Havelock's first Wal-Mart shopping list

On Friday, Havelock residents won’t have to drive 20 miles for the rollbacks, price breaks and bargains that made Wal-Mart the world’s largest retailer.

The 184,000 square-foot superstore on U.S. 70 East will be open for business at 8 a.m., and shoppers will scour the shelves for granola bars and greeting cards, eyeglasses and iPods, mountain bikes and Mountain Dew.

As any seasoned bargain-hunter can confirm, Wal-Mart is more than just a store. It’s an experience.

To prepare Havelock residents for this experience, I’ve jotted down a few things to keep in mind when you’re pacing the aisles, pushing your carts and perusing the merchandise. Consider this your first shopping list for the Havelock Wal-Mart.

1. Bring your patience — no matter when you shop

Nearly every Wal-Mart customer has, at one time or another, planned a sneak attack. Go early in the morning or late at night, and you’ll avoid the large crowds and long lines, right?

Wrong. There’s no such thing as a crowdless Wal-Mart. Erase that fantastical notion from your mind. If you arrive to find a relatively empty store, phantom shoppers from other galaxies will materialize and take your place in line. They will all have coupons and insist on paying by check.

Seriously, fewer people shop during the wee hours, but there also are fewer checkout lanes open. The math isn’t in your favor. Just be calm and willing to wait for a couple extra minutes.

2. Be safe and sane in the parking lot

It’s with more than a little self-interest that I encourage drivers to keep their fenders to themselves, as my longsuffering sedan was the victim of a bump-and-run in a Wal-Mart parking lot last fall.

Hang up the cell phones and watch where you’re going. Look out for pedestrians, oncoming traffic and stray shopping carts. Be a magnanimous motorist — if you have the right of way and another driver doesn’t seem to know it, refusing to yield could come at too high a price.

3. Treat store employees with respect

It’s never OK to chastise a cashier, berate a baker or grouse at a greeter. Too many shoppers these days are rude to store employees and other customers, and there’s no reason for it.

If you’ve been overcharged or inconvenienced, most employees will apologize and do whatever they can to correct the problem. Retail sales can be a challenging and stressful job, so imagine yourself on the other side of the counter before you commence with the histrionics.

4. Don’t snack before you buy

In Wal-Mart stores and supermarkets, I’ve watched in disgust as folks gobble potato chips, guzzle bottled soft drinks and sample fresh deli foods as they shop. Some will pay for the half-eaten goods, others will have their fill and leave the leftovers on a shelf.

Eating anything without paying for it is shoplifting, and the in-store taste test is low-class and crude. Even when your stomach’s rumbling, please wait till you’ve left the store.

5. Decline the receipt check

Many retail stores will station an employee near the store exits to check customers’ receipts as they leave. It’s a well-intentioned but wrongheaded way to combat shoplifting, insulting the integrity of honest customers caught in a colossal dragnet with a few would-be thieves.

If you’re unnerved by the prospect of being treated like a juvenile delinquent, politely but firmly decline the check. It is voluntary, and properly trained employees will not attempt to coerce you into compliance.

You are not legally required to show your receipt, and in North Carolina, a store can’t detain its customers without probable cause of shoplifting.

Do you have any Wal-Mart shopping tips you’d like to share with Havelock News readers? Give me a call or send me an e-mail, and I’ll post your suggestions on the Havelock Scoop blog.

Corey Friedman is the Havelock News’ staff writer and photographer. Contact him at 444-1999 or cfriedman@freedomenc.com. Read his blog, the Havelock Scoop, at http://cfriedman.encblogs.com.