Internet sale cancelled due to Walmart pricing error

While the manner in which the author closed the letter normally
wouldn't help in increasing odds of a response, I just wanted to
publicly thank the Wal-mart associate below for attempting to
clarifying the unique issues around such circumstances. And thanks
for forwarding the issue to the appropriate person. The spirit of
that response is a far cry from the characterization at the end of the
letter.

- Pete, Founder, PlanetFeedback

everyone who got cancelled received a 10 dollar online giftcard

Please look at the WalMart associate's comment just below. It
explains the challenge of maintaining a web presence and why and how
these errors happen.

I was going to write a letter here but didn't even bother. I think
I've given up.....

The reason this sort of thing happens is because we have hundreds of
automated feeds arriving all hours of every day. It is not humanly
possible for us to eyeball every single field of every single item on
the site. There are a whole 3 people in the Video Games department &
40k items in their flock. Stuff happens.

Prices are updated every hour. This info comes from our distributors.
We have 5 distributors for Video Games. Every once in a while
someone on our distributors' end is asleep at the wheel & then this
happens. Then they say they won't fulfill those orders. It's bounced
back.

So, even if we desperately wanted to fulfill on such a gaffe (& I work
with really lovely people & have no doubt they would) we don't own the
inventory, don't ship it & are wholly reliant on our distributors.

Distributors ARE let go for this sort of "off-brand" behavior. We
take customer satisfaction extremely seriously, but sometimes things
are, frustratingly, out of our control.

I've forwarded this to the appropriate people. :)

I had a similar situation with Amazon.com and contacted the Washington
state AG. Apparently, if an online retailer states, in their T&C,
that they are not responsible for mistakes... they aren't. At least
in Washington state, but I suspect elsewhere.

So, I'm on your side, although I realize that (apparently) their
disclaimers are plenty sufficient to be within the law.

But then, you went and turned yourself into an idiot with the crack
about "huge butt wipes." Why, oh, why, did you go ahead and ruin
things?

Why should Wal Mart be given a pass because they "made a mistake" in
their ad? People write letters evry day regarding penalties they
suffer because of mistakes on thier part. This is especially true
regarding bank issues. Late one day on a credit acrd payment? $39 late
fee. Overdraft your checking account ny $2.00? $35.oo NSF charge. And
the standard response here at PFB? "It is YOUR resposibility to keep
track of your records, keep your reciept, keep track of the date.
Suffer the consequences, don't think you are entitled to special
treatment, quit whining." Why is it different with this? Part of the
reason for these high fees is that pays for the free checking,no
service fee- type benefits for the rest of us. Come on PFB regulars,
can't you occasionally find it in your heart to hold Corporate
responsible for something other than low prices and indifferent
service?

While Walmart has the right to cancel orders due to mis-pricing I do
not feel it is good business.

How many times have airlines incorrectly sold seats for only a few
dollars. Did the airlines cancel the tickets for these people? No,
they honored the prices that were stated on the website.

How many times have brick and mortar stores mis-marked items or left
up sale signs longer than the sale lasted? In most cases the store
honors the sales price that was stated.

Some people have blamed the OP for trying to get cheat Walmart for
getting a good deal. With Walmart how can you tell if they were not
trying to run a great deal like they did at Christmas time.
I strongly feel that Wal-mart should have honored their sale price. It
is the only way these retailers will learn that they need to be more
careful when posting their merchandise.

I am sure there would be many here that would be complaining to a
retailer if this happened to you so cut the OP some slack. Many of you
would be thinking you got a great deal from the retailer.

Actually, I think you do have a valid complaint. They should have
honored the price ad advertised for anyone who completed the
transaction before the pricing error was caught. Wal-Mart is a huge
multi-million dollar (actually probably billion) and they should just
write it off as a cost of doing business. I think you have a right to
be upset. There are some very rude people on here who have attacked
you for your position. It's one thing to disagree, but another to be
malicious about it.

you expect them not only to give you the game at the erroneous price,
but also to apologize to you???

Um, 'fraid the only butt wipe here would be Y-O-U.

I dont like walmart either. But calling them butt-wipes hardly
reflects maturity in a busniess letter.

I dont think you have a valid complaint. So they cancelled your
order... would you rather them have charged you the full price and
sent it anyway?

Nice try, thanks for playing but you don't get a $50 game for $20.
Some human made an error when entering the price on the website and in
accordance with their policy posted on said website, they chose not to
honor that price.

Whose the butt wipe now?

I wonder if the indignation people have over incidents such as this
(websites listing an incorrectly low price) is due to the inability to
see the difference between this situation and the case where a store
shelf price is mismarked.

Unless I am mistaken, if a price tag on a shelf has the wrong price on
it, the item must be sold for that price (if it is lower than the
correct price).

However, online retailers aren't (evidently) bound by the same rules.
I suppose there may be some state by state variations in the
individual rules that pertain to stores and websites.

So you are pyshic? How you do know the OP knew the price on the
website was wrong. Perhaps they thought they were getting a great
deal.

I don't know squat about video games, so if I were to buy one for a
gift, I'd have no clue as to the price.

While plausible, it's not very likely that the OP didn't realize that
the price was wrong. She even said in the second sentence that she was
aware of what the actual pricing should be.

the OP stated in their letter that the game was to be released at
around $50 in Feb. The price was around $20 on the website, so a
consumer should expect something is wrong when a $50 game is being
advertised prerelease for less than 50% of what it will cost at
release. That is 40% of the expected price.

If that is what was implied, I agree. If you knew Wii was supposed to
cost $280, and a month before release you saw it for $112 (40%),
wouldn't it raise an eyebrow? It would for me. I might go out and
try to capitalize on a pricing error, but if I failed I can't see
complaining to anyone but a bartender about it.

#1-they EMAILED you and let you know WHY they cancelled your order.
Would you rather have had them charge you full price??? It was a
MISTAKE. Unlike you.. not every is perfect. Your attitude sucks in
this letter by the way.

Huge butt wipes? Really? Did you want someone from 8th grade to
contact you in reference to this? How old are you? I think you need
to let mommy and daddy write your letters for you.

If a professional response is desired, a professional request should
be initiated. Name-calling is inappropriate in a business letter.
I'm certain that, had Wal*Mart responded in kind, the OP would be
furious at the rudeness she doesn't seem to recognize in herself.

So, it's not good business to realize you made a pricing error and
inform the customer?

What exactly is bad business then?

And though it didn't contain the words "butt wipes", it sounds like
you got an apology just the same.

That's butt wee-pay to you.

They have apologized.

I assume that when you calm down you will be appropriately mortified
by this letter and will apologize for your behavior.

Damn you are cheap. They messed up, and you didn't get charged, and
the order was cancelled.

Remember- if its too good to be true, it is.

Butt wipes?... real classy.

Did you really think Walmart was offering a newly released fifty
dollar game for twenty, even on a preorder? Seriously?

All retailers reserve the right not to honor misprints, which this
obviously was.

Do some research next time, Einstein.

"Pricing Information

While Walmart.com strives to provide accurate product and pricing
information, pricing or typographical errors may occur. Walmart.com
cannot confirm the price of an item until after you order. In the
event that an item is listed at an incorrect price or with incorrect
information due to an error in pricing or product information,
Walmart.com shall have the right, at our sole discretion, to refuse or
cancel any orders placed for that item. In the event that an item is
mispriced, Walmart.com may, at our discretion, either contact you for
instructions or cancel your order and notify you of such
cancellation."

So, yes, you ARE that wrong. You couldn't be more
wrong.