Monday, December 21, 2009

Wal-Mart sees the light.... sort of


Stars and Stripes, the "independent news source for the U.S. Military community," as they call themselves, had an article last week (17DEC09) in which they documented that Wal-Mart charged as much as *five times* for shipping a $120 order to a military APO/FPO address as to a "stateside" address.

What most people don't realize is that an APO/FPO address IS "stateside"!

The Army or Navy then takes possession of the mail/package and covers the cost of transporting it to the Service Member wherever he or she might be in the world.

Wal-Mart's actions in this regard represent the most cynical kind of exploitation of Service Members and their families imagineable.

Today, Stars and Stripes is reporting that Wal-Mart, which has staunchly refused their requests for interviews, has issued an email in which they announce a change in their shipping policies such that items sent to APO/FPO addresses from now on will be charged the same amount of shipping as to any other "stateside" address.

Target, by contrast, recently had *free* shipping of items to APO/FPO addresses, in time for Christmas. They do not charge extra at other times for shipping to APO/FPO addresses.

Wal-Mart seems to have come around somewhat (this 'enlightenment' coincides with the end of Chanukah, interestingly...), but I suggest they have a way to go yet.

Many thanks to Target and other retailers for *really* supporting our OCONUS (Outside the CONtinental U.S.) troops in this small but significant manner!

Blessings and peace to one and all,


Fr. Tim, SJ

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1 comment:

Unknown said...

For many reasons, and this is only one more, you couldn't pay me to shop at Wal*Mart!! They have very unfair employee practices, and they do "gouge" the customers in many sneaky ways. Glad that someone exposed this latest "game."

 
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