12/29/2005, 12:00pm, EST
Thursday, December 29th
Wal-Mart iPod buyers find surprises
Another Wal-Mart customer was also dissappointed when she opened her newly purchased iPod package. After opening a 30GB iPod box which was sealed with cellophane wrap, she discovered six AA batteries taped together--an effort to simulate the weight of the iPod. The woman, who contacted MacNN following her dismay, said she had purchased the iPod for her 12-year-old daughter from a Wal-Mart store in Des Moines. Ironically, she had opened the packaging to ensure the device didn't requires batteries.
"I was wrapping presents tonight and decided to check to see if the iPod needed batteries and what to my surprise when I removed the cellophane wrap, the package was empty, someone had packed batteries and taped them together--6 AA batteries--to give the package a similar weight and then they had cut paper and drew a screen and buttons on the top paper. What a disappointment! The closest store to try to get this replaced was 2 hours away."
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Furthermore, these kind of things can happen by the employees in the stock rooms (they have shrinkwrap machines, you know), or by the actual consumers out to score a second freebie (think about it...)
Either way, not really 'news'.
The cusomer is always right. How can they prove that there really was an iPod in the box? They can't. That's the point.
</nelson muntz>
I think it's hilarious that some underpaid Wal-Mart slave stole the iPod and replaced it with an item of similar heft.
That's what you get for shopping at Wal-Mart, you dorks.
I wish more Wal-Mart employees would steal from their employer.
Buy the iPod, take it home, surgically remove the device and repackage it with like weighted items, and reseal. Shrinkwrapping is easy to do with a hair dryer and cellophane.
The reason they choose WalMart, Target, etc is product volume. Harder to track down a return to WalMart, etc versus say an Apple Store.
Quick to judge, dimwitted WalMart bashing needs to be done elsewhere.
And to support employee theft at any business, that is just daft. Please.
While you are correct, such tricks on the part of the customer do exist, and are costly, they are dwarfed in comparison to the sheer volume of stealing that goes on by employees.
I know this I worked in the corporate office of a Fortune 500 retailer, we studied the issue.
And, furthermore I'll tell you something else...its pretty darn clear the main motivating factor is the low wages that are paid to assistant managers..(its usually management and not stock room employees too)...think about it stock room employees are being watched and fear being fired, assistant managers, are the ones who know the system and also don't get paid. Full store managers, are compensated enough.
But, don't expect a lot to change, because I can tell you management has calculated the losses as a part of doing business and its still cheaper to take the losses, than to increase wages.
I was going to say additionally, that corporate management doesn't regard any of this as being morally 'right' however. They may calculate the costs, but at the same time if they catch someone, they are fired.
Sometimes prosecuted too, not usually (no profit in it), but just often enough to make people think its a possibility if they get caught.
also, it is very easy to note discrepancies between a home shrinkwrap job and a factory seal. any difference in the film used or the seal lines will be detectable.
and, oh yeah, walmart is great. it keeps those people out of my stores.
Tell me why, please.
SO, I suggest for expensive items..to OPEN THE PACKAGE in front of employees!!! or video tape the opening of expensive items as proof.
She is out a $$$ because a store manager automatically assumes their clients are criminals! Stupid. But then again..he is a "Best Buy" manager. I guess you don't need an educated person to do that job.
So educated citizens..beware of this scam! You will not be protected or believed in some areas.