I, too, have found service lacking at Wal-Mart and what I did was hunt up the manager and complain directly to him about the situation. He immediately called someone and got me help. I told him there also wasn't enough cashiers, they needed to have some on standby to come and cashier when the lines got long. He said he would look into that and for a few weeks it improved, but then back to the old way again. May have to remind him one of these days.
As for Wal-Mart running out small shops, if the smaller shops would concentrate on service they would and could do much better. We had a young lady open a quilt shop (knew nothing about quilting, but listed to her grandmother who was a quilter; however the grandmother didn't know anything about running a business). The young lady was more interested in decorations for her shop than the quilting materials. She thought if she had antiques and only a little material people would flock in--didn't happen, plus her attitude to the whole thing was terrible. She wouldn't speak to customers, her hired help could do that! Consequently she didn't last long, plus her prices were outrageous as well and the quality of the material not all that great either. She had a lot of people who went to her store to start with myself included, but with an attitude like hers, lack of merchandise etc., I stopped going and those that continued were always complaining about something.
On another note, we have a small hardware store who bends over backwards on service and will try to get whatever you need if they don't have it in stock, are friendly and so accommodating and Wal-Mart hasn't run them out of business. In our small town, before Wal-Mart, most of the small stores took the attitude, this is what we have this is what you get whether you like it or not and many of those are no longer around. So I think it is the way the business is run, not necessarily Wal-Mart that causes their demise. Wal-Mart isn't doing as well as they once were and I think it is partially because of their service and lack of clerks, plus a lot of the clerks in some stores, will hide out to keep from having to work and that is not good either.
Our local Wal-Mart does not have fabric on the bolts, but the package stuff and it's not worth taking home. Another store about 45 miles away has an awesome fabric department and a full time lady there to help you. Yes, you have to watch the fabric you buy, but think you have to do that at the LQS also. The quilt shops about 25 miles away have some good fabric (expensive) and some poor fabric (still expensive) so you have to watch what you buy and not assume.
Just a few points and my two cents worth for the day. Happy quilting to everyone.