Is Walmart.com scamming people?

There shipping practices appear to be pretty clear...
If you order more then $35, then your shipping is free...

Is that really the case? I have noticed the prices on in store
products compared to the higher prices on walmart.com for
those exact same products...

One product in store was $1.99
that exact same product online is $2.73

$1.99 x 50 = $99.5
$2.73 x 50 = $136.5
Difference $37
(so if live 10-20 miles from walmart, then you just
paid $37 extra for walmart.com to ship to you....)

So your shipping costs in this case
was around 28% of your order....

too me, it seems walmart.com is ripping people off....
Why does walmart imply your shipping will be free once
your order hits $35 when in fact it is not free at all....

If your order is below $35 then your shipping is $5.99
(and you are still paying much higher in shipping fees....)

The issue with this is that walmart already states how much you
need to spend in order to get free shipping, and they do not
imply or warn you that they jack up online prices.....

therefore, it is not free shipping if online prices are jacked up
above/over in store prices, that is not "free" shipping....
What does it mean? Walmart misleading the public....

If this is the case, then no more online walmart orders....
I will just go to walmart once per month (if I need too...)

Walmart ripoff
Walmart Scam
Walmart Reviews

 

I have never heard of walmart stores being franchised, so I assume walmart owns all the stores.
I used to order stuff online all the time from walmart, however, once I noticed prices are
higher online then the actual store, then I stopped ordering online; I guess i was just not paying attention
as I assumed the prices would be the same online, and in-store also, and I am not sure if
this is across the board on every product, however, I have to assume it is....

I think it is simply misleading not to tell people about their price differences on
their site, if they had, then I would stopped ordering online back then....

Even if this is not the case from one store to another, then a disclaimer should
be posted saying selected or all products online/store may differ in pricing (depending on store)

It is simply irresponsible not to warn consumers of the price differences, rather then screwing
consumers, and if this is the case, then I just assume to make a walmart run once per month.

This would be difference if you were 100 miles from the nearest walmart...
however, I bet the avg shopper is not that far from the nearest walmart....

 

I do not visit other retailers, so I dont know...
This is not about currency conversions...price online is US,
and price in store is US also; This is about walmart making
more money, then make out like you are getting a good
deal on shipping if your order is $35 or more....

I have also seen some car dealers pull this stunt also....
I have seen a number of complaints that their price maybe
different then the actual car on the lot....

In order to reduce complaints and confusion, then they should
put up a disclaimer or use the same price model for online & store....

There is no reason to be misleading and sneaky unless walmart
is doing this on purpose just to increase sales online. I certainly
was not aware that they conducted such business practices, otherwise
I would have stopped buying from walmart.com long ago......

 

ok, sometimes I buy from amazon/ebay, but if we are talking about retailers similar to walmart then no...
Between my grocery store, and walmart, then I do not need to shop anywhere else, and walmart
is more of a luxury thing ie: stuff not food; I simply just do not do alot of online shopping....
I am not a collector of junk where I have to shop online, every hour, all day, every day....
and most of the time, I buy because I need it, not always because I want it....

 

There are hundreds of online shopping stores, the old are costly for shopping lovers if they think;
With respect to time It is true that Old stores are even going more costly...

 

Here's the deal: no part of your purchase from any retailer, wholesaler, or manufacturer is "free." "Free" is a marketing term used for the gullible consumer. All businesses need to make a profit on their sales or they will quickly go out of business. "Free shipping" simply means that they have priced their products to cover the cost of shipping; otherwise, they could not stay in business.

Of course, there are occasions when vendors will offer free products or services to reduce inventory that is not selling, as a loss leader to draw more traffic, etc. But, they must make a profit from their overall transactions with customers. That said, there are deals out there that are better than others due to manufacturing efficiencies, lower overhead costs, and other advantages a vendor may have. You just have to research to find them and ignore the hype, like "free shipping."

 

I understand all that...

But it looks real doggy to have one price in the store, then to find
out later, their prices online are somewhat higher, then imply on their
site that you get free shipping if you order more then $35....

so why not put up a disclaimer? all prices should be the same across the
board, or let consumers know why they are not, and a clear reason, otherwise,
you are misleading consumers telling them they are getting free shipping
when they are not because of substantial price differences....

It is a scam to offer free shipping when you actually do not....
(in walmart's case, it clearly shows....)

I guess this should be no shock or surprise....
5440 Wal-Mart Consumer Reviews and Complaints

 

Retailers are good at being technically correct in their ads while not going so far as to be accused of deceptive practices. And, of course, they have been doing this long before the Internet. Raising the sticker price of an item just before putting it on sale, is a classic move.

Getting back to your point, retailers generally have different prices in their brick and mortar stores based on location. Two Walmarts in the same city will offer different prices for a wide range of products if, for example, one store is in a crime-infested, low-rent district and the other store is in a popular upscale shopping mecca. So, having an online price that differs from the store near you may actually be a reasonable situation. They are probably averaging their online prices across all of their stores. I am sure that it is a much more complicated algorithm than that, of course.

 

I know they do...

I seen a payless shoe store going out of business; The week before, those shoes were like $10,
however, when those "closing" signs went up, then they were raised to $30, then they
claimed they were giving you 25% going out of business sale....

arguments aside, does that make it right....?

 

-- Free Shipping not used for the "gullible consumer" There are many ways to describe the FREE Shipping.

1. Suppose you invented a new technology say "Flying Robot"! It is different from Drones and have many features in it; special feature in it - it can fly to space. You know the cost! Suppose initial cost research invention creation functionalities is around $500. When you created it in Bulk, then you analyze that cost only $100 per piece. Want to sell all over the world then you Go with "Free Shipping" Tag.

But what is the cost to users? Only in 150$. It means with new technology which is unknown to everyone You Go with Free Shipping tag earning $50.

2. In the same case the same one you can sell in $100 also with "Free shipping" Tag. At lose no profit.. Why? It is because at Initial every business owner wish to increase its brand popularity. Good idea is to opt "Free Shipping".

What after the brand popularity? Such as wallmart, Amazon, or many other online store? Why they opt for Free shipping? It is because of their popularity they sell in huge amount. What about the new emerging online store likes Saysal? like this there are many more emerging online stores! Even stores according to particular country which are emerging. why they go with "Free Shipping" because of 2nd point.


I have my Dog name "Brock". I buy Pedigree from online store but why I Shop online only because it is Tagged with "Free Shipping"? No! Even the same thing available at my near shop in the same price.
There are many reasons save time, and it makes hazel free shopping.

So "Free" is a marketing term ok but it is not used to gullible/fool consumer. There are many reasons behind it. What today's customer looks "Quality". Free shipping is good as it save time, save money and helps to enjoy a Hazel free shopping.

There are some points need to consider for those who are going for the at first time online shopping -
Do research for the store you are shopping from. It is the duty for every consumer. Don't go only wit "Free Shipping" Tag.

Things changed a lot in the 21st century, most online store offer Free shipping, So it is not the hype. It is common now a days.

In near future the Drones can used for Free shipping, Now what?
People love online stores who use drones to ship their products with "Free Drone Shipping". So, Enjoy Online shopping and do complete research!

 

Morally, no. Legally, they are fine.

As you describe, there are many reasons that a company will advertise "free" shipping. However, nothing in business is actually "free." For a retailer to stay in business it has to make a overall profit on all of its transactions. There are cases where a savvy consumer can get a great deal on a specific purchase for some of the reasons you mention as well as the ones I mentioned previously in this thread. However, someone somewhere will end up paying for that great deal or the retailer will go out of business. In most cases, however, the "free" shipping is simply built into the cost of the product and the gullible consumer is paying for shipping without knowing it.

 

Today's customers are so smart, they know everything.

 

You know, I was primarily in B2B and used to think that until I began selling on eBay a good number of years ago. That caused me to lose faith in humankind because I could not believe how stupid some customers are. Yes, there are very savvy buyers, but there are also some really ignorant and/or lazy folks who, I believe, spend their whole lives walking uphill against the flow and getting ripped off regularly.