It's rather a binary question. You either do, or you don't.
Except for people like the OP, who don't shop there except in special circumstances, so would have to answer "yes" while still maintaining a philosophical opposition to doing so.
Ah, but in the case of the OP, the answer is clearly "yes" - the philosophical objection clearly doesn't matter, when the rubber meets the road, you do shop at Wal Mart. As you point out in the OP:
I've apparently identified the dollar value of my philosophical beliefs.
So that's a clear "yes." I don't see how you say "people like the OP .. don't shop there" - that's exactly the type of case where it makes sense to be a yes, and not have an option for them to weasel out with a "rarely" or "I do but I don't like it!" - they have to own up and admit yes, they shop there, despite any philosophical objections they claim to have.
There's a million ways to ask about people's feelings of Wal Mart. Another potential one: Are you philosophically opposed to Wal Mart and its practices? Yes/no.
That would be a different question than if you shop there, and give some insight into who shops there but is opposed, who doesn't shop there but isn't opposed (see Grant's answer, for an example of this), etc.
Why? The question is about if you shop there or not, not how frequently you do.
So if (hypothetically) I bought something at WalMart one time back in 1999, I would have to say yes, I shop at WalMart?
I suppose that depends if (hypothetically) you are an idiot or not. Good thing none of us here are, right? (In other words, if you can't read between the lines, I know you certainly aren't, so why are you asking these inane questions?)
I'll go ahead and answer it, once, in case you actually genuinely can't figure out that obvious case. Beyond that, I'd rather not argue about it, and if you want to start your own fun happy Wal Mart poll with lots of options, be my guest. :)
To answer your "So if (hypothetically) I bought something at WalMart one time back in 1999, I would have to say yes, I shop at WalMart? ": The question does not read "
Have you shopped at Wal Mart?" It reads "
Do you shop at Wal Mart?"
It is up to the voter to decide what "shop" means.
I'd argue that someone shopping there one time 14 years ago who - since then - hasn't had a chance, but would shop there may want to put yes (or could put no, and say they don't live by one, I'm good with either answer), while someone who purposefully in the meantime actively decided not to go there again would put no.
That's the beauty of letting people be intelligent. Most of them can handle it.
Some just nitpick though.
It's rather a binary question. You either do, or you don't.
But as above, the binary question doesn't really supply much information, since it doesn't distinguish between people who do most or all of their shopping there, and those who rarely go there.
Okay? It also doesn't establish, as above, who loves it or hates it, and shops there or doesn't despite that.
Grant, who doesn't have a problem with it, still puts "no" as he doesn't live close. Sol, who does have a problem with it, may have to put "yes."
It doesn't distinguish a lot of things, because it is only getting at one thing: the bottom line of if you do or don't shop there.
Then the comments section lets one get more detailed about why the do/no not.