Toys “Priced to Sell” at Wal-Mart

Slashed prices on toys in early October?

Christmas decorations on the shelves before that.

I am Gosh Darn sick and tired that the “reason for
the season” is no longer the birth of a child 2000
years ago.

Take heart, Rob. I have a feeling folks are going to stay away from Consumermas this year in droves!

(The word I keep reading in the financial media is bleak.)

ddrb,

“truth be told-how can one be expected to reason with the insane ravings of a lunatic mind?”

If my ‘ravings’ reflect the majority view, how can they be considered lunatic?  My views are the same as those that made this country what it is today, although people on your side have done a good job bringing it down!!  My side supports the ‘winners’, your side supports the ‘losers’, sorry that you feel winning is ‘bad’ and losing is ‘good’!!  You are like those kids in school, the ones who tease the ‘nerds’ and ‘geeks’ and say how dumb they are!!  Problem is, those ‘nerds’ and ‘geeks’ will be the ones who will make it to the top, while your group will end up in trouble with the law, on welfare or asking “Do you want fries with that?’(or working at Wal-Mart and blaming them for your life situation)!!

If my ‘ravings’ reflect the majority view..

That’s a mighty big IF

My views are the same as those that made this country what it is today.

Exactly! No values beyond greed. A global race to the bottom. Thanks, RDS!

Let me tell you how Walmart fools the shoppers into believing they got a great “rollback” price.

I worked for Walmart seven years, over four of those years I was a department manager, last one being DM of toys.

Walmart will sell an item, lets use the Fisher Price Kids Camera as an example which normally sells for $54.88.

Price changes (mark ups) come down from the Home Office, which are suppose to be complete before leaving that day, after two days they are late.
The price change will mark the Camera up to $64.88, then the next day the Home Office will send price changes as “rollbacks, taking the camera back to the original selling price of $54.88.
To me it’s false advertising and just making a fool out of the customer.
Walmart should be fined for using such tactics on the consumers, but unless you work there you probably will never catch on to this scheme.

Sounds very typical of the Bentonville business practice Christine.

WalMart- Screwing our associates where even a 3 year old can get the picture.

Christine,

I think if you talk to anyone who works in ‘retail’, this is standard practice all over!!  Think about it, if Wal-Mart has a 3% to 4% profit margin, how can they sell things for 25% to 50% off?  How can any store do that?  And, it’s done ALL over!!

RDS,

We all know you want to defend dishonesty, deceitful practices, deceiving the public, retail propaganda, bait and switch schemes, hyped up ‘low price’ frauds and other typical WalMart business practices… But why are you making excuses again from your ‘truth and facts’ only personal judgment spittoon?

WalMart- We are paying the Edelman ‘war romm’ slobs $10 million a year for this tripe??!!

“Price changes (mark ups) come down from the Home Office, which are suppose to be complete before leaving that day, after two days they are late.
The price change will mark the Camera up to $64.88, then the next day the Home Office will send price changes as “rollbacks, taking the camera back to the original selling price of $54.88.”

That’s fine, Christine, but how does either price compare to the main competition?*

Bottom line—if Wal-Mart’s price is lowest, people will buy the camera, there—otherwise, why pay 10 or more dollars for the exact same piece of merchandise??

For those of you lacking the drive to make comparisons, according to what’s on the web, Target wants $64.99 for this particular toy, while both Toys “R” Us and Wal-Mart are pricing theirs in the $49 range.

Bill

Bill in: “Why pay 10 or more dollars for the exact same piece of merchandise?”...Well,maybe you expect some service after the sale,or you dont want your money to be banked with the Bentonvillians,or you’d like to see a return on your community’s investments ,or you believe that price and value are not always the same thing ,unless you are living as an island unto yourself in a man- cave(your phrase) ,as Robinsion Crusoe,and guess who Nick would be?

Nick is my MANCAVE or haven’t you noticed?

SDV,

“We all know you want to defend dishonesty, deceitful practices, deceiving the public, retail propaganda, bait and switch schemes, hyped up ‘low price’ frauds and other typical WalMart business practices”

I’m not defending anything, the price is what it is and it is up to the shopper to decide what they are willing to pay for the item!!  This is not dishonest, as a company can set any price they wish, it is not deceit, because they actually do reduce the price from what it was before the ‘markdown’, to what it is after the ‘markdown’, whether they raised the price earlier, is not relevant, as they have the right to raise prices any time they choose!!  It is not ‘bait and switch’ because you get what you were seeking and it is not a ‘low price fraud’ because you can compare the price with other stores!!

Or, is it that YOU can’t make decisions on your own and have to have people hold your hand while shopping!!  Can’t you learn how to shop wisely, all by yourself?

RDS:”,and it is not a “"low price fraud because you can compare the price with other stores!!” well, that may or not be so, but representations in past years on WalMart signs and slogans"Lowest prices,always,"was disputed in court, and the slogan was changed to LOW prices,NOT LOWEST prices,as had been touted by WalMart in signs and slogans for years before WalMart was taken to court and the veracity of Lowest prices-always, was disputed and evidently,there was merit to the dispute,for the slogan was changed.

ddrb,

What can I say, except THINGS CHANGE!!  Other companies have learned to compete!!

Bill in: “Why pay 10 or more dollars for the exact same piece of merchandise?”...Well,maybe you expect some service

ddrb - Service after the sale for a kid’s toy?? 

Don’t make me laugh.

In real life, what you said applies to purchases such as fine jewlery, automobiles, and high-end electronics—things you typically don’t buy from a big-box store.

I think you need to get out, a little more.

Bill

Bill in:Service for a kid/s toy? Bill,reread my post-where do i mention a kid’s toy? I dont have any need to buy toys,anyway-I was thinking lawnmowers,microwaves,T.V.s,bicycles,-there is no service on these items.I think you need to quit putting words in my mouth!

“Why pay 10 or more dollars for the exact same piece of merchandise?”

We’ve been through that discussion on several occasions. In many cases it’s not “the exact same piece of merchandise”.  Many brand names supply Wal-Mart with a cheaper, crappier version of their product. It’s called manufacturing to ‘Wal-Mart specs’ and it’s basically cashing in on a name brand’s reputation.

THINGS CHANGE!!

In most cases change is brought about by people. If the Waltons, Scott, and his merry band of Bentonvillians can effect change, perhaps ‘ordinary’ folks can as well.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead

Ken V in Texas:I especially like the “thoughtful and committed “part...in Margaret Mead’s quote.

“Bill in:Service for a kid/s toy? Bill,reread my post-where do i mention a kid’s toy?”

At the risk of “going on the defensive”, I will say, again…

Ahem—when I originally said “Why pay 10 or more dollars for the exact same piece of merchandise?”, it was about a child’s toy that cost 10 bucks more at Target.

If you want to make a real contribution, here, why not read all the messages on the thread before you spout-off your two cents’ worth—that way, it doesn’t derail the conversation on needless stuff like this.

In other words, you need to get with the program, ddrb!

Bill

“Bill in:Service for a kid/s toy? Bill,reread my post-where do i mention a kid’s toy?”

At the risk of “going on the defensive”, I will say, again…

Ahem—when I originally said “Why pay 10 or more dollars for the exact same piece of merchandise?”, it was about a child’s toy that cost 10 bucks more at Target.

If you want to make a real contribution, here, why not read all the messages on the thread before you spout-off your two cents’ worth—that way, it doesn’t derail the conversation on needless stuff like this.

In other words, you need to get with the program, ddrb!

Bill

Bill,

Don’t you know that both Ken V, and Screwedby (who don’t shop at Wal-Mart, by the way), have said that Wal-Mart has ‘Special, cheaper, and crappier’ products made for them that all fall apart within 2 to 3 DAYS and clothes that fall apart on the first washing!!  Guess that the dumb ‘hillbillies’ that shop at Wal-mart don’t notice that they keep buying the same things, week after week!!  I always wondered why I have to keep buying a ‘new’ T.V. two to three times a week, now I know, the experts have spoken!!

Bill in:Now you are not only Stainmaster but, Webmaster,as well?

Bill in:P.S. Did you think your last post at 1:57 P.M. was so enlightening that it deserved to be posted twice?Webmaster,YOU need to get with the program!

“Bill in:Now you are not only Stainmaster but, Webmaster,as well?”

I am about as much a webmaster, here as (the real) RDS is a union operative.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it…

Bill

ddrb’s dollar store theories had me nosing-around in the WMW archives (I guess us webmasters are supposed to do that sort of thing)…

http://walmartwatch.com/blog/archives/remember_wal_marts_buy_american_program/

One of the “antis” from that era even thought RDS was the CEO of Wal-Mart—some people will say anything!

Also noteworthy, is the fact that both RDS and Nick were around here long before the Kenny Vs, Tommy Bs, and SDVs were abandoned on WMW’s doorstep.

Can any of the rest of you (including myself) top RDS and Nick’s longevity record?

I doubt it.

Bill

Bill in :Who’d want to? Ever heard of quality vs. quantity?Didn’t one of the posters call Nick a roach,recently? And we all know the roach’s longevity record,don’t we?

Thats because they work for wm. Why else would anyone post for anyother reason for almost 2 yrs. Home office people have to take vacations, also nick will be back.  Bill did you notice their posts are the same thing over and over and over. ps i don’t care for most of the prowm because you don’t know the truth. other posters put the truth on here and all the jerks try to say they don’t know what they are talking about including yourself.  rds was a union recruiter,and member.

WAL-MART is falling DOWN< DOWN< DOWN, NEVER TO BE PUT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!

JOE,

“ rds was a union recruiter,and member.”

The key word here, is “was”!!  I was a member of the Teamsters union from 1961 thru 1973, and a recruiter from 1975 thru 1978, so it’s been 29 years since then!!  But, wait, I may be an undercover union agent (008) on a special mission to crush Wal-mart from within, by posting pro Wal-Mart!!  But, NO, I’m actually someone who works in the home office!!  I guess I could be anything your mind comes up with!!

And, maybe we post the same things over and over again, because you don’t need to twist or spin the truth, it remains the same!!  We don’t have to “spin” 135 million customers a week or 1.5 million employees, they are fact!!  Or, that Wal-Mart has no problem finding ‘new’ people to work there!! You guys find 10 angry people from an anti Wal-Mart site and claim it’s a majority, telling the TRUTH!!

see you did it again. they had a decline? 178-135 YOU ARE HOPELESS

that is not customers ,it is transactions. They also count your use of the gift card to buy gas at the murphy station which is not wm’ts . i would just guess if you use your wm mastercard, and now also that visa card somewhere else they count that as a transactions. Do you know you have a better chance of getting a job there if you are on public assistance because they get tax incentives? then when that runs out seeya.  I don’t think you will ever get the big picture because your so involved with your own self.

“You guys find 10 angry people from an anti Wal-Mart site and claim it’s a majority, telling the TRUTH!!”

RDS, what is the current U.S. population?  302 million-plus?

Oh, wait, they are not all Wal-Mart shoppers for various reasons (they are too young to shop, don’t live near a store, or WM just isn’t “their thing").

That said, I’ll just use the word “millions” and stack them against “Kenny’s top 10” any day of the week!

Bill

joe,

“see you did it again. they had a decline? 178-135 YOU ARE HOPELESS”

I used that ‘lower’ figure, because I knew that someone out there would claim that it was a false number, if I used the 178 million figure!!  And, guess what, you even complained about the ‘lower’ figure!!

“that is not customers ,it is transactions”

This has been debated before, but who really cares, the ‘bottom line’ is that people are shopping at Wal-Mart in large numbers and who are YOU to say they shouldn’t be allowed to do that?

“Do you know you have a better chance of getting a job there if you are on public assistance”

Wow, getting people off of public assistance, how shameful!!  How many leave to get back on public assistance as soon as they can?  In fact, many stay on the public health care system, while working at Wal-Mart, because they say they can’t afford the $11.00 a month for the company plan!!  At least they are partially off the taxpayers back for awhile!!

“I don’t think you will ever get the big picture because your so involved with your own self.”

Sorry, but I am not the one with an agenda of fighting the system, you are!!  It is you that wants the world to follow YOUR views, they already follow mine!!  It is YOU that wants the rules to change to YOUR way of thinking, not me!!  So, who is it really that is involved in their own self?

rds do you know the real meaning of FULL OF YOURSELF?

..FULL OF YOURSELF..

I’ve tried to get RDS to change his ‘nic’ to Bootstrap Bob.

He is so damn proud of himself for managing to get and stay in the middle class.

Poverty does strange things to people.

Ken V: re:Bootstrap Bob-How about Barefoot Bob?To hear him tell it,he was too poor to afford boots,to pull himself up with!

Anybody remember Dave Smith calling bsBob FLATFOOT WOODEN TOE SLOB? Reminds me of, you know your a redneck when.

bobby you missed the tax reason.

“Anybody remember Dave Smith calling bsBob FLATFOOT WOODEN TOE SLOB?”

Yeah, I saw some of his old posts—where is the “Proud Union Ironworker”, now?

Oh, that’s right—Dave’s just an afterthought like a dozen or so others that once did their time on WMW, and moved-on…

Bill

HOW LONG ARE YOU STAYING?

Bill:Has it ever occurred to you that people fall ill,or pass away ,or perhaps become afflicted with conditions that render them incapable of posting on any site?

ddrb,

If you have proof that what I said about the “dozen or so others that once did their time on WMW, and moved-on…” is wrong, by all means, enlighten me.  I’m all ears…

Otherwise, let’s get real—noone stays on these forums for very long (well, except for Tom Boese—since he more or less does anti-Wal-Mart activism for a living).

Bill

Bill in:How long have you been posting here?Are you doing pro-walmart activism for a living? Do you have proof my opinions are wrong about reasons for stop posting?I point to Alex in Quebec as an illustration of my point-he had eye surgery-thats hardly conducive to seeing or posting on bogs.

P.S. Correction:That should have said blogs.

...bogs....That should have said blogs.

Sometimes I can’t tell the difference.

“Money distorts objectivity.” ~ Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal

Ken V: Ya’ dance with who brung ya’...Molly Ivins