Yesterday I went into the local Wal-mart to pick up a copy of Halo 3 ODST so that I may join in on the Halo Reach Beta, and document my experience on this website. Why Wal-mart, you may ask? Because according to the Internet, it was on sale for $30, and I like to save money, not that Wal-mart helps for that in a long run as it really is a detriment to society, but for how often I purchase goods, it seemed like a good idea.
So I get there and find that the price is still set at the normal $39.9… whatever the fuck Wal-mart ends their prices in to give off the illusion that you’re saving money. I just figured that this was an honest mistake, so I tell the clerk like any shopper would. She proceeds to tell me that the online price is different than what is in the store, and in a very snooty tone. I proceed to tell her that I would like to then purchase the product online, and use their in store pick-up system to immediately claim the item.
Well, aparently you can’t do that, according to her when you order an item from their website, you have to wait 7 to 10 days before you can pick it up because for some dumb reason they have to deliver another copy to the store. What kind of shit is that!? The store clearly had an over-abundance of the game, but I would still have to wait to pick it up if I used that system. So, tell me something Wal-mart, what the fuck is the point in having an online order/pick-up in store system if you can’t claim your order immediately? If you want to order an item, then you’re going to want it delivered right to your house, and if you want to pick it up, that means you want it immediately.
Anyway, back to the ordeal. At this point I started to believe that Wal-mart was worse than Kmart when it came to corporate intelligence, but instead it might just be a tie. (Kmart sucks.) So being the savvy shopper I am, I proceed to use the iPhone app ShopSavvy (also on Android, I highly recommend it) and scan the bar code. This app allowed me to take a look at the prices for all of the stores both online, and around me for the best price. Turns out that the best local price was in fact supposed to be $30 at the store I was in.
Gaining this information, I proceed to the service desk, and reiterate my situation to the girl at the desk. She feeds me the same bullshit as the girl in electronics, so I then show her the app, going through every menu from the scan, to the final price at their store’s location. She calls for help, and I do the same for the next clerk. She feeds me the same bullshit AGAIN, but after some convincing by explaining the app more times than I needed to, they FINALLY give me the sale price.
I believe that the app thought that the online price, and the in store price are supposed to be the same, which from what I have learned from this experience isn’t true. In-fact, Wal-mart’s store policy says that the online price doesn’t reflect the store’s price, but it’s hidden in a collapsed menu on their site. WHICH IS BULLSHIT.
So, in conclusion, if the store fucks up, take advantage of it, and get the lowest price advertised. Don’t give in, and you’ll save money. Oh, and Wal-mart sucks. Kmart does too.
Have you guys ever gone through something like this? Do you think it’s right for companies to do the kind of things Wal-mart is doing as mentioned in this post? Let me know in the comments.
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