Online Walmart intentionally selling damaged items?

[StarCityBrickCompany]

I have always wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but with todays pickup - it seems that Walmart intentionaly sells damaged warehouse items at the big discounts. Today I picked up 3 Diagon Alley sets. They were all damaged with various types of damage, at different areas of the boxes (dents, deep creases, a 5 inch puncture/rip in one of the boxes). The box that they were shipped in to the store was fine, so that isn't the problem. These were all damaged beyond anything that you would ever put on a shelf. With this unrelated damage, it seems that they had clearly been put to the side in the warehouse (as damaged). It appears that they may be setting up these great sales, just as an effort to get rid of these otherwise unsellable items.

[Rich B]

I have always wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but with todays pickup - it seems that Walmart intentionaly sells damaged warehouse items at the big discounts. Today I picked up 3 Diagon Alley sets. They were all damaged with various types of damage, at different areas of the boxes (dents, deep creases, a 5 inch puncture/rip in one of the boxes). The box that they were shipped in to the store was fine, so that isn't the problem. These were all damaged beyond anything that you would ever put on a shelf. With this unrelated damage, it seems that they had clearly been put to the side in the warehouse (as damaged). It appears that they may be setting up these great sales, just as an effort to get rid of these otherwise unsellable items.

It's really beginning to seem that way, and I was wondering the same thing myself. I'm really starting to feel that going to the Lego store is the only way to get a nice, pristine Lego set. I'm still waiting on a couple things I ordered from Walmart last week, but my SSD that came in yesterday was in awful shape, and when returning it at customer service the Walmart employee said that they had been getting a lot of Lego returns from last Thursday's sales due to damage. This could just be my local Walmart, and I have seen that some people on here have had good luck, but the majority seem to be having bad luck and ending up with damaged boxes. It's unfortunate, and frustrating I know. Sorry about your bad luck. What did you end up doing with the 3 DA's? Returning them or keeping them?

[CelesAurivern]

If the discounts really are that deep, then it's still worth buying, unless you're telling me there are missing or broken bricks in the set. People buy used sets for high prices, so a boxless mint with fetch a better price.

[Lateral-G]

t appears that they may be setting up these great sales, just as an effort to get rid of these otherwise unsellable items.

I disagree.....

I've ordered quite a few Lego sets online from Wal-Mart this past year and all have been in perfect condition upon arrival.

[Ed Mack]

Walmart has multiple warehouses around the country. Maybe one of the warehouses is run poorly, thus accounting for some good product being shipped and some bad product also being shipped. I have had the same experience with Amazon and LEGO. I think what you are finding is Walmart is clearing out excess inventory and some of the LEGO sets have been around for too long, getting tossed around and damaged. Doesn't take much to damage a LEGO box.

[StarCityBrickCompany]

Walmart has multiple warehouses around the country. Maybe one of the warehouses is run poorly, thus accounting for some good product being shipped and some bad product also being shipped. I have had the same experience with Amazon and LEGO. I think what you are finding is Walmart is clearing out excess inventory and some of the LEGO sets have been around for too long, getting tossed around and damaged. Doesn't take much to damage a LEGO box.

They would have cases/flatbeds of these sets, not individual boxes getting tossed around. These 3 were clearly not put together until after the damage was done to them (possibly sent back to that warehouse from the stores). I am sure that the top mngt could claim to not be aware of it, but it certainly would be in the interest of the warehouse mngt to keep their number of damaged items, as low as possible.

[Lateral-G]

Keep in mind too that Wal-Mart is clearing out all old inventory this time of year to make room for xmas stock. If you go to your local wally world you'll see plenty of pallets in the aisles (especially in the electronics section) with items on inventory clearance. Our local Wal-Marts have temporary clearance shelves set up in the toys section as well. If you look in the back of the stores, outside ,(or by lawn and garden) you'll see quite a few con-ex boxes stacked up. This is all the xmas inventory waiting to be stocked in the next few months. I'm betting the reason Wal-Mart is giving these deep discounts is to clear out old inventory that has been sitting for a while. And if you're in business you know that inventory turn is very important. And that inventory left sitting on the shelves for any length of time is also at risk of being damaged by warehouse people moving stock around to make space for new items and changes in bin locations, etc. Besides when an item comes up for picking to be shipped I can guarantee you the picker doesn't care at all about the box condition. All they know is they have to get item X and send it to packing for shipment out. The last thing on their mind is that your lego box looks pristine. Sorry, but that's just the way it is.....especially at Wal-Mart, TRU or Target. The warehouse people are making minimum wage. And that's all the work you're going to get out of them.

[StarCityBrickCompany]

Keep in mind too that Wal-Mart is clearing out all old inventory this time of year to make room for xmas stock. If you go to your local wally world you'll see plenty of pallets in the aisles (especially in the electronics section) with items on inventory clearance. Our local Wal-Marts have temporary clearance shelves set up in the toys section as well. If you look in the back of the stores, outside ,(or by lawn and garden) you'll see quite a few con-ex boxes stacked up. This is all the xmas inventory waiting to be stocked in the next few months.

I'm betting the reason Wal-Mart is giving these deep discounts is to clear out old inventory that has been sitting for a while. And if you're in business you know that inventory turn is very important. And that inventory left sitting on the shelves for any length of time is also at risk of being damaged by warehouse people moving stock around to make space for new items and changes in bin locations, etc.

Besides when an item comes up for picking to be shipped I can guarantee you the picker doesn't care at all about the box condition. All they know is they have to get item X and send it to packing for shipment out. The last thing on their mind is that your lego box looks pristine. Sorry, but that's just the way it is.....especially at Wal-Mart, TRU or Target. The warehouse people are making minimum wage. And that's all the work you're going to get out of them.

I'm not looking for pristine (MISB is overrated), but these were not even shelf worthy. I buy a lot & this tends to be the norm for pickup (not just random luck) - especially when it is sales on online only items.

[stephen_rockefeller]

I don't think it is intentional, I think that the people handling the boxes just don't care. I have said this before, why would they care its not their investment or their money they are spending. Sad but true.

[Ed Mack]

Keep in mind too that Wal-Mart is clearing out all old inventory this time of year to make room for xmas stock. If you go to your local wally world you'll see plenty of pallets in the aisles (especially in the electronics section) with items on inventory clearance. Our local Wal-Marts have temporary clearance shelves set up in the toys section as well. If you look in the back of the stores, outside ,(or by lawn and garden) you'll see quite a few con-ex boxes stacked up. This is all the xmas inventory waiting to be stocked in the next few months.

I'm betting the reason Wal-Mart is giving these deep discounts is to clear out old inventory that has been sitting for a while. And if you're in business you know that inventory turn is very important. And that inventory left sitting on the shelves for any length of time is also at risk of being damaged by warehouse people moving stock around to make space for new items and changes in bin locations, etc.

Besides when an item comes up for picking to be shipped I can guarantee you the picker doesn't care at all about the box condition. All they know is they have to get item X and send it to packing for shipment out. The last thing on their mind is that your lego box looks pristine. Sorry, but that's just the way it is.....especially at Wal-Mart, TRU or Target. The warehouse people are making minimum wage. And that's all the work you're going to get out of them.

I agree with this. Walmart workers are minimum wage workers who do not know that LEGO sets boxes need to be handled carefully. As a matter of fact, they probably think that because LEGO sets are just pieces and that they can't break the item inside the box, they handle it with less care than a normal toy. Walmart has tons of stock just laying around. It is not hard for sets on top of a crate to get damaged. It's usuallu the large sets because it is hard to handle and package them. Some issues might be from Walmart, but others can be from shippers.

I'm not defending this careless behavior of the big retailers. You pay $350 for a LEGO set(or any set), I would expect a box in excellent condition. I just don't think there is a company wide policy to sell damaged merchandise.

[Ed Mack]

On another note, my expectations of having pristine boxes have lowered over the years. I would say 40-50% of the LEGO boxes I buy have some flaw. Not a good ratio, but I just don't have the time to return the boxes with minor flaws.

[Huskers1236]

Wow, can't wait to see what comes to me for my in-store pickup. Mine's due sometime after tomorrow, I don't have high hopes right now after hearing the recent stories, but they all make sense too. However, sets like the R2-D2 are relatively recent, would like to think they aren't destroyed already, but we'll see. I have a feeling my Death Star is going to be exactly that, Dead.

[dschooley]

I ordered and received a Death Star and two Queen Anne sets this week from Walmart, and they were all in perfect shape. No complaints on my end. As has been mentioned, just as you get better service and care at different Walmarts, the same is true of their warehouses.

[Huskers1236]

Got most of my Walmart site-to-store items today, and was pleased overall. Tower Bridge, Jabba's Palace, Death Star and Town Hall were excellent, with the Death Star coming in it's still sealed outer cardboard box. R2-D2 is a little smashed, not sure if I want to keep or not, if I return for another, will I get the sale price???? Kind of surprising that that one was the worst, being it is about the most recent release. Had to wait a bit to get them, but pretty happy with how they were packaged.