CPSC: Wal-Mart Withheld Recall Information

Wal-Mart’s Oct. 19 recall announcement did not say how many of the sets were sold, when they had been stocked in Wal-Mart stores or name the manufacturer.

This item sent me scurrying to the SEARCH WAL-MART WATCH box to retrieve a comment made awhile back. The point of this is the reader should take comments with a grain of salt. All comments, not just the pro Wal-Mart ones.

In this instance a poster claimed to “work in a WalMart toy department”. Well, you say, this fellow knows what he’s talking about. Or does he?

Walmart corporate reacts instantly to recalls of this nature and gets information out to the stores. ~ toy guy in Texas

Walmart has used the word recall regarding the flip flops, this I know because I have them on tape using the word recall. And I have at least 10 people who will swear in a court of law they were told there has been a recall, yet no information was ever given to the public concerning the flip flops, matter of fact half the employees know nothing about the flip flops or the associated problems, people have also been turned away when trying to fill out a report regarding their injuries and these flip flops, all the while walmart tries to talk settlement with various people, what IS going on here walmart??
I hope the top dog at CPSC is fired, they get someone who can run the place without direction from the current (pro big business) admin and FINE THESE LAWBREAKING COMPANIES.

I worked at Walmart as the toy department manager when the first few sets of “lead” recalls were coming in,
This is how we did the recalls:

1)One print up the recall information from a email we received or print the information from the wire.

2)Then we would hand key in each UPC number to find out how many of each item the store says we have on hand.

3)We would then write down the count of each item beside it’s UPC number.

4)Then we would go to the floor and pull any merchandise that we could find.

5)Then look to see if there was any merchandise in the overstock bins and on any pallets that we COULD GET TO.....pull any recalls we seen.

6)We would then bring the items to the Claims Department.

7)They would have to send the report of the items on hand and the counts........but they would send the “store UPC count” instead of the actual onhand count.

In my seven years with Walmart I also worked in GM Claims & Grocery Claims too.

The thing about recalls are......we have been instructed to Destroy, and or Throw away a lot of the items.

Which brings me to this point: When we get a recall and key in the UPC number to find out how many the store has on hand.......And the store says we have 23 of this particular item.............BUT We can only find 14 of them....the Claims associate STILL sends in the report saying we had 23 to cover the stores ass.
And if all they are going to do is destroy or throw them away, who would ever know if they put in false counts or even bothered to throw them away?
Grant it we do have to send some items back for credit, but most of them are pull and hold, wait for further notice, then later we get an update to destroy it....because it’s cheaper then packaging and reshipping.
If we can’t find the item and the recall date has expired but the items comes up later, well, they still sell it because the recall is over, yet it was the same item.
That’s Walmart for you!

The things I could tell from my seven years with Walmart!

Do Tell, Christine!

How about back in the day. a few years ago that is, when merit raises were still around........the trailer and between the steels were the places you could “get ahead” so to speak.

tell me something folks other retailers sold the same items and toys that walmart sold that were recalled.why is everyone picking on walmart so much and not the other retailers and stores?explain that to me.stop the double standardness.lets hold target ,k-mart and the others liable as well because they sell the same cheap merchandise that walmart does thats made overseas.stop the racism toward walmart.enoughs enough.

Two Things You Should Learn, Matthew

1.  Never try to make your argument with the “they all do it” excuse.  It’s old, its unconvincing, and it will get you nowhere.  Despite this, people Like RDS still like to use this “defense” all the time.

2.  ”why is everyone picking on walmart so much and not the other retailers...”

To answer this question, you should look to one of the facts the pro Wal-Mart crowd likes to throw around… Wal-Mart is larger than Target, K-Mart/Sears, Microsoft, G.E. and Ford combined. That’s why.

The inverse of the unconvincing “they all do it” argument is the equally unconvincing “they are big” argument, which excuses other companies of wrong or harmful actions if they just do it less often or on a smaller scale than a larger company.

The common response is that this is a site about Wal-Mart, not those other companies, and there are plenty of topics to pick from for criticism that are truly specific to Wal-Mart. Unfortunately where it gets muddied, is when problems are discussed that are bigger than Wal-Mart, say like, I don’t know, US trade with China and China’s military build-up, and focusing the attack on Wal-Mart seems shortsighted and a little silly.

Wal-Mart is larger than Target, K-Mart/Sears, Microsoft, G.E. and Ford combined.

The combined market caps of the companies you mentioned is $855.9B, compared to $183.9B for Wal-Mart, and the combined revenues of those companies over the last 12 months is $506.5B, compared to $363B for Wal-Mart. You probably should have stuck to other retailers.

Hi, Christine and everyone else with experience working at Wal-Mart.  We are interested in your stories. 

Please write in to info@walmartwatch.com

Thanks!

So… What’s Your Beef, tjc?”

“facts the pro Wal-Mart crowd likes to throw around...”

Although I didn’t use the exact quotes in this instance ( I can and I have), I was merely re-stating the “essence” of the pro-Wal-Mart crowd’s “argument.”

Are you saying that Wal-Mart isn’t as large as the pro Wal-Mart folks would like us to believe?  And not that I don’t trust you tjc, but it’s always a good idea when you toss numbers around to give us a source or reference as to how you arrived at those numbers.

So what’s you’re stake in all of this, tjc?  Perhaps you’d like to try your hand at the Yes/No questions I posed to RDS.

“Shortsighted and a little silly”

I think if someone is incapable or unwilling to connect the dots between America’s ever-growing trade deficit with China, the outsourcing or loss of American jobs to Chinese government-run factories, the build-up of the Chinese military, with the world-wide expansion of multi-national companies like Wal-Mart, that seems to be “shortsighted and a little silly.”

Eh, either you are with us, or you are with the communists.

The financial data for the companies listed is all public information that can be found on your favorite finance web site. I used Yahoo! Finance. Look up the stock symbol and view the “Key Statistics.”

Eh, either you are with us, or you are with the communists.

If you like the old commie-pinko approach, tjc, fine, but I prefer: 

“You’re either part of the solution, or part of the problem.” ~ Eldridge Clever

Even if you throw out the “combined” claim, so what? Wal-Mart is still the <b>largest</b. by whatever metric you care to use. Where else would you propose to initiate change?

**Good posts, Screwed. You are rendering me obsolete.

screwded by size of a retailer makes no difference.sounds like you are making an excuse that its ok for your favorite other places to sell those recalled items but you jump on walmart just because they are bigger.go in your favorite unionized grocers and other higher cost stores like costco and you will see that the same recalled merchandise was sold at your favorite stores.of course all you walmart haters cant give a real honest straight answer on that and never have been able too.you are always so quiet on other places doing it how come?

Matthew...Your Village Called Again!  They’re Still Missing Their Idiot!

I think you have swallowed the thoughts and remarks that tjc made a few posts back, and now you want to attribute them to me.

At no time did I ever say other companies are less culpable if they import Chinese goods or displace American jobs and workers “on a smaller scale” than Wal-Mart.  There is no shortage of multi-national companies that are willing to sell out America’s future by taking advantage of two of the worst trade laws ever brought into existence, NAFTA and CAFTA.

However, as Ken V so succinctly words it, “Where else would you propose to initiate change?” (Don’t worry Ken, you’ll never be obsolete around here!)

“Leaders” in Washington should be embarrased over the current state of this country.  Republicans or Democrats...it makes NO DIFFERENCE!  In fact, I bet if you were to go to Capitol Hill at this moment, you would find many on both sides of the aisle, who sport the little “American” flag pin on the lapels of their $1200 suits.  These are the same individuals who are supposed to be representing “We the People.” These are some of the same individuals who believe the United States has to stand up to terrorism and communism around the globe whenever and wherever it rears it’s head.  This was the justification they used for Vietnam.  Now you can go into many retailers, (not just Wal-Mart) and buy a shirt for $11.96 that was made in Vietnam.

Now these “leaders” want to play brinkmanship with Iran, because it may be pursuing a nuclear weapon, but these same “leaders” will talk about “our good friend China” which has 900 missles aimed at Taiwan.

WAKE UP AMERICA! And… wake up tjc and matthew vantress!

That’s why I’m puzzled with your comment tjc: “...it gets muddied...when problems are discussed that are bigger than Wal-Mart, say like, I don’t know, US trade with China and China’s military build-up.” It only gets “muddied” if people like yourself and RDS stir the water.  Choose this day on which side you stand!

Should we not be discussing the role Wal-Mart plays in the much larger scheme of problems facing America globally? Are these issues separate and unrelated?  How can you honestly discuss the loss of American jobs, current global trade practices, and currency manipulation by the Chinese without discussing Wal-Mart’s role?  Wal-Mart may not be the sole problem, but it is a “The Symbol” for everything that is ugly and wrong with America today!

Ken V,

“Where else would you propose to initiate change?”

It is always easier to solve the smaller problems first, so that would be the better way to start!!  Just as Costco pays better, if you could get Target, Kohl’s, K-Mart and the others to change first, Wal-Mart would have to follow, to keep competeing with them for labor!!  Now, if Wal-Mart changed, the others would not need to change, because they would have no trouble competeing for labor, because they don’t need as many “new” employees!!  Besides, if a union is required to make the change, it is easier to get thousands of employees organized than it would be to get 1.5 million organized!!

why does walmart have to change?why dont more people call on the other high cost stores that cater to the rich like kohls,target,k-mart,costco and etc.to change their business practices.if costco is so great why do they have such high turnover then?a lot of people their cant get full time work.unions wont work at walmart especially the ufcw who i am a former member ofunions just want walmart so bad so they can have more money to throw in hillarys campaign for the white house.ufcw sells out their members and in so cal told them to take acontract with no raises.their grocery workers in so cal until recently had not got any raises in pay since 2003.that should tell you something about unions..screwed by lets start discussing your favorite places like targhet,costco,fred meyer,k-mart and etc.these other retailers manipulate people and the public far worse than walmart has ever done.lets start blaming them for selling out america and jump down their throats for selling the same stuff that walmart sells.how about blaming the federal govt instead of walmart for all the jobs that were lost overseas.stop blaming one company for all the problems its not walmarts fault at all..if walmart was put out of business tomorrow i wonder who else you would gripe and hiss about?of course no one else.you know what is wrong with america?too many people who buy into gossip from the govt and selfish labor unions.what also ails america is not enough affordable places like walmart where most of us can afford to shop at regularly.im sorry target,kohls,costco,home depot,k-mart are beyond our price range and unlike you walmart haters we cant afford to shop at your favorite places regularly because their prices are too high thats what you walmart haters need to wake up and realize.

why does walmart have to change?

They don’t. In fact I hope they remain rigid in their unsustainable business model. I’m working toward CLOSED, not change.

Given the impact of tenure on wages and benefits, the cost of an Associate with 7 years of tenure is almost 55 percent more than the cost of an Associate with 1 year of tenure, yet there is no difference in his or her productivity. ~ Susan Chambers

susan chambers sorry is full of baloney.its pitiful that you believe everything you are told unlike me.i see through ms chambers and her union asnd govt pals.im not stupid and misinformed unlike most of you walmart haters are.

matt lay off the booze ,you don’t make any sense,do something else with your time,try keying in PORN, seems to be your speed.

Screwedby

Kindly read all the posts you have made on this thread--
everyone is indicative of why I aupport Dr. Ron Paul for
President.

Thanks for proving him as a staunch conservative and strict constitutionalist, by your post, to be the best presidential choice Screwedby, shall we now say” GO DR. RON PAUL !!”

none of you walmart haters make any sense.the same old tired lame arguments you are still raising.try something new and i dont drink alcohol by the way.

matthew,

“i dont drink alcohol by the way.”

But, people like Screwedby do!!

MATT what are you whinning about ,go out and get a job.

RDS…

I can relate to something W.C. Fields once said.

It was something to the affect that the difference between himself and the person he was arguing with, was that he was drunk, but his opponent was crazy.  He further observed that the next day he’d be sober, but his opponent would still be crazy.

Screwed:I think the way the W.C.Fields story went was that a very haughty,unattractive woman was ridiculing Fields-"Sir,You’re DRUNK!!”...she says.  Fields replies"Yes,Madam,indeed I am;but, tomorrow I’ll be sober,and you’ll STILL be ugly!!”

ddrb,

See, Screwedby can’t even get that right, I think he’s been drinking too much lately, he’s been getting a lot of things wrong lately, claiming they said things, the exact opposite of what they really said!!

It’s Not a Matter of “Getting it Right,” RDS

If you had bothered to notice, I was not quoting W.C. Fields exactly.  I could have taken the time to do an online search, but I didn’t.  ddrb however, did take the time, and therefore used the exact quote.

I was relating the scene as I seemed to remember it.  Are you so sure that there weren’t two slightly different versions of this same line?  Fields did make a few different films in his day.

Who really cares?  I like my version better as it applies to you.

Screwed by RDS:If you notice, I said I “Think” the story went....Actually,I did not research the quote, I recall distinctly a retrospective of Fields’ work where this was a clip-and i thought it hilarious,and remembered it for years afterward-but,Screwed,I agree-the context of using the analogy of someone being stupid ,in spite of a hangover,or even after ,the” hang “is over ,fits RDS much more succinctly!

ddrb,

“the analogy of someone being stupid”

Stupid? At least I don’t live NEXT to a Wal-Mart store, that’s stupid!!

HOW does living anywhere make you stupid?

Maybe you missed this the first time, JOE

“HOW does living anywhere make you stupid?” ~JOE

“At least I don’t live NEXT to a Wal-Mart store, that’s stupid!! ~RDS

Why live next to a Wal-Mart store when you can be less than 25 miles from the Bentonville Home Office?

[url="http://walmartwatch.com/?URL=http://www.neweconomyindex.org/states/2002/01_knowledge_05.html" ]Education Level of the Manufacturing Workforce
[/url]Rank
11....Wisconsin 1.33
14....Texas 1.25
50....Arkansas 0.01

“And, what does that have to do with Quality of Life and Cost of Living?”
RDS in
Monday, July 09, 2007 at 11:55 PM

This is an example of RDS questioning the value of higher education.

In 1931, the Arkansas legislature passed a motion to pray for H. L. Mencken’s soul after he had called the state the “apex of moronia.”

‘poor’ people today, live much better than ‘poor’ people of the past!! RDS in Thursday, July 19, 2007 at 11:18 AM

And “poor people of the past” had it so much better than the average cave man.

In 1931, the Arkansas legislature passed a motion to pray for H. L. Mencken’s soul after he had called the state the “apex of moronia.”

When I think of the Arkansas legislature praying for Mencken it reminds me of the Billy (William) Joel line:

I’d rather laugh with the sinners then cry with the saints.

Ken V :  Vast waves of WalMoronians crashing upon the shopping aisles of WalMart at holiday tide.

P.S.: Perhaps I should have taken literary license and substituted “isles” instead of aisles???