Walmart Shinanigans

So I’m going to do my best to write a scathing post agains Walmart and at the same time try to stay as civil as possible. This all took place last night. The names and places havn’t been changed. Mainly cause I’m to lazy to think up some other names and places.  And to think this all came about due to Valentines day. Walmart I don’t love you. Consider our relationship over. And I’m keeping your microwave.

So I get a Valentines day card in the mail from my Parents. I must say that I’m slightly relieved that they still love me. I havn’t been doing the greatest at staying in contact with them recently. Needless to say it is a wonderful card and I need to call them and say thanks. To my suprise there was a check in the card for $50. For those who don’t know I just moved in to a new apartment and I’m kind of shy on some of those nice things like microwaves and vaccum cleaners so this presents me with an opertunity to aquire one of these modern marvels. Of course it’s a little after 9 which means if I’m going to take my time and not feel rushed I have to go to one of those 24 hour places. Namely Walmart.

I get to Walmart and go to their appliance section. They have, as expected, a fairly good selection of microwaves ranging from those tiny turn dial throw away kind all the way up to the nicer stainless steel, large enough to cook a sofa and three of your friends, style devices.  I spot two in my price range with larger stats than the only slightly cheaper counter parts. The cheaper of the two coming in at $65 and the other at $70. A little logic and some simple math makes this choice clear. The $65 model has 100W more power and is $5 cheaper. One little problem. There are none left on the shelf. So what next?

Well I had my girl friend on the phone with me while I was looking. Some may know that she just started a job with the big W and I don’t mean George. She was telling me that she thought you could price match with out providing proof of the price. That’s per one of the test to be a cashier she had to take. So I decide it’s worth it to roll over to Super Target and find out what the competition looks like.  Come to find SuperT has the $70 model on sale for $60. They happened to be out of stock for that item but Walmart had 4 or 5 of those still in stock. Perfect. I’ll get the $70 microwave for $60 and save $5 in the process. So I ask the nearest red shirted wonder if I could get a copy of the ad or something on paper as proof of the price. They said they couldn’t provide me with anything like that. Ok, well if my girl friend is correct I can just roll over to wally world and tell them and I should be good to go.

So I roll back over to Walmart and decide I better double check on this price matching system. I step up to customer service and inquire about their price matching. I explain that they had it cheaper over there by like $10 and the girl says “thats fine just tell them at the register”. SWEET! I’m about to be able to pop my horde of popcorn that I discovered while unpacking my apartment. Looking forward to my buttery goodness waiting for me at home I head back and pick up one of the microwaves mentioned before being listed at $70 and head up to the register. I tell the girl at the register that I want to price match with Super Target and that they wouldn’t give me proof. She instantly gets snippy with me and tells me it’s her job to safe guard Walmart from rip offs etc. and that she won’t do it and that she has to go talk to her manager. She apparently chose to wear the minimum amount of flair. May be I should have been talking to Brian.

She returns a few minutes later and tells me its only for advertised prices. I say it was advertised in their store at that price. What if I took a picture of the price tag? She then revised her statement to say only if its in a mailed ad like the sunday stuffer in the news paper. I then point out that the lady at customer service not 10 minutes ago told me I would be fine. She then proceeds to tell me that that person miss understood me and that she won’t do it. What!? I was just told you would by customer service! I even offered to show her the picture I snapped of the price over there and they still wouldn’t price match! What does it matter if the price is on a sheet of paper printed half a week ago or if its torn from the store via my camera phone 20 mintues earlier!?

Long story shorter I noticed the $65 model being re-stocked and sitting on a palette which I promptly snatched up and replaced for the suddenly more expensive non-price matched $70 model. I got my microwave after all but I’m still less than happy with the crap Walmart was putting down and I was unfortunately picking up. I had two Walmart employees tell me I could price match with out proof and one that said I couldn’t. How the heck does that one employee over turn two others? I’m done with Walmart. Ok they have a big selection and competitive prices but thats about it. Their treatment of customers and double talk puts the nail in the coffin for me. I’m now going to actively go out of my way to not shop at Walmart. I’m sure I’m not the only person to have this sort of experience and I hope that others will follow suit to avoid Walmart and their opressive market crushing tactics and arrogant deminor. Screw you Walmart! We’re through! And I’m keeping your microwave!