Waving Wal-Mart Goodbye

So it turns out that the great qualities that set Wal-Mart apart from the rest in North America just didn't fly here. Who would have thought cashiers smiling at customers (which Germans find much too socially forward), baggers bagging the customer's goods (why waste all that plastic when you can bring your old or cloth bags from home?), and banning inter-employee romances (common in this culture) would backfire as they did? After reading a few articles on the subject, it's interesting to learn that such a seeming discount retail giant could fail in a country because it didn't have its usual perks to back it up, perks like being open 24 hours (there are laws here governing how long stores can be open), finding everything you need in one place (which turned out to not be such a necessity here, especially because the stores are all located on the outskirts of the cities), and offering the cheapest goods on the market (but in Germany the smaller but more numerous stores of Aldi, Lidl, Wreesman, and Plus have always offered such value and are much more conveniently located). But for me, it's one less taste of what seemed like a bit of familiarity, and although I didn't make it out there often, it will be sad to know in a few months it will no longer even be an option.

Auf Wiedersehen Wal-Mart...I'll see you next time I visit North America!

articles:
World's Biggest Retailer Wal-Mart Closes Up Shop in Germany
Retail Giant Humbled: Wal-Mart Admits German Defeat