Disclaimer: this is only regarding my experiences at both stores. I’ve not been to every Walmart/Target in the world, but odds are that you’ve never been to my local Walmart/Target either.
I prefer going to Walmart instead of Target every time and for any sort of shopping. Walmart still has the sort of atmosphere of being a classic superstore that carries actual brands and has some image of option or variety. Everything at Target seems to be house brand and overpriced at that.
Most criticism about the Walmart shopping experience seems to be thinly-veiled classism and most pro-Target arguments are just “I don’t have to be around the poors.” Neither of these appeal to me and I find the atmosphere at Target to be overbearing, uncomfortably sanitized, and their security policies are invasive, to say the least.
I don’t care about the politics of either company. If I’m shopping at a fuckhuge superstore anyway, I’m probably in a rush and need whatever I’m there for that day. Neither store is ever my first choice (or second, third, etc.), and if I can, I’ll source whatever I need locally/used/or online, but if my only two options are Walmart or Target, I’ll go to Walmart every time.
They just aren’t the same thing, I go more to Walmart - grocery store version not supercenter - because their pharmacy is oddly the absolute best in our area (great pharmacists, good prices, they always check to find what is the cheapest way to pay, can get anything at all within a few days if not hours, offer many vaccinations too, online refill app actually works even if prescription is expired THEY contact the doctor. Really they do everything better.) While I’m there I might pick up some food because they have a pretty good selection, but all the makeup is locked behind plexiglass, other stuff too, and they don’t have enough staff to manage that. Also the goddam self checkout and long lines at self and the couple of cashiers, never ever go there in a hurry.
Target we hardly ever visit but they are better for housewares, for body/haircare, way better clothing and much better checkout process. Their store brand stuff in the categories we would visit them for are fine.
Good point about the pharmacy. That’s not something relevant to me but I have heard their pharmacy be praised over places like CVS or Walgreens before.
I still disagree about Target being better than Walmart for housewares, etc. Both stores sell disposable junk in my experience, but Target’s junk is about 80% more expensive with maybe 10% better quality. Their men’s clothes in particular stand out to me as being very bad, much worse than Walmart’s own house brands.