Why does Walmart give customers the runaround when they are trying to get something fixed?

Question

My husband bought me a ring last Christmas and it is 10k gold and it bent out of round. I never had that happen to a ring before and I always get the harder gold because of durability. I have been trying for a month for Walmart to resolve this. They called the other day and said to take it up with my local store. My local store refused to do anything and this is why I emailed corporate. I have been in contact with them for a month and got nowhere. All I want is to have the loose stone tightened. I don't want money, I just want them to fix it. I won't take it to a jeweler because it will cost me more than the ring. I know their stuff is junk, but I really like this ring. Anyone ever have a problem with Walmart giving them the runaround and did you get the problem resolved???? I have saved all my correspondence from them and I am about to write corporate directly. Oh, and the ring is now out of warranty and I think they did that deliberately.

I know, I should know better than to buy anything from Walmart, but the ring is gorgeous and I got many compliments from it, when I was able to wear it. :(
I also agree that Walmart has an expiration date and I went as far as emailing Target expressing interest in putting a store in my area.

I do agree with the poster who expressed that Walmart used to be a good place to shop. I and most of my friends are now negative about the store. I have also seen a documentary about them stating that they take all the business away from the little store owner and then they pull out of the area they are in because they didn't get their "perks" from the town(i.e. no taxes for a certain amount of years, or upgrading the store) leaving people without jobs or businesses.

Answer 1

If you still have the date of the original complaint and it was still under warranty then you should have no problem. Now I would demand my money back seeing as they gave you such a hard time. I know it's not the money now it's the principal..
Keep demanding satisfaction until you get it resolved.
I'm sorry, I haven't experienced that type of problem, and I probably wouldn't have bought jewelry from walmart.

Answer 2

This is just an opinion and it should be treated as such.

I've found exchanges fairly simple when I've needed to make them at Wal-Mart, and several years ago I asked for an exchange or refund (I don't remember which) when if I'd been more responsible, I would have swallowed hard and paid for a new appliance out of my own pocket. They gave it to me, but Sam Walton may have been alive at the time.

I'm not saying they deliberately draw things out, but if they do, maybe it's because instant gratification is so powerful that many, many people would flood them with both reasonable and unreasonable requests to do the right thing.

I should have been more responsible when I was younger, but I'd like to think that I've more than made up for my indiscretion with continued business.

Answer 3

That all sounds like a lot of time SPENT on this, which if you calculated how much you make/could make per hour you might have been better off to have either (a) let it go (b) let someone else fix it (c) left it as is and considered it to be a unique representation of you loved one's affection for you that is one of kind and put it in a jewelry box to retain as a reminder of said affection as Wal-Mart is going downhill and will continue this route until the appropriate investors recognize the beautiful opportunity that a takeover could mean as, yes, even Wal-Mart has an expiration date.

Answer 4

Sue the hell out of them, and DO send that letter. I wouldn't think twice about it.