Wal Mart and their ridiculous practices

[NJL]

shutty!!

 

[Dfinch]

When it come to the cops responding to an arrest made by employees of a store, they're not going to give a rip what the company policy is. For them, it's all about state law.

Store security or employee arrests fall under the citizen arrest state for whatever state they're in. Some allow force, some don't.

As long as they can articulate probable cause for believing the person committed a theft, it doesn't matter to the police if they turned out to be wrong. You'd never see employees hauled off in cuffs in my state for that.

The liability is civil. When I worked for Target, if we made a "bad stop" you could count on the company offering about $5000 right up front. Unfortunately, this resulted in "professional ditchers" who would stuff items, start racing around the store, ditch the stuff, and walk out hoping to get stopped so they could get a payday.

In my state what happened as described by the OP carried huge criminal liability for the OP's side and huge civil liability for the store side. If the friend had taken something, and fought the employees, it would elevate it to a robbery (felony). If you interfere, you also get charged with robbery. Since they were wrong, there are no charges and the store now faces the civil liability of false arrest, false imprisonment, and defamation of character. With force used, that's a payday for sure.

Contrary to what someone else said, they still do have the right to ban you from the store. It's private property. Returning to the store means arrest for trespassing.

If employees got hauled off in handcuffs in this case, it is an easy civil case for the OP's friend and he will get paid.

 

[LiquidMidnight]

Maybe Wal-Mart managers are currently on edge over the Employee Free Choice Act. We all know that Wal-Mart management practically poos its panties when the big "U" word gets uttered.

Personally, I'm more of a fan of how Lucas busted Warren in Empire Records for shoplifting. He first screwed with him at the CD rack. "The fat man walks alone." Then he got all ninja on him with the car door.

On a somewhat related note, I was once falsely accused of shoplifting from some 5 cent store in my home town. It was done right on the floor, which is usually against many stores' policies. It was one of the most demeaning experiences of my life. Of course, the owner was probably scared I was going to punch him for putting me through that. The store's no longer in business because the owner didn't have a clue. His the first step: Don't accuse your patrons of stealing from you.

p.s.

a) You missed something. Again. b) Why do people always feel the need to announce this? It's like saying "not only do I not have the capacity to scroll past an opinion I historically read into and take too seriously, I'm gonna let that guy know that I think he's a discourse bag and that I won't read any possible injection of logic or levity he might have to anything from here on out." You might as well just post a picture of yourself with your fingers in your ears and yelling "you're a discourse bag, I can't hear you, you're a discourse bag, I can't hear you, I'm wearing a dunce cap and putting myself in the corner where the pictures are pretty."

Since h-cat is now burying his head in the sand, could someone please enlighten me as to what he found so offensive? Are they his diapers? Not likely. I guess it's possible that he lets his kids roam nomadically in the wal-Mart parking lot, but I said fatherless kids, so I'm obviously not referencing any of his. Plus, I'm not even sure of his marital/child status. I guess it's most likely that he's guilty of leaving his shoppoing cart on the obstacle course or likes to release newspapers into the wild while there? If that's the case...no apologies. Walk the extra 12 feet and put it where it belongs.

Anyone? I didn't even get into the fact that there's about one full set fo teeth for every three people and about as many baths.

Mike

This post delivers.

 

[john turner]

The cop gets there, asks my friend to empty his pockets and guess what, he's got nothing on him. He explains what happened to the police. The cop later asked him if he would like to press charges. He said yes. So the two goons from Wal Mart were escorted out of the store in cuffs. It was quite nice to see actually.

awesome. too bad they didn't body slam the goons too.

 

[WHughes]

i would like some credible, non-biased sources on this, please

i may have to start having to shop at walmart more often and i'd like the scoop..

The proof is in the pudding, so to speak. You can find this stuff out for yourself, buy the tools, buy the soup, buy a movie, xbox,ps3 etc. game. Buy the tires and drive your kids around town on them.
Just because you dont want to believe it when I tell you does not make me any less credible than anyone on here.

 

[WHughes]

Don't bust on WalMart for being dishonest.

-Mike

Watch yourself chief.

I was given an xbox game for Christmas last year and went to exchange it at Walmart because I already had the game. They didnt have the game I wanted. Since it was new, unopened and I didnt want cash back, I took it to several other retail outlets to find the game I was looking for. When they scanned the barcode it would not register for them. Turns out that Walmart has microsoft and other manufacturers press the discs they sell in mexico and are of a lesser quality than the ones sold at other outlets.
There was no dishonesty on my part, I was exchanging a new microsoft product of another microsoft product.

 

[hbarcat]

The proof is in the pudding, so to speak. You can find this stuff out for yourself, buy the tools, buy the soup, buy a movie, xbox,ps3 etc. game. Buy the tires and drive your kids around town on them.
Just because you dont waht to believe it when I tell you does not make me any less credible than anyone on here.

It is true that some companies make two grades of products and they sell the higher grade at more upscale stores and they sell the lower grade at the "Big Box" stores. Several brands of lawnmowers do this and also some tool and hardware manufacturers. But that's widespread throughout the industry and certainly isn't limited to WalMart.

I don't know what other products are like this and I'm guessing that it's probably not all that easy to find out. That's the primary reason that I rarely shop at the Big Box places because I have no way of knowing if the lower price is due to greater volume or just because of inferior quality.

I can't see any good coming from buying a CD player/radio/boombox for $17.95 because there is no way that a reasonably decent piece of equipment can be made for that price.

 

[john turner]

used to work it for the DA many moons ago.

/fixed

 

[Kitsapbass]

Yeah, that's some BS. I also can't stand how they check your receipts and your merchandise as you leave. $^#@ you. I just bought it. I own it. It's mine. I don't have to show it to you if I don't want to. Way to show that you value and trust your customer by treating them like they're all thieves.

Needless to say, I take my business elsewhere.

Just curious - do you do the same thing at Costco? I'm not meaning it sarcastically, but they've been doing that there since '95...

 

[john turner]

Watch yourself chief.

i'm sure no insult was implied, and besides, you really don't want to growl at mike. i've met him.

that's like shaking your fist at a grizzly.

 

[WHughes]

It is true that some companies make two grades of products and they sell the higher grade at more upscale stores and they sell the lower grade at the "Big Box" stores. Several brands of lawnmowers do this and also some tool and hardware manufacturers. But that's widespread throughout the industry and certainly isn't limited to WalMart.

I don't know what other products are like this and I'm guessing that it's probably not all that easy to find out. That's the primary reason that I rarely shop at the Big Box places because I have no way of knowing if the lower price is due to greater volume or just because of inferior quality.

I can't see any good coming from buying a CD player/radio/boombox for $17.95 because there is no way that a reasonably decent piece of equipment can be made for that price.

I am aware of this practice. Bestbuy and Circuit city sell different versions of most everything they sell. Home Depot and Lowes both sell the same manufacturer of some lawn mowers that are different models but in both of these cases, the product is not made to look identical to the consumer. What I have said about Walmarts practices is not the same as the references that you have made.
Its just one of the many deceptive practices of Walmart.

 

[Disraeli Gears]

That's gotta be a local thing. Wal-Mart's policy is, in layman's terms, If somebody makes it out of the store without paying to just let them go. My local Wal-Mart loses about $2500 a month because of it. But when you remember that Wal-Mart is the word's highest grossing corporation $2500 doesn't seem like a lot.

Yeah, I've heard that too, although the story I've heard is that it's only for products under $100.

 

[NJL]

/fixed

shutty!!!

 

[mike_v_s]

Watch yourself chief...

...There was no dishonesty on my part, I was exchanging a new microsoft product of another microsoft product.

Now, I don't own an Xbox and maybe Microsoft has a different return/exchange policy from everything else I own, but I have always understood that you return an item at the point of purchase. How does this game differ?

Mike

 

[Bass Viking]

So I'm coming out of Wal Mart today and I see two of my friends. One of my friends was on the ground with 2 people on him. (Very much like a police take down.) They both were also both wearing Wal Mart name tags. Going against my better judgement I grabbed one of the goons that were on my friend and threw him off of him.

Did they just jump him without first telling him to stay put? Did he resist them? I'm not siding with these goons, just wondering what happened.

 

[Bass Viking]

I think it's a stupid policy. You never know what a customer has underneath his shirt or in his pocket. What if a Walmart employee tries to stop someone from leaving the store and the guy has a gun or a knife? I think they're just asking to get one of their workers hurt or killed.

+1. I was once falsely accused of stealing a newspaper from a book store. The female employee chased me all the way donw the mall and out the door to confront me. I'm over 6 feet and 200 pounds, she was much smaller. Not a very smart move on her part to go after a "suspect".

 

[WHughes]

Now, I don't own an Xbox and maybe Microsoft has a different return/exchange policy from everything else I own, but I have always understood that you return an item at the point of purchase. How does this game differ?

Mike

A mircosoft product is the same anywhere you buy it, except for Walmart. The Walmart disc is made in Mexico. Microsoft has always strongly regulated their product and prices and every retailer can not sell below a certain price. I could not return/exchange at the point of sale which was my first choice so I had to exchange somewhere else. Since the game was a gift, I was lucky to know where it came from at all. Many people receive gifts and need to exchange them. If the game had come from any other retailer, it would not have been a problem and could have been exchanged anywhere.
This is not deceptive on my part so dont accuse me of it. You are entitled to your opinion and I just felt I would enlighten you on other ridiculous Walmart practices.
If you want to patronize that store, go ahead.

 

[Unrepresented]

i hate going into walmarts, really i do, but with the economy, i'm going to have to start shopping there more often.

In most ways it's actually more expensive to go there. There's more than the price tag on the item to think about.

Wal-Mart is evil.

 

[mike_v_s]

In reverse order....

If you want to patronize that store, go ahead.

A reread might be in order.

I could not return/exchange at the point of sale which was my first choice so I had to exchange somewhere else. Since the game was a gift, I was lucky to know where it came from at all. Many people receive gifts and need to exchange them. If the game had come from any other retailer, it would not have been a problem and could have been exchanged anywhere.

...and I was genuinely asking about this return/exchange practice. I've never had this discussion with anyone (friends and family included) because it always seemed like a nonissue. Do you (or anyone else) only do this with Microsoft products, or other items like clothes, too? Is this a common practice for everyone here? Do you guys return music equipment like this, too? For those that do it with some products and not others, why?

This is not deceptive on my part so dont accuse me of it. You are entitled to your opinion and I just felt I would enlighten you on other ridiculous Walmart practices.

No need to enlighten me, I've worked retail. Do you inform the retailer you are returning/exchanging the item to that it was not purchased there? If you don't, and the retailer assumes they are exchanging something from their store, then it is deceptive, no accusation necessary.

I have honestly never heard of this and would genuinely liek to know if this is a common practice among the users here.

Mike

 

[NJL]

In most ways it's actually more expensive to go there. There's more than the price tag on the item to think about.

Wal-Mart is evil.

no, there is more to my mortgage and losing my house to think about.