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Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,482
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Is Your Walmart Doing a Bait and Switch Game?

We have been doing grocery pickups and two things are a pattern with them.

 

First of all,  unless you say no substitutes, you get their store brands for a LOT of products.

 

Second, they always say they have wipes and things hard to find.  So even if you don't allow substitutions on these, after it's all said and done, at the last minute when you can't change or cancel, guess what?  They are out of these and you can't get any.

 

AND they are holding funds on your card for the whole amount.  I see a dirty pattern of bait and switch and a shell game of what they have and don't have going on here and it makes me mad! 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 36,048
Registered: ‎08-19-2010

Re: Is Your Walmart Doing a Bait and Switch Game?

I'd never use that service, myself. As long as I'm able to walk and drive I want to depend only on myself.

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Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,285
Registered: ‎02-01-2015

Re: Is Your Walmart Doing a Bait and Switch Game?

nope

 

 

i order house brand on many items.

 

they have subbed more expensive name brands more times than i can count.

 

i have been doing walmart grocery pickup since spring of 2019

~~who/what is responsible for your joy? YOU!~~
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,120
Registered: ‎03-29-2019

Re: Is Your Walmart Doing a Bait and Switch Game?

And this is why I put on a mask and go out and shop myself.

 

 

That way I know exactly what I am getting.

 

 

Problem solved.

The Sky looks different when you have someone you love up there.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,681
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Is Your Walmart Doing a Bait and Switch Game?

I don't use the service either - I prefer to do my own shopping.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 15,169
Registered: ‎02-27-2012

Re: Is Your Walmart Doing a Bait and Switch Game?

I don't call that bait and switch at all!

 

They are not trying to lure you into purchasing a more expensive item while advertising lesser.

 

You are using a service that is doing its best to provide what is on your list.  There are going to be subs of course.  They will not have everything exactly as you want it.

 

Be thankful there is even these kinds of services.

 

If you are not satisfied with their shopping for you and are unable to go yourself, maybe a family member could go for you.  That way you could be on the phone with them and guide them through exactly what you want.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,482
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Is Your Walmart Doing a Bait and Switch Game?


@RespectLife wrote:

I don't call that bait and switch at all!

 

They are not trying to lure you into purchasing a more expensive item while advertising lesser.

 

You are using a service that is doing its best to provide what is on your list.  There are going to be subs of course.  They will not have everything exactly as you want it.

 

Be thankful there is even these kinds of services.

 

If you are not satisfied with their shopping for you and are unable to go yourself, maybe a family member could go for you.  That way you could be on the phone with them and guide them through exactly what you want.


@RespectLife It IS bait and switch because I don't want their house brand products, I want the brand name product they say they have when I order, then don't tell me they don't have until I can't delete the item.

 

They make more profit when they sell me their own brand, that I don't want, than the national brand I do want.

 

It's a business not a charity and they are playing a game of switching things on the order to things that are more profitable to them, and luring people to order saying they have things hard to get when they really don't have them in stock.

 

And no, I don't have someone to shop for me, wouldn't ask that anyway.  

 

We live near enough a Whole Foods to go every few weeks and they are always upfront about what they have and don't have.  

 

What makes me mad about Walmart is they have a computerized inventory and it's that they cancel or switch at the last minute, after you are allowed to agree or disagree with the decision. 

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,946
Registered: ‎03-08-2018

Re: Is Your Walmart Doing a Bait and Switch Game?

Normally I'm not a big fan of Walmart.  Everything you described does NOT sound like bait and switch to me.  You as the consumer have the ability to refuse substitutes.  As YOU the consumer placed an order they should be holding the entire amount on your credit card until the amount is verifed upon order pick up.  I see nothing wrong with this at all.  When I place grocery orders I often make changes so I accept that additional funds will be held on my account temporarily and then resolved.

 

I have actually found Walmart (and Sams) grocery order pick up to be very well run and have had great success using it when it needed.  While I prefer shopping myself COVID did go through our home a month ago so it was nice to have a way to still get groceries and not come in contact with anyone.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 35,597
Registered: ‎05-22-2016

Re: Is Your Walmart Doing a Bait and Switch Game?

WM offers a place, at checkout, where you can choose a specific substitution from a list they show you and those are not always their in-house brands but others as well. The ones they offer as substitutes largely depends on what they have in inventory at the time you place your order so you may not see very many items listed there or sometimes you may see several. Their substitutions are usually items which are similar in type but may not be exactly what you want and in that case you can just choose not to accept that at the time of order, it won't be substituted and you won't be charged when you pick up your order. You should get an email ahead of time to let you know about substitutions and out-of-stock (not substituted) items before you pick up your order.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 32,482
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Is Your Walmart Doing a Bait and Switch Game?

@mimomof4 Not the way it works.  They too often substitute house brands.  They also DO NOT tell you they are out of wipes until almost time to pick up the order.  And these happen consistently.  So it is a pattern.