Does WalMart really do this??

[jhskier25]

I was at my local O'Reilly today switching out a battery that had gone bad. I decided to pick up a M1 filter for an oil change, as I had forgotten to get one before. My guy there, who I know a little, asked why I never bought oil there. I told him that they couldn't beat the prices of $25.xx for 5 quarts of M1 at Wally. He quickly responded that the reason WalMart oil is so cheap, is because they take defective bottles of oils from all the parts stores (i.e. O'Reilly and Carquest) and rebottle it.
Now 1) I highly doubt that there are enough defective bottles to sufficiently support WalMart's oil aisle
and 2) He said this like I was somehow getting an inferior product. I highly doubt even if this was true, rebottled oil would be any worse than the original.

So...is this true or is my guy at O'Reilly feeding me lies?

 

[Quest]

I'm sorry to hear that.

Most of the kids that I'm aware of working for automotive parts chain stores are highschool dropouts (with the exception of some highly experienced, if not professional ones, but most of the counter blokes/janes are few-n-far between), and can't even count properly.

Most of these kids don't have a clue as to what "economics of scale" means in terms of buying power....same methodology applies to the operation of Costco (a bit different though)...

Q.

 

[bullwinkle]

He's full of bull, it's the exact same oil.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: jhskier25
He quickly responded that the reason WalMart oil is so cheap, is because they take defective bottles of oils from all the parts stores (i.e. O'Reilly and Carquest) and rebottle it.

Hilarious.

I'm guessing that's what his boss or coworkers told him to say.

 

[147_Grain]

Originally Posted By: bullwinkle
He's full of bull, it's the exact same oil.


+1

 

[Plumber]

The oil is what they call a "loss leader."

Meaning super cheap oil, but make it up on other items they hope you buy when you only stop in for oil.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Walmart does two things to sell for cheap. Neither of which are rebottling oil.

They
1) Buy in a HUGE volume so the price goes down
2) Force the vendors to sell to them at a low price. If walmart is 3/4 of your sales and they tell you to lower your price or they will stop selling it ... you lower your price

 

[EricF]

I talked to the Mobil rep about why we had M1 5.1 qts, and walmart had 5.0 qts.
Walmart had the agreement to sell 5.0qts, and nobody else could.
So Mobil came up with 5.1qts, with a slightly larger bottle.
The agreement has passed and Mobil has now stopped selling the 5.1qt jugs, they're all 5.0 now.
He also confirmed for me a couple years ago that the M1 is M1 no matter what jug they put it into. They would be sued off the planet if they even dared to let anyone mess with that.
I believe the reps after I verify what they say, but this time, I believe him.

I had a customer call me up asking for a vacuum pump so she could unlock her car door. I laughed at that one.. I said that was a cool video on youtube, probably went viral.. I said there was someone with a remote to open it up. I said the tennis ball trick was funny too. she got [censored] at me!
"The man at autozone said slim jims were illegal to sell and that the vacuum pump was very cheap and very easy to use!"
I told her I sell slimjims, they aren't exactly illegal, you have to be in the automotive business for me to sell one to you though. She hung up the phone. Hope she finds that vacuum pump!

 

[askani79705]

Originally Posted By: Plumber
The oil is what they call a "loss leader."

Meaning super cheap oil, but make it up on other items they hope you buy when you only stop in for oil.

Yup, It's placed in the back corner to make you walk past all kind of temptation.

 

[EA82]

Yeah Walmart is just a small mom and pop store, they can't get oil shipped directly from the manufacturers, thanks to defective bottle they get , people are able to save a buck.
I don't blame the kid for saying that, I do feel sorry for whoever fed him this nonsense, I as a customer am not impressed by those kinda stories, if anything I'm gonna think twice about shopping at that store again.

 

[Darwin1138]

Pure and undiluted nonsense; is like that old tale: that, if you let part of your meal mostly intact in a dinner, then they recycle it for the next costumer to save a few bucks. Although it is possible to do, is not a practice that economically will make sense.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Honestly, my local O'Reilly has got to be one of the shadiest looking auto store establishments in a 25-mile radius. It would be the last place I'd go shopping at.

 

[NHGUY]

That O"Reillys dude has been drinking like the Irish do....the green shirt has infected his brain...etc etc...If WM sold junk oil,all the cars that used it would fall apart quickly.I have used WM oils for a decade or more..no defective bottles I have experienced.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: jhskier25
.... He quickly responded that the reason WalMart oil is so cheap, is because they take defective bottles of oils from all the parts stores (i.e. O'Reilly and Carquest) and rebottle it....

Now that's a dandy. Yep, he's feeding you something.

 

[GumbyJarvis]

I mean, Quaker State sludges so fast and turns into wax so a damaged bottle should be sealed right??? Right???? Nothing should in theory leakout of it, much less youd need a butter knife to scoop it out right?

Exact words from Autozone employee "Quaker State?!?!? that's sludgy wax stuff will kill your engine!!!!1!1! Use Pennzoil!"

trying to explain to know it all LAPS employees stuff isn't at all going to get you anywhere.

"If Quaker State does that, then why don't all these cars and trucks that use Walmart TLE and Jiffy Lubes blow up?"
"Are you aware QS and PZ are owned both by Shell? Similar too"

Then you get into an argument that Quaker State is a different division of SOPUS than Pennzoil and.. exact words..
AZ Employee "Quaker State is made in mexico where quality and automotive needs are different than American. Mexico cars are lubed with wax"


Needless to say, I need to find a Mexico Built Jetta. I have a few yankee candles that need to be used up.


:3

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: EricF


I had a customer call me up asking for a vacuum pump so she could unlock her car door. I laughed at that one.. I said that was a cool video on youtube, probably went viral.. I said there was someone with a remote to open it up. I said the tennis ball trick was funny too. she got [censored] at me!
"The man at autozone said slim jims were illegal to sell and that the vacuum pump was very cheap and very easy to use!"
I told her I sell slimjims, they aren't exactly illegal, you have to be in the automotive business for me to sell one to you though. She hung up the phone. Hope she finds that vacuum pump!


Vacuum pumps ? Its not mine! Its not my bag baby!

 

[GumbyJarvis]

O'Reilly Ive never had an issue with.
AZ yeah, don't go in anymore.
AAP not really. Only one store that sells AMSoil and their upselling was atrocious any oil you bought was "Bad, but AMSoil is a 'new product to end all oil changes' and 'signature series you never have to change your oil'. was nice when they started selling it, because it took the spot of RP and RP Filters. so theres a few 1.95$ quarts running around here as well as RP filters for 2.99$ I acquired.
NAPA I honestly never really go in. Unless I need Zerex G-05, theyre semi normal.. ENEOS is their upseller, anything else is garbage
CARQUEST is alright, small selection in my town in Florida, always were quiet.. Always tried upselling MMO to me. Which was fine, as I use it for rust and mower blade rust protection after mowing.
SEARS auto dept yeah. after they tried telling me the ranger needed 20w50 because the 2.3 is a bad engine sludge magnet and the 3.0 was better, and that the filter I was buying for the mower wasn't going to fit and the only filters I can put on it are the 17$ Briggs filters, I shook my head. They always upsell Kendall.




O'reilly has really expanded in florida since coming home. I don't mind it. their Military discounts are a nice touch.

 

[SatinSilver]

Move this thread to the humor section.

 

[PandaBear]

One time a pricing staff that used to work at Safeway's HQ told me that Walmart sometimes get special formula product to reduce their prices, but that's limited to things that do not affect their performance (like fragrance, dye, etc). I'm not sure if this is true, but they do get different sized packages all the time to avoid direct price matching or buy and return at local stores of higher prices.

 

[salv]

Never, never, never, never, etc. use retail part store clerks as resources, or trust that they are experts in anything other than making minimum wage.