Wal-Marts Sells Empty DVD Case for $20

I recently organized a recognition event at City Hall for volunteers who picked up litter as part of Shelton's Clean Sweep.  Shop Rite stepped up to the plate and donated 120 bottles of Poland Spring Water for the event.  Give them a round of applause.

Wal-Mart, on the other hand, sold us an empty DVD case for $20 and refused to exchange it.   We had a table full of door prizes (above photo), including an Avatar DVD.   A Boy Scout drew a winning ticket and cheerfully took the movie home.  But when the family sat down to watch the movie there was no disc.

I took a closer look at the above photo and noticed there is no cellophane on the end of the DVD and the security sticker is partly out of place. Take a look:

 

I returned to Wal-Mart with the empty packaging and receipt. At the Customer Service desk I was told that I could not exchange the box for another DVD "because there is no disc inside the box to exchange."  Um, yes, that's the point.   I explained the situation. I showed an email from the Mayor's secretary that also explained the problem.  The representative called the manager, but the answer was still, "no." 

Later I search the web and found several posts about people stealing DVDs from boxes in stores, especially DVD boxes with the cardboard slipcovers like the one above.  Many of the posts specifically mentioned Wal-Mart. Thieves would slit the bottom and bend the case, allowing the disc to pop out. The slipcover conceals the problem unless you have a very sharp eye.  Several posters wrote that from now on, they would open all DVDs at the store. 

I understand they don't want people just claiming they didn't get a disc and getting a second one for free, but come on.   Wal-Mart should train its cashiers to look at each disc during check out, and employees in the electronic department should also be trained to search for problems.  Clearly this was not done, and Wal-Mart should do the right thing and exchange the empty box for one with a disc inside it.