Medicine Hat Media

Trouble with the Walmart Paint Department

Has anyone ever tried to find an associate who works in the paint department of Walmart? It is nearly impossible, as my recent purchase of paint has lead me to believe. It is my conclusion that “paint department associates” do not actually exist.

Finding paint is the easy part, but what if once you find the desired paint, you need it shaken? There is never anyone around to operate the device for you, leaving you to wait without any idea on how long it may take for someone to walk by. Sometimes, by chance, someone will walk by, but usually it is not an associate who is knowledgeable enough to press the green (start) button or the red (stop/eject door) button. All they end up doing is paging someone else to assist you, leaving you to wait even longer. Even more frustratingly, there may even be a sign in the paint department directing the customer to walk halfway across the store to the electronics department to ask for paint shaking assistance. In one case for me, the associate in the electronics department only then paged someone from the automotive department to assist you, who may go there before you arrive, see no one, then leave.

Luckily there is an alternative that eases the frustration: The machine is fool-proof and you can do it yourself, as I resorted to doing. Here is a small guide on how to get away with it:

  1. There is a diagram on the machine that indicates how to place the cans, and a small instruction guide explaining that if you are mixing a certain type of paint, to change the timer to 3 minutes, otherwise it is defaulted to 2 minutes.
  2. Place the cans of paint in the machine as directed by the instructions, close the door and press the green button.
  3. Walk away for 2-3 minutes and perhaps go to an adjacent aisle and pretend you are looking at some other product until you hear the machine stop.
  4. Beware as an associate may walk by. Usually if they see no one there, they will assume some other associate is helping a customer that they cannot immediately see, and walk away.
  5. Once the machine stops, nonchalantly walk over, press the red button for the door to eject, grab your paint and leave.

1 of 3 possible outcomes can occur:

  1. A Walmart associate sees you doing the paint shaking yourself and asks you not to do it, but you can always do it again.
  2. A Walmart associate reports you to a Manager, who questions you, to which you can respond with them not having a convenient knowledgeable associate to assist you and as a result, you had to take matters into your own hands.
  3. You get away with it frustration free.

If you need anything more than paint shaking, such as tinting or information on what type of paint to use for what type of project, you can forget receiving any help from a Walmart associate.

User Comments

9 Responses to “Trouble with the Walmart Paint Department”

  1. March 23rd, 2011 at 10:15 AM


    Shan says:

    only one issue… what if you need the paint tinted?????

    well Totem and HD and CT are close enough I guess…

  2. March 23rd, 2011 at 10:37 AM


    Dusty Melling says:

    On another note, the BEHR two in one prime and paint (the most expensive stuff) is a complete waste, took like three gallons to paint a single small room. We went with the cheap paint and used about half SOMEHOW.

  3. March 23rd, 2011 at 10:49 AM


    Vaughn says:

    I’ve never seen any associate around that area.

  4. March 23rd, 2011 at 12:59 PM


    Taylor says:

    The stories related in this post sound so unbelievably familiar. It is almost like they happened to me… Wait a minute! They did happen to me! Way to claim my traumatic stories as your own 😛

  5. March 23rd, 2011 at 8:34 PM


    Timmy says:

    Why would anyone buy paint at Wal-Mart? Good service is essential when buying paint. If you can handle the short drive, I highly recommend Redcliff Home Hardware. I have done a lot of painting, and their Beauti-Tone paint is very good quality and less money than most brands. A sales associate will give you friendly help right away, plus they actually know about paint. They will match a swatch of ANY BRAND PERFECTLY. They put a dab of paint on the lid after shaking, dry it with a blow-dryer to double-check the color. And as a bonus: you get a stamp card – after you buy 6 gallons of any paint/stain product, YOU GET A FREE GALLON! On my latest trip there, my stamp card was full and Beauti-Tone was on sale. So I got 2 GALLONS for about $30.00 total! BTW, I do not work there. Nor do I live in Redcliff. But I won’t go anywhere else for paint.

  6. March 23rd, 2011 at 8:47 PM


    Larry Switzer says:

    You could always do what I did and buy a paint shaker for a retired painting professional. Cost me 20 bucks plus some new grommets and springs for the base.

    Just don’t tell your neighbours, they tend to show up way too early on weekend mornings with 1/2 full cans of paint and sheepish grins on their faces.

  7. March 24th, 2011 at 12:08 AM


    Mike says:

    I wonder what else can be put in the paint shaker . . .

  8. March 26th, 2011 at 12:57 AM


    Larry Switzer says:

    Well . . .
    Drywall compound shakes OK,
    anything in a spray can seems to work,
    Kool Aid tastes the same shaken or stirred,
    Beer not a good idea unless you want to spend a few hours cleaning the workroom,

    Kittens just don’t seem to enjoy it much,
    Puppies think it’s cool,
    Hamsters . . . soon to be tested, I’ll get back to you with the results!

  9. March 26th, 2011 at 10:07 PM


    Mike says:

    Mucho Appreciado Larry 🙂

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