# Walmart's wonderful policy on lost items!



## Ralphy1

I left a bag either at the checkout or in a cart last week and called to see if it had been turned in.  It hadn't but if I had the receipt they would replace the items at no cost to me.  Fortunately I had saved the receipt and they happily allowed me to replace the items.  This came as a big surprise and I tell everyone how great they are...


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## dpwspringer

I'm thinking you were lucky and that is something they don't/won't always do. Think about it and how easy it would be for unscrupulous people to take advantage of it if they did. They would be out of business before too long. Heck these big businesses have all kinds of theft and con problems to deal with and this would be just too easy if it was store policy to replace items that were paid for but you claim you didn't make it home with them.


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## Aunt Bea

The dollar amount could have something to do with it.

I worked for a company that decided, twenty five years ago, to solve any customer service problem of $25.00 or less immediately by issuing a credit or refund.  They found it was cheaper to do that than risk bad public relations or to incur the cost of investigating the problem, not sure what the right number would be today.

IMO it was a good policy, it gave the employees on the front line some empowerment and the customer usually left satisfied.


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## Ralphy1

This was two items worth about twenty dollars.  They were nonplussed and said that it happens a lot.  The amount of money could be a factor or if you did it on a regular basis.  I had to sign in a ledger for the lost items so I doubt one could do it on a regular basis...


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## Aunt Bea

Ralphy1 said:


> This was two items worth about twenty dollars.  They were nonplussed and said that it happens a lot.  The amount of money could be a factor or if you did it on a regular basis.  I had to sign in a ledger for the lost items so I doubt one could do it on a regular basis...



Attention all Walmart Associates, be on the lookout for Ralphy the returner!!!


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## Ralphy1

But be careful because he is a master of disguise!


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## AprilT

It's good and bad, but, I think it's so common and they know it's a common occurrence that happens more times than not.  They're likely not losing money, because, they discover the overages.  I've had to return to the store for items more than once at a few of their stores over the years.  Most recently I had similar experience, some of my bags were still at the cashier's station after I left the store; I had a lot of bags.   I got home and found nearly thirteen items missing, small items that probably didn't add up to more than $25 dollars and would fill just two bags. crafting supplies mostly.  Customer service person said they had the items and I could come back and get them.  Easier said than done, I had to go back the next day and wouldn't you know it, instead of holding my items at customer service, or maybe because they were just so disorganized, they couldn't find them behind the desk, I had to go hunt down all the items myself and bring them back to the customer service desk.  You should have seen the line when I got back to the customer service counter, it was so long, I was not having it, I walked up to the front and said it wasn't fair for me to have to wait in line again and they serviced me.  

 I find sometimes, when the cashiers and customers are in a hurry, some of the cashiers don't turn that spin thing all the way around or around at in some instances and you end up leaving without your bags because you didn't realize, way on the other side facing the cashier, you still had bags with your items in them.  You would think the cashier would make sure to spin the thing with your bags around so you can see the items.  I pay better attention since that last time, but, it almost happened to me a couple more times since if I hadn't made and extra effort to spin the wheel myself as they weren't paying my bags one bit of attention and had already moved on to the next customer before I could collect my packages.

I'm grateful, they have the policy that they will give the benefit of the doubt when one has a receipt, there are other stores that do the same, but, they do the math, if they find it to be more likely customers make it up and causing their bottom line to fall to a negative, you better believe the policy will change to some degree.  However, receipt and found items at the store is a guarantee you will get your items that's an even exchange.


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## Butterfly

I once had the same experience as Ralphy did.  I was pleasantly surprised, too.  I figured they would have just told me I should have been watching what I was doing -- but, nope, they replaced the items.


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