S/O Beggars, Moochers and Scammers

[MommyPenguin]

Yeah, I've been contemplating how to deal with a sort-of-return situation myself.  I've bought Coke (sometimes actual Coke, sometimes Coke Zero) a few times from Walmart, in big 24-packs.  Several times, mostly with the Coke Zero, I found a can of Coke that had leaked out.  In *one* case, it had actually leaked out while it was in the box, and the box was damp (and leaked in my kitchen).  However, the other several times it happened, there was a can that was mostly empty, but it wasn't leaking and there was no wetness anywhere.  So either it leaked out at some point earlier, or the can never got filled all the way.  Also, not infrequently, a large number of the cans in the case would have distorted tops that were misshapen and hard to drink from.  The middle of the top would be as much as an inch higher than the sides.  I've been contemplating talking to Walmart about it, but trying to figure out how to do so.  I'm concerned they might think that I'm just not being gentle enough with the cases.  I'm assuming either somebody is throwing the cases, or that somehow the drinks are getting damaged in production or shipping.  I've never had this happen at any other store, though.

[Elfmama]

Yeah, I've been contemplating how to deal with a sort-of-return situation myself.  I've bought Coke (sometimes actual Coke, sometimes Coke Zero) a few times from Walmart, in big 24-packs.  Several times, mostly with the Coke Zero, I found a can of Coke that had leaked out.  In *one* case, it had actually leaked out while it was in the box, and the box was damp (and leaked in my kitchen).  However, the other several times it happened, there was a can that was mostly empty, but it wasn't leaking and there was no wetness anywhere.  So either it leaked out at some point earlier, or the can never got filled all the way.  Also, not infrequently, a large number of the cans in the case would have distorted tops that were misshapen and hard to drink from.  The middle of the top would be as much as an inch higher than the sides.  I've been contemplating talking to Walmart about it, but trying to figure out how to do so.  I'm concerned they might think that I'm just not being gentle enough with the cases.  I'm assuming either somebody is throwing the cases, or that somehow the drinks are getting damaged in production or shipping.  I've never had this happen at any other store, though.

Sounds like the cases have gotten frozen, MP.  That will distort the shape of the can; remember that water expands as it freezes.  If it expands enough that it creates a pinhole crack, then the soda will leak away.  Is there a particular time of year that you notice it more than others?

I remember taking a sixpack back to the store because one of the cans was empty and I could see a pinhole at the bottom.  Come to find out that DD2 had taken it out of that plastic ring thingummy that holds them together, poked the hole herself, sucked out the contents, and put it back in the plastic ring.  Kids!

[Carotte]

Yeah, I've been contemplating how to deal with a sort-of-return situation myself.  I've bought Coke (sometimes actual Coke, sometimes Coke Zero) a few times from Walmart, in big 24-packs.  Several times, mostly with the Coke Zero, I found a can of Coke that had leaked out.  In *one* case, it had actually leaked out while it was in the box, and the box was damp (and leaked in my kitchen).  However, the other several times it happened, there was a can that was mostly empty, but it wasn't leaking and there was no wetness anywhere.  So either it leaked out at some point earlier, or the can never got filled all the way.  Also, not infrequently, a large number of the cans in the case would have distorted tops that were misshapen and hard to drink from.  The middle of the top would be as much as an inch higher than the sides.  I've been contemplating talking to Walmart about it, but trying to figure out how to do so.  I'm concerned they might think that I'm just not being gentle enough with the cases.  I'm assuming either somebody is throwing the cases, or that somehow the drinks are getting damaged in production or shipping.  I've never had this happen at any other store, though.

You can go to walmart and ask for an exchange, you can also probably contact Coke if they were damaged before you got to them (like, buy them, open the pack, see the default, snap a picture, send them an email [or go straight back to walmart]).
A friend of mine got a huge case of kit-kat when he contacted them about a waffle-less kit-kat, so going that route you'll either nothing, an apology, or an apology and a life-time supply of half-off coupon .

[Luci]

Yeah, I've been contemplating how to deal with a sort-of-return situation myself.  I've bought Coke (sometimes actual Coke, sometimes Coke Zero) a few times from Walmart, in big 24-packs.  Several times, mostly with the Coke Zero, I found a can of Coke that had leaked out.  In *one* case, it had actually leaked out while it was in the box, and the box was damp (and leaked in my kitchen).  However, the other several times it happened, there was a can that was mostly empty, but it wasn't leaking and there was no wetness anywhere.  So either it leaked out at some point earlier, or the can never got filled all the way.  Also, not infrequently, a large number of the cans in the case would have distorted tops that were misshapen and hard to drink from.  The middle of the top would be as much as an inch higher than the sides.  I've been contemplating talking to Walmart about it, but trying to figure out how to do so.  I'm concerned they might think that I'm just not being gentle enough with the cases.  I'm assuming either somebody is throwing the cases, or that somehow the drinks are getting damaged in production or shipping.  I've never had this happen at any other store, though.

You can go to walmart and ask for an exchange, you can also probably contact Coke if they were damaged before you got to them (like, buy them, open the pack, see the default, snap a picture, send them an email [or go straight back to walmart]).
A friend of mine got a huge case of kit-kat when he contacted them about a waffle-less kit-kat, so going that route you'll either nothing, an apology, or an apology and a life-time supply of half-off coupon .

To me, it sounds like the distrubutor is mishandling them. I've never had a problem with Coke products, which is why I think it may be just one person in the warehouse/delivery system. If you and other customers don't return them, they will never know and the abuse will continue.

We had a problem with the OJ jugs getting crushed. I did tell them - it was obvious so I didn't buy any - and now I've noticed they are always perfect, so it must have been only one or two layers up from shelving. They have to be told.

[Figgie]

We bought a package of Oreo cookies the other day.  When we opened it up, inside, the entire package was basically crushed cookies.  Took it back to the grocery store (along with the receipt). 

My spouse showed it to them and told them that they looked fine for a Blizzard, but not to eat.    All they did was look at it and tell us to get another package.

Over the years I've taken back moldy cheese, shattered crusts and a bunch of other stuff and never had them do anything but tell us to go and get a fresh whatever.

[Katana_Geldar]

I took back tomatoes once that started to rot he very next day after we got them. They accepted them no questions.

And I returned a stick blender with multiple attachments when we discovered a manufacturing fault: stuff would get inside the attachment and go mouldy, it was impossible to clean. They gave us a gift card with the amount and we got a food processor and a blender with it.

[MommyPenguin]

Yeah, I've been contemplating how to deal with a sort-of-return situation myself.  I've bought Coke (sometimes actual Coke, sometimes Coke Zero) a few times from Walmart, in big 24-packs.  Several times, mostly with the Coke Zero, I found a can of Coke that had leaked out.  In *one* case, it had actually leaked out while it was in the box, and the box was damp (and leaked in my kitchen).  However, the other several times it happened, there was a can that was mostly empty, but it wasn't leaking and there was no wetness anywhere.  So either it leaked out at some point earlier, or the can never got filled all the way.  Also, not infrequently, a large number of the cans in the case would have distorted tops that were misshapen and hard to drink from.  The middle of the top would be as much as an inch higher than the sides.  I've been contemplating talking to Walmart about it, but trying to figure out how to do so.  I'm concerned they might think that I'm just not being gentle enough with the cases.  I'm assuming either somebody is throwing the cases, or that somehow the drinks are getting damaged in production or shipping.  I've never had this happen at any other store, though.

You can go to walmart and ask for an exchange, you can also probably contact Coke if they were damaged before you got to them (like, buy them, open the pack, see the default, snap a picture, send them an email [or go straight back to walmart]).
A friend of mine got a huge case of kit-kat when he contacted them about a waffle-less kit-kat, so going that route you'll either nothing, an apology, or an apology and a life-time supply of half-off coupon .

To me, it sounds like the distrubutor is mishandling them. I've never had a problem with Coke products, which is why I think it may be just one person in the warehouse/delivery system. If you and other customers don't return them, they will never know and the abuse will continue.

We had a problem with the OJ jugs getting crushed. I did tell them - it was obvious so I didn't buy any - and now I've noticed they are always perfect, so it must have been only one or two layers up from shelving. They have to be told.

I didn't even think about the freezing possibility.  Good point.  I think I recycled the most recent bad can, so I don't have any proof right now.  But if it happens again, I'll bring it back.  Maybe if I think about it I'll shoot them an email as a head's up about the problem, even if I don't have anything to return.

[Margo]

On the flip side of that, you can be honest about a product being damaged and the shop can refuse to believe it/blame you. I bought a CD years ago that didn't work so I swapped it for another, only to realise that the second disc also didn't work had a massive damaged area on it (which I hadn't thought to look for the first time). I took it back and was accused of causing the damage. I asked them to check the other copies of the same CD - only to find that they were ALL damaged. I got my refund, a free copy of the CD once they had one and a very sincere apology.

I had something similar once. I bought a DVD. It wouldn't play. Returned it. New DVD also wouldn't play. Returned it. 3rd DVD still wouldn't play. I returned it, suggested they check their stock as 3 in a row seemed like it might be caused by a batch problem.
They tried to refuse the refund claiming it must me my DVD player (despite the fact that every other disc I had played just fine.)

Fortunately, I'd bought my DVD player recently and from the same retailer, so I told them that, and confirmed that I was more than happy to return the DVD player instead if they preferred. hey then decided that they's refund the DVD instead.

[iridaceae]

On the flip side of that, you can be honest about a product being damaged and the shop can refuse to believe it/blame you. I bought a CD years ago that didn't work so I swapped it for another, only to realise that the second disc also didn't work had a massive damaged area on it (which I hadn't thought to look for the first time). I took it back and was accused of causing the damage. I asked them to check the other copies of the same CD - only to find that they were ALL damaged. I got my refund, a free copy of the CD once they had one and a very sincere apology.

I worked for a subdivision of Montgomery Ward and when we closed due to bankruptcy we went to a zero returns unless an impossible to know at time of purchase defect is detected. We had (this is how long ago this was) a cassette tape returned with the complaint that the tape was not,  in fact the Oakridge boys but was some rock band. So we popped it in a handy cassette deck. The casing said Oakridge Boys. The tape was The Thompson Twins. We tried every cassette of that album. All The Thompson Twins. They got their money back.

[ladyknight1]

On the flip side of that, you can be honest about a product being damaged and the shop can refuse to believe it/blame you. I bought a CD years ago that didn't work so I swapped it for another, only to realise that the second disc also didn't work had a massive damaged area on it (which I hadn't thought to look for the first time). I took it back and was accused of causing the damage. I asked them to check the other copies of the same CD - only to find that they were ALL damaged. I got my refund, a free copy of the CD once they had one and a very sincere apology.

I had something similar once. I bought a DVD. It wouldn't play. Returned it. New DVD also wouldn't play. Returned it. 3rd DVD still wouldn't play. I returned it, suggested they check their stock as 3 in a row seemed like it might be caused by a batch problem.
They tried to refuse the refund claiming it must me my DVD player (despite the fact that every other disc I had played just fine.)

Fortunately, I'd bought my DVD player recently and from the same retailer, so I told them that, and confirmed that I was more than happy to return the DVD player instead if they preferred. hey then decided that they's refund the DVD instead.

I wonder if the DVD was not formatted correctly. I know some DVD formats won't play on all DVD players.

[Margo]

On the flip side of that, you can be honest about a product being damaged and the shop can refuse to believe it/blame you. I bought a CD years ago that didn't work so I swapped it for another, only to realise that the second disc also didn't work had a massive damaged area on it (which I hadn't thought to look for the first time). I took it back and was accused of causing the damage. I asked them to check the other copies of the same CD - only to find that they were ALL damaged. I got my refund, a free copy of the CD once they had one and a very sincere apology.

I had something similar once. I bought a DVD. It wouldn't play. Returned it. New DVD also wouldn't play. Returned it. 3rd DVD still wouldn't play. I returned it, suggested they check their stock as 3 in a row seemed like it might be caused by a batch problem.
They tried to refuse the refund claiming it must me my DVD player (despite the fact that every other disc I had played just fine.)

Fortunately, I'd bought my DVD player recently and from the same retailer, so I told them that, and confirmed that I was more than happy to return the DVD player instead if they preferred. hey then decided that they's refund the DVD instead.

I wonder if the DVD was not formatted correctly. I know some DVD formats won't play on all DVD players.

It shouldn't have mattered. I have a multi-region DVD player. It played the introductory piracy warning just fine - nothing after that..

[jaxsue]

My nephew's wife has a job in the medical field. She works with a wide range of clients, and she gets a lot of requests for written prescriptions so the patient can get medicaid or medicare to pay for a non-essential item (like a luxury bed mattress!). 

[VorFemme]

On the flip side of that, you can be honest about a product being damaged and the shop can refuse to believe it/blame you. I bought a CD years ago that didn't work so I swapped it for another, only to realise that the second disc also didn't work had a massive damaged area on it (which I hadn't thought to look for the first time). I took it back and was accused of causing the damage. I asked them to check the other copies of the same CD - only to find that they were ALL damaged. I got my refund, a free copy of the CD once they had one and a very sincere apology.

I worked for a subdivision of Montgomery Ward and when we closed due to bankruptcy we went to a zero returns unless an impossible to know at time of purchase defect is detected. We had (this is how long ago this was) a cassette tape returned with the complaint that the tape was not,  in fact the Oakridge boys but was some rock band. So we popped it in a handy cassette deck. The casing said Oakridge Boys. The tape was The Thompson Twins. We tried every cassette of that album. All The Thompson Twins. They got their money back.

My sister and I got new bikes at the closing sale of the store in San Angelo.  We rode them home from downtown to our home behind the county fairgrounds....several miles. We'd gone shopping in dresses - I was amazed that our parents let us ride bikes that far in skirts (I had to stand up to avoid my longer than fashionable skirt getting caught in the bike gears - we moved to that house in 1973 and I got married the end of 1975 - so I would have been fifteen or so). 

I wish I still had that bike - no gears, no hand brakes, just a simple old bike that needed only a paint job & new tires (well, by now probably a new chain, new tires, a new seat, and a new handlebar - the frame might still be around - they were sturdy)!

[daisy1679]

On the flip side of that, you can be honest about a product being damaged and the shop can refuse to believe it/blame you. I bought a CD years ago that didn't work so I swapped it for another, only to realise that the second disc also didn't work had a massive damaged area on it (which I hadn't thought to look for the first time). I took it back and was accused of causing the damage. I asked them to check the other copies of the same CD - only to find that they were ALL damaged. I got my refund, a free copy of the CD once they had one and a very sincere apology.

I worked for a subdivision of Montgomery Ward and when we closed due to bankruptcy we went to a zero returns unless an impossible to know at time of purchase defect is detected. We had (this is how long ago this was) a cassette tape returned with the complaint that the tape was not,  in fact the Oakridge boys but was some rock band. So we popped it in a handy cassette deck. The casing said Oakridge Boys. The tape was The Thompson Twins. We tried every cassette of that album. All The Thompson Twins. They got their money back.

I had that happen to me once, but a different store! I was 8 or 9, and all I wanted for my birthday was Bon Jovi - New Jersey. Got it, tore it open, popped it in, and ... Scorpions (the album with Winds of Change). I was so disappointed, especially since the store didn't have any other copies of Bon Jovi in stock, so I had to get a different tape. Never did get that Bon Jovi album...

[doodlemor]

I had that happen to me once, but a different store! I was 8 or 9, and all I wanted for my birthday was Bon Jovi - New Jersey. Got it, tore it open, popped it in, and ... Scorpions (the album with Winds of Change). I was so disappointed, especially since the store didn't have any other copies of Bon Jovi in stock, so I had to get a different tape. Never did get that Bon Jovi album...

It's not too late.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/bon-jovi-new-jersey-cd