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Wal-Mart Threatens Legal Action Against GottaDeal.com


Brad

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I do not give a Rat's Butt. Wal Mart blows, has ALWAYS blown and will continue to blow in the future. They are not getting my money.

 

Ohhhh if I only had the power to "Thread Closed"

 

We are only feeding to the frenzy by posting to this thread. Makes them think we actually CARE.

 

I really do not think they will sue the "little guy" In this case, Brad and GottaDeal. I think that they really love the hype and pre-coverage of their ad that is anticipated by all of the tra.........OK, I better stop there, before I get sued!! :lmao:

 

Bite me....Wally.

 

Read all about BRAD and Wally on CNNmoney!

 

http://money.cnn.com/2007/10/18/news/companies/walmart_blackfridaylegal/index.htm

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Never thought about looking for it on a my space page. Never visited the site.

 

How would you know if someone posted one on their site??

Even with a myspace page, Wal-Mart could very quickly get it taken down.

 

I would say just keep checking the forum here. While the ad might not be posted on the main Black Friday site, the info (or a link to where to get it) will almost guaranteed be posted here on the forum and we'll keep it up as long as possible.

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What's sad is we have a Super Wal-Mart in town. Other than that, it's Penney's, a small Sears, Belk's, and Staples. To find Target, K-Mart (Super K), Circuit City, Best Buy, CompUSA, or actual LARGE stores it's a min. of 53 miles from home and some 80-95 away. That's about the only reason I can think of that our Wal-Mart stays busy - not a whole lot to choose from. Since the remodel they do not carry yard goods, very little crafts, and have actually cut back on the variety of some toiletry items. They've managed to put the small stores out of business over the past few years and now want to further control retail. Sam Walton built a good business sense business and now it's going to hell in a hand basket and doing it faster than ol' Sam could ever have imagined.
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I agree with the posting the list as a rumored list. Thanks to Freedom of Speech.

 

If you really want a copy of an ad scan, maybe we should start using torrents.

 

Just a thought

Oh that will probably happen. Wally World needs to learn to deal with the new reality. You can not "undo" the internet. Once it gets out there, it is out there. You may be able to strong arm websites, sadly, but once it is out there in a file, it can be transferred so quickly that there is no way of stopping it.

 

They need to stop fighting the internet and work with it. Now they just look ridiculous and petty.

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Okay I posted the first post in the thread on my myspace page, bulletin and blog.

 

Please everyone do the same!!!!!! Get the word out!!!!!!! The bulletin will go further than anything, but post as much as you can, please!!!!!!

 

This is what I posted!

 

We recently received a letter via e-mail from the legal representatives of Wal-Mart. Basically they admitted that they are awful at keeping their information from getting leaked to GottaDeal.com and therefore are threatening to take legal action against the site even before the ad has been posted. At this point we have not decided whether or not the ad will be posted should we receive it early this year.

 

If you are like us and are disappointed with Wal-Mart's poor decision to threaten legal action against GottaDeal.com and other sites if their Black Friday ad is posted early, feel free to let them know how you feel. You can fill out the Wal-Mart Corporate Site Feedback Form or call them at 1-800-WAL-MART. Their media relations people can also be reached at 1-800-331-0085. Tell them you are unhappy with their decision and you'd like them to reconisider their stance on taking legal action against GottaDeal.com should their Black Friday ad be released early.

 

 

Please call and complain!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Wal-Mart Legal Line 1-479-273-4505

 

Customers Relations

1-800-925-6278

 

Shannon E. Frederick (479) 277-7584

Tara Raddohl (479) 277-7589

Tara Stewart (479) 273-4314

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Their competitors' ads have already been prepared and printed, and in some cases their competitors' ads come out BEFORE Wal-Mart's ad. Other than add something at the last minute with a supplementary ad or an in-store flyer, there isn't much they can do this late in the game. And if Wal-Mart's ad comes out on 11/19 like they say it can, that still gives other stores 4-5 days to make last minute changes.

I know of at least one of their competitor's ads thats not printed yet, my husbands company is smaller than WM however they are in the top 5 retailers. He is in Marketing and is very aware of when their ad prints, in fact he is involved with it. Last minute changes he mentioned via a store notice on a price change do not hit the masses as the normal ad and could never turn around the results of being leaked and then beat on a major item.

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I, too, have posted on myspace!

 

Hello Friends!

 

 

If you, like me, live for the thrill of buying ridiculously expensive things at outrageously low prices, you may be a Black Friday Warrior. If you finish your last piece of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving Day and yell, "Okay, everyone in the car!" drive to your local Best Buy and stand outside in line with a portable TV and thermos of Hot cocoa laced with butterscotch schnapps, then you may be a Black Friday Warrior. If you bought a $1000 flat screen TV for $400 and some change last year, then you may be a Black Friday Warrior!

 

 

I have been a BFW for many years now. I spend weeks making plans, saving money and over all building endurance to brave the cold and fierceness of my other BFW competitors. I have done 75% of my shopping on BF, thus saving me thousands of dollars. But one retailer is threatening all this. One retailer wants to take my fun away! This is the story of that retailer.

 

 

In the past two years I have used a web site called http://blackfriday.gottadeal.com/ to preplan my shopping. They post all the circular ads for all the web sites weeks in advance. They store all the deals in a database so you can chose to search by doorbusters (those sales only available at the butt-crack of dawn), type of item or price. They allow you to generate a shopping list, compare prices and sometimes even have pictures of the items scanned in. This service has saved me time and money. I can go the stores I need, get in and out, and be done with all my shopping by noon.

 

 

Wal-Mart has threatened to sue Gottadeal.com if the site releases their black friday ad early, stating that gottadeal.com is revealing their trade secrets. I'm sorry to say, but this is unfortunate and downright despicable. Again, the world's largest retailer is using their power to crush the independent spirit of the small business owner. Gottadeal has been in business for years as a portal site to online coupons and values. The BF ads have never been stolen but voluntarily given by employees of the companies they represent. For those of us who spend a lot of energy preparing for Black Friday, Gottadeal is a blessing.

 

 

Here is the article that was published by cnnmoney.com.

 

 

http://money.cnn.com/2007/10/18/news/companies/walmart_blackfridaylegal/index.htm

 

 

If this upsets you, I request you make your voice heard via emails, phone calls or both. The only way giant corporations like Wal-mart ever hear the people is when we have a loud enough voice, and it effects their bottom line. If Wal-Marts does sue, then I will boycott Wal-Mart this BF and take my hard earned money to other places. I hope you will join me.

 

 

Here is a forum where you can see the feelings of other such BFWs, as myself: http://forums.gottadeal.com/showthread.php?t=85021

 

 

 

Thank you for your time!

 

 

Dave Boop

 

 

"I know I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one." – John Lennon

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I know of at least one of their competitor's ads thats not printed yet, my husbands company is smaller than WM however they are in the top 5 retailers. He is in Marketing and is very aware of when their ad prints, in fact he is involved with it. Last minute changes he mentioned via a store notice on a price change do not hit the masses as the normal ad and could never turn around the results of being leaked and then beat on a major item.

I just spoke again about this with my loving husband, he, on the other hand mentioned his chain even if they had the information about WM ahead of time would not be able to react to it as WM buys in such a large volume they are just about un beatable in pricing, so it really would not serve his company to know ahead of time anyway. They do however watch the BF sites weeks in advance as they like to use it as a projection tool.

 

My 2 cents worth, from the mouth of a marketing retailers exec wife.

 

Chris

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We used to shop at Wal Mart all the time and now we almost never go there. Wal Mart has never figured high in my BF planing and this will shoot it further down the list of place to shop. In fact it would take an incredible deal to get me in the store on BF now. In most cases our local printed ads are delivered to the newspaer 1- 2 weeks prior to sale. I have also sent this email to them about this threat.

 

"I think it is a poor decision to threaten legal action against GottaDeal.com for publishing your Black Friday ad early. I think you stand to loose more customers then you will gain from the promotion. I think you would be better served in trying to find a way to spin this into a positive. That is what seperates a world class company from a mega giant just crushing every little thing that gets in its way. If you can't stop the problem them you might find a way to embrace the situation. Why not hold back a few special items known only to upper management until the day of the sale."

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So Best Buy and Circuit City seem to "get it". They know that a site like this won't hurt them in any major way and will likely help generate buzz for their sale.

It helps them because more people are aware of BF shopping and that Best Buy/Circuit City have sales on BF. I think Wal-Mart spent a long time being a BF champion because not enough people knew about other stores. Getting the ads even the day before Thanksgiving can be tough. Sites like this one has publicized their ads to lots more people. Even the Canadians are coming down to shop with us. Best Buy has seen a steady increase in sales as sites like GottaDeal.com increase in popularity. It's not a coincidence.

 

I still believe Wal-Mart is afraid of consumer reaction negativly impacting their sale like last year. But they fail to realize that if the other retailers ignore the ads being posted here, consumers will make their plans based on the available ads. This is just another miscalculation in a long list of miscalculations on Wal-Mart's part.

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Just in case someone wants to read it, here is my email to Walmart:

 

I am an avid shopper of Walmart because I feel like I am getting a bargain most of the time. This is also why I am an avid reader of many online shopping forums. What I don't understand or accept is that fact that a Huge corporation like yourself, who promote themselves as a place to shop and save money, wants to threaten these online forums because they may post ads that someone within your company is releasing to the public. First of all the people that read these ads are going to camp out in front of your stores to buy your products not some other company and secondly if you want to keep your ads a secret for some reason then work on your corporate communications. You are doing nothing more than making some of your dedicated shoppers upset and from what I have seen in the news you just don't need more people upset with walmart and giving them a bad name. If anything I would think the way to go would be to embrace this online community of bargain shoppers and make them part of your fmaily of supporters. You want them to buy your products, you know you are going to be putting the products on sale why not make everyone happy.

 

Thanks,

 

Larry

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Someone needs to tell the big wigs at wally world headquarters that viral advertising is a good thing.

You know the old saying, bad press is as good as any press, press is press.

 

Now don't you think the population thats heard about this possible legal action will be keeping their eyes on what Wal Mart is doing over the next 4 weeks.

 

Like what is it they are really going to have on sale ? Must be a bunch of great items ? Must be a great doorbuster sale ?? !!!

 

If not, then why are they being so concerned with an early leak ?

See got ya thinking ....... it might just be a form of viral anyway.....

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:mad: :mad: Well first Walmart does away with Lay-way now this. I have taken the stand that if I can get it somewhere else at a comparable price I do. Wal-mart makes me feel like they are doing me a favor by being in business....instead of the other way around. I to will not be shopping at Walmart on BF if they follow thru with their threat.
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You know the old saying, bad press is as good as any press, press is press.

 

Now don't you think the population thats heard about this possible legal action will be keeping their eyes on what Wal Mart is doing over the next 4 weeks.

 

Like what is it they are really going to have on sale ? Must be a bunch of great items ? Must be a great doorbuster sale ?? !!!

 

If not, then why are they being so concerned with an early leak ?

See got ya thinking ....... it might just be a form of viral anyway.....

Well, I hope the non veternens feel that way and all go to walmart and stay away from best buy:tongue1:

 

Dh is such a dufas .. He said why are you in such a hissy we dont even go to walmart on Black Fri.. I proudly put him in his place and said I have to back up my friends at gotta deal.. And to think I thought he was a Black Fri Warrior :razz:

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