Wal-Mart Consumer Reviews - Page 7

YREKA, CALIFORNIA -- I applied at Wal-Mart in early 2009. I got a call in April to start working, but due to a death in my family I couldn't start until May. I started on the remodel crew as part of the chain-wide remodel project. I worked with the remodel crew until late June when the store was finished but Wal-Mart wanted to keep me around for the big inventory count which was coming soon. Throughout this time I never worked weekends. August 8th was my official hire date at which time I started working as a cashier. I worked approximately 30 hours per week as a cashier until January 2010.

In January 2010 Wal-Mart reduced my scheduled hours to less than 20 per week. Because of this I was forced to find a second job. Also in January 2010, I filled out a Time Availability Sheet (TAS) (per Wal-Mart policy) to have my hours of availability changed so that my two work schedules would not interfere with each other. The first TAS I filled out was denied because I didn't make myself available for the minimum number of hours required. I was told by one of the assistant managers that I needed to be available to work 16 hours per week. I only had 13.5 hrs. I understood that and filled out a second TAS indicating I had 17 hrs available to work.

I was told my second TAS was denied because there aren't any time slots for me to work at night with the hours I was available. I knew this was not true because I had worked the evening shift before during the hours I had made myself available for. In February 2010 I filled out a third TAS and made my availability 26 hours.

That one was also denied. I was told by the "acting store manager," (not the real store manager) that it was denied because I couldn't work weekends. Never throughout my entire employment at Wal-Mart had I ever worked weekends or ever been available to work weekends. On the TAS in bold letters it states, "All full time CASHIERS NEED TO BE AVAILABLE TO WORK AT LEAST ONE WEEKEND DAY." I was not a full time associate/cashier and never had been; therefore wasn't required to work weekends.

Talking with the "acting store manager" via telephone on February 23rd, I told her that I wouldn't be working coming in that week because I was not available as I had stated on my three Time Availability Sheets. The next Sunday, February 28th, I came in to do some shopping and tried to use my employee discount card and it was denied. The customer service manager who looked at my transaction did not tell me I had been fired and I was in fact scheduled to work the following day.

On Monday, March 1st when I was due back to work, I tried to clock in and my badge didn't work. So then I talked to the "acting store manager", and the new store manager (maybe?) about my situation and they basically fired me the week before due to "no-call/no-show" for the 3 days that I had already told them I was not available to work. Wal-Mart is not employee/associate oriented and I will be taking them to court over violation of store policy and employee rights.

Wal-Mart's at it AGAIN! I am/was a loyal Sam's Club employee for well over 9 yrs. In fact, I wasn't one that went seeking them, I was recruited in Omaha. I was opposed to unions and promoted Sam's Club to businesses and those I've known. I was a solid Wal-Mart employee and kept the company line firm. I cross-trained to almost every job in Sam's Club, have worked in many, managed costs, and kept that friendly smile on my face consistently. I focused my attention on our members looking to resolve any challenges they may have had, as customers are the bedrock of Sam Walton's legacy.

With my manager's wink of approval, I even worked off the clock and through breaks to ensure things got done. But Buddy, at this point, where's that union representative - sign me up!! Sam's Club, a part of the Wal-Mart family is initiating a round of layoffs across the country today. This is occurring at 8:00 AM meetings on Sunday Jan 24th, today. This is occurring at every Sam's Club store across the nation. For me, it has occurred at the Columbus, OH stores eliminating at least 30 people per store.

In my store, 6308, These are all women/men between the ages of 50 and 70. With well over 500 stores in the US, this amounts to at least 15,000 people. It's not only the most senior employees that have been targeted and are being given notice that they're being laid-off because their jobs are eliminated. They also selected the outside sales reps and marketing teams to avoid having the issue seen as a discriminatory act against the senior Demo Ladies. This is occurring during a challenging economy when Wal-Mart/Sam's Club has just come off of a profitable year-end close.

Regardless of my documented outstanding year-over-year performance, or having, been the employee of the month multiple times in multiple clubs, the employee of the year, or having received the highest allowed hourly increase every year since joining Sam's Club, it's the age that's the key-driver in these current round of actions. I'm a 56 year old, white female, full-time employee. Sam's Clubs has younger employees, with less time (many having been with Sam's from only a few days to a few weeks) and they're carefully selecting the most senior employees.

As compensation they're advising long-term senior employees that they can apply for part-time, starting-pay positions, such as Cart Person, or Maintenance. Can you imagine a 70 year old woman lugging those carts around the parking lot! To get severance I've been asked to sign a release form stating that I'll not file any form of discrimination suit against Wal-Mart/Sam's Club. I've 45 days to sign this form, or lose my 9-week severance package. If I don't sign the agreement, we'll have no income, other than unemployment.

This is a company that's promoted themselves to be the customer-friendly store and dedicated to their employees. With these actions, they clearly demonstrate that they treat their employees with an absolute lack of caring, and total disrespect. I'm now a part of a growing number of people supporting litigation against Wal-Mart – baby, count me in!

MICHIGAN -- September of 2009, I went to Walmart Vision Center to get new glasses to replace my old one (old one was about 5 years old). They had nice pricing and warranty on custom made prescription glasses. However it seems their warranty is extremely limited and they were able to find all sorts of excuses not to honor it.

I took care of my glasses and only used water to clean them, no solvent of any kind. I also avoided wiping the glasses when there were dirt to prevent scratching. Pretty much the same as I've done for over 30 years. But despite my best care, my glasses seemed to fall apart in just a few months and I am back on my 5 year old glasses.

First issue, just 3 weeks after I got my glasses, there were noticeable blotches on my lenses. Specifically when viewed at certain angle, I could see area of glare where anti-glare coating had failed. While it was still usable, under bright lighting people would notice my glasses looked funny or very unclean, so I took it back. But they wouldn't honor it because the damage to anti-glare coating seems to be "my fault" somehow.

I don't see how plain water can cause so much of the anti glare coating to come off. It looked like the coating was poorly applied or something, and I am positive the issue is factory defect and not customer issue as they claimed. I wasn't happy they wouldn't cover it despite their warranty that covers every defect. My 5 year old glasses still has anti glare coating intact except for where there's a few scratches.

A couple weeks ago (December, only 3 months after my glasses were made), the arm broke off of my glasses. Back to the store I went, and this time they said they will replace the frame. However they ran into a snag: the frame had been discontinued and while they offered any replacement frame of comparable price, they didn't have any frame in stock that can take my existing lens. Worse, they will not replace the lens because that part isn't covered in warranty.

I have tried to deal with them reasonably but they would not replace the lens, and they could not get a new frame that would fit with my existing lens so I am left with broken glasses that they "can't" fix and no way to wear them without having unsightly tape holding the glasses together.

In the past I've had glasses from different stores that lasts me a few years and up to as long as 10 years with nothing more than a few hairline scratches. I am very disappointed that Walmart would sell garbage that started having problem in just a few weeks and be unusable in less than 4 months. And conveniently have clause in warranty that exempts "customer damage" from any warranty repair, even when damage is due to defects. With this clause, the store can easily refuse all repair and simply claim it was customer's fault.

It seems all they are interested is selling glasses to make profit, make a warranty claim that looks good in advertisement, and claim customer damage on every returned glasses so they would never lose money. Well, guess what? Losing customer hurts more. I've told my relatives and friends about this and many have agreed to avoid Walmart. I also took my glasses business back to my previous store. I'd rather pay an extra $50 to have a pair that lasts a lot longer than 4 months.

HAMMOND, LOUISIANA -- Hammond, LA Walmart has terrible customer service, overall the employee moral is at an all time low and the manager can care less other than about saving money, or making "the almighty dollar" for Walmart.

We have shopped at Walmart for years. I usually go to the Denham Springs, LA Walmart because the Hammond location has such rude managers and associates, other than a few old time employees that have been there a long time. This means going 30 miles out of the way, to go to another Walmart location as Hammond is the local one.

I do believe that Walmart does racial profiling, and I also think they target lone women many times, to harass. I was accused of shoplifting in the Hammond location 4 months ago, even though I have shopped here for years. My husband and I usually shop together. We had made several recent complaints against bad customer service and rudeness in the Hammond location. No one ever seems to know anything about prices, sale items, out of stock items, etc. Since they remodeled the Hammond store back spring 2009 the service, and horrible customer service has worsened.

My husband had to work nights, so he'd suggested I run to Walmart for groceries. I did, and decided I would "browse" around cataloging possible Christmas gift items, writing prices, etc...at my leisure. I got to the store about 7:30 pm, and spent a couple of hours browsing all departments, and gathering our groceries (almost $100 worth) I used my cell phone, or rather tried to several times (horrible service in the store). I wrote down items prices, made list, chewed some Worthers mints I had brought in my pocket as I shopped, and generally took my time that evening.

After checking out with our groceries I was stopped by a guy I knew to be a Walmart employee and a Tangapoha parish sheriff's deputy (working a paid guard detail at Walmart that night). They stopped me right after I left the check out, taking my arms and telling me I needed to go to the back room with them. I smiled and asked them why? They said I must go with them now. I said no I would not go with them, and demanded to know what was going on. The Walmart employee said he was Walmart "loss prevention" and I had some of his merchandise. I said yes, I do, I just bought my groceries. I still at this time did not realize they were accusing me of shoplifting. He said, I had "his merchandise" in my purse. I said "Sir almost everything I have came from Walmart. I bought my clothes I'm wearing here, my shoes, my purse, everything in my purse, my groceries, etc." He said, "No you stole some of my items tonight..." I was stunned, shocked, hurt, angry, and totally caught off guard. I told him no sire I did not.

The cop said if I didn't go to the back room and allow him and the Walmart loss prevention guy to search me he would tackle me and take me down. When I asked the cop what he meant he said he would throw me on the floor, tackle me and search me right there if I didn't go to the back room with them. I went with them. I told them I did not want to go with them as I had done nothing wrong. I hadn't even left Wal-mart when they detained me, barely got out of the register line.

They took me to the "back room" a video room where they have crappy blurry video to "watch" potential shoplifters. The Walmart loss prevention guy ran sacked my purse, taking lipstick, and a small can of off insect repellent. The cop told him that doesn't amount to $25 dollars, and Walmart will not prosecute for less didn't he just want to let me go. The Walmart loss prevention guy said no, he knew I had shoplifted, although he had no proof. I saw the video, all it showed was me looking, browsing, etc items, nothing showing I'd taken anything.

The Walmart loss prevention guy, first name Tom, kept telling the cop what a "rush" and adrenaline "High" he was on. He repeated this 3 times and the cop finally told him it to "hush" as he should not be saying that in front of me. This guy dug in my purse again coming out with one of my two cell phones. He said that phone was "new" and I stole it from that night, it was "his merchandise". I told him well it had been registered in my name for nearly two years, at this he threw the phone back at me and said "That's not my merchandise."

The cop said they should just let me go when I would not confess to shoplifting after an hour and a half, the Walmart loss prevention guy said no. They said I could not call my husband or sister or anyone. I finally got so fed up after being harassed for 2 hours that I said I'm calling my husband, if you are going to tackle me to the floor and take me down just do it, or either leave me the hell alone and let me call my husband.

They finally booked me for $58 dollars so called "thief" after the loss prevention guy took a small flashlight and opened batteries I had in my purse, bringing his so called "merchandise" total to $58 dollars making the amount higher, so he could supposedly prosecute me.

I even offered to pay the $58 dollars for my own previously purchased merchandise, he refused. The Walmart loss prevention nut finally came down off his adrenaline "high" after 2 hours and realized he'd made a mistake, and he was wrong. He even stated and I quote, "It's gone too far, we can't just let you go now, it's gone too far. If we let you go now Wal-mart and I will be liable."

He (Wal-Mart loss prevention guy) wanted to know if I had not shoplifted then why did I have such unusual items in my purse such as a small flashlight, small can of Off insect repellent, and extra flashlight batteries. I told him (as if it was any of his business) because my husband and I have animals on our property 4 miles from where we live and we go there often after dark to check on them, tend, them, check water, etc. He actually then looked foolish. Still he repeated they could not let me go, or they would be "liable".

How can we, as Americans allow this sort of violation of our rights to go on?

I also think that Walmart targets lone women, does racial profiling (although I am a white female) and I also think that had my husband been with me this would never had taken place.

BEWARE as this sort of thing happens all over America at any given time at any given Walmart.

This could happen to you, your wife, child, mother, father, so beware.

We will spend our $10,000 a year, once spend at Walmart, with other merchants now... ones that are polite and actually appreciate our business, and treat us with customer respect and honor, rather than stupid accusations and abuse.

We have hired an attorney to represent me on these bull charges. Since it has happened I have researched Walmart extensively, and found mine is not an isolated incident but a regular occurrence at Walmart across the country and even in other countries. There's even been several deaths of customers wrongly accused of shoplifting at several Walmart locations, because overzealous adrenaline "high" Walmart loss prevention associates have attacked and ultimately killed several people.

How sad. We need to stop this, be outraged by it, and in God's name not let this giant get away with this sort of thing.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS -- I went to a High School Football Game in Arlington Texas. I parked at the Walmart across the Street. I was not aware that I couldn't as the event marking signs that say you cannot are not within your parking lot. They are located out on the main street of Arlington. They are not positioned where a driver can easily review them. I sat there for 10 minutes, and your hired security service sat in their car directly in front of me and watched me get out of my car. Said nothing about you couldn't park in the parking lot. I parked all the way at the end of the parking lot away from your store.

To be considered ABANDONED your store manager has to verify that its abandoned or it has to be there for 48 hours, Texas Law. After the game, I, along with 50 other families found out that Walmart had our cars towed. Rightfully so. The problem with Walmart is that you have a tax payer paying a Arlington Police Department to sit in your parking lot having autos towed. You also hired a security person to working your lot that is turning in the cars of those going to events. they sit there wait until you cross the street, verify with officer in the lot, and then call a tow company.

I went back to Wal-Mart after I stood 3 hours in the rain, no restroom, no waiting room, waiting area looked like a run down area of crime, which they were very rude to us, as if we were criminals. I asked the manager, who has our cars towed. He said its the police department and Walmart has nothing to do with it. Well, according to Texas law you have to have something to do with it.

You even had a ladies car towed that was shopping, and the response was "well sometimes we get it right". What the heck. Well my ticket had a time picked up, scratched out and a new date. I only get a carbon copy so it appears it was corrected to look abandoned. So with allthis in mind, I will never shop at another Walmart again, and I will share this story with every person I know, and I have family members already within 4 states that will refrain to using your stores.

Walmart you are supposed to be the leader in this type of stores,..and yes, I parked illegally I guess... but the public view of those I have talked to is that you are in the "cut of this never ending business" with the security service, police department, storage place. Out of the 244.10, how much is given to your employees that are event spotters at the location. One family was told that you have people out there to do that? I hope not, as this would address integrity and ethical behavior.

I am very upset, and there is nothing you have in your store that cannot be found somewhere else. So consider me as a lost shopper, and my many of my family members as well. I do not expect a reply "we are sorry, and we would never do that"... Perception is reality in my opinion... And the opinion of many of us that were standing in the cold rain with our young children... It's a market within that area. Again, this is my opinion. Have a great day!

I sent the following email to Walmart today:

I opened a prepaid Visa card at your Walmart store located in Mt. Dora, FL 6 months ago. When I spoke with the cashier who sold the card to me, I let her know that I would be having my paycheck direct deposited on the card, and many deposits would be in excess of $5K (I get paid 2 times per month). She assured me this was fine as long as the money was direct deposited, so I bought the card, did the direct deposit, and off I went.

Now, six months later, your company decided that my deposits are too high, and without contacting me, went ahead and closed my account without my knowledge. I was stranded in the middle of nowhere and tried to get gas, the card was declined, so I called your Customer Support number from my cell phone. They explained this ridiculous mess to me (my deposits are too high). Then, they reopened the card for an hour, just long enough for me to remove what was left on the card, and the account was closed. A couple of days later, your Loss Management department called me and said how "sorry" they were, that the account was closed in error, and they offered to re-open the card, which I accepted so I didn't have to cancel my direct deposit, and for my "pain and suffering", they gave me a HUGE $25.00 credit.

Yesterday there was $15.74 on my card. I went to check the balance today, and it was "ZERO". So I called your Customer Service department (and was transferred to Philippines, Pakistan, and Guatemala - I thought this was a US based company???). Ana, ID #10838 informed me the account was closed a second time in error (I was supposed to have a $5K direct deposit on the card at midnight tonight), and she promised it would be re-opened in 10-15 minutes, and the $15.74 would be put back on the card. Four hours later, nothing happened, so I called Loss Management yet AGAIN. I spent better than an hour talking to them, who then informed me that it was tough ****, the account was closed again permanently, and there was nothing I could do. They also informed me that my direct deposit would be DENIED, completely screwing me up royally since I had bills that I paid right off the card, not to mention that the payroll would have to be sent back to ADP, then back to my company before it could be forwarded to me. Thanks Walmart.

Then, the idiot "Claudia" (Supervisor at Loss Management), offered to open me another card! After I was done laughing (why in the name of God would I do THAT???), I told her I wanted nothing more to do with Walmart, and I mean that completely. My sister works for channel 9 News in Boston, and is Diane Sawyer's neighbor on Martha's Vineyard, and they are friends. This will make a WONDERFUL human interest story once it hits the airwaves, don't you agree??? I am going to be SURE that this story is told everywhere. From your idiot cashiers, right down to your incompetent Loss Management group (you get a different story from everyone you speak to), I can't think of ONE good reason why I, or anyone else would want to shop at Walmart. I find it interesting that no one will give you their last name or ID number (except Ana), and they spend the majority of the time putting you on hold so they can pass the buck, all the while telling you how sorry they are!!! In reality, they couldn't care less, they just want to pass you onto someone else so they don't have to deal with you.

Having said all this, Walmart is TRASH and not only will I not get another card, I will no longer patronize your store. I am starting a blog as well, and when my sister speaks with Diane Sawyer (this is happening first thing in the morning), I am sure they will be contacting you for comments (especially the lawyers).

While shopping at the Wal-Mart in Round Rock, TX, on May 21, 2009, around 5:00 pm, I was in the self check out when I realized that I had forgotten to pick up three items on the list my sister gave me. I finished with the bagged items and paid for them, then turned and went back into the store. The employee manning the self check aisles came running over to inform me that I had not paid for the soda that I had in the cart. I shop here often and have dealt with this very rude and abrupt woman before, so I just said I wasn't done shopping and headed out.

She informed me that I could leave to soda on an empty checkout and come back and get it. I just frowned at her and continued on and she shouted she was going to call security on me. When I picked up the forgotten items, I went to a teller aisle that had only one person waiting and paid for the items. On my way out, I had to pass the teller who had been so rude to me.

She turned as if to confront me and when I held up both receipts to prove that I had paid for the soda and the forgotten items as well as the items I had paid for at the self check out, she ripped them out of my hand. When I objected that she could at least be polite about it, she said, very loudly, "You steal something every time you come in here." I was absolutely flabbergasted, and could only manage to say "What?" and grab my receipts back from her.

As I headed toward the door, she began informing both the employees and the customers at the top of her lungs that I was a thief and that I stole something every time I came into the store. At that point, I began very, very angry and went back to her and demanded to know her name because I was going to her manager about her behavior. She was not wearing a name tag. Three times I had to ask her what her name was, and then she said "**. What's yours?" I told her it was none of her business and headed for Customer Service.

While I was in line waiting to talk to someone at Customer Service, she came in and leaned over the desk and said something to the manager, who looked at me. She was laughing, clearly enjoying herself, as if she knew that nothing would come of my complaint. As if by coincidence, the manager at customer service was not the manager I needed to speak to and the manager I needed to speak to, **, was inexplicably busy with a customer in jewelry and therefore unable to deal with me.

After fifteen minutes waiting for **, I informed the lower manager that I'd merely call the regional manager and then Bentonville in the morning (today.) She suggested that I call 1-800-Wal-Mart. She may as well have told me to call 1-800-Bite-Me. I got the message that no one at the store was going to take me seriously and my business wasn't welcome enough to deal with this lunatic going off on me for no reason.

I did call 1-800-Wal-Mart when I got home. They may as well change the name to 1-800-Patronize-Me. She didn't care that I had been slandered and falsely accused by a Wal-Mart employee. It's obvious that no one at the store is going to do anything about this employee.

I don't know if she has something against me because of the way I look or because I'm handicapped or because of the way I dress, but from the first time I ever saw her at the store she's been rude to me and ever since then she's gotten worse and worse. I don't even know if she told me the truth about her name being ** because she wasn't wearing a nametag. However, I plan to pursue it until she's fired. I won't allow anyone to treat me this way, especially when I am the customer.

US -- I purchase with cash a Walmart Money Card at a Walmart with the help of a cashier and customer service manager. I tendered the money to the cashier. Attempted three times by phone to activate the card and once online. Approximately 4am I remember that I had not completed the activation. (Kept getting disconnected so I said I would go online when I got home.) I attempted to process the activation online at that time. Completed the online form, got a denial response and was directed to call the number provided.

This, I later found out is their loss prevention call center. The first guy answered, very rude to began with. He told me I had an outstanding balance with one of their "partners". He wouldn't say who. He then told me that he would send me a refund of the CASH that I tendered less than 24hrs ago back to me in 7-10 days. I laughed. "I didn't take 7-10 business days to give it to you" I told him. He then wanted to quote me policy. I tired of him quickly. I requested to speak to a supervisor. He took five to ten minutes to do that, never returning to the call to say it would be a few more minutes.

A supervisor came to the phone. She with her broken English thought I was male. (No substantive dialogue with the initial gentleman.) I ask her the same thing I asked the first guy. I explained to her that I read the online agreement. I posed the same questions to her: why, when tendered the funds in cash with two Walmart employees asking about a refund and the qualifications to obtain card, such as being turned down, both said there is no credit check, required bank information, so everyone who gets the card just pays for it and activate the card. Walmart will send the cards in a week or so. I could use the temporary card in the mean time.

Why should a customer wait longer than it takes them to return to the store to get their cash back. I told her it was not acceptable to send me a check, let alone in 7-10 days later. In these economic times every penny counts. Why should Walmart have my cash, collect interest on it, while I can't use my money? Even if it is a penny, I want it. This supervisor in Guatemala has no CLUE.

I asked if they were Walmart employees, employees of GreenDot Prepaid Card, someone who is their partner or an employee of a third party vendor. She stumbled real bad. Then I ask where the corporate offices are... She says California. Please why would I send the complaint to her or want to deal with the call center in Guatemala again. By the way, there is an option to allow you to zero out the card and then cancel the card. I requested that option be done even if I had to return to Walmart to get it done. Both of the employees said there was no such option.

A gentleman spoke of the lack of customer service you receive from some of the Walmarts in GA. You can include Decatur, GA. Let it be known that it happens in not just the Walmarts in the poorer neighborhoods which are frequent by large minority populations, it is also happening in the Targets which are in the poorer neighborhoods. It is sickening how customers at these stores are treated.

The gentleman who wrote the review in 2007 is correct about the issue with receipts, and leaving through the garden Centers. I did it tonight in a Walmart. It is much easier to get in and out. Even though you are NOT a thief, you just don't want to wait on those long lines. Additionally, you don't get those long, long lines in the better neighborhoods. With respect to your receipts, you don't have to dig in your pocket to show a receipt. Lastly, if you purchase an item and want to return the item for whatever reason, you can return it in a middle to upper income neighborhoods without a receipt. You will be given a gift card. Most of us couldn't care less.

In the poorer minority populated stores, they certain items. Items that you could return if you shopped in a less minority population. Call the Better Business office in you state. Call your States Attorneys off and I assure all this nonsense will stop. Better yet, call the NEWS. If they imply that you have not paid for the items in your bag, SUE for the embarrassment. If customers start to do all of the above, the publicity they get will get the executives attention. Go higher than the STORE MANAGER, go to the regional office to start. I understand loss prevention, do they understand customer services???

WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA -- Nowadays, an extended warranty plan is a necessity when purchasing electronics (and appliances). Evidently, when you purchase the extended service plan for a digital camera online from the Walmart website, it is not sent to you as Walmart indicates.

I purchased a digital camera and a 3-year extended service plan through the Walmart website on 11/28/2008, as well as a few other items that were to be delivered to my local Walmart store for me to pick-up. That evening I received an order confirmation email for my items, which stated that the 3-year extended service plan would be delivered electronically, via e-mail. On 11/30/2008, I received an 'order shipped' confirmation e-mail stating that the digital camera was being mailed to my home, but no word on the extended service plan.

On 12/5/2008, I received an e-mail notifying me that the remaining items in my site-to-store order were ready to be picked-up, but still no word on the extended service plan for the camera. So, I went to the Walmart website to access my account and order history to see what happened to the extended service plan. The purchase history/order detail for the extended service plan showed: “Shipping Method – Electronic Delivery. Order Status – Emailed (Should arrive between 12/1/2008 and 12/2/2008).”

I gave Walmart all reasonable benefit of the doubt. Perhaps their network server was as slow as the USPS. I assumed that I would receive the extended service plan in a few days. Two weeks later, when I had yet to receive the extended service plan information, I decided to email Walmart Customer Service, because from previous experience I knew that telephoning would be much too time consuming and frustrating.

I received no direct reply to my initial e-mail, only an auto-reply stating that they were too busy to read my e-mail and offered some unrelated generic Qs and As. It's understandable that they were busy over the holidays. Who wasn't? I was also busy and having to take time out of my hectic schedule to chase down the extended warranty information that had supposedly already been sent to me.

Reluctantly, over the next couple of weeks, I continued to send Walmart Customer Service several more diplomatic inquiring e-mails, and in turn received only a few generic kiss-off auto-replies. Again, I resisted the urge to telephone Walmart Customer Service. My benefit of the doubt was replaced with a suspicion that Walmart employees are inefficient and possess poor communication skills. "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity." - Hanlon's razor.

On 1/3/2009, after one month of e-mail cat-and-mouse, finally, victoriously, I received a direct reply from a Walmart Customer Service representative. Quote: "To view a copy of your 'Product Care Plan', click 'Sign in
to view your Account' at the top right of most pages on our site. Sign in using your email address and password. Go to ''Order History', then 'View Order Details'. The 'Product Care Plan' warranty or the Terms and Conditions are not mailed to you, so you will need to print out or save the following three pages:

1. The item page from the Walmart.com website.
2. The Terms and Conditions for the state where you live. (Click the link on the item page labeled 'Click Here for Terms and Conditions for all states'.)
3. Your Walmart.com order confirmation page. This serves as your proof of purchase, so please keep it for your records."

So, the extended service plan was never going to be delivered to me electronically (e-mailed) as previously promised. I had worked long and hard trying to get the extended service plan for my new digital camera, now I only had a little bit more work to do and a few more resources to expend in order to acquire my purchased prize. Geez! Hopefully, this account of my experience will help save someone else the wasted time, trouble and headache of trying to obtain the elusive Walmart extended service plan.