95 replies to this topic

[Brad]

Actually, I think I have a better message to send them:

Dear Wal-Mart: I am one of those people who do not like your threat against a website that gives you the opportunity to reach literally thousands of potential customers at no cost to your company. Therefore, from this point on, I will buy nothing from your stores at regular price. I will be happy, however, to snap up any loss leaders you advertise that are actually a great buy. But not a pencil, item of clothing, box of detergent, or anything else at your 'everyday low price' will be added to my cart. Just think of me as your own personal local cherry picker helping to lower your profit margins.

Ruth

Exactly - buy the loss leaders, make them price match other loss-leaders if they still PM.

[abentley]

I could handle any type of response EXCEPT the one we got. They are very insulting. I may not be a big customer to them, but I was a customer.

[Grants Dad]

Wow..... In my journalism/Advertising/Public Relations major, I'm pretty sure writing/speaking like this wouldn't have gotten me a passing grade. I'm more than surprised (mortified even?) that a major corporation would make such comments.

[6digmans]

Dear Stephanie ,

Great products. Great value. And great guest service-every time you visit our stores. That's what shopping at Target is all about, so I'm really happy to learn that you enjoy our stores and choices in advertising.

We're always glad to hear from you, so if you have any questions or comments, give us a call at (800) 440-0680. You can also check with a Guest Services Team Lead at your store, or visit us on Target.com. Either way, we're here to help!

Thanks for shopping with us. We'll see you again soon at Target.

Sincerely,

Tadji
Target Guest Relations
www.target.com


This is the response after I sent a email thanking them for not filing legal action in a BF ad and for great customer service I have recieved.

[jarerice]

They have some balls!!!!! The customer is a customer no matter HOW MUCH MONEY they spend in a store.

Brad, have you decided what you are going to do? I know this stinks for all of us. But this is putting the site in a bad place. I was hoping that it would just blow over, like Best Buy did last year. I remember there was some uproar last year.

Again, my opinion is that if you do not put in the name of the company, maybe make it tp where it comes up with all ********* like some of the other words do here, then what can they do about it.

No matter what, ads or no ads, I have found a home for me for as long as the site is here!!!!
Good Luck with what ever you decide on!!!! And put me on the PM list, please!!!!! If there is one!

[wyattsshamrock]

Considering Mr. Smiley does not have to be worried about what he is spending on the BF sales or need to watch his dollars, he is either single (and I can see why) or Walmart is paying him way too much. Since he does not have to worry about making his dollars strech and "cherry picking" sales, maybe it would only be fitting since "we are not the best customers for retailers anyway" to take our buisness elsewhere. Where did they get this guy from anyway. Evidently he does not realize the whole reason for BF is to get the "cherry Pickers" in the store making them wait till they remove those stupid trash bags and while we wait what do we do buy more stuff. And I guess Mr. Smiley does not realize the "cherry Pickers" are the whole reason he has a job in the first place, because he can bet the money spent on BF will not pay his salary for the year. It is us "cherry pickers" that his store is aimed at to be begin with " always low prices". Guess I got off on a rant there but I got just a little angry after reading his statement

[Mikesgirl]

Brad- i just got an auto reply here is a new number and name for you to add to the growing list.. this came from Tara stewart's email I will be traveling on business Oct. 23-25 with limit access to voicemail and email. Please try Angela Bolinger at 479 204 2478 if your need is urgent. If you are a member of the media - our hotline is 1-800-331-0085. Thank you,

[guilliam]

Oh geez, at first glance, I thought it said "Slimey".... LOL

Me too! Good thing Brad pointed it out!!

But I LOVE the other post....SLIMEY!!!

[abentley]

ok, I just got a response from Mr Simley himself, stating his Ip is banned from Gottadeal.com. He doesn't know what Gottadeal is telling us? I would love to post my/his email but I dont know HOW!!!!

[bayhaysay]

ok, I just got a response from Mr Simley himself, stating his Ip is banned from Gottadeal.com. He doesn't know what Gottadeal is telling us?

I would love to post my/his email but I dont know HOW!!!!

Just copy and paste it.

[Brad]

ok, I just got a response from Mr Simley himself, stating his Ip is banned from Gottadeal.com. He doesn't know what Gottadeal is telling us?

I would love to post my/his email but I dont know HOW!!!!

Someone else said he said the same thing to them about his IP being banned. I haven't banned any WM-related IPs this year, so it must have been banned from a previous year and I have no way of knowing which IP that is.

[lovebears65]

I refuse to give my money to walmart. Wont do it ...

[andyw06]

Could wal*Mart get a spell Checker? I wonder if they are just doing this to create BUZZ, I mean really you print an ad so epople will see the ad, sites like this are seen by 1000s.

[tdanette]

I really don't know what to say- TIIC of WM have lost it That's the whole point of ads- for customers to find the best deals. I've decided there's just too many other stores and online deals to mess with WM much anymore. I may pay $50 more for, say, a tv or computer this BF but I bet I get better customer service and the checkout won't be as long (since it seems they never have but 2 or 3 checkouts open at any one time) I think I'll email WM and tell them to save the money they're spending on printing a BF ad this year- they're gonna need it

[bayhaysay]

This is a reply that abentley emailed me to post for her.

From: John Simley
To: (removed name)
Sent: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 4:48 PM
Subject: RE: A concerned customer


(removed name),

I appreciate your note and your thoughts on this. We have investigated these channels and, even after some experiments, have not yet found a way to make it work. It's terrible when we work for months to establish a promotion, and then the information is stolen from us and posted so our competitors can see it weeks in advance and try to find ways to challenge it. It is frustrating, damaging and also illegal.

-j.

[krissy72]

They have some balls!!!!! The customer is a customer no matter HOW MUCH MONEY they spend in a store.

Brad, have you decided what you are going to do? I know this stinks for all of us. But this is putting the site in a bad place. I was hoping that it would just blow over, like Best Buy did last year. I remember there was some uproar last year.



No matter what, ads or no ads, I have found a home for me for as long as the site is here!!!!
Good Luck with what ever you decide on!!!! And put me on the PM list, please!!!!! If there is one!

I have to say I agree with this statement

[Illinoismom]

my 2 cents Mr.Simley Being an avid walmart shopper for well over 20 years I am troubled by the things that have transpired. For the past 20 years I have done all of my Christmas shopping at Walmart, Well I do most of my shopping there. Last year I was very troubled that you had planned on doing away with Layway so that the avarage working class person would then struggle to even plan a nice christmas. I do believe in having a debt free Christmas so Credit cards are out of the question, My avarage Layways every year were between 1500-2500 as this was were all my Presents were purchased. The other things that have bothered me is that above and beyond the layways I still went out every Black Friday and shopped not only what you had to offer but pricematched what other stores had this way I only had one stop shopping, Do think it upset me last year that the walmart that I shopped at pulled every video game, Dvd movie, Dvd movie box set, and CD's that the other stores had off the shelves so that there was no way that I could price match and stay with in the one stop shopping. Walmart then Forced me leave their store and venture out to Target and Best Buy where as I would have been fine just shopping at walmart. Now If I am a cherry picker because I look at sites that are going to save me money doesnt mean that I am an on-line shopper it means I am smart as I can get more for my money same as the next person. Now it is fun looking on line at walmart ad that these so called sites post as Walmart is to cheap to mail me one, I have never recieved a flyer in the mail,. Sure Walmart can be goliath and try to take out all the davids with the legal threats, Because an ad may go out on line 9 days early. But you know the consumers don't forget, The towns you promised things to and then tried to take those back. Why because you are Walmart and you feel you are above the avarage little person. Walmart has really made me decide that I know longer want to be loyal to them through out the year, and I will have to go and try Target for my everyday house hold, school supplies, birthdays and any other reason that I go to a store to shop. This will be the year that I know will try K-Mart for my Christmas Layways as I want to ensure that my children get those gifts that I can afford on a budget. I do realize that since I am just a cherry picker, a consumer to Walmart that my spending dollars through the year dont count. Well if they don't count at Christmas then you will not miss mine money or several other thousands of peoples money 364 other days of the year. With Regards

[aprncess]

Well that does it.......no layaway, no ads and now I am a cherry picker because I look at their ads and then shop at their store on BF, that is just the last straw! I am taking my cherry picking behind over to the cherry colored bulls eye store from now on!

[cotejb]

There is no point in going to Walmart on Black Friday. I wouldn't go even before all of this mess b/c I get pissed off every time I go in there. I'd rather pay more money at Kroger for my groceries than deal with all the people, the not friendly at all cashiers who I have to explain how to ring up coupons, what I need is never in stock or its the last item and is all beat up, if it is in stock it breaks not long after buying it or winds up being some part of a recall that you are gonna die from eating/having it b/c they got it from China. Oh yeah if you go on BF, be sure to let me know out of their 60 check out lines they will only have 4 open like any other usual day. Wasn't the store created for Cherry pickers?? AR is not the richest state.....

[stacya]

Whoo-hoo!! I've got one less store to shop at on BF! I can utilize my time (and money) elsewhere!!

[Deal Grabber]

Arent we allowed to post what we see in the AD just not the actual ad itself?If i dont see the ad before i wont shop at walmart.Walmart is just being silly.They must realize their ad s**ked last year and they think this is going to make it better.

[lmore]

Okay everyone is mad at Walmart and say that you won't go there on BF. So why are you asking for the ad still I mean come on if there is a spy in these parts don't you think they will see that you are still wanting the ad. I won't go and I don't care what the ad looks like. I'm not trying to be mean just wanting you to see what I see looking in. I always look at everything at every angle to make sure there are no holes

[conj]

Okay everyone is mad at Walmart and say that you won't go there on BF. So why are you asking for the ad still I mean come on if there is a spy in these parts don't you think they will see that you are still wanting the ad.

I won't go and I don't care what the ad looks like.

I am not mad. I am disappointed. I want a retraction of their threat of legal action. the ad is of much less importance

[Illinoismom]

it is not the point of people not wanting to go to Walmart, it is the threats that Walmart is trying to convay, If the ad was released tomorrow and everything was normal I do believe if the ad was good people would still go, and al would be over

[Marcster]

They are Walmart - they don't care - they don't have to.

[LUCINDA574]

Same old same old reply, this is what I received from them.Absolutely nothing to what I said about not being pleased about the whole CNET article, it wasnt addressed at all...... Dear XXXXXXX, In the past, certain websites have posted seasonal promotion advertising from Wal-Mart -- and many other retailers -- without authorization. Because these websites have not respected copyright protections and other laws, we have reminded them of their obligations under the law. Customers will be able to find the Black Friday Wal-Mart specials on walmart.com beginning Nov.19th. Thank you, Customer Relations

[MandaJo111]

Here is the reply I got: I'm sorry you feel that way, but the stories people have passed on to me do not represent our position. Some comments attributed to me are actually from a Steven Baker, described as "vice president of industry analysis for NPD Group." We are only concerned with one fact: that trading in this material (which is stolen from us) is a violation of federal laws. All we're doing is reminding the websites that they need to follow the law. I hope you understand our position. -j. At least it was a personal reply rather than a generic one.

[babymains]

Last year I went to Target, I found a Idog that my son so dearly wanted. I tried to get it at walmart on bf but the stockmen hide all of them. They listed on their website for 15.00. I went to walmart and was told the crap about "we don't compete with ourselves". At target I also saw the cute clothes but I didn't have enough money for both. I had to scrap up the money to even get what I had ( a mom fresh out of college, no big job then). I casual said something to the cashier about what walmart did. She told me she would price match and sent another checker to get the clothes for it that were on sale. I stood there in tears because I could afford both. I am now a very loyal TARGET shopper! Customer service is more important than price sometimes!!!!

[Spotted1]

I only have walmart & kmart to choose from here... But dude. Kmart's starting to look more and more enticing.

[smander74]

The whole threat of legal action is ridiculous. Reminds me of the playground wimp yelling, "if you hit me, I'll sue!!" I'm not a big fan of WM and now, even less of one. I will actually go to Kmart, where I always get screwed by prices differences or they don't have what I need, rather than step foot in WM. Blech.