Kmart - Why Is It Popular?

bulletbill88 on 08/05/2023 - 20:37

I cannot understand the attractiveness of Kmart so I thought I would create a poll. Below is my take.

Kmart happens to be the closest "department store" to my house and sometimes I go there for convenience. Nearly everytime I regret it because it is mostly filled with low quality trash that is destined for a very short life and then landfill. Seriously, anything "anko" branded is just straight up bare minimum quality from China that will only hold up for a couple of uses before it ends up in the bin.

In addition to the low, low quality of the house branded stuff that now dominates, they have cleared out nearly all the brands they used to sell and 90% of the floorspace is clothing, homewares and toys. The electronics section is gone, the automotive, sports, outdoors, tools, pets etc reduced to basically nothing. Its actually hard to find anything useful there.

I would take a Big W, Target or even a Harris Scarfe any day over Kmart and yet apparently Kmart is more profitable and more popular. What gives? Is it the influence of "mummy bloggers" spruiking the latest "hacks" for what to do with cheap crap from Kmart? The general attractiveness of cheap irrespective of value for money? Because I honestly don't understand the attraction of buying their crap and none of it would represent a bargain.

Poll Options expired

  • 92
    Kmart is great, lots of bargains.
  • 550
    Kmart is ok, there are some bargains to be found.
  • 81
    Kmart is full of overpriced rubbish. Prefer shopping elsewhere.
  • 25
    I wouldn't shop at Kmart if it was the last store on earth.
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Comments

  • Seraphin7 on 09/05/2023 - 18:39
    +2

    Cheap.

    /thread

    • lostgoat on 09/05/2023 - 19:55
      +7

      Who in the hell cares lol ?

    • morse on 10/05/2023 - 01:07
      +1

      Australia Day merch is the ultimate landfill. Not because of the day, but it literally is crap that gets used once (if at all) and chucked. I reuse my Halloween and Christmas gear each year, but I wouldn’t store Australia Day stuff even if I was into it. I suspect it’s not about being ‘woke’ but it just doesn’t sell so they’d make a loss on it. The Australia Day stuff a Woolies always gets marked down to 10-50c and still doesn’t sell.

    • jsheroes on 10/05/2023 - 08:55
      +2

      Can I go on your banned list too pls? Ta.

    • muzzamo on 10/05/2023 - 15:14

      I think there's irony in them going woke while selling so much landfill-destined stuff as well as 99% sourced from a country with a questionable human rights record.

  • DingoBilly on 09/05/2023 - 19:48
    +1

    I buy heaps of stuff that has lasted me ages from Kmart. Clothes are usually a great price, but things like printers have lasted me quite a while and been at a good price.

  • lhou021 on 09/05/2023 - 20:06
    +1

    I only buy cloth from Kmart
    especially their $3-6 t-shirts for home use, decent quality, holding up really well for 5 years+ of frequent washes
    however I won't touch their electronics

  • kaleidoscope on 09/05/2023 - 20:33

    it’s perfect for today’s society driven by consumerism and consumables. Its often really cheap stuff that doesnt last long and people often shop for seasonal items that are landfill in few months time or the people thaf want to redecorate their stuff each year it’s a good stop.

  • xtremehell on 09/05/2023 - 20:33
    +1

    It feels a bit forced because of the continuous media and "influencer" hype around it over the last 3 or so years. Pick a new product every week, claim it is amazing, get clicks (and publicity/sales).

    https://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/tagged/kmart/
    https://www.news.com.au/topics/kmart

  • Blargman2001 on 09/05/2023 - 21:02
    +1

    Depends what you buy. Their small kitchen appliances actually aren't too bad. The ones that don't have lots of moving parts are ok. We have a steamer, grill oven, immersion blender, ironing board and a few other things I bought when I first moved out of home 10+ years ago that are still going strong.

  • serpserpserp on 09/05/2023 - 21:02
    +1

    Seems that people only really hear about Kmart being great because they are connected to dull Facebook feeds, or following boring types on social media. If not there, reading the trash "news" sites might do it

    TLDR - Don't use social media and you won't hear about Kmart.

  • cunningdrew on 09/05/2023 - 21:27
    +1

    I'm with you. Kmart is trash. Would take Target or Big W any day.

  • wtfnodeal on 09/05/2023 - 21:27

    Still using the double wall glasses bought from Kmart 10 years ago. They used to sell decent 1000TC Egyptian bedsheets for $50 a set. Some great quality stuff to be had at reasonable prices.

  • dlakers3peat on 09/05/2023 - 21:39
    -3

    Because it appeals to the masses who will always choose cheap over quality.

  • FittyFitty on 09/05/2023 - 21:50

    The Kmart meat-beaters and salad-tossers do an awesome job!

  • Pudina Chutney on 09/05/2023 - 22:01
    +3

    Stuff from Kmart will either last a season or a lifetime!

  • Something Darkside on 09/05/2023 - 22:14
    +1

    The $8 t-shirts are good and shorts. Some of their fishing gear is good value. Some of their fitness gear is good as well, foam rollers etc.

  • beyondtool on 09/05/2023 - 23:09
    +1

    Kmart is a good place to buy Lego on clearance. It’s standard price is always low if you need something now.

  • ribenaboy on 10/05/2023 - 00:00

    1 in 10 items are decent, the rest are things I end up regretting after.

  • a-friend on 10/05/2023 - 01:03
    +1

    Whatever I buy from there, dies in warranty period. So I can choose to get a refund or new product, which dies again within warranty and the cycle repeats.

  • hasher22 on 10/05/2023 - 02:21
    +1
    1. Cheap
    2. Returns and warranty claims are pretty damn easy to claim
    3. They keep up with design and social trends
    4. They offer a wide range of products to suit everyone
    5. Their appliances are pretty good for the price, if it breaks down in the warranty period they are pretty good at refunding or replacing with no questions or 1 question on what happened
    6. It's a good 'gamble' to buy, for example you may purchase an $18 hand mixer that will last a lifetime or one that will last 4 months….

    But in saying that, you get what you pay for

  • BuyoTheCat on 10/05/2023 - 02:54

    their butane canister is my staple

  • gromit on 10/05/2023 - 07:43
    +2

    I don't even bother going in there anymore, it is all extremely low quality garbage, It is like a 2 dollar shop but worse quality. It is just not worth the time or money.

  • ceroau on 10/05/2023 - 08:49
    +4

    “bare minimum quality from China”

    You just described a huge number of mass produced products available across Australia. For example most kettles you buy are going to be bare minimum quality likely from China regardless of the brand and store whether it the $20 one from Kmart the $40 one from bigw or the $80 from Harvey Norman. So if you’re going to buy mass produced poorly made shit why not buy the basic cheap one? If you can’t spare the landfill least spare your wallet.

    Kmart products are often no thrills more basic designs with less functionality which sounds like a bad thing because it may seemingly subtract from the overall value but basically the more complex and functional something is the more that can go wrong with it and therefore the more likely it will break.

    That the appeal of Kmart to many they’re hedging the bet that the cheap poorly made shit they buy from Kmart is going to hold up aswell as the expensive poorly made shot they get from Harvey Norman and that why it trending at time because people are discovering some of the anko crap is proving to hold and do the job aswell as the more expensive crap

  • Ozimodo on 10/05/2023 - 09:04
    +1

    I have no no issues with Kmart. Some of the appliances like our airfryer have been fantastic. Camping gear is of a reasonable quality and super cheap. Also some decent pet stuff. Struggling to think of any experience I have had that has been bad

  • Davo1111 on 10/05/2023 - 09:13

    Cookware is cheap, happy with their socks

  • beefmaster on 10/05/2023 - 09:25
    +2

    Kmart with their cheap in house brand makes BigW look like high end business.

    I rarely buy anything from Kmart. Maybe occasionally I would buy toys which they dont stock much when compared to BigW or kids crafting things.

  • jatbinks on 10/05/2023 - 10:09

    The clothing is pretty good quality. I buy my undies, hoodies and t-shirts from there.
    Reasonable quality for cheap electronics. Got a $17 air heater from Kmart when I needed it for occasional use.

  • morebunnings on 10/05/2023 - 10:13
    +1

    Kmart has really nice indoor plant pots that go on special every now and then.

    When you need cheap stuff its sometimes cheaper than ebay. For example the other day I needed an aquarium heater, kmart was the same price as ebay but I didnt have to deal with auspost.

  • Horacio on 10/05/2023 - 10:41

    Clothing. 90% of what I wear is from Kmart and it seems to last just as long as the stuff my wife buys from brand name fashion stores. Also kitchenware, toys, etc etc. Pretty much the same quality as the branded stuff

  • kalithreaver on 10/05/2023 - 11:06

    its good for kids stuff as they grow out of clothes fast. i find that their mens clothes suck now, half the anko stuff isnt made well or fit well.

  • GrimCheaper on 10/05/2023 - 11:50

    Bought the 34l 1100w Microwave and the 2400w bagless vacuum for about 100 each. Both still going strong after 3 years. Great value for what you pay. If it fails in the first year then just return it with no questions asked. It’s also worth buying the higher level items at Kmart as they seem to be sturdier. E.g. the more powerful vacuum and microwave. The budget stuff does tend to break quite easily. Like our $10 Kmart kettle where the handle eventually came loose. Now paid more for a more premium model and it’s going well.

  • protoporpoise on 10/05/2023 - 12:46
    +1

    I enjoy going in and making friends with those cool stock take robots they have. I have no friends in real life so they really brighten up my day. We hang out and get our photos taken together. BFF4EVA

  • Fobsessive on 10/05/2023 - 12:52

    $6 Anko phone camera tripod, it works.

  • Venustrap87 on 10/05/2023 - 13:06

    Kmart is good watching talkin bout but this guy sums up Kmart pretty well https://youtu.be/78-ohtAKaic

  • Cluster on 10/05/2023 - 13:52

    Some KMart items are fine. If you need a cable, a shirt or pants the quality is fine and prices low. Other items are awful, like the espresso machine I bought last year. No matter how much I flushed and cleaned it, the steam smelled like hot plastic. Imparted a terrible plastic taste to a latte. You could almost taste the cancer. Luckily KMart also had no qualms in taking back the dodgy product for a full refund.

  • cdaddy on 10/05/2023 - 13:53
    -1

    The Kmart clothes are rubbish will only last 2 washes

    • morse on 10/05/2023 - 17:55
      +1

      Well that’s blatantly not the case. We have lots of Kmart cloths in our house that last perfectly well, as equivalent items from other stores.

  • Protractor on 10/05/2023 - 13:53
    +1

    The sort of stuff you can get in a seedy alleyway in SE Asia for the same price per dozen.
    They must play hypnotic music or release calming gas in KMart stores. Customers all look mesmerised. Like all similar stores has that aroma of cheap nasty textiles/chemicals. Pretty sure the west is now a handy storage area for all the nasties in the country of manufacture. Anything with rubber components smells like a polluted swamp. Bunnings is dry reach material.
    Whatever it is aint rubber. It breaks down in sunlight, in no time.

  • Sporange on 10/05/2023 - 15:13
    +2

    In other news, grass is green.

    Of course Kmart is cheap chinese homegoods. It's a giant national chain that values convenience and affordability over everything else. What did you expect? And if you think target or Big W somehow have 'better quality', you're delusional. They're all different coloured stickers for literally the same thing.

    If you want actual quality goods, try the million dedicated homeware shops in your shopping centre/village/square (but don't scoff at the prices).

    When I moved houses Kmart (and ikea) was actually a godsend for me, since I was able to pick up so many house essentials and useful tools/knicknacks without breaking the bank. Even their ornaments and decorative pieces aren't terrible and do a decent job of adding a bit of life to the house.
    One more anecdote: One of my friends runs an events/wedding production company. They a whole warehouse full of shit they've built or procured for various jobs that they can repurpose and I'd wager at least 50% of it is Kmart goods. One event I attended as a guest, the table arrangements were ENTIRELY kmart setups.

    They're cheap, convenient and get the job done.

  • Hangryuman on 10/05/2023 - 16:03
    +1

    old guy here - maybe 50 years ago I bought a pair of leather boots from KMart that lasted over 25 years - so that quality was good

    more recently KMart lifted their game by bringing in more innovative designs for home furnishings which made it a bargain for new tenants - just go to KMart and load up on anything to need to settle in - kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, etc. - easy.

    it was pretty hard to go past a $6 toaster or electric jug - until we started to see the problem of landfill and bins full of tossed cheap electrical items and household goods - tho' that might have happened anyway with inner city tenants tending to dump their unwanted household stuff on footpaths when they move out.

    my Anko air fryer I picked up for about $40 has done me good many times and I'm a happy man.

  • Cave Fire on 10/05/2023 - 16:59
    +1

    Think this was answered in the question. Kmart is a healthy middle ground between Big W and target. Anko is what got them attention lately. It's mostly homewares, so not sure how it "can break quickly". Kmart is also most people's first US style dept store so breaking that link is going to be hard. Used to be unbeatable for CDs and games for instance.

  • tasty-falafel on 10/05/2023 - 17:42
    -1

    Kmart is like a rich person's Aldi, minus the food.

  • shutuptakemymoney101 on 10/05/2023 - 18:22

    I remember when K-Mart sold guns in their sporting section, back then the stuff they sold was mostly brand name items and not the race to the bottom of the barrel stuff we see now.

    People shop at K-Mart today because it's cheap, some things will last just as long as their more expensive counterparts albeit with lesser quality i.e bath towels etc as long as it's 'cheap' a lot of people don't mind this.

    On a more personal level, the person/think-tank who thought putting the cash registers in the middle of the store creating a snaking queue of customers was a good idea should be (profanity) and burnt at the stake.

  • shutuptakemymoney101 on 10/05/2023 - 18:35
    +1

    The K-Mart stance against 'Modern Slavery' is admirable /s.

    https://www.kmart.com.au/modernslavery/

    An example of modern slavery risks identified by K-Mart in their supply line.

    Bangladesh - Excessive overtime - Apparel

    https://www.kmart.com.au/product/short-sleeve-australian-cot…

    Production of that $4 K-Mart T-Shirt must net Bangladeshi workers a princely sum, thank goodness K-Mart stand up against the workers being forced into excessive overtime issues. lol

  • Metre on 10/05/2023 - 19:30
    +1

    $7.5 toaster! My last from Kmart gave up after 8 years.
    I also find their cups and dinnerware(except the cutlery) are of good quality, exceptional when compared to department store brands.

  • Heaps for Cheaps on 10/05/2023 - 19:41

    I purchased their umbrella last week. On opening it was absolute garbage. Their stuff is really really awful and throw-away.

  • Eeples on 10/05/2023 - 20:12

    I bought 2 great looking bar stools from Kmart.

    They still look great after 2 years.

    They are however never used. They are more like decoration.

  • IM-Cheap on 10/05/2023 - 22:12

    I think Kmart has a great price to performance ratio on most of their products and plenty of store selling same quality at higher price. I really can't remember the last time I tossed something that wasn't meant to be tossed (party decorations, they have a great range). We have storage drawers, plates, glasses, cookware, clothes racks, art supplies, clothes etc that have lasted years. In my experience they have a hassle free return policy.

  • Cheapsize on 10/05/2023 - 22:19

    Better quality, cheaper and more range than other stores. Found a Transformer figure that not even Amazon has. Fastest way to get a cable and kitchen gadgets.

    Feel sorry OP got a crap Kmart

  • bigbadboogieman on 10/05/2023 - 23:06
    +1

    They have some 24 hour stores. Good place to kill some time late at night.

  • hawktalk on 11/05/2023 - 04:59
    +1

    Used to love visiting Kmart but as they pivoted to a new strategy (generic stock). I slowly stopped going there. Might pop in one, every couple of months (in saying that I did buy storage boxes from there the week prior to ANZAC day).

    They're not alone in selling less overall items. But they're the loudest even Myer and David Jones have followed similar paths (albeit more expensive no name brands in addition to a few named ones they retain business with).

    The store layouts are bizarre.

  • xiaoian on 11/05/2023 - 09:11
    +1

    I don't understand how people can fly on economy class as well, so tiny leg room, some even don;t have drink or food.
    Everyone should be flying first class, and if you are unfortunate enough, get a business class seat.

    Haha, is this what you are saying?

  • FloatingPoint on 11/05/2023 - 09:49
    +2

    Most of the stuff are cheap and reasonable quality. You need to open your eyes and use your brain to judge what to buy there. Some of the stuff you only need them to be functional rather than top quality.

  • Thinkswithelbow on 11/05/2023 - 10:09
    +1

    Great for baby and toddler clothing.

  • Speckled Jim on 11/05/2023 - 10:19
    +4

    Ehh there was a Choice microwave shootout last year, and an Anko compared favourably to something ~4 times the price.
    Got the Anko. Wife and I agree it's the nicest microwave we've used.
    No problems in just over a year.

    The little Anko air fryer oven I've previously recommended is very good, when it works. I had one in 2020 that died after 11.5 months. Refunded.
    Bought the same model late last year.

    Their standard bicycle tubes are cheap at $6 but I'm yet to try one. Tried their "enduro" type MTB helmet and that's nice.

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 11/05/2023 - 10:54
    +1

    Bring back Holly's Cafe, with great chips and Maggi Gravy, and rude staff. ;)

  • OzDropBear on 11/05/2023 - 15:15

    Clearance items or half-price stuff are usually pretty good bang for your buck. Surely they are not of the highest quality but most of the time people don't really care that much.

  • polarq on 12/05/2023 - 10:01
    +1

    Some good deals do pop up in kmart every now and then like this $3 mouse that I still use for work and also a mic for $30 (or less?) during a clearance sale that I also still use for work.

  • desii on 12/05/2023 - 13:13
    +1

    I'll forever be a kmart stan. I worked there as a teen for many years and it was great. Outside of that though, Kmart have a lot of affordable goods. I needed to buy large ice cube mould, i looked on amazon and didn't see anything that affordable. Then went to kmart and got one for less than $2 and its exactly what I was after. Their clear acrylic storage boxes also provide good value. Many other stores are selling basically the same thing for a way higher price.
    It really all depends on what you are after.

  • cupcake on 16/05/2023 - 13:56

    Kid's wooden toys. Great price for the quality.

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