Walmart Shoppers Beware

[skw444]

Another "caution" for Target store users. This may be true for other pharmacy shops too...

I took my thyroid medication script to Target as the shop claimed it could fill the script for $4. Heck. Good deal!

Unfortunately (totally my responsibility) what I didn't notice was that they weren't using the same medication. Thyroid medication is very sensitive and if the dosage (or the quality of the product) is not exact, you can run into trouble.

Needless to say, I did. With my return visit to my doc, she asked me why on earth I'd stopped taking the medicine! I assured her I didn't, and with some discussion we discovered that the replacement med was the culprit.

She told me NEVER, EVER for any reason take a generic thyroid med!

So, you may want to check into that, if it is a concern for you.

This could happen at any pharmacy. Usually, the insurance companies will automatically fill the generic if there is one available. The only way to prevent this from happening is to have your doctor write the prescription as brand necessary. I have to have this done on one of my prescriptions.

 

[OK GRUMPY]

Were is the customer service? To have a machine give cash back and you have to be inconvience WOW! I thought you had to enter pin number to get cash back. Alway's use your card as a credit and you will not get any cash back. If the machince is broken Walmart are any other Retailer should run that chckout as cash only. Don't expect the consumer to be inconvience. If its something wrong with there merchant services that allow's this to happen Walmart or any other Retailer that has this problem should address it with there merchant services. I'm sure a company as big as Walmart is can get things fixed with there merchant services
Ok I'm off my soap box.. I just really hate they we are paying company's our hard earned $ for terrible customer service.

 

[SKWDW]

This has never happened to me at our local Wal-Mart, but it HAS happened at Target and at the grocery store.

I don't think it is a conspiracy by Wal-Mart (or other merchant), rather like PP stated, an over-sensitivity on the digital card machines.

 

[Lovin' Disney]

Walmart cashier here. If you use a Discover card, the first screen after you swipe it asks if you want cash back. Then there are choices ranging from $20-$100 and "no cash". It does not verify the total again if you were to choose to get cash back, so if you were to accidentally touch an amount, you would not know until the transaction was finished.

Only on debit cards, where you put in a pin, will it ask you to verify that you wanted $xx amount back. There you can choose "no cash" if you really didn't want any back.

 

[Flipmomof3]

This is the first time I have posted here, but this exact same thing happened to me yesterday. I rarely shop at Wal Mart, but ran in to grab one item. When I was leaving the cashier handed me my receipt and a $20 bill. I thought she had made a mistake so I check my receipt and sure enough it said I had asked for $20 cash back, even though I know I didn't!

 

[balletmom97]

I guess in fairness to Wal-Mart I had this also at Target. One other thing that has happened at Target is that I have been double charged for items many times. After I leave the register I always stand there and check my receipt because it has happened so often. The sensitivity of some of their machines needs to be tweeked or something. I make sure I don't leave the building w/my stuff or they don't believe me.

I have never gotten the extra cash at Target, but I have had it double charge for items. It has always been on health/beauty products. The cashier told me they are aware of some products that seem to always do that, and they try to watch for them. But, keep checking those receipts, just in case!

As far as running a debit card as credit-- at my local WM (don't know if they are all the same), you swipe the card and it detects whether or not it is a debit card. If they decide it is a debit, then it must be run with a pin.

Oddly enough, there are two grocery stores in the area that will not take my main debit card with a pin, it must run as a credit card! My secondary debit card, from a different bank, will run as either. Again, it is something we put up with for the convenience. Neither place has to provide a way for me to pay with a card, and no one is forcing me to use a card.

 

[Halbleib1]

Speaking of corporate suicide- Did you hear about that employee they fired for using medical marijuana in a state where it was legal? He's a terminal cancer patient who had been employee of the year. Regardless of how one feels about using the drug, he had a legal prescription and in my opinion wal-mart should not be able to fire someone for using a legally prescribed drug.

In some states they actually will take children out of homes of those using medical marijuana as well. I was surprised when I saw this on the news. If it is legal it should be treated no different than any other prescribed drug but it is not.

 

[dapoteete]

This happened to me yesterday. My purchase was $8.90, I selected no cash back, the machine showed my total of $8.90 but the display on the register showed change $20. It showed the $20 on my receipt and I checked my bank account online before I left the parking lot and it showed the $20 there. I thought I must have hit the cash back until I say this thread. Like pp if this is an continueing issue it would be too easy for the cashier to pocket the money.

 

[JB2K]

I went to Walmart this afternoon to pickup two things that totaled $7.32. I swiped my Discover card and selected no cash back as I always do and then I signed. The cashier hands me a $20 bill and my receipt and says "Here's your cash back". What the hec? I didn't ask for cashback!! She looked at me and said "You got to take it... it says right here you wanted $20 back!"

There was a Customer Service person right there at the register (it said so on her ID tag and we were in the line by the cigarettes) and I asked her if it could be voided and she said no and said their credit card machines are really sensitive and do that a lot. What on earth? So it does this to people frequently and they are aware of it??!!

So I marched to the main Customer Service Counter by the front entrance and the girl there said the same thing ----> happens all the time and there's nothing that can be done about it.

I was livid!! So livid that I don't ever want to shop at Walmart again!

I marched to my car and immediately called the Discover Card customer service #. The sweetest agent told me that for some reason for the past week or so that Walmart's credit card swiping machines have been doing this a lot and that they are supposedly aware of it. She said that she'd talked to over 15 customers this week who had the same issue!!!

Rest assured though -- the $20 doesn't come out like a cash advance and she said that it would appear like I had made a total purchase of $27.32.

We pay off all of our credit cards in full every month and never keep a balance. We have never taken out a cash advance on a credit card either.

So for those of you who use debit/credit cards at Walmart, be extra careful with their swiping credit card devices. I know I did not click for a cash advance and although my Discover card doesn't count the $20 as a cash advance, yours may.

If Discover is saying this is happening, it is most likely some sort of software error on WM's part (meaning this isn't the result of a cashier error, or something similar).

Having dabbled in retail, I have to side with the cashier, because they were following what their machine told them to do (and are most likely having in-store surveillance record your transaction). If they were to deviate from that, it would most likely put their employment at risk.

As for cash advances, everyone who uses "plastic" on a regular basis knows you cannot typically get cash back (or, simply put, "change") for any signature transaction processed over the major credit card networks (MC, Visa, Discover, and AmEx) from a retail point of sale (WM, Target, etc.).

 

[disneychrista]

Speaking of corporate suicide- Did you hear about that employee they fired for using medical marijuana in a state where it was legal? He's a terminal cancer patient who had been employee of the year. Regardless of how one feels about using the drug, he had a legal prescription and in my opinion wal-mart should not be able to fire someone for using a legally prescribed drug.

I live in probably the most liberal area where this is concerned and so many people are using the "medical marijuana" card that do not really need it. Anyone could get a card - trouble sleeping, migranes, back aches, stress etc. You do not need to be truely ill to get the card. And just because you have a card does not give you liberty to take the "medicine" outside of you own home. And if your employeer as a no drug policy you can be legally fired for using your "medicine" because it is still illegal, since states do not have the power over the federal law.

 

[JB2K]

I'm from West Tennessee very close to Arkansas where the Walmart chain started and I live there for nearly 30 years of my life but live in the Northeast now.

If my geography is correct, West Tennessee is Memphis, etc. -- that's some 344 miles away from the WM corporate HQ (in Bentonville, Arkansas).

When I moved up here 10 yrs ago I noticed a significant difference in the employee attitudes and willingness to provide the superior customer service I was accustomed to at Walmarts in the South.

Agreed, I am originally from the South and had to spend some time in New Jersey (and I returned to the Midwest) -- personally, I think the attitudes is something of a regional thing. It could be a WM thing, too -- after all, those places are constantly busy, and all...

It's truly a shame. I have reported issues to the Corporate Office and then get advised that the Regional Manager has been advised but when I return to the stores I do not see any differences or improvement.

I don't know -- you almost had me, until you threw the West TN thing out there...now, I find myself second-guessing the whole thing.

I much prefer Target over Walmart.

Good thing you have a choice -- but what if the same thing happened at Target, then what???

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Good thing you have a choice -- but what if the same thing happened at Target, then what???

I think we all have the choice to not frequent businesses that do not appreciate their customers. I do not set foot in Walmart because I do not like their policies. In general, I try to shop at locally owned stores that actually want my business (like my local pet store that allows me to return a bag of food that isn't working, no matter how much of it I have already used), but I will also shop at chains (and individual stores within a chain) if I have gotten good service there. For example, my local Safeway grocery store is SUPERB and I have never gotten anything but friendly, helpful service. I will drive out of my way to shop there if I am in a different neighborhood and need groceries. I have brought good service to the attention of the regional offices on many occasions, because I'd rather reward good service, and just choose to not have to shop at stores where I have to complain.

We all have a choice - we just need to exercise the choice with our wallets and go where we are appreciated. You can complain to corporate offices all you want, but if you keep going back and spending money, nothing will be done. Lots of people complain that they don't have a choice where to shop because there is only a Walmart in their area (likely because Walmart pushed out local retailers a long time ago) - try online shopping. Even large online retailers (like Amazon) want to keep your business more than Walmart does.

 

[dex08]

As for cash advances, everyone who uses "plastic" on a regular basis knows you cannot typically get cash back (or, simply put, "change") for any signature transaction processed over the major credit card networks (MC, Visa, Discover, and AmEx) from a retail point of sale (WM, Target, etc.).

I have used "plastic" on a regular basis for over 20 yrs and I didn't know you could get cashback on Discover until I got married and my DH got me a Discover card on his acct.

I don't know -- you almost had me, until you threw the West TN thing out there...now, I find myself second-guessing the whole thing.

What does me being from West TN have to do with your second-guessing "the whole thing"? What are you second guessing? I merely pointed out that I was from West Tennessee and that the customer service and employee attitudes differ from there and in NJ.

Good thing you have a choice -- but what if the same thing happened at Target, then what???

Well that's just the point. It has NOT happened at Target. I'd cross that bridge if I came to it.

 

[Purseval]

So I actually save money by not shopping there.

Yes, you do. Even if you never set foot in a WalMart the mere fact that they exist is saving you money. Target, Safeway, Sears, etc., can't price anything without thinking first about what Walmart would do.

 

[happygirl]

I have shopped at Walmart for years and years.I have never had anythimg like this happend. It sounds like there is an error in the credit card machines. Some of you are making it out to sound like Walmart is doing this on purpose, to make money. Which they AREN"T. The cashier gives everyone back there money. If they aren't then the cashier is stealing. Walmart can't be blamed for a cashier stealing,

 

[Poohbug]

This has never happened to me but if it did I would be pi**ed. This is Walmart's problem.

They have the machines in their store. If they are not working correctly, there is no reason that a company as big as Walmart cannot have that machine fixed within 24 hours. Until they get it fixed, they should not be using it.

If an employee is causing the problem, then Walmart has to take the steps to get rid of that employee. That's what managers are for, they need to know what is happening in their store.

I also see no reason why these transactions cannot be reversed. If this is a regular problem then it needs to be fixed. Seriously, we can build a space station but we can't reverse a credit/debit transaction???

I am not picking on Walmart, I would say the same for any store with these problems. Most of these transactions are about Walmart-they seem to have the biggest problem, but any store should be able to fix this easily.

 

[thebeesknees]

As for cash advances, everyone who uses "plastic" on a regular basis knows you cannot typically get cash back (or, simply put, "change") for any signature transaction processed over the major credit card networks (MC, Visa, Discover, and AmEx) from a retail point of sale (WM, Target, etc.).

I almost always get cash back when I use my credit card, and it is not treated as a cash advance, it is just added into my total charge on my receipt. Never had a credit card company treat it as a cash advance up until now, either. I've done this with both Mastercard and Discover. Saves me a trip to the ATM, and we've done it all over the country when we are on vacation, so I know it's not just a state thing.

 

[JB2K]

I almost always get cash back when I use my credit card, and it is not treated as a cash advance, it is just added into my total charge on my receipt.

Are you typing-in a PIN number when you do this type of transaction?

If so, you are not using your credit card, per se (you are using a PIN-based debit network belonging to one of the many little logos on the back of your card).

Somehow, I cannot see where someone signs their signature for a transaction at a retail store and has the ability to get cash back...

 

[scrapbookworm]

A very similar thing happened to my mom at a Dollar General last year. Only thing is that the cashier did NOT give her the $20. She noticed it on her receipt, and she swears that the machine never asked her for cash back. The cashier argued, ARGUED with her about it. She said that the cash register didn't tell her to give cash back, and she was not going to do it. Mama had to leave and come back when a manager was there. Then the cashier argued with the manager, who was telling her she MUST give her the $20. I told my mom that sounded like the cashier was pulling a fast one. The manager did give her the $20.

A few weeks ago, I was talking to the mom of a Girl Scout in my troop, who is now the manager of that Dollar General. She has had to fire several people because they were stealing money from the safe. They would go to the safe to make change, and pocket a little at a time. I told her about it.

 

[JB2K]

Well that's just the point. It has NOT happened at Target. I'd cross that bridge if I came to it.

The reason I threw that out there is that there are only 3 nationwide "mass merchandisers" remaining -- WM, Target, and Kmart.

Kmart's stores have been in rough shape for years...and most folks on the "Budget Board" seem to be (IMHO) a little "too good" for WM, which leaves Target as the sole remaining store (who, BTW, is not without their own list of problems).

Not like one has a whole lot of options, out there...