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  #1  
Old 04-20-2009, 04:38 PM
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Gus Gus is offline
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Default An Open Letter to Walmart about Estes Products

Dear Walmart,

I want to buy Estes model rocket products at my local Walmart, but you make it far too difficult.

Today I went to my local Walmart (in Troy, MI) to see if any of the new Sustainable line of kits were there. Indeed, my store had two each of the Ricochet and Moon Mutt kits. Great kits at a great price, I bought one of each.

I would also have liked to buy the Taser Twin, Crossbow, and Star Stryker but you didn't have them in my store. Why not? This is a brand new line of kits and they've arrived at other Walmarts. Why would only some of the kits be at mine?

I would also have liked to buy some motors for the rockets I just bought but I couldn't, because you didn't have any. You haven't had any motors on the shelf for months, since your last new order came in and you immediately blew them out at clearance prices.

I've asked associates several times over the last several months to reorder motors, to no avail.
Today I asked an associate for help to see if I could have you order some of the new rockets and motors for my store. The associate scanned the barcode on the shelf for the motors and told me this item was "not replenishable", meaning they couldn't order more. So I asked to speak to a manager. A nice assistant manager came, re-scanned the shelf bar code and told me the same thing, "not replenishable".

So I asked her about the other "Sustainable" kits. She had no idea if there were others available. When she scanned the Ricochet shelf tag it came up "Deleted". The manager explained to me this meant the item had been discontinued and they wouldn't be carrying it any more.

I very calmy explained to your manager that I am a rocketry hobbyist in contact with others around the country. I explained that the Ricochet is part of a brand new line of kits made just for Walmart and that it only arrived in stores, including my local store, within the last week. I suggested that what was showing on her scan machine was definitely in error and asked if there was some way she could check further. She indicated that wasn't possible.

This is not the first time this has happened with regard to Estes products at my local store. I understand that this is but one item among tens of thousands in the store and I don't expect your personnel to be as knowledgeable about the line as I am. But it seems to me that if a customer walks in looking for a product you do carry, and takes the time to notify your staff that the product isn't there, that it would be in your interest to have systems in place that could address the problem.

Bottom line: I came to your store today, cash in hand, to buy a product you carry and want to sell to me, but that didn't happen. Your system failed. That should make heads in Bentonville spin.
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Old 04-20-2009, 04:56 PM
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Gus Gus is offline
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Folks, I know Walmart doesn't monitor this forum. I posted this open letter in hopes those of you who have had similar problems would relate them here. I have alerted Barry Tunick to the presence of this thread in hopes his marketing people might pass it along to Walmart since I have had zero success in fixing the problem locally. Perhaps if Walmart sees this problem exists in numerous places they might attempt to fix it.

Thanks for your help.
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Old 04-20-2009, 05:26 PM
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barone barone is offline
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Gus,

My local Walmart carried at least four of each of the new Sustainable line (the box actually says "Basic Builders Series"). I tried to scan them to see how much they were but the scanner advised "See sales associate". Well, her name wasn't Alice (Enid actually) and she was kind enough to give me a price on the Taser Twin of $5.96. I told her that I already had that one and wanted to know the price of the others. She said they were the same size box so they would be $5.96 also. I told her they were different models but she insisted that they were all $5.96. She then asked me what they were. I explained to her they were model rockets similar to the ready to fly models they have on the shelf but that these actually had to be built. She then inquired if they actually fly. Again, I explained to her that they would if Walmart would get some motors in stock.

Then she volunteered to go with me to the checkouts to make sure the kits rang up the right amount. The cashier rang in one kit times 3. Price $7.96. Enid chimed in and said they were $5.96. Cashier rang in again but this time 3 at $5.96. I explained that they were three different kits. Cashier said it didn't matter since they were the same price.

So, I bought one Richochet, one Crossbow and one Star Stryker for $5.96 each. Yeah I know, they actually range in price from $7.96 to $9.96. But I tried to explain.....

The worst part, now Walmart thinks they sold three Richochets.......

I left the Moon Mutt on the shelf. At $9.96, I think I'll wait and see if they mark it down for clearance......
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Old 04-20-2009, 05:28 PM
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mycrofte mycrofte is offline
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I feel the same way. All my Wal-Mart carries is the Hi-Jinks and Rascal. And I have no interest in either. They are beginner RTF's with a choice of C6-5 and C6-3 engines. Whoop-dee stinken do! Granted I do use a lot of C6-5's, but not enough to keep Wal-Mart in business.

I looked today. They have sold 1 Hi-Jinks out of the 2 display boxes there...
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Old 04-20-2009, 05:32 PM
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Doug Sams Doug Sams is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gus
I posted this open letter in hopes those of you who have had similar problems would relate them here.
Gus,

I was wondering if you were perhaps responding my earlier post on the matter:
http://forums.rocketshoppe.com/show...2&postcount=110

I think it was Fred Shecter who said that WalMart hasn't been the same since Sam died. At the very least, somebody's asleep at the switch.

Doug

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Old 04-20-2009, 05:38 PM
Ltvscout Ltvscout is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barone
The worst part, now Walmart thinks they sold three Richochets.......:

That unfortunately is due to the mouth-breathers they have working for them.
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Old 04-20-2009, 05:52 PM
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Shreadvector Shreadvector is offline
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Solution is in stock:


http://www.walmart.com/catalog/prod...uct_id=10317710


Quote:
Originally Posted by Ltvscout
That unfortunately is due to the mouth-breathers they have working for them.
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Old 04-20-2009, 05:53 PM
Ltvscout Ltvscout is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shreadvector



When I first read that I thought maybe WalMart started selling functioning brains.
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  #9  
Old 04-20-2009, 06:01 PM
shockwaveriderz shockwaveriderz is offline
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Maybe you can't get Wal_mart to respond to thos, but perhaps Estes is listening and seeing how poor a job Wal_mart seems to be doing in selling their products. I know if I was estes I would be worried. and do something about it.

Like pas this info along to their Wal-Mart contacs which I asume they have.

terry dean
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  #10  
Old 04-20-2009, 06:21 PM
Rocket Doctor Rocket Doctor is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shreadvector


Will duct tape do Fred ?? The Gorilla Brand type.......
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