INCREDIBLE

OFFER!

$200 Bonus + Up to 5% Cash Back

Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.

Plus, enjoy 0% intro APR for 15 months on both purchases and balance transfers (then 18.24% - 27.74% Variable APR).

APPLY NOW

Member FDIC

7 Big Box Stores That Just Aren't Worth It Anymore

Higher prices for lower quality isn't winning sales.

By Cassandra Yorgey , Edited by Amanda Machado

Updated Aug. 8, 2026

Add Us On Google

Big box retailers used to offer low prices, variety, and convenience to shoppers, but these days consumers are just feeling squeezed for every penny. The value proposition has eroded for everyday shoppers who are seeing prices go up, quality go down, and are left with a vastly different experience than they remember from just a few years ago.

Tackling high grocery prices is at the forefront of household concerns, and savvy shoppers are questioning if large chain stores are even worth it anymore — and if not, what is the alternative?

See which big box stores customers are abandoning.

Walmart

A Consumer Reports analysis used Walmart as a benchmark for comparing dozens of nationwide chains for grocery prices — and found it is no longer the cheapest option. It's still one of the lowest-priced stores for groceries, but the quality has also decreased enough to be unacceptable to many shoppers concerned about health and taste in addition to costs.

Even loyal customers admit the Great Value brand isn't so great anymore and isn't providing as much value as it used to. Products like cottage cheese, pizza rolls, peanut butter, frozen broccoli, hard cheeses, bottled water, produce, bread, pasta sauce, and other grocery staples have all received consumer complaints for decreased quality.

Shopping for cheaper auto insurance? Enter your zip code here to get started.

Whole Foods Market

Whole Foods was never considered the lowest-priced grocery option, but it was built on the idea of being a lower-priced health food store that appealed to the larger public — and it was, until Amazon purchased it. Nearly 10 years later, the brand is suffering from quality issues that customers say make it not worth the price anymore.

Spoiled and moldy food is a common complaint, and long-time customers say the variety and unique finds are long gone. Some shoppers have even dubbed it "Amazonification" because the retail giant is known for taking over a market and then making it worse.

Target

Customers used to affectionately call it "Tar-jay" with a fake French accent because the big box chain store was known for low prices on higher quality goods than could be found at places like Walmart — but now it's just a "red Walmart". "I used to shop at Target because most products were higher quality than their Walmart equivalents," one Redditor explained, "Now it's the same cheap s*** that costs more for no reason. There's literally no point in shopping at Target anymore."

Same-store sales fell in 2023 by 3.7%, had negligible gains of 0.1% the following year, and dropped 2.6% again in 2025. Target hasn't grown annual sales in three consecutive fiscal years, and customers say it's due to high prices and low quality.

Amazon

It's hard to believe the biggest online retailer for everything physical and digital began as a used bookstore. Now Amazon has become a compilation of junk results, filled with AI-generated ads and product dupes that take hours to weed through to find a few decently priced options of acceptable quality. "When you search for a product on Amazon, the top results aren't the best matches: they're the matches that pay the highest fees to Amazon to be top of the list," says activist Cory Doctorow.

An FTC antitrust lawsuit against Amazon is scheduled to go to trial in 2027, and it alleges that AI-driven pricing created an anti-discounting algorithm that drove prices up — not only within the Amazon environment but also with competitors. Because Amazon is considered a monopoly power, it is beyond the scope of consumer power to simply boycott the company even if customers feel it's not worth shopping there anymore.

Best Buy

There's something to be said for buying electronics in person, and Best Buy was the place to go — emphasis on was. There are no longer aisles of DVDs or video games to peruse, the employees are sparse and unmotivated to provide customer assistance, and the membership is often sold deceptively, promising warranty and repairs that do not materialize when needed.

Wall Street also finds Best Buy's performance disappointing, with the stock down 46% over the past five years. Revenue has been steadily dropping for years, too, going from $51.9 billion in 2022 down to $41.5 billion in 2025.

Kohl's

It used to be a household name for middle-income earners, but Kohl's has since plunged into irrelevance to its core customer base. Coupons and deals once drove customers in flocks, but loyalty waned as coupon use became more restricted and convoluted.

The chain store leaned into off-price retail instead of proprietary brands, and customers became alienated from the changes to the credit card and promotional offerings that once had value.

Don't Miss: 9 ways to tackle high grocery costs you won't hear about from your grocery store

Sam's Club

Buying in bulk can be a "hack" to lowering monthly grocery bills, but loyal customers are finding that's not necessarily the case in Sam's Club anymore.

An average grocery run can end up costing more, unless shoppers are specifically purchasing Member's Mark items or buying in bulk larger than family-sized. Redditors say items like fresh meats, milk, and toilet paper aren't worth the price at Sam's Club, and other items are more expensive than competitors — such as fresh produce, cheese, and paper plates.

An analysis of Google reviews found Sam's Club also had the longest lines of the major big box chains, tying with BJ's at about 30%.

Bottom line

One of the difficulties facing consumers is that even those who think big box chains are no longer worth it have few alternatives, especially those on a budget.

Shopping local is a nice idea, but it's not always possible for independent small businesses to keep the inventory consumers want — shoppers' needs are wide and varied, after all! One common solution is to purchase directly from the manufacturer when possible, as many now offer direct-to-consumer options on their websites.

This can also help shoppers avoid wasting money on impulse purchases that occur more commonly when shopping at big-box stores that are designed to tempt people with more than what is on their shopping list.

More from FinanceBuzz:

Low spend threshold for its welcome offer
Cell phone protection benefit (subject to a $25 deductible)
Apply Now

Apply Now to take advantage of this offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 18.49%, 24.49%, or 28.49% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate and fee of 3% then a BT fee of up to 5%, min: $5.
$0 annual fee.
No categories to track or remember and cash rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
Find tickets to top sports and entertainment events, book travel, make dinner reservations and more with your complimentary 24/7 Visa Signature® Concierge.
Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.

5.0

Apply Now

on Wells Fargo's secure website

Read Card Review

Intro Offer

$200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months

Annual Fee

Why we like it