![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-631841-100x100.png\")
@Echomatrix: \"Anatomy, Zoology. any of various cavities or hollows regarded as forming an approach or entrance to another cavity or space, as that of the internal ear.\"
The internal ear wasn't quite the first vestibule that sprung to mind...
@Echomatrix: \"Anatomy, Zoology. any of various cavities or hollows regarded as forming an approach or entrance to another cavity or space, as that of the internal ear.\"
The internal ear wasn't quite the first vestibule that sprung to mind...
![\"user-pic\"](\"/css/images/default.gif\")
hbahahahahahahah!!! Go Target!
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-248249-100x100.png\")
\"Target swapped his Walmart gift cards for Target ones and let him hand them out in front of their store. \"
That's the most beautiful negative publicity I've ever heard.
Hooray for Target. And fuck you, Wal-Mart.
@aaron8301: I wish they would've kicked him out of walmart earlier and target replaced his cards earlier. but 44 > $440 of cards ain't bad, but walmart doesnt deserve the $1000 of cards he gave out, they should get to trade theirs in too.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-95687-100x100.png\")
@aaron8301: I personally like Target more than Wal-Mart, but The Target store in my city is such a COLOSSAL pain in the ass to get to. It's located inside this little private district that was built by the outfit that owns our shopping mall. Traffic flow through the damn thing SUCKS and Target has no direct access from Interstate 40. Which is why I end up going to Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart actually seems to put forth an effort to make their stores easily accessible from major public thouroughfares.
If Target built a store that wasn't inside that little Mall parkway clusterfuck I would never shop at Wal-Mart ever again.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-83382-100x100.png\")
Word.
That's the best publicity that Target could have paid for, and it was cheap! I can only imagine the Store mgr of target is probably tickled pink to rub it in Wal-mart's face!
Good job target!!
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-411202-100x100.png\")
@aaron8301: While Target isn't perfect... it's far better than Walmart and I continuously shop there instead of Walmart. I haven't been to a Walmart in months.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-488475-100x100.png\")
We only have one here, and it's all the way on the other side of town. Apparently they think the people on the North side don't have any money.
We don't, but that's beside the point.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-391618-100x100.png\")
Huuuge win for Target.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-355540-100x100.png\")
@zigziggityzoo: Only on the PR front. Financialy Wal-Mart is up $1,300 on gift card sales that will never be redeemed and Target is out $1,300 for buying them. Huge props to Target for doing it, but given that Wal-Mart cares about nothing but cash. In their eyes it's a 100% win.
@Mr.SithNinja: Actually GAO rules prohibit the gift cards to go as sales until they are redeemed. Until that time they are listed as liabilities on a balance sheet. It is offset with the cash on hand, but if you bought a billion in gift cars it will not help anybodies SALES, until they are redeemed
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-6178-100x100.png\")
@thrid001: I could be wrong, but after a certain amount of time, the money can be recovered if it goes unclaimed. After a number of years, that would be $440 extra income for the corporation. I think that's pretty much how the whole gift card scam works...
@Mr.SithNinja: I'm sure Target was banking on people showing up to get a free gift card, then spending more than 10 bucks once they got in the door.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-149829-100x100.png\")
@Mr.SithNinja: According to the article excerpt above, Goldberg only had 44 cards left @ $10 each - so Target only bought $440 word of gift cards. Good price for the publicity, and I'm sure they'll be able to use them in some way.
@KarateMedia: Target management should go to wal-mart, buy $440 worth of item(s) that they regularly stock at Target, bring it back and add it to the store inventory. Done!
Just when you think WalMart management couldn't get more retarded.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-204754-100x100.png\")
@homerjay wants Boston Legal back!:
Oh, I'm sure there's levels of retardation that they haven't even begun to explore yet.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-70169-100x100.png\")
@homerjay wants Boston Legal back!: Let's spell this out. Man spends $1300 at walmart. Walmart makes $1300. Walmart stops man from giving out gift cards. Target takes less than $1300 in walmart gift cards, but more than $0. Target gives out $0-$1300 worth of gift cards. People redeem Target gift cards for merchandise. Target looks good.
Walmart keeps near $1300 of pure profit, sales are not affected much, as Walmart is still the #1 place for poor people to shop, and there are more poor people around than ever.
@Ghede: Actually, gift cards are NOT profit.
The are a liability since they are unearned income (Unearned revenues).
Only after gift cards are redeemed (earned) are they considered profit (revenues).
@Ghede: Bingo. Walmart won, clear and cut.
Anyone who claims otherwise hasn't been paying attention.
Gift cards are profitable because so many are never cashed in. By preventing him from giving them out, they make a profit.
Target took an expense, for a PR stunt like this. Not saying the PR wasn't worth it... but it took this cost on.
Walmart walked away with a profit.
This won't win Target any more of the market.
IMHO Walmart made the better business decision. Target just wanted to take advantage of Walmart's situation and try and gain some good PR.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-439678-100x100.png\")
@digitalgimpus: As someone else mentioned earlier, it was a $10 gift card...most people aren't going to spend just $10 with it if they go inside.
Additionally $440 is nothing to spend on the amount of PR that gave them.
While it may only apply to the stores in the town in question, I'll take any fire wood I can add to my hatred of walmart
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-189920-100x100.png\")
@digitalgimpus: I don't understand that logic. Wal-Mart lost money because people who just received $10 for free would have spent more money on items had they used the cards. So now Target looks good and has people shopping there, probably spending more money then the card cost.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-273996-100x100.png\")
I mustn't have been paying attention. I didn't read the part where it said \"Target put the Wal-Mart gift cards in a shredder and will not do anything with them.\"
Wal Mart did not make the \"better business decision.\" While that guy was at Walmart, I bet PLENTY of people got on their cell phones to let their friends know some dude was giving out gift cards. Then called them back to say, \"Nevermind, they kicked him off the property.\"
Target spent $440 to let the public know they are customer centric and in the giving spirit of the holidays. Sounds worth it to me.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-386753-100x100.png\")
@digitalgimpus: I disagree. For one, it was only $440 worth of gift cards, not all $1,300, that weren't given out. For two, there's a little thing called negative publicity ... I think Walmart will lose out on a lot more than $440 worth of sales due to their assholiness in this situation.
@Sanveann: I concur. WalMart may have made $440 that day but there are a LOT of people in Hartford right now that hate their guts even more- or are just starting to- because of this story.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-397612-100x100.png\")
@homerjay wants Boston Legal back!: Or, alternatively, the $440 can be redeemed by the Target staff on clearance items from Wal-Mart that they can mark-up slightly and sell for profit.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-545915-100x100.png\")
Wow, I have never been so glad a Super Target is going up next to my house than right now. I think I will bypass Walmart every chance I get now. Way to crush Christmas cheer Walmart.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-39316-100x100.png\")
@gamabunta: Have you ever tried returning something at Walmart with OR without a receipt? One time at Walmart with a receipt they tried to not return the sales tax. They gave me to some BS about it not being refundable. Only when I threatened to call the police did that lady \"make an exception\" for me.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-541696-100x100.png\")
@TheGuinnessTooth: i live in delaware, the land of tax-free shopping. i've heard quite a few stories from friends who bought things at a wal-mart in delaware and tried to return them to an out-of-state wal-mart. it's always a huge debacle--the cashier refuses to believe delaware does not have sales tax, has to call a manager, fails to look at the receipt and see there is no sales tax being charged, thinks the customer is making things up, thinks the receipt is fake...etc.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-291935-100x100.png\")
@gamabunta: I actually recently returned something without a receipt. Actually, I didn't even return it because I never had it.
Two weeks after I had bought a large package of toilet paper, I went into my local Target without my receipt and said that I was double-charged for the toilet paper (which I was, I'm not making this up). I only received one package, but I was charged for two. All they needed was my credit card that I used and they looked up my order and immediately refunded the extra charge.
Not only that, but every time I bring something up to the register that doesn't scan or doesn't have a barcode, they don't hold up the line and take 10 minutes to go find another item. They ask me politely \"How much was this?\" and they just enter it into the computer manually.
Seriously, Target is awesome. At least mine is.
@gamabunta: Perhaps Target should hire some \"Best\" Buy thugs to \"check your receipt\" at their doors. That would solve it.
I wonder if Targoof can just verify a purchase via credit card used? They use these very frightening mechanical boxes that \"suck\" in your card and then spit it out. I always wonder if and when the thing will malfunction and I'm going to be on the phone to my bank telling them to cancel and send me a new one because of Target's funky machines....
Scanning 130 gift cards would probably take upwards of 20 minutes, actually.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-666959-100x100.png\")
I'm off to Target tonight to help my boyfriend with his last-minute Christmas shopping. Yay, Target!
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-529488-100x100.png\")
I kinda pity the cashier that had to run through all 130 of those gift cards though.
@Oranges w/ Cheese: Scanning 130 identical bar codes probably took him/her all of 90 seconds...a lot less that it would have taken to ring up 130 individual items of varying shapes and sizes.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-240645-100x100.png\")
@ophmarketing: Well if you were just scanning the barcode you'd just change the quantity to 130 and scan so it would be even easier.
I'm not 100% sure how Wal-mart's system works (never worked there never bought a gift card there) but if its like other places I have gotten gift cards from they also have to run the card through the register on the card reader and I could see where that would be a pain.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-564421-100x100.png\")
@tande04: actually, you can't do the whole quantity thing with gift cards. They have to be scanned individualy, and then the amount that is to be assigned to the gift card punched in manually.
scan card
key in $10
and repeat as necessary
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-150319-100x100.png\")
@RandaPanda0283: even if they're marked as $10 gift cards? i would imagine you'd at lest skip the keying-in-$10 part.
on a related note, why didn't he just stand out front giving out $10 bills? it's a lot easier to get 44 of those from the bank.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-350350-100x100.png\")
@RandaPanda0283: Yes you can thank the people who for many years stole gift cards for the new process of having to activate each and every card individually at stores now.
@ophmarketing:I guess you have never bought wm gift cards each one has to be indv. slid and the amount entered to activate. I just did 12 the other day and it took awhile.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-55114-100x100.png\")
Nah. That was easy work. It's not like he/she wouldn't have been scanning and bagging something else in that time if not gift cards.
I pity the people behind him in line.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-103766-100x100.png\")
So ironic, considering TGT's attitude towards bell ringers in years past. And I love how everyone is so quick to jump on corporate over some local co-manager's dumbass decision. That's the Consumerist way, though.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-313764-100x100.png\")
@gamabunta: There is a new return policy sign at the local Walmart. It says \"we gladly exchange or refund merchandise with a receipt within 90 days of purchase.\" There are more details, but the gist is that no mention is made of what happens if you don't have a receipt.
@The Name's Ash78, Housewares: Another reason to shop at Target. No god damn bell ringers who support an organization that is anti-gay and anti any religion not christian. Get the hell out of my way and leave me the hell alone. It is obnoxious and a antiquated system of collecting money since people use credit and debit cards far more than cash
@thrid001:
You really don't understand Sally's position on gays, nor their position re: other religions or denominations, do you.
Learn, and learn to appreciate, you simple person.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-56929-100x100.png\")
@thrid001: I too dislike the bell ringers. Even if you give money to one, the next time you go to the store, there's a different one, looking at you as if you're a jerk who never donates. You can't give money to EVERY SINGLE bell ringer in front of every single store you visit, unless you just give them a dime or something, in which case you're kind of a jerk.
Also the whole thing about being a crappy charity. I donated money to a charity I actually like this season, so the bell ringers can eat their bells for all I care.
@The Name's Ash78, Housewares: I'm absolutely gobsmacked that you mentioned bell ringers and didn't start a massive poo-storm of comments about how evil the Salvation Army is. It's a Christmas miracle, it is!
What to share with us some evidence?
Hell, I remember when the Red Cross charged evacuated soldiers for coffee and donuts. The S.A. gave these away with a smile and a blessing i.e. \"thank you\"; glad you're back!
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-4459-100x100.png\")
@The Name's Ash78, Housewares: Great, tell the Salvation Army to start accepting peoples of all faiths, sexual orientation, etc equally and I bet Target would consider them again. I can't bring myself to dump change into a bucket that essentially says 'no gays'.
@The Name's Ash78, Housewares: You'd have a point if the corporate response had been something like, \"That manager was out of line. We welcome this generous man back to hand out as many gift cards as he likes!\" But no, they apologized for the mngr, which makes coprate just as douchey, if not more.
@The Name's Ash78, Housewares: Regardless, the manager is a representation of the company.
Corporate's response of \"While we appreciate the customer's patronage, we understand that he was interrupting the flow of foot traffic in the store's vestibule\" was not exactly heart-felt.
If the \"Consumerist Way\" is so awful, I'm sure there are plenty of other websites you can patronize. Just make sure you don't block the web-site's vestibule.
@catcherintheeye: It's just like when people are quick to blame to victim (which also happens a lot). There's a really tired and cliche, pent-up vitriol against Walmart...much of it founded, much of it personal axe-grinding.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-159178-100x100.png\")
@The Name's Ash78, Housewares: I happen to be pro anti-bell ringer. It's obnoxious. I understand it's a good cause and all, but high pitched bells suck. They need more base. More cow bell.
Failure rate = 1 per 30, apparently.
Not bad for a comment post, really.
Should \"high pitched\" be hyphenated? Perhaps I fail in determining failure rate!
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-116933-100x100.png\")
Hmm, I don't get the math.
He bought 130 cards. He stood outside a Walmart at Christmas and he still had 44 left.
That has to be the least trafficed Wal Mart ever.
If you stood out in front of the Wal Mart by me with 130 gift cards, they would be gone in 5 minutes tops.
@CreativeLinks: Maybe some people were suspicious? Totally random charity on this large a scale does not happen often, so it's reasonable people would be scared. Personally, if I were the manager, I'd figure it was free marketing and give the guy a blue vest so he looks like an employee so that people actually trust him.
People at the nearby shops in the strip mall (Including competitor #1 Target) would see people crowding around one guy, and come over to see what the fuss was over. Then, they get $10 for free to spend in the store right next to them, go inside, and from that point on, anything they spend over $10 (likely, as WalMart is a store that sells near-everything and almost everyone needs something at any given time) is money in the bank for WalMart. Of course, then WalMart ruins it and Target gets the foot traffic instead. Hmm, at least the vestibule was clear because the customers are now at the other store.
That's what happens to people at the WalMart by me :(
Luckily Target's right in the same complex here so I don't have to shop at FailMart.
@CreativeLinks: Or maybe some people were too weirded out to take the card from him. I know I would be suspicious if some weirdo standing outside of Wal-Mart stopped me and asked me if I want a free gift card... o_O
@rinse:
I'd probably walk right past him too because i would assume he wanted me to sign up for a credit card or phone service or something.
We are too conditioned to see offers of 'free' as being a hoax.
@CreativeLinks: This was also Lisbon, which is on the way to the Really Fucking Quiet Corner of CT... which was busy getting shit-hammered by snow this past Friday and Sunday. But people were out and about Saturday, sooooo... I guess it's plausible.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-122634-100x100.png\")
@CreativeLinks: It also said weekend adventure. There are no details on if he gave them away at once or during certain times. He also may have choosey on who he gave them to as opposed to giving them to everyone that walked by.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-1504-100x100.png\")
He's fortunate the headline to the article isn't \"Wannabe Santa Killed in Wal-Mart Stampede\".
i bet the cretins thought he was damaging potential sales. as in, gift cards are meant to be lost or forgotten, not used to buy stuff in the critical pre-christmas shopping blitz. \"those people should have been spending their own money!\"
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-2061-100x100.png\")
On the one hand, I don't think we should vilify Wal-Mart corporate for a stupid local management decision. But then again, this kind of crap is pretty typical for Wal-Mart. I consistently have issue with customer service at each and every Wal-Mart I visit. The workers and management are usually rude, inattentive, and/or absent. Eventually top-level corporate management has to be held accountable.
Alas, I'm a slave to Wal-Mart's low prices and turn a blind eye to the crappy service (a la Randy Marsh on South Park).
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-706751-100x100.png\")
@David S:
I don't think Walmart is all that bad. In any discount retailer you'll always find substandard employees. The ones that are really good eventually get fed up and leave. I had a problem with the pharmacy once and instead of listening to my problem, the manager brought some ugly goon with her to stand there and try to intimidate me while I told her about how incompetent the pharmacy techs are. I called the corporate HQ the next day. That manager won't even look me in the eye now and the goon she brought with her who actually followed me to my car has been fired.
@kreatre2009:
I've found the pharmacy in my local Target nothing short of extraordinary. I have a lot of complicated medications and so does my husband and they are seriously on top of their game. I don't think you can say that any discount retailer will have substandard employees. It will vary by location and local management's standards, but I refuse to set foot in a WalMart. I don't care if people think I am being snobby, I just won't condone their business and employment practices by giving them my money. I can get things for almost as cheap at other places that aren't so abhorrent. I'd rather have the peace of mind than save some pennies.
That said, I also won't shop in Whole Foods for similar reasons. I don't discriminate just against Walmart, I just vote with my wallet, which is the only thing you can do against corporations such as these.
@David S: \"I consistently have issue with customer service at each and every Wal-Mart I visit. The workers and management are usually rude, inattentive, and/or absent.\"
Apparently the race to the bottom with wages, combined with forced labor off the clock, denying promotions purely based on gender, and other nice things Walmart does isn't conducive to attracting people who give a shit about how they do their jobs.
Combined with the overall feeling of those Walmart stores, I often wonder how low your socioeconomic level has to be to subject your soul to regular visits there.
Eh. Most Wal-Marts have a policy that you can't stand in their vestibule and sell/offer/solicit/gift-give without store approval. If the let him do it, they would have to let everyone do it- church groups, boy scouts, nursing home bake sales all clogging up the front. Them's the breaks.
The dude could have always went to the manager and asked first (FUNNY, he went to Target and asked them. That's more courtesy than he gave Wal-Mart). THAT way, the store knows what you're not just some creepy dude handing naked images to children. TRUE STORY.
People always give Wal-Mart a bad rap without thinking stories all the way through.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-97671-100x100.png\")
@Drowner: do they know what all those little kids and the salvation army people are doing in front of their stores? same damn thing if you ask me, only I'd much rather run into the gift card guy then people making me feel guilty for not ever having cash or bought something from them.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-391270-100x100.png\")
@janetcarol: They all have permission though. Walmart's rules when it comes to that are usually written right outside the entrance.
DAMNIT i need to get a screen cover or something.
But my point still stands- wal-mart didn't know what he was doing out in front of the store.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-54520-100x100.png\")
@Drowner:
In my part of the world, Wal-Mart entrances are CONSTANTLY surrounded by bell-ringers, Boy Scouts, kids' soccer teams, and other community organizations selling candy, raffle tickets, or god knows what else. I can't imagine it's much different elsewhere.
Companies, like people, generally don't receive a bad rep without reason (exceptions apply of course).
@snidelywhiplash: Yeah, same here. Not to mention high schools holding car washes in the parking lot.
\"Santa\" shoulda just dumped the cash in the bell-ringer's bucket. SA is hurting this year. I guess he was mostly in it for the publicity.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-475052-100x100.png\")
@Drowner: Uh... I read the linked article and watched the video-
Target contacted him, not the other way around.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-171069-100x100.png\")
@Drowner: Whoever said the internet is fair? Mob mentality is SO much funner than, like, analyzing stuff.
$10 says they see a few target employees walk in and buy up a load of cheap plastic crap to rebrand.
![\"user-pic\"](\"/mt-static/support/assets_c/userpics/userpic-291961-100x100.png\")
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var google_ads = new Array();
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Like I have always said,
\"People go to Walmart because they HAVE to,
and they go to Target because they WANT to.
@htrodblder: I dunno, I only go to any big box store because I HAVE to. Target, Walmart, BB, whatever. Only store I go to because I WANT to is the bookstore.
Oh.. This is not good. How do they explain the Salvation Army people standing outside ringing their bells all day? They're \"soliciting\" donations. The Walmart that I go to frequently often allows various church groups, girl scouts and, a lot of hack charities to stand at the door soliciting people. I guess it's an individual store policy or, my Walmart didn't get the memo about solicitors. I really don't like being bothered when I'm trying to enter and leave the store. This guy giving out gift cards shouldn't have been a problem. They were Walmart gift cards weren't they? Where else would these people spend them?
@kreatre2009: 1) Yes it depends on the store and 2) Those organizations ASKED first. BEFORE they set up outside.
This guy was GIVING these things away. I think this was very dumb of that Walmart to do. They're certainly not encouraging anyone to be charitable with this kind of behavior. What possible damage could this guy have actually done? I can see it now... A customer complains that a man standing in the vestibule gave them a gift card for free. How dare that man just give something away without asking for anything in return. It's just scandalous!!!
Next time, take the TARGET gift cards and hand them out in front of Wal-Mart for as long as you can get away with it.
THAT'LL really grind their gears when they realize how many customers you sent over to Target.
@homerjay wants Boston Legal back!: What a wonderful, awful idea! I love it.
I've been trying to convert some of my coworkers who are diehard Wal-Mart fans (WHY?) to the beauty and wonder that is Target. So far I have had no luck. But I refuse to give up.
\"He said it wasn't a gimmick it (sic) or stunt.\"
People dress up as Santa and hand out gift cards outside of stores all the time. Didn't smack of a stunt at all!
Was this his penance?
\"Here, poor people who shop at WalMart. In my previous job as a mortgage lending money-gouger, I talked you into buying homes you couldn't afford and now you're struggling. I'm taking my last $1300 to make it up to you, now that I'm destitute just like you.\"
I don't know... Am I the only one who's weirded out by some wacko former exec-type handing out gift cards like that? I don't know what this guy's personality is like, but if it's anything like the other regulars I see at walmart... well... you do the math.
I'd hesitate to use one, half expecting the walmart black helicopters with commandos to descend upon the register for using one, thinking it's fraudulent.
I'm not defending walmart or target either. In fact, not even going to touch that. Just looking at the situation that provoked the whole thing. Who does that?
I'm hoping eventually Walmart will fall like the Roman empire. They are part of the problem with this country.
Not to sound like the loser I know this will make me... But I kind of understand Wal-mart's stance on this.
They just sold $1,300 in gift cards. The last thing they really want is those cards coming back into their store. When someone uses a gift card to buy something the store is not showing a profit again because they already made that money when the card was first purchased.
I used to work at a Chuck E Cheese and we would host company holiday parties. There was one company that would always buy gift cards from a different CEC and their store would get the sales and then they would come to us and pay a $5,000 - $7,000 tab on gift cards. and at the end of the day we really wouldn't get credit for the sale. Not that I cared either way because you would have to be a general manager to even get anything extra but it is annoying trying to scan a few hundred cards.
@Scott Heinritz:
yes, but when you use a gift card, you often buy more than the value of the card.
When I get a $20 gift card, I spend at least $40, telling myself I'm getting stuff for half off. It's consumer mentality. Wal-Mart could have made a lot more money allowing the cards to be used, especially at the time of year people are ready to spend.
I think I get where Walmart is coming from here, I mean, the last thing they want right now is a crowd of people clustered in an entrance.
/too soon?
@The Head-Steam Photographer Intern: Nope, not too soon.
I'm surprised Walmart* hasn't sued the estate of Jdimytai Damour for interfering with contractual relations by lying dead in the doorway blocking customers.
Do you think they realize yet that if they hadn't caused a stink people might have been talking about the Walmart where they were giving away gift cards?
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My contempt for WalMart grows on a daily basis.
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I love Target more than words can say.
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Screw Wal-Mart. It's the Company Store for America.
I won't cross the threshold of there store, never again. The last time I was in a Super Wal-Mart it looked like Night of the Living Dead. Customers and Employees.
It's just a bunch of stuff made somewhere else to sell to down on their luck Americans.
Wal-Mart is bad for America. Pass it on.
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I'm with Wal-mart on this one. If this guy wants to hand out stuff, he should just walk around the store or parking lot and do it. When you stand by the door in Walmart, dressed up, you appear to be an employee of Wal-mart. So they have someone appearing to be an employee, handing out gift cards. Hmm, yea that sounds off to me. Regardless of his intentions, that's just asking for confusion and trouble. And, by the way, anybody else think this is a lame idea?
Seems that everyone is surprised at how stupid Walmart is. Keeping buying from them people keep buying.
blocking the vestibule. Lame excuse. if that was what is happening they could simply direct him some place else that doesn't block traffic. Like next to the Sally Ann volunteer. Besides how long do you think will 130 cards be disposed off? I'm quite certain that it would be gone in under an hour.
Target did know how to capitalize on the situation.
Why doesn't he give them cash like that guy in Kansas or something. Gift cards are crud.
So far in the past few months, Wal-Mart has:
1. Allowed an employee to be trampled to death, then reopened its doors to make more money mere hours after he was murdered. Gotta make more more money off cheap trinkets.
2. Wrote \"Happy Birthday Adolf Hitler!\" for the past three years for that wacked-out family. When Shop-Rite refused, Wal-Mart continued it's tradition of accommodating white supremacists. (yeah, yeah, i know the little boy didn't do anything wrong)
3. Denied a good samaritan to promote good will in the spirit of the holidays.
In addition to paying workers pennies an hour, no health care, and in the hotseat for not promoting women.
Why does anyone shop here? It's not any cheaper than Target, or Kmart for that matter. We need to come together as a nation and boycott this warehouse of crap.
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Shopping at Wal-Mart is a downward spiral.
People shop at Wal-Mart because \"that is all they can afford\". But it is all they can afford because they shop at Wal-Mart.
If Wal-Mart was gone, and mom and pop stores came back, wages would be higher, not to mention the fact that Wal-Mart tells companies that if they want to do business with them, they have to move their factories to China, greatly reducing the number of factory jobs in the U.S. No wonder it is all they can afford.
@suburbancowboy: Also, not to mention that if you buy something from Wal-Mart that isn't name brand, like Sony or something, then you're going to buy the same crap three times.
So many people (my parents are like this) feel that when there is something on sale, for example a microwave, for $50 instead of $100, they have to buy it. And then 6 months later it breaks, so they just go right back to Wal-Mart to buy a new one. And it happens again and again. and before you know it, they just spent $200 in 3 years when they could have gotten a good one for $100 in the first place and it would have lasted much longer.
Wal-Mart requires that you ask before you set up anything in front of the store. It's kinda stupid in this case, where the guy is giving away cards that can only be used in your store and therefore causing people to spend more.
I bet Target is the same way, but actually saw this as a way to make them look good.
Reminds me of a time when I was handing out (free, as in beer) tickets to a hockey game in San Diego. Actually got arrested for 'scalping' since I was (apparently) 'removing value from the paying ticket holders' by giving away items for which I had paid box offices prices.
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Ok so sales are down. You have a guy giving out money that can only be spent in YOUR store and you turn him away?
How stupid can you be?
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Maybe he should have bought a Nazi-themed cake with his $1300, Wal*Mart seems to be good at that.
Wait, Target was all right with him standing in front of their store? Weren't they the ones to tell the Salvation Army they couldn't set up shop in front of Target stores? I mean, I know this isn't solicitation, but I figured Target would be pretty stingy about it, too.
I don't have a problem with Walmart stopping him - in a nice way. He's on their property, so they get to decide.
Besides - they don't care about HIM - it's the 50 or more Santa wanna-bes who'd show up tomorrow (if they let him do it), and the mob that would ensue.
Yet another reason to love target!
Considering that a Walmart employee was just killed on Black Friday because of a mob of customers at their front door I'm really not surprised by their reaction to this.
It's easy to call Walmart a Grinch for stopping him from doing this but I bet that you'd all hold Walmart responsible if someone got hurt because another riot of greedy customers broke out.
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Brilliant move on Target's part.
He could have given the cards out in the parking lot, with Wal-Mart's permission.
Private property!
Disgusting, but not at all surprising for Wal-Mart. I say fuck 'em, and props to Target. The guy who said folks shop at Wal*Mart because they HAVE to and Target because they WANT to is spot on. Sad perhaps, but utterly true. I'm fortunate enough to be able to frequent better retailers like Target and I wouldn't step foot in a shithole like Wal*Mart anyway. Hope this gives lots of negative publicity (as if Wally needs more!)
Once upon a time (the 80's) Wal-Mart used to treat people well and probably would have helped th guy hand them out. These days the place is successful in spite of itself. They seem to pride themselves on seeing how lousy they can b.e
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Wow, just wow. The idiocy of this is so amazing that it is almost unbelievable.
\"I am giving people money that they HAVE to spend in your store during an incredibly bad economic time.\"
\"We cannot allow that, you're disrupting foot traffic, go to Target.\"
Chock full of awesome.
Maybe Walmart have a point. You know how greedy idiots are getting now and maybe with him handing out free giftcards, people startingh crowding round causing a problem at the entrance to the store. I'm not saying that IS what happened, I'm just saying it's a possibility and it does fit with the Wallmart statement.
Target is sooo much better than chinese wal-mart.
....and walmart lets every single shotty charity to set up shop at the front door, but doesn't let this guy spread some holiday cheer. yay for target!
Wow, this was at the Wal-mart near my house!
Too bad i avoid that place like The Plague during the holidays.
At first I thought this was about not allowing the Salvation Army into the vestibule.
I remember working for Walmart when I was a kid and they first had to tell the Salvation Army that they couldn't do it any longer.
Several unions were suing Walmart to be allowed to solicit unions. Their reasoning was that since the Salvation Army could \"solicit\" customers, they should be able to do the same to solicit walmart workers to become union.
I hate wal-mart, they suck and ruin america
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Wal-Mart set themselves up for that one. Good zing there Target.
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Here we have one more example of the cretins that run Wal-Mart. Perhaps if they paid their people, even managers, decently, they could find employees that at least have the mental agility of a doorknob.
A simple solution would have been to match his purchased cards with an equal number of free ones and then post him under a sign saying, \"Season's Greetings from Wal-Mart\".
That would have turned a negative incident that will certainly cost them lots of business into a positive one. But that doesn't seem to be part of the Wal-Mart company culture. The place has certainly gone to hell since the days when Sam Walton ran things. I wonder what the old boy would have thought of this?
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Wow - The Walmart management mouth-breather mentality never ceases to amaze me...
@TheSpatulaOfLove:
It's cold and flu season, of course they're breathing through their mouths.
@TheSpatulaOfLove: My guess is they thought he was handing out marketing flyers or something and then idiotically refused to back down once they realized that wasn't what he was doing.