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ABC Soap Board -> Everything Off topic -> Our daughter's expose on Target.
Post Info TOPIC: Our daughter's expose on Target.
Moore ideas


Moore Ideas Not More Ideas!

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Date: Mar 30, 2008
Our daughter's expose on Target.
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Okay, Arizona daughter is moving into a different apartment (a single) in about a week, so she's in the market for some furniture.

She has everything that she needs for her bedroom, and she also has a nice couch and double-sized chair, bookcases, and a heap of kitchen equipment, plates -- well, just plenty of stuff, but now she needs a dining room table, a coffee table, TV stand, and an end table.

She found a really nice dining room table on Craig's list, with chairs, and the woman was ready to sell it to her then and there, but our daughter wanted to talk to me, and think about it for another day. In the meantime, the woman had some kind of family crisis, and changed her mind because she didn't want to have to go shopping for a new table herself in the middle of a crisis. (Can't blame her...) So, the table has temporarily gone bye-bye, if not permanently.

So today, our daughter headed over to Target where she had found a great deal on a coffee table, side table, and TV stand that were a set. They were very affordable, and she was ready to make the purchase. However, she was told that they didn't have any other TV stands in stock. She asked if they would check other stores, and they told her that nothing was available in all of Arizona, as far as they could tell.

Our daughter then asked if she could buy the floor model, and was told "no". She asked why not...

Get this! The sales clerk explained that it's Target company policy not to sell any floor model of anything, and that they DESTROY the piece later on. Our daughter was somewhat dumbfounded, and said, "You mean you don't even give it to charity or anything?" No, they don't. She asked why. (She's very persistent.) They explained that it's a liability issue because a store employee assembled the furniture, and if it's not put together properly, they could get sued.

Our daughter then asked why they don't simply require the customer to sign an "as is" waiver that would absolve them of any responsibility. (Okay, the kid just turned 20, but she definitely gets a lot of her genes from my side of the family!) The Target employee didn't have a good answer for her, but repeated that it's just company policy.

Not to be stopped, our daughter then drove to another Target, and repeated the entire process. No they didn't have the TV stand in stock, and no they don't sell floor models. However, she ALMOST had the sales clerk at this second store convinced to sell it to her when the employee decided that a manager needed to be consulted first. The manager also refused to sell the display piece, citing the same corporate policy. The piece would be destroyed!

So now our daughter has a cause! She figured out that Target must be destroying several million dollars worth of furniture every year that could otherwise be used! Naturally, that cost is being passed onto customers too! What about donating it to Habitat for Humanity? What about doing about a gazillion other things with it other than smashing it to bits???

She contacted her local ABC news affiliate, and is awaiting a return call. Wouldn't it be fun if they did an investigative piece on this? What a waste!

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"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities" (Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
jojolin


The Naughty Bad Girl

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Posts: 2600
Date: Mar 30, 2008
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Wow! I had no idea they did that! I hope you daughter persists with her cause. It sounds like a great one to get involved in! If she needs help or anything, I'd be willing to write a letter, or do whatever!

Let us know if she hears back from them!

-- Edited by jojolin at 21:28, 2008-03-30

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jessicad52178


Jessica Almighty

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Date: Mar 30, 2008
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You know it's funny that you mention this. We are kind of doing the same thing. We've decided that we are boycotting Wal mart as much as we can (we're kinda stuck getting our tp and diapers there because everywhere else is insane, but groceries adn stuff are done). After reading about how Wal Mart treats their employees I decided I was done.

I don't know if you've all heard of it, but there is a lady (a mohter) who started working over night stocking shelves and got the Wal Mart insurance etc .. Well, she ended up in a a car wreck in which she was hit by a semi truck. She is unable to care for herself and her insurance was covering her medical care. Well she eventually got a setlement from the trucking company. They got a million, but almost half went to lawyer fees etc So they ended up with an account with about 487 thousand in it. This was all set back for her long term care. They had to put her in a nursing facility because her husband could barely care for her himself. Her memory is just absolutely shot. Her son died in Iraq last yer and she can't remember it from day to day, so when she asks about him she learns about it all over again.

Well Wal Mart has a clause that if an employee settles or gets anything in a lawsute, Wal mart will recoup their expenses that were given out in caring for the injured person. So now they are suing this family for the 189 thousand or so that is left in her account. The family really didn't know about this, but apparently it was in her contract etc.. well, they could just let them keep the money but "win" the lawsuit. It's not like the company needs it.

Her husband had to divorce her so that she could get more money from disability because her account is now frozen. Here I'll link the story because my facts probably aren't perfect. I made sure to call our Wal Mart and let them know too.


WalMart sues brain damaged employee

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Moore ideas


Moore Ideas Not More Ideas!

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Date: Mar 30, 2008
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Oh, that's just heartbreaking! How horrible...

You know, our daughter told her boyfriend about the TV stand episode, and his reply sort-of ties our two tales together. Apparently he despises Walmart, so he said, "I've been shopping at Target because I hate Walmart, and now I hate Target too!"



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"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities" (Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
KaeEll


Original Soap Dish Diva

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Date: Mar 31, 2008
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I can't stand Walmart!! I paid over $8 for a bottle of Mop'n'Glo for hard wood at a local retailer today rather than save the $3 at Walmart.

Horrifying story, Jess! Isn't there a lesson there?

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shellyinphx


Long Lost DiMera Daughter

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Date: Mar 31, 2008
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I definitely don't love wal mart. But like Jess there isn't a lot of options where I live. Though I am now glad that I didn't get the job at wal mart. The crappy thing is that while that woman was working at wal mart she most likely made less then 8 bucks an hour. Seriously, who can live off of that?

And Moore let me know how your daughter pans out. I know that one of the stations there does an on your side thing where they investigate when people call in. Though I don't think its ABC...I think there is an Eye 5 on your side (or something) so if ABC doesn't do anything tell her to contact CBS...


oh, and on another note...if they know what happens everytime they tell her about her son why can't they just tell her something else???? I mean sometimes a little lie isn't such a bad thing

-- Edited by shellyinphx at 07:38, 2008-03-31

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Moore ideas


Moore Ideas Not More Ideas!

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Date: Mar 31, 2008
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Thanks for the suggestion, Shelly. I'll definitely pass that along!

When she called the ABC station, she was interviewed by someone who I guess is the first person to screen these kinds of calls, to determine whether or not it's a story worth pursuing. If they think that there's a possibility, then they send you to someone else. Our daughter was bumped up to the second stage, and left a voice mail for that person, so who knows?

However, I will certainly tell her about the other local stations. These reporters usually do an amazing job investigating stuff that's of public interest. Actually, back in 1991 (the year from hell for us), I inadvertently wound up on our own local news when I was scammed by a man posing as a door-to-door Fuller Brush salesman! This wretched man showed up one bright Saturday afternoon, and I was rather amazed because I hadn't seen his kind since my childhood. It's a long story, but I ultimately ended up buying some silly little item, and gave him a check for $10.00. Weeks later, when my product never arrived, I called the company, and they informed me that they don't go door-to-door anymore, but that this guy used to work for them (was fired), and that's why he had their samples, etc. They knew exactly who he was!

I was grateful that I hadn't purchased a vacuum from this guy, I can tell you!

Anyway, I called our local ABC affiliate who does "Seven on your Side", just to let them know what had happened to me, and to please make a simple public alert announcement so that others wouldn't get scammed. I got a call back from a reporter, and I can tell you that these people are very persistent! Before I knew it, I had agreed to an interview, and this woman arrived the following afternoon, along with her camera man. They even did a close-up of my hand when I showed the reporter my cancelled $10.00 check!

When the piece aired, I was absolutely astonished to see how much more research had been done. The Fuller Brush man I'd spoken to on the phone also appeared on camera, and ABC showed the "salesman's" mug shot from previous arrests, and filled in a lot of blank spots that I hadn't known before!





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"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities" (Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
shellyinphx


Long Lost DiMera Daughter

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Posts: 8346
Date: Mar 31, 2008
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Wow Moore, yeah the news people do good stuff like that. I remember a lot of those kind of stories from when I was home. I am sure that someone in Groton does something similar I just don't know what it is.

Anyways, about your story. Did you ever find out what happened to the guy? Was he arrested for fraud?

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Moore ideas


Moore Ideas Not More Ideas!

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Date: Mar 31, 2008
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I have absolutely no idea if they ever caught the guy or not! Things pretty much fell apart for us after that. He landed on my doorstep in September of 1991, our water heater flooded our basement on Halloween (as I was frantically trying to finish up children's costumes), I was struck with my near-fatal blood clot on November 13th (in intensive care for two weeks, during which time I learned that my sister had weeks to live), and my sister then passed away on December 19th. This was also the same year that we were burglarized (in March), I had a breast biopsy on our wedding anniversary (June 4th), and our beloved 16-year-old dog died at the end of June.

The Fuller Brush man dropped off of my screen, but since I was never contacted again to testify anywhere, I guess that he moved to greener pastures somewhere else.

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"It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities" (Dumbledore to Harry Potter)
TinaLord68


The Smiling T.L. Fan

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Date: Mar 31, 2008
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Oprah had a show a few weeks back regarding what stores, including grocery chains throw in the garbage that is perfectly usable.

For example, an entire case of shampoo that is not even damaged....

I worked for Sears and they threw brand new towels away (among other things), wouldn't even let an employee take them home.

Also for the Picture People last year and they threw a gorgeous basket away that they used as a prop. Wouldn't let me have it!!

The assistant manager let me have a cute boat prop, but the manager was a real bitch about "company policy"






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TinaLord68


The Smiling T.L. Fan

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Date: Mar 31, 2008
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In regards to the door to door people, we got scammed by someone selling magazines (supposedly for school), we never got the order. I think I followed up on it and got my money back though. But my husband will never buy from a door to door person again.



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jessicad52178


Jessica Almighty

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Date: Mar 31, 2008
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This is just insane. These things should either be sold or given to charity especially if they are going to get thrown out. One of my friends wen tto the food pantry the other day because she had one of those months. Her pay check got lost, her wallet was stolen ... well you name it it happened and the worst thing was that she usually has plenty of money so this was so hard for her. She just couldn't get to her money and her kids needed something so she broke down and went there. Like I told her, it's there for those emergencies, and she shouldn't feel bad about having to use it because she donates to them like every month.

Anyways one of the salons right here in town had a ton of Matrix shampoo that they had to get rid of because Matrix has new bottles now, so instead of throwing it away they donated it to the food pantry because they figured that everyone needs a little something nice especially when things are looking down for them. So my friend was given a few bottles of the shampoo but it was the kind for volume and goodness knows she doesn't need it. Anyways she gave it to me and was actually worried I wouldn't want it because it was from the food bank. She's crazy! Matrix costs more than 10 bux a bottle. I gladly took it lol. And I must say I'm hooked now. My hair looks so good, ok I got a trim recently so that always helps, but i did decide to givew their salon a try next time, because of what they did. lt ends up though that salon is my normal salon. I knew I liked them for a reason

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jessicad52178


Jessica Almighty

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Posts: 3602
Date: Mar 31, 2008
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Oh yeah crazy thing happened a few weeks ago. Someone from the FBI called looking for the hubby. I told them he was at work, and she asked if it was in Texas. I said no of course, and she ended up telling me that someone using his name and some of his information had been going door to door trying to sell AT&T/Cingular service then taking their info and money. She couldn't say much more but it sounded like he was stealing their identities as well. I told her that Floyd talks to people from all over th ecountry so it could have been a customer that used his name and tried to scam people, but other than that we didn't know.

Then that same day his dad called us and apparently someone sent a letter to their house looking for Floyd in connection to one or two children in a foster home up by Chicago. We kinda freaked because we thought it was maybe that little boy who isn't his but has his last name and all. We called them but they siad it wasn't. So who knows what the whole story was. The lady said it could have been about a different Floyd Davis, but his information showed up.

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TinaLord68


The Smiling T.L. Fan

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Posts: 4355
Date: Mar 31, 2008
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hope he can clear up his identity!

Forgot to say that on the Oprah show, it showed very well-to-do people "garbage picking"

Not as gross as it sounds, they get tons of brand new items, never opened, not even a dent. Everything from groceries to lotions - because they go to the stores dumpsters in the evenings with flash lights. I guess it's not illegal

I wouldn't mind giving it a try sometime, but I wouldn't want to do it alone.hmm.gif



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