[arkaneinc]

Went to a local Walmart on Sunday to get some Allegra. I had planned on Price Matching and getting them for free. When I got there the WalMart workers were boxing up all the Allegra that would have been free and I asked them what was going on and was informed that they were notified of a possible recall and to "protect" their customers they would not be selling any. I decided to just leave it at that. Walked out of the store and later checked to see if the Allegra had been recalled and it had not.
Today at two different Walmart locations I had planned on Price Matching Farmer John Hotdogs to Food4Less @$0.78 each and use my $1 coupon that expires today. I went over to the refrigerator section and there were 3 employees boxing up all the Farmer John Hotdogs and when I asked why the product was being pulled I was given the "we were informed of a possible recall..." yada yada yada. I called the 800-Walmart number as well as anyone else who would listen. These two stores are faking recalls to avoid overages. I don't care about the overage honestly. WalMart is my preferred place to shop. Now waiting to hear back from the manager of one of the stores as well as the district manager. (both stores in the same district)

In all the time I've been coupon shopping I've never had something like this happen. Anyone else have any similar experiences?


*Stores are located in Southern California. Store #2028 and #1912

**Update**

Thank you to the person that recommended PlanetFeedback. I got a call today and spoke with the Assistant Manager at one of the stores. He investigated the problem and found that there was no recall or possible recall issued and apologized profusely. We talked for awhile and he has promised to address the issue with the department as well as make mention of it to the associates. He seemed very genuine and concerned about his store.

It took 15 days but I am satisfied with the results. I did my part which was to get a hold of a Manager and make them aware of the situation to prevent something like this happening in the future.

[Mteel33]

That is ridiculous! Can't wait to hear the response you get!

[bigdogmom187]

Yup! Happens all the time. I think it's totally dishonest and repellant as far as CS goes (Walmart and another store that I frequent are HORRIBLE about this!) yah it makes me mad when they treat me like I'm robbing them at gun point or something whenever something is free (we won't even discuss overage )

[Tonia]

Wow that is crazy... I don't have proof but I always had a suspicion that my local Targets remove items from shelves when there is a hot coupon out that makes them free. Recently it has been the 24-count Target Ibuprofen (when that $1/1 coupon was out making them free or slight overage), and now all of the low-cost Revlon items have been gone from the shelves since the $5/2 coupon came out. I guess it could be heavy couponers buying them all up, but there doesn't seem to be many of us around here, so I always wonder if the stores pull these types of items from the shelves until the coupon dies down.

Please keep us posted if anyone from Walmart gets back to you and what they say!

[Popples]

i wonder if Allegra is paying WM a little chunk of money to pull the smaller boxes

[redraider25]

Originally Posted by Tonia

Wow that is crazy... I don't have proof but I always had a suspicion that my local Targets remove items from shelves when there is a hot coupon out that makes them free. Recently it has been the 24-count Target Ibuprofen (when that $1/1 coupon was out making them free or slight overage), and now all of the low-cost Revlon items have been gone from the shelves since the $5/2 coupon came out. I guess it could be heavy couponers buying them all up, but there doesn't seem to be many of us around here, so I always wonder if the stores pull these types of items from the shelves until the coupon dies down.

Please keep us posted if anyone from Walmart gets back to you and what they say!

There is a way you can check and see. If your Target has the undated Price Scanners, then all you have to do is take the sales tag for the shelf that lists the products price and has a barcode, and scan it at the price checker. Look for where it mentions stock room, it will either say yes or no. If it says yes, then by golly raise some hell . I did this when the the coupon was out for free Up&Up paper towels. Sure enough, they had 3 whole cases in the back.

[YellowWoman]

Wow, I haven't heard that! Please update us with what they say--although Walmart really doesn't care a bit about customer service so I'm sure you'll get the usual lines

[ArwenEvenstar]

I would call Allegra and the Farmer John hot dogs and ask them if there is a recall. Why would Walmart only pull the "free" boxes... that's suspicious.....

I bet they would want to know that Walmart is pulling their stock (less sales = less profit) for that company and saying its on recall.

Make sure they know what store it is...

Isn't that illegal somehow if Walmart is pulling items and saying its on recall?? Kinda like slander against the company?

[qrazy]

call the tv station and see if they want to do a story about it.

[scamelo]

If they left the larger boxes of Allegra than I think you got them. If they pulled all Allegra than maybe they can defend themselves.

Since our Target got remodeled I also bring tags or numbers to the scanners and see if there is more in the back. Don't think our stores are hoarding anything in the back because I never see they are available in the stockroom and usually within a few days they are back in stock.

I have to say I have been shopping coupons and clearance at my local Target for over 8 years since it opened. I used to have clearance of any kind, coupon or not, almost to myself. Not so any longer. I am now competing with a gentleman selling on ebay and if I want anything for my family I have to get there at 8 sharp and beat him to things as he buys anything worth selling, and buys it all in cartfuls. Whatever he can't sell, he just returns, and off to salvage it goes.

[Aliciaboo]

I totally beleive they do this at my walmart on fri plenty 5 ct allegra Sunday morning none not even the yellow sticker gone...but plenty of bigger boxes................so fustrating...I suspect when coupon expires..they will magically appear...

[StacieM99]

Same with my walmart. None on the shelf. I've notice this before. I asked once if they pull off shelf because shelf was empty for a long time. It was the battery tooth brushes that time. She said no they would never do that. After coupon expired, they were back on shelf. To me, it sounds like they do. Theres not that many couponers here. Small town.

[ast2011]

I just got two small boxes of Allegra at the Wags by my house on Tuesday. I suspect if there had been a recall then I wouldn't have found it there, either. All the shelves at WM were empty. I agree this isn't good business practice on Walmart's part.

[Robbo]

Originally Posted by ast2011

I just got two small boxes of Allegra at the Wags by my house on Tuesday. I suspect if there had been a recall then I wouldn't have found it there, either. All the shelves at WM were empty. I agree this isn't good business practice on Walmart's part.

This is a good point. What are the chances that only the medicine and hot dogs shipped to walmart are recalled? Everywhere else got good ones?

[tagarza]

That would really piss me off. I would want to ask for more details, let them dig themselves deeper into their hole and like a pp said call the company and ask about a recall. And *if* Allegra REALLY had a recall NONE of it would be on the shelf, unlike what we're seeing now where only the 5 ct are being recalled pfffft!

[patchmeifyoudare]

Originally Posted by redraider25

There is a way you can check and see. If your Target has the undated Price Scanners, then all you have to do is take the sales tag for the shelf that lists the products price and has a barcode, and scan it at the price checker. Look for where it mentions stock room, it will either say yes or no. If it says yes, then by golly raise some hell . I did this when the the coupon was out for free Up&Up paper towels. Sure enough, they had 3 whole cases in the back.

Not always ! I work there,and sometimes it will say on our pda that we have some in the backroom ,and there is none ! It is ot 100% accurate ! I wish it was !!!!
There is a difference between a target q and a manuf q ,the target q ,the store is "eating" the loss ,as a whole ,Target is not losing money ,but the individual store is !!!!( for that day !) ,so one per transaction !!

[arkaneinc]

have yet to hear anything back from WalMart.

The thing that gets me is this. A business is out to make profit. I don't care about anything else that goes along with a business, it all boils down to how much profit can be made. Pulling a product (fake recall, because of coupons) does not make sense. A company like WalMart that receives shipments daily should let the product ride. If it sells out replace it asap. Not that hard. I've worked at some big companies and with a proper inventory management software this is easily done. If the shelf is cleared offer to rain check the item. If it is with coupons offer to put through the transaction now with coupons and when it is delivered call the customer.

We have all been to stores where the shelf is cleared either right when a sale starts or soon after only to see the day after a coupon expires the shelf is magically full again. This does irritate me but not as much as being told of a bogus recall. I would have had more respect for the company if it would have just said flat out that they have decided to limit the quantity available for purchase to lets say 3 per customer to ensure that people without coupons can purchase the product as well. I'm getting real sick and tired of being treated like a thief and a second class citizen because of the fact I'm smart enough to clip coupons and save money. /end rant

[bigdogmom187]

Just wondering if you had heard anything yet?

[arkaneinc]

Originally Posted by bigdogmom187

Just wondering if you had heard anything yet?

Still have yet to hear anything and am getting the run around from everyone that I have called. Called WalMart corporate today and was told that they have gotten in contact with the manager and that I should expect a call back in 1-3 business days. So, basically the same thing I was told when I originally called. The district manager never called (shocker...right). It sucks because I do like Walmart and usually do not have this experience with them.

[siriradha]

Right after people started posting on this and other websites that a certain brand of Panko was a MM I got the last two boxes off the shelf and have not seen it since. Just makes me wonder...

[Aliciaboo]

Well as of yesterday all I know is allegra has magically appeared..hhhmmmmmm

[connie1615]

I have always felt that Walmart and Target hide their products in the back when a good coupon comes out...but it just does not make any sense...they get paid for it when they send in the coupons anyway! I cant stand it when I go to a store and use my coupons and the cashiers act like I'm stealing from their pockets!!! Its so damn annoying.

[Aliciaboo]

O I totally have been noticing I don't undetstand what's the point other then spite makin it hard on us couponers....yes it aggravates me

[arkaneinc]

Originally Posted by Aliciaboo

O I totally have been noticing I don't undetstand what's the point other then spite makin it hard on us couponers....yes it aggravates me

Today I spoke with a friend of mine who works at a Walmart here in southern California. He was telling me ever since the lady who worked at Walmart was arrested story here everyone is acting like coupons will make them lose their job. He's had his manager tell him to refuse any coupon that makes an item free because it is stealing. I can understand the paranoia but honestly... this was an inside thing. I am unsure what side of the fence I'm going to land on with Walmart over this whole thing. I've loved shopping there but am considering going to Target. At least when I've had problems with Target they have always given me the illusion that they were doing everything in their power to fix or address my issue. The way it seems currently is that Walmart just doesn't care what happens at their stores. I truly hope someone sues them over this. I'd keep pursuing the issue if I thought I could get anyone to listen.

I did speak to a reporter for the local newspaper and she would love to run a story on it except she's being told that it never happened and that they are "vigorously investigating the alleged incident"... blah.

[YellowWoman]

Sounds like the overage will soon be over.