OT - More Wal-Mart sucktitude

[3 Point Stan]

http://www.patriotsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?t=53159&page=12

H&M and Wal-Mart destroy and trash unsold goods

* by Joanna Douglas, Shine Staff, 22 hours ago

Cynthia Magnus holds up unworn, destroyed clothing she found in the garbage. Photo by Suzanne DeChillo/New York Times

Cynthia Magnus holds up unworn, destroyed clothing she found in the garbage. Photo by Suzanne DeChillo/New York Times
This week the New York Times reported a disheartening story about two of the largest retail chains. You see, instead of taking unsold items to sample sales or donating them to people in need, H&M and Wal-Mart have been throwing them out in giant trash bags. And in the case that someone may stumble on these bags and try to keep or re-sell the items, these companies have gone ahead and slashed up garments, cut off the sleeves of coats, and sliced holes in shoes so they are unwearable.

This unsettling discovery was made by graduate student Cynthia Magnus outside the back entrance of H&M on 35th street in New York City. Just a few doors down, she also found hundreds of Wal-Mart tagged items with holes made in them that were dumped by a contractor. On December 7, she spotted 20 bags of clothing outside of H&M including, "gloves with the fingers cut off, warm socks, cute patent leather Mary Jane school shoes, maybe for fourth graders, with the instep cut up with a scissor, men’s jackets, slashed across the body and the arms. The puffy fiber fill was coming out in big white cotton balls.”

The New York Times points out that one-third of the city's population is poor, which makes this behavior not only wasteful and sad, but downright irresponsible. Wal-Mart spokeswoman, Melissa Hill, acted surprised that these items were found, claiming they typically donate all unworn merchandise to charity. When reporters went around the corner from H&M to a collections drop-off for charity organization New York Cares, spokesperson Colleen Farrell said, “We’d be glad to take unworn coats, and companies often send them to us."

After several days of no response from H&M, the company made a statement today, promising to stop destroying the garments at the midtown Manhattan location. They said they will donate the items to charity. H&M spokeswoman Nicole Christie said, "It will not happen again," and that the company would make sure none of the other locations would do so either. Hopefully that's the final word. [NY Times]

[patsload]

This doesn't even make sense what the heck

[PatsRUs]

I wonder how much money they invest in destroying the clothes... having workers who are making $6 an hour cutting sleeves off? How about have one guy take a drive to the Salvation Army or Good Will? They're afraid then that'll cut into the clothing sales? If that's the case, why are you throwing the stuff out, is it out of fashion? Out of season? Crazy...

This reminds me of how supermarkets throw away all the bakery goods every few days instead of donating them to soup kitchens... wasteful.

[tommysgirl]

I am not surprised by WalMart at all but H & M surprises me a bit. I thought they did a lot of third world and charity work.

[BizarroAnnihilus]

Musicland (Sam Goody, etc.) used to do that all the time. Magazines and Book companies still do it on a daily basis (not sure if it's for the same reason though). Magazine and book companies issue credit for unsold copies if you rip off the covers and send them back, but you have to agree to trash the actual contents in order to qualify for the refund. If you donate something, you can get a tax credit, but it's not nearly as good as getting full retail for the unsold items.

[3 Point Stan]

This reminds me of how supermarkets throw away all the bakery goods every few days instead of donating them to soup kitchens... wasteful.

I'm almost positive that the reason this doesn't occur is because, even if it's donated, if someone claims to get ill from the food, the market could be held liable.

[Claremonster]

What if we start a fashion trend of wearing gloves with the fingers cut off, warm socks, cute patent leather Mary Jane school shoes with the instep cut up with a scissor, men’s jackets, slashed across the body and the arms, the puffy fiber fill coming out in big white cotton balls? What will they do then, huh? Yeah, that's right. Stick it to The Man. :coffee:

[3 Point Stan]

What if we start a fashion trend of wearing gloves with the fingers cut off
I believe their already trying to perpetuate this trend in Buffalo as I see people sporting this look all over Ralph Wilson Stadium.

[Claremonster]

I believe their already trying to perpetuate this trend in Buffalo as I see people sporting this look all over Ralph Wilson Stadium.

I think the only reason they do that, is because they can't drive with mittens on. :coffee:

[3 Point Stan]

I think the only reason they do that, is because they can't drive with mittens on. :coffee:

I heard it's cuz they don't want to get sauce on their fingers....

Get it?

Because they're in BUFFALO?

BUFFALO WINGS?

You eat them with your fingers?

They're messy?
































This thing on?





http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/shepdogg16/Is%20This%20Thing%20On/hhs_dr_maj.jpg

[AllWorldTE]

Musicland (Sam Goody, etc.) used to do that all the time. Magazines and Book companies still do it on a daily basis (not sure if it's for the same reason though). Magazine and book companies issue credit for unsold copies if you rip off the covers and send them back, but you have to agree to trash the actual contents in order to qualify for the refund. If you donate something, you can get a tax credit, but it's not nearly as good as getting full retail for the unsold items.

When I was a kid, there was this crappy corner store down the street that sold books and magazines with the covers torn off at like 10 cents on the dollar. Most of the books' first page had a notice that said "If the cover is missing, this book is stolen." I used to wonder what that was all about. Thanks. Now I know.

[Claremonster]

I heard it's cuz they don't want to get sauce on their wings....

Get it?

Because they're in BUFFALO?

BUFFALO WINGS?

You eat them with your fingers?

They're messy?
































This thing on?





http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/shepdogg16/Is%20This%20Thing%20On/hhs_dr_maj.jpg

Sorry, I stepped out for a smoke. What?

[Moebius]

Musicland (Sam Goody, etc.) used to do that all the time. Magazines and Book companies still do it on a daily basis (not sure if it's for the same reason though). Magazine and book companies issue credit for unsold copies if you rip off the covers and send them back, but you have to agree to trash the actual contents in order to qualify for the refund. If you donate something, you can get a tax credit, but it's not nearly as good as getting full retail for the unsold items.

Yeah, they're usually called strips. The practice goes back quite a ways and is still the main approach used. The bad part is the publishers are pretty darn strict about it, and will come down hard on stores that don't live up to the "we promise to destroy the rest" end of the bargain.

Granted, I probably have a hundred or so books from when the wife worked at bookstores in the 80s, but that's another story. :D

[RoadGrader]

I heard it's cuz they don't want to get sauce on their fingers....

Get it?

Because they're in BUFFALO?

BUFFALO WINGS?

You eat them with your fingers?

They're messy?
































This thing on?





http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v602/shepdogg16/Is%20This%20Thing%20On/hhs_dr_maj.jpg:shake:

[dropKickMurphy]

I'm almost positive that the reason this doesn't occur is because, even if it's donated, if someone claims to get ill from the food, the market could be held liable.

Or, government regulations requiring them to list ingredients, nutritional data, warning labels, etc make it too damn expensive to give them away.

[dropKickMurphy]

...cute patent leather Mary Jane school shoes with the instep cut up with a scissor...

That one works for me.

[Stevo]

Meh, Wal-Mart can do what ever Wal-Mart wants to with it's own clothing. If Wal-Mart thinks it will increase stock prices by destroying perfectly good clothing then god bless them and their reasonably priced merchandise.

[Deus Irae]

Meh, Wal-Mart can do what ever Wal-Mart wants to with it's own clothing. If Wal-Mart thinks it will increase stock prices by destroying perfectly good clothing then god bless them and their reasonably priced merchandise.

I'm with you. While it's fine if the company wishes to donate items to others, it's by no means a requirement.

[southcarolina]

I'm almost positive that the reason this doesn't occur is because, even if it's donated, if someone claims to get ill from the food, the market could be held liable.

This is absolutely true. I used to witness immense amounts of food being thrown away for this exact reason when i worked in a grocery store.

I wouldnt be surprised if this factors in for clothing as well. Someone gets a coat that was dontated by WalMart and is alregic to some dye or gets their junk stuck in the zipper of some jeans and BAM instant lawsuit. Its sad, but thats the society we live in today.

[HSanders]

I'm almost positive that the reason this doesn't occur is because, even if it's donated, if someone claims to get ill from the food, the market could be held liable.
Well that sux. Seems like it would benefit enough people to be a good thing.
I don't get the mentality of peeps getting stuff for free and holding the giver liable in that manner. Isn't it kind of a caveat emptor without the emptor?

[southcarolina]

Well that sux. Seems like it would benefit enough people to be a good thing.
I don't get the mentality of peeps getting stuff for free and holding the giver liable in that manner. Isn't it kind of a caveat emptor without the emptor?

people see lawsuits as hitting the lottery nowadays. as long as people win mega jackpots when they spill coffee in their own laps, businesses will have to protect themselves

[HSanders]

Yeah I know. Saw it in hideous ways with the company I used to work for and have even experienced it in several ways. I hate that things are like this now.

[babalu87]

This is absolutely true. I used to witness immense amounts of food being thrown away for this exact reason when i worked in a grocery store.

I wouldnt be surprised if this factors in for clothing as well. Someone gets a coat that was dontated by WalMart and is alregic to some dye or gets their junk stuck in the zipper of some jeans and BAM instant lawsuit. Its sad, but thats the society we live in today.

Worse yet

They all try to return the shit for in store credit

[imapig]

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/545028_10150745006833217_791638216_9660253_1956267 085_n.jpg:spock:

[Pyxis]

There goes my shot at peaceful sleep. Thanks Pig.
Posted via Mobile Device

[imapig]

There goes my shot at peaceful sleep. Thanks Pig.
Posted via Mobile Device
Your welcome.:coffee:





















ROFL

[3 Point Stan]

There's a Walmart about a mile from my office. Went in last week only to see a fleet of obese (and NOT elderly) women tooling around on motorized Rascal scooters. The Hells Angels would have been in awe of this showing.

The best part is that one of them was wearing a windbreaker that said "Track Star" on the back. I. shit. you. not.

"Track Star"

[Hawg73]

There's a Walmart about a mile from my office. Went in last week only to see a fleet of obese (and NOT elderly) women tooling around on motorized Rascal scooters. The Hells Angels would have been in awe of this showing.

The best part is that one of them was wearing a windbreaker that said "Track Star" on the back. I. shit. you. not.

"Track Star"

ROFL

I haven't seen that one yet, but will be on the lookout. With all due respect for the people that truly need scooters to get around, there always seems to be several people in any Wal-Mart on handi-fats just because their bulk exceeds the ability of their legs to function. Wal-Mart attracts these folks like a giant magnet.

I'm not sure why, but junk-food in giant economy-sized packages for short money is probably a factor.