Guilty Until Proven Innocent, or What is, “It’s not personal. We do this to everyone.”
So, I’m an idiot. As much as I HATE Walmart, I decided to make a trip there on the Tuesday before Christmas. I knew it was likely to be busy. But I had a $20 gift card I wanted to use, I needed several Christmas items for the kids, and I had a few hours free without any kids. So off I went.
Things actually went pretty well to start out–the parking lot was only 3/4 full at 1:30 in the afternoon. I noticed shopping carts overfilling the cart-returns and poking out into the aisles of the parking lot, so I figured I’d better grab one there, as there were sure to be none in the store. I was right.
First, I checked for cat self-feeders. (Yes, we left the kitties to claw our furniture to pieces and pee in the fireplace fend for themselves for three days over Christmas.) No self-feeders, of course. Murphy’s (or rather, Walmart’s) Law.
I went over to another section, and managed to find almost everything I needed for the kids. Things were a mess, and I truly felt sorry for the lady who was trying to put things where they actually belonged. She clearly was NOT winning the clutter war. Reminded me of my house–people making messes faster than anyone can possibly clean.
So, I finished up in just over an hour and went to join the mobs waiting to check out. The lines didn’t look too bad, but you know Walmart. Why have all 30 registers open when you can have just 10 on a busy shopping day before Christmas? And for that matter, why have competent cashiers when you can have numbskulls? In spite of the lines and the numbskulls, I made it through checkout. And then I noticed it.
There was a line waiting to get OUT of Walmart???? “What the heck?” I thought. And then I realized what was going on. A lady with a blue Walmart apron and a Santa hat (ho, ho, ho) was checking receipts. Nothing makes me madder than being assumed to be a thief. So I just casually busied myself putting my receipt in my wallet, like I always do, and walked to the right of the line, straight past Miss-Orange-Pen-receipt-marking-lady.
“Miss!” she called. I kept walking. “Oh miss!” …walking…”MISS!” I figured I’d better stop, and I did and played dumb. (Yes, the secret’s out–I’m not dumb, I just play it in certain idiotic situations.) “I need to see your receipt,” the nice lady said. “Why?” I asked, again playing dumb. “It’s our policy,” she answered. “Why?” I asked again. “To be sure you’re not stealing anything!” I handed her my receipt and muttered, “I hate this place…assuming I’m a thief.” To which she replied “It’s not personal. We do this to everyone.” And I thought, “Wait, isn’t this America?? Innocent until proven guilty?” Not at Walmart–there, you must prove your innocence by handing your receipt to the lady who draws an orange doodle at the bottom, after she checks your cart to see if you shoplifted.
I can’t take it any more. Walmart, besides the other deplorable business policies, has a cheerful, Merry-Christmas policy of assuming that we’re all thieves. Thieves who stop to place our stolen items carefully in bags at the checkout line before exiting the store. And really, if I did snitch a pack of gum, is the lady with the orange pen really going to be able to find it under the hundreds of other cheap, plastic, made-in-China items in my bags? Doubtful. I’m convinced they just do it to make us all feel like stupid, low-class, low-life criminals. And maybe many Walmart “shoppers” are. If so, that’s another reason I don’t want to go there–guilt by association.
And so I’m doing it. I’m taking the plunge. I can’t stand supporting the horrible business practices of the Walton stores any more. I’m done with Walmart. It’s a real, Chewymom-boycott. Along with Amazon. If I keep up at the rate I’m going, I’ll have nowhere else left to shop. Except Target, where they may say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas,” but they definitely treat people in a more “Christian’ way, and I leave the store a lot happier and merrier!
Posted in Quote of the Day, This and That
December 27th, 2005 at 10:20 pm
Hey!!! Wow! You have a blog! I’m so impressed! We loved your Christmas card! I can’t believe how old the kids look! DD3 is darling! I read over your comments a little; would love to post a “real” reply but don’t have time (I don’t know exactly waht you said about Wal-Mart, but I’m kind of liking my new Super Wal-Mart… .) Anyhow, just wanted to say “hi!”. I just couldn’t get it together to send Christmas cards this year, but we hope to see you sometime soon! Let us know when you’ll be in town and maybe you and me and Jonna and others can go to dinner! Tell your DH and the kids “hi” from the Waddles! Love, Staci
December 28th, 2005 at 9:00 pm
I’ve been in the Big W once since we’ve been back in the States, and driven in and out of the parking lot two other times.
And I’m not going back.
It’s sad. . . I remember when WalMart was a nice place where Sam Walton really worked to make it an honorably run business and promote American products and all. . . Now, I just want to take a shower when I walk out.
December 29th, 2005 at 3:33 pm
[...] Chewymom had a particularly heinous experience at her local Wal-Mart, and she has finally had it with them. I’ve heard some annoying things about Wally-World, but this one takes the cake. [...]
December 29th, 2005 at 5:08 pm
You know, I’m about to follow you on that path. We rarely go not, and I’m thinking
of making it a policy not to daren the door anymore. Because of how they treat their
employees, insurance-wise especially.
December 29th, 2005 at 7:12 pm
Had a similar experience at Costco recently. Of all the places! They have their bathrooms at the front of the store. To get to them you have to walk past the check-out lines, which they keep impossible because of the carts, etc. blocking the way (on purpose). The whole family was there, and some of them had to go to the bathroom. We were about halfway through our shopping trip, so we had some items in our cart. NORMALLY, I have been able to take the cart to the hall outside the bathroom, partk my cart, and take whomever into the bathroom. Not this day. Some dude yelled, “Have you paid for that yet????” I said, “We’re just going to the bathroom.” And he meanly informed me that I had to leave my cart there. Well yeah, right, and then I’ll come back and find all my stuff put away. I don’t think so. So dh took a few and then I took a few when he came back. I’m just glad he was with me so we could do that. He said if they still have that policy in a few weeks (I’m HOPING it’s just because of Christmas), and that happens while it’s just me and the kids, I am to empty my cart right there on the floor, and then take my empty cart to the hallway with my kids.
December 29th, 2005 at 10:23 pm
Oh cool! A Wal-Mart boycott! I try to boycott them, but it’s so hard to do when they’re the only game in town. But I do at least promise to try.
How ’bout a cheer?
I say BOY, you say COTT!
BOY!!!!
BOY!!!!
December 30th, 2005 at 12:48 pm
I really dislike Wal-Mart - for a lot of reasons! I’ve been boycotting them for a while. I understand some people feel they need to go there for various reasons, but we don’t. I figure if we can’t afford to pay a couple bucks more for the same stuff at Target then we don’t need it.
I can understand why places like Costco check your cart since they don’t bag your items. And I do understand that thieves are very tricky (a friend worked as a checker at Target and had very interesting stories to tell) but, like you said, they would have to go to a lot of work to bag their stolen goods before leaving.
December 31st, 2005 at 9:14 am
Chewy - I found some information about WalMart I am going to post soon. I will join your boycott - i am tired of having cheap stuff that I have to replace every year and I don’t like their employee and insurance policies either. Viva la small buisness and appreciating the things we have.
I also tagged you for a fun meme that Blest with Sons started - Hope you have time to join!
December 31st, 2005 at 11:27 pm
Well, another WalMart customer is finally sent packing! You need to watch the JibJab.com “Big Box Mart” jab. I really hits the spot…
http://jibjab.com/Movies/MoviePlayer.aspx?contentid=122&adp=1
January 2nd, 2006 at 4:08 pm
They always check our stuff at Sam’s Club, but I’ve never had that happen at Walmart. We used to live in Arkansas in the early 90’s, I remember they would annouce when Mr. Walton was in the store. He usually drove an old pickup truck and wore overalls and a baseball cap. A really down-to-earth guy. I think he’d hate what that corporation has become and how they treat both customers and employees.
January 5th, 2006 at 11:56 am
Yes, yes — I’m so glad to read that my family is NO LONGER ALONE! We have jokingly referred to Wal-Mart as “Satan’s Superstore”. Don’t get me started…
February 25th, 2006 at 6:38 pm
[...] The Wal-Mart effect is well-documented. It is the title of this recent book. (Click on the link for a good synopsis of the book.) Wal-Mart puts small stores out of business. Wal-Mart drives production out of the USA and to places like China so the prices can always be the lowest: “Always.” Some friends of this blog (including one of the Fat Triplets) think Wal-Mart is the bee’s knees because it makes products available more cheaply. Others (such as Cancerman and Chewymom) see it differently, and I tend to agree with these latter two more than I do with the former. [...]
June 1st, 2006 at 7:58 am
[...] It has been over 5 months since I last darkened the doors of a Walmart store. But I was there on Wednesday evening, May 31, 2006. And do you want to know why? Here’s my story. [...]
August 21st, 2006 at 6:16 am
[...] It has been nearly nine months since I publically announced that I was beginning a personal Waldemart boycott. Not too many people have made fun of me, but several have questioned me about it. Once I slipped up and actually found myself inside a Walmart. But only once. Otherwise I have been faithful to my personal boycott. And now I see I was successful. [...]