I trust Wal*Mart as much as any store, but I find that in consumer electronics, they often don't carry the brands or models that are most appealing to me. (I couldn't have bought my Sony big screen TV or my Canon digital camera there, because Wal*Mart doesn't carry these models.)
what's their return policy? That's the only reason to buy from a local brick and mortar. Beyond the return policy it's all manufacturers' warranties. I tend to stay away from walmart except for cheap consumables like batteries and light bulbs so I have no idea what their customer service is like.
You can return electronics within one month of purchase. You can also buy extended warranties that cover up to 3 or 4 years, I think. I got a GPS and a camera from Wal Mart. I was looking for basic stuff - 6 megapixel camera with video, basic GPS with voice directions and a "Favorites" list. As far as that kind of stuff goes, Wal Mart has been good.
Camcorders have essentially become commodity pieces. If all you're looking for is something for peronsal use, if you can get the features you want at the price point you want (and you don't mind shopping at Wal*Mart) there's no reason not to buy one. Don't bother with the extended warranty. If you have a high end credit card a lot of them double the warranty automatically and that should be plenty. (Just make sure you save your receipts. I understand the paper work can be a real hassle for that kind of claim.)
