for current gen consoles. However, if you’re looking to save a few dollars, you’re far better off shopping elsewhere. Amazon, GameStop, and Best Buy all offer the same video games at lower prices.
Books
You can often pick up a book for a bargain price at Walmart, adding to your growing mini-library. They also boast a relatively decent range, at least for a mega-supermarket. Unfortunately, their prices are, for the most part, higher than many other places – with Amazon reigning as the champ of bargain books.
Magazines
If you still prefer the paper-and-ink combo over their digital counterparts, you should consider signing up to a magazine subscription. Buying a magazine week-on-week from Walmart will set you back financially, whereas opting for a subscription can see savings of up to 63%.
Wrapping paper
Although it just ends up in the bin, you still want to ensure you opt for high quality wrapping paper. Failing to do so will result in gifts that seem impossible to wrap, with tearing paper with a flimsy hold. Unfortunately, that’s all that’s on offer at Walmart – low prices, but low quality.
Greeting cards
When you’ve got numerous Christmas cards to send out, it can be tempting to bulk buy them at Walmart, thinking you’re getting the best deal possible. In reality, you’re better off buying them at the dollar store. They come with a cheaper price tag for essentially the same product.
Jewelry
If having green skin is your thing, by all means purchase your jewelry from Walmart. If not, consider buying your glittering gems elsewhere. The worst offence is if you buy your jewelry from Walmart as a gift for a loved one – buying literally anything else is likely a better option.
Pet food
If you love your fur baby, don’t buy store-brand pet food from Walmart – it’s full of dodgy ingredients. Instead, go for well-known brands that’ll pump your pet with goodness. If you frequently buy pet food, consider signing up for a subscription service on Amazon – saving dollars and ensuring that your fur baby will never go hungry.
Bedding
Buying bedding from Walmart will result in nights spent tossing and turning, with the fabrics being made from subpar materials. Although their prices may seem alluring, it’s not worth the cost of discomfort. After all, you spend a third of your life in your bed, so you want it to be as comfortable as possible!
Photo printing
It can be handy getting your photos printed at Walmart while you do your shopping, with 4×6 photos costing a mere $0.25 per print. However, you can get them cheaper online. Apps such as Shutterfly offer an unlimited number of prints completely free of charge, without you having to leave the house.
Electronics
If you buy your high-end electronics from Walmart, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. Not only is the price tag nothing to write home about, but the array of accessories that are on offer leave much to be desired. Furthermore, you won’t get any tech-tailored support that you’d receive in electronics-focused stores.
Refrigerators
There’s a reason why people don’t tend to brag about their Walmart-bought fridge. Mainly, it’s because the quality of Walmart’s white goods leaves much to be desired, having to buy replacement products after just a few years. You’re better off buying refrigerators from trusted, reliable brands.
Fish
The fish that’s sold at Walmart is notorious for being of subpar quality. Featuring masses of bones and little in the way of actual meat, you’re better off shopping at stores like Costco. Not only will the fish you purchase there be of a higher quality, you’ll also get more bang for your buck.
Music
The music industry has seen a mass shift to streaming services over the past few years, with every song imaginable available for a low subscription price. If you still buy physical copies, you’re better off perusing second-hand vinyl stores to scoop up limited edition bargains.
Shampoo
If you’re looking for optimal hair health, avoid store-brand shampoos that are sold at Walmart. They may clean your hair, but they lack many necessary minerals that are in other products. Other shampoos may seem expensive, but your hair will thank you for the extra care.
Party supplies
Throwing a shindig is a fun affair, planning everything from the cake to the banners. Walmart offer many cheap party goods… but they’re cheap for a reason. They’re flimsy and low quality, resulting in failed party poppers and flagging bunting. Don’t be a party pooper – shop at stores like Costco for affordable, high quality party-themed goods.
Coffee
An energy-boosting cup of joe is one of the most important things in American culture. The coffee sold at Walmart may be cheap, but the taste reflects the price tag. Coffee is relatively inexpensive anyway, with online retail giant Amazon offering cheaper, tastier alternatives.
Basic kitchen items
You may think that Walmart offer the best price for kitchen goods such as mugs, utensils, and drinking glasses. That isn’t quite the case, with dollar stores offering almost identical products with hugely reduced prices. For comparison, mugs cost around $5 a piece at Walmart, whereas you can get five products for the same cost at your local dollar store.
Camping supplies
Don’t get pulled in by Walmart’s alluring garden section – their outdoor goods leave much to be desired. If you’re going to be stranded in the great outdoors, you want to ensure that you’ve got top-notch equipment, meaning you’re better off purchasing camping gear at sports stores.
Swimsuits
You’re not going to find high quality, durable clothing items at Walmart. The store offers many swimming outfits at a low cost, but they’re often ill-fitting and made from subpar materials. Besides, if there’s one thing you want to ensure stays in place, it’s your swimsuit.
Shoes
Walmart isn’t the place you head to when you’re looking for high quality, long lasting shoes. It’ll do if you’re encountering a shoe emergency, but you’re otherwise best off hitting up a shoe store for more durable gear. After all, your comfort should be of the utmost importance.
Dinnerware
The dinnerware on offer at Walmart will fail to impress any of your dinner guests. They’re low quality, meaning their patterns frequently fade and often chip. Even if quality doesn’t concern you, you’re still better off shopping elsewhere – dollar stores offer similar products at much cheaper prices.
Generic cereal
Buying store-brand cereal from Walmart will likely leave a bad taste in your mouth. In fact, consumers and researchers frequently cite Walmart’s cereal as being the worst on the market, with little flavor or goodness within. In this case, you certainly get what you pay for.
Toilet paper
Avoid Walmart’s cheap toilet paper option at all costs. Without going into the gross details, consumers have reported issues with comfort levels when using Walmart’s own, cheap brand, along with numerous pipe-clogging issues once they’ve flushed. You don’t need to go for the top end, most expensive option, but just avoid the cheapest product that’s on offer.