topic Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart in Electronics

Beware when buying printers from Walmart

morganjen — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 00:29:14 GMT

Our printer bit the dust, so my husband went and got a new HP printer at Walmart. I was the one who opened the box at home and took the printer out and removed the packaging. It was sealed from the store. We installed it and tried to get it to print, but it would not work correctly. He took his receipt and printer (packed back in the box) back to the store to exchange it. As luck would have it, even with his receipt they would not take it back. Apparently the serial number of the printer was different than what was printed on the box. They said people were trying to scam the store by putting their old printers back in the box and trying to return them. Made my husband mad that they thought he was a thief. . I'm thinking their returns department must have put one of the defective models into another box to sell. Lessons learned: when buying something that has a serial number (such as the printer) make sure it's the same number on the item as on the box BEFORE you buy it at Walmart. Open it there in the store, I guess. He ended up having to buy a new one and made them open the box right there and compare the serial numbers (which matched this time).

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

brewhaha — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 00:34:54 GMT

Sounds like it was already returned at least once before.

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

TeezNu — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 00:38:43 GMT

Thank you SO much for bringing this to our attention

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

Holidaybug — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 01:25:53 GMT

Wow, who would even think to compare serial numbers when purchasing a product. I guess we learn something new everyday. Thanks!

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

conlt — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 02:07:21 GMT

That is a shame, you probably will never get it resolved because in my experience, the manager at Walmart is impossible to get a hold of.

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

sage4 — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 03:07:05 GMT

Anywhere you buy electronics you should open the box. I read one time that a guy who was printing counterfeit currency forgot to clear the printer and they caught him of course.

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

gazelle77 — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 03:09:07 GMT

On 8/15/2014 Holidaybug said:
Wow, who would even think to compare serial numbers when purchasing a product. I guess we learn something new everyday. Thanks!

Very helpful advise! I never would have thought to do that.

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

Carole22 — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 04:33:09 GMT

I would mention this on BOTH WalMart's and HP's Facebook page. That's where I've had extremely good results when I've been wronged three of four times...G.E., Verizon, Canon. Great use of social media! I have used it about once a year for that purpose and have been very pleased!

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

Mistreatedbycs — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 04:54:45 GMT

That happened to me with a TV, yes it looked factory sealed and believe it or not, a smaller tv was packed in the box.

They are inside jobs, people who work at Walmart so my lesson was learned to always open and inspect what you are buying inside the store even though it doesn't look like it's been opened.

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

Stargazer77 — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 04:54:54 GMT

I was going to suggest the same thing as Carole22. Facebook is the way to go and give specific details like the store you had the trouble in, who you spoke with, etc. Sorry that happened to you. I've read online of that happening before, usually with iPad's. Such a shame that there are so many dishonest people in the world who cause trouble for the honest ones. I hope it gets worked out to your satisfaction.

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

Nuttmeg — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 05:02:03 GMT

They said people were trying to scam the store by putting their old printers back in the box and trying to return them. Made my husband mad that they thought he was a thief.

In my area, a few years ago a person tried to return a bad iPad after Christmas. The store manager said the same thing you were told. The person returning the iPad got a local newspaper involved to get their money.

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

Kachina624 — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 06:44:04 GMT

If he'd pitched a fit, I bet they would have changed their mind. Unless they had a "no returns" sign posted they're obligated to accept the return. I bought an iron there once and somebody's old iron was in the box. Walmart should check this stuff when it's returned. The onus is on them.

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

hckynut — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 06:54:15 GMT

On 8/15/2014 morganjen said:
Our printer bit the dust, so my husband went and got a new HP printer at Walmart. I was the one who opened the box at home and took the printer out and removed the packaging. It was sealed from the store. We installed it and tried to get it to print, but it would not work correctly. He took his receipt and printer (packed back in the box) back to the store to exchange it. As luck would have it, even with his receipt they would not take it back. Apparently the serial number of the printer was different than what was printed on the box. They said people were trying to scam the store by putting their old printers back in the box and trying to return them. Made my husband mad that they thought he was a thief. . I'm thinking their returns department must have put one of the defective models into another box to sell. Lessons learned: when buying something that has a serial number (such as the printer) make sure it's the same number on the item as on the box BEFORE you buy it at Walmart. Open it there in the store, I guess. He ended up having to buy a new one and made them open the box right there and compare the serial numbers (which matched this time).

Walmart would have a big problem with me if they accused me of being a thief or a scam artist. Why would any reasonable person take a chance on something that cost as little as a printer? If I were going to do something like this it would have to be worth much more $$$ than any printer I have ever bought, and I have bought many over the years.

In this age of technology the receipts should have all the pertinent information as to what is in the box, serial number included. It is not up to the customer to have to look for it before walking out of the store. What happens if one buys a huge TV set and has it delivered? Ain't know way you can check the serial number because you would not see it until it was in your home.

I would be talking with the top manager in that store, or whomever was at the top of the rung at the time of my returning an item. I would not leave the window, or whatever you choose to call it, until someone explained to me why I am responsible for a defective printer. And more importantly why a clerk would even think of insinuating that any customer is a scam artist/thief or any other type of criminal is beyond the pale.

Even if they replaced it I would get a phone number/e-mail address and mailing address of the Parent Company Office. I would call them/e-mail them and whatever else I had to do to reach someone that was going to listen to my story and do something about this problem with a printer.

Sure, they probably have scams, but it is up to them to record ALL the information of an item on the receipt they give you with the purchase. Any electronic device I've bought from an online retailer has the serial number of the device on the box and also on the invoice they sent with the device.

Your husband let them off the hook in my opinion, but maybe you/he just did not want to spend the time to get this corrected. Me? I will spend however much time it takes me to get a satisfactory resolution to the problem. This is not something I've just done since I retired. I have spent hours on getting many things corrected when I worked regular hours and also was involved in many athletic pursuits that took up lots of my off-time.

I've said it in other threads that "unless someone speaks up, those at the top of any business may not know about the problems". I can tell you this, my wife never goes with me if she knows I might have an issue with something similar to this. She knows I talk LOUDLY and everyone around the area will know exactly what this problem is and what the store/company will not do about it. When something happens on the spur of the moment when shopping and she is with me, she kind of goes to another area until me and whomever get on the same page.

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

Allegedly — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 10:58:25 GMT

On 8/15/2014 nantucket shore said:
That happened to me with a TV, yes it looked factory sealed and believe it or not, a smaller tv was packed in the box.

They are inside jobs, people who work at Walmart so my lesson was learned to always open and inspect what you are buying inside the store even though it doesn't look like it's been opened.

Yikes. I wonder if it happens at other retailers? Thanks for the head's up. I guess you truly cannot trust anyone! Caveat emptor.

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

gidgetgh — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 11:25:30 GMT

NO way would I have bought the 2nd printer at Walmart if they didn't take the first one back. No way.

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

Campion — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 12:12:22 GMT

Thank you for reporting this. As the holiday approaches and we buy electronic items or electrics, we need to check the box before we take it home.

Scammers are everywhere, sad to say. Thanks again and I hope your husband writes a letter to the newspaper and makes a stink--if only to warn others. Bad press stops this kind of stuff--because Walmart doesn't want bad press and it would encourage them to tighten up their return and warehouse procedures. (that is, have ever return checked against serial number and put cameras in the warehouses.)

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

ID2 — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 12:15:48 GMT

Just go to another Walmart and try to return it there.

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

MKR14 — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 12:36:51 GMT

Years ago I ran the CS Return Desk at a Wal-Mart store and anyone could exchange anything. I always said they needed stricter policies. We were told to check every box coming back. The girl working with me didn't and when she did -after the customer left- the portable phone set was all bricks in the box. I also got a used and beat up stroller back in the new box with a new receipt. Being a busy return season the person counted on me not checking it. I did and our Manager blew his stack in front of a line of customers to prove a point. It sure did. No money returned for the stroller as the customer ran.

In your husband's case he should have insisted on seeing a Manager and made a scene. He would have received an exchange for a new printer. Whenever the Customer got mad they always got what they wanted. The stories I could tell about the return desk would curl your hair.

Always open high end and electronic items. Several years after I left Wal*Mart for a medical job, I purchased a new camera for a Christmas gift. I opened it up about a week later and discovered NO camera was in the box. I got my receipt and went back to the Electronics department and explained what happened. The girl looked at me funny. I told her to get her Manager. It was actually a girl I had hired at Wal*Mart when I worked in Human Resources setting up the store. She checked the glass display case and someone took that box that the sample display had the camera on and sold it to me as a new camera in it. They took it back and gave me a new camera. The camera was a light weight one so the heaviness of the box was not much difference with the camera in it. ALWAYS open and check electronics and NEVER buy an open box anywhere unless you check the contents. Many get returned and put back on the shelves in many stores if not sent back to the Return dept. in the storeroom.

I would have written to Corporate Wal*Mart if they didn't at least exchange the printer. The star in Wal*Mart is for the stores built after the passing of Sam Walton and the hyphen in Wal-Mart is when he was alive and the store was built. That is what we were told when I worked there. A good place to work depending on who is the Manager. Our Manager left and the Assistant Manager that took over was a jerk to the employees so I quit. The Medical Field was so much more rewarding.

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

Ibby114 — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 13:12:56 GMT

On 8/15/2014 Carole22 said: I would mention this on BOTH WalMart's and HP's Facebook page. That's where I've had extremely good results when I've been wronged three of four times...G.E., Verizon, Canon. Great use of social media! I have used it about once a year for that purpose and have been very pleased!

Facebook is the way to go- no store wants problems like this posted in a public arena and they'll rectify the problem fast! I needed to do this when Best Buy oversold my elderly Dad and then wouldn't accept the return. They wouldn't even gave him a store credit- after I got done with them his Amex card was credited immediately!!!

Re: Beware when buying printers from Walmart

flickerbulb — Sat, 16 Aug 2014 13:27:30 GMT

I remember shopping years ago and opened one of those cardboard boxes that Playtex bras used to come in. Someone took their old, nasty, dingy bra and stuffed it in the box and stole the new one.