it seems they are clearly operating on the cheap of late.... barely any registers open... Lines backed up... Employees complaining about lack of hours... and breaks/lunches coming late etc....

Was there late last Sun morn...2 registers open, 10 people waiting to cash out.

Sounds like any time walking into any Wal-Mart.

Quoted from Kevin March

Sounds like any time walking into any Wal-Mart.

Super Wamart by me has two rows of self-checkout open all the time and at least 4 registers open all the time

Every time I go into walmart in rotterdam, which isn't very often..............IT'S DEAD!!! There were many times that there were cashiers just standing there waiting for a customer to cash out.

Glenville's and albany's are busier, but still not like they use to be.

Hell, if ya can't find a deal or afford walmart......the economy is really in the sh!tter!

Cutting help/expenses is only natural for these companies.   What they are losing in sales/profit they make up for it in cutting help/expenses.   This helps the bottom line and helps keep the stock price treading water till the turnaround(?)   If this fails to maintain solvency, that's where the financial trouble really begins.   But no doubt the Gov't moves in to "assist" these companies to prevent real layoffs which in turn would slow the economy, which in turn makes the Pols. nervous about getting re-elected.

Perhaps Walmart is doing it to itself?   Are they causing a glut of Walmart's?  

We try to avoid Walmart anyway, but I admit, we give in.  But rarely will we go to the Rotterdam store.  Yeah, Glenville is farther, but it just seems nicer.

But did you ever notice something.  I wonder if it's that plaza.   Look at the businesses bailing out of there.   Walmart isn't the only store that seems dead.  Hannaford too.  We like to shop at Hannaford, and one thing is for certain.  No lines, no waiting.  Hardly ever.  And the usually only have two registers open.   Their courtesy desk used to be open til 10, I remember stopping there after bowling got done which always include some socializing after so I know we didn't leave til about 9:30.   But I think now it's 8:00 maybe.    I don't like Price Chopper's prices, they are high, but we go there for a few things, and they usually have some lines even with several registers open.

But what I'm really pointing out is how many stores can they sustain.  They originally wanted to have a supercenter in Rotterdam.  I don't want this a discussion about the issues pro or con about when they wanted to open one here, but just think.  We do go at times to the supercenter in Glenville.  But use your imagination and think....IF that is an IF Walmart did finally find a good location in Rotterdam that all of Rotterdam's residents as well our elected were happy with, no negative effects, etc.   And they did build a super in Rotterdam, well, if you were a Rotterdam person, wouldn't you shop at a super in Rotterdam instead of Glenville?  

Their Glenville store seems cleaner, has a more pleasing appearance, their employees seem better, etc.  If they opened in Rotterdam and got better employees, etc, would you still drive to Glenville?   Wouldn't people start writing on a blog that the Glenville store "seems dead" when really it would only be because half the shoppers go to one closer to home?

If Walmart does get a place to open in Latham, same question, what will happen to their Washington Ave Ext store....the biggest one in the country (or is it world) that is not even open 24/7

I don't care for the Washington Avenue store due to the really dim lighting and the extremely noisy escalator. The Glenville Walmart has shiny white surfaces in many areas, wider aisles (I think) and skylights throughout for a mix of natural and artificial light. That's why it "seems" nicer, IMO. Humans are affected by lighting or lack thereof whether we notice or not. My mother doesn't like the Walmart in her town because she can't see people's faces clearly in there.
I prefer the Hannaford in Niskayuna as it is a brighter, roomier store than some, also as a short person I dislike super tall shelving. Also some Hannafords are seriously over-airconditioned.
I think you are right, I think some of the chains just steal business from their other locations. They try to make it up cutting back on help, I believe. Dunkin Donuts I think can't get enough non-stupid or non-rude employees to staff all its stores because there are too many locations (or too many stupid or rude people).