I could not get arrested

[Arcli9ht]

Wow, that simple trip to wally world sounds like a bad joke taken too far. I'd have been likely to go to office supplies, get a shredder, bring it back to sporting goods, buy it, plug it in, shred the document, and leave them with the bits as I left with my new shredder. The associate did very little to make me want to defend at least his early actions, but having been on the other side of the counter, I feel compelled to.

First things first, for every gun sale, the associate puts his employement on the line. More people were fired for fudging up on gun sales or the 4473 than pretty much any other reason (at least in sporting goods). As an associate, you are taught ONE and only ONE way of doing things. You are not taught the why of the laws, but simply what procedure to follow. Deviate from it, and you are fired on the same day. It doesn't matter what the actual law is for the 4473, the associate will follow his company procedures to the letter.

2.
CHL permits are often not on the list of valid ID the associate can take. Here in NY, they are pretty rare, so most people wouldn't know what it was, let alone whether it was a valid form of ID. The associate will not risk their job simply because you believe it should be. He makes nothing off of the sale other than his hourly pay, so it doesn't matter to him if you buy it or not. If the ID is not on the list, they will not take it, period. The demeanor of the associate from your account certainly shows he wasn't being nice and he didn't explain this. He chose to take the asshat route.

3.
I'll bet that the associate was instructed, during his training, that he had to walk every customer through every part of the 4473 before they were to start filling it out. You violated this proceedure of his by taking it before he described in detail how you were supposed to fill it out. How is he supposed to know that you have bought many guns or if this was your first? How is he supposed to know anything about you except what is on your two forms of ID?

Your story went downhill from there and I can't in good conscience try to figure out why the players all acted as they did.

But just for perspective, when I worked there I had a sliding scale of how I liked and therefore treated customers. Argumentitive know-it-alls were just above the Bag-Nazi's (NO! DON'T MIX ____ WITH ____ YOU IDIOT!) and the Price-Fixers (Oh, I swear this item was on clearance for 4.88 so I dont know why youre charging me 50 dollars! I demand to see your supervisor.) **** I really didn't intend this as an attack on you, please please don't take it that way.

/Arcli9ht
//Thanks for reminding me why I left that job.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I'd say that's reason 43,852 Wal Mart is my shopping destination of last choice.

 

[cidirkona]

Oh no- are you still in the store?!!!

HAHAHAHAH!!! Classic!!

I would have either taken my time to cover the entire front ofthe paper with a solid layer of ink first, or said "As long as I don't leave the store eh? This place is 24 hours right? Where are the sleeping bags?"

-Colin

 

[V4Vendetta]

""As long as I don't leave the store eh? This place is 24 hours right? Where are the sleeping bags?""


I was just thinking that.

 

[skidmark]

Folks,

I had nothing better to do than be "entertained" by the whole experience. I admit that there was a piece of me that wanted to see anybody (Wally World employee, police) screw up and turn a Chinese firedrill into a fiasco. If they did, I'd be sitting down with a lawyer instead oif sharing this story with you. (I might tell it after the big settlement check was cashed - but it would not be as funny then.)

Something that I left out - "Investigations & Enforcement" asked the Wally World folks if they had the "Green Book" handy, so they could look up some stuff. The "Green Book" was locked away in the big safe, right next to the binder with information that the VA Starte Police provide on types of IDs and how to spot fakes.

I knew from the very beginning that "Associate" was going through the motions as he had been taught. I really had nothing but sympathy for him, as he was truely caught between a rock and a hard place. It just amused the heck out of me to hear "Asst. Manager," "Manager," and "Security" come up with various reasons why I could not walk out with a Form 4733 that was not completed.

I'm going out to the range to shoot my new 10/22.

stay safe.

skidmark

 

[f4t9r]

"I could not get arrested"

Go back and try harder , You can do this !!!!!

 

[scubie02]

one of the reasons I generally won't buy guns from Walmart--if you have to pay a little more to be treated with respect, its worth it. Last time I bought a gun there was a shotgun for my little brother for Christmas that my mom asked me to pick up. We have 3 walmarts in the area, and 2 of the 3 have employees in that section that are about as bad as you'd run into, as far as generally talking to some buddies of there's who have stopped by or each other (seem to often be at least 3 standing around), acting like you're a total PIA for "bothering" them with a question or wanting to see something. Finally get one to actually wait on me, so ok I'll take it, they start in with the paperwork and arrogant "I'm in charge you better do what I say" sort of attitude. In NY, if you have a pistol permit with an extra NICS card showing you have had the extra special background check done you don't have to wait for a NICS check on long guns. I explain this as my gf isn't feeling well and we've already been there quite awhile just trying to get waited on and paperowkr filled out. The girl just gives me a dirty look and makes the call anyway, then tells me they are busy I'l have to wait for them to call back. SOaB--by now its been 45 mins and my gf is on the verge of fainting and has to sit down. When they FINALLY manage to get the approval I didn't have to wait for, they mamek this big production of calling the manager over the PA system "for a gun", wait again for what seems an interminable period, then get "escorted" to the front of the door and half expected to have the door slammed on us on the way out. As mentioned, the "escort" being somewhat ironic given my CCW. After the "deadman walking" treatment through the store and just unbelievable time this took coupled with the overall imprssion that we had SOME nerve putting them through all this, I said never again. Support the little guy. Walmart's for ammo at most.

You should write a complaint form to walmart central, not that it'd probably do any good (they have complaint forms at the service counter)

 

[Preacherman]

Congratulations, Skidmark, you handled that very well - respectful to the officers involved, showing up the Wal-Mart management as idiots (and the cops will doubtless remember this if they have similar problems there in the future), and your personal restraint no doubt showed you to be the gentleman amongst buffoons. Well done!

 

[MAURICE]

Whoever mentioned setting it on fire had it right. Pull out the zippo and let it burn.

As a customer and former employee of Mal Wart, I have had my share pf problems. Before I worked there I had to wait 3 hours to buy a new tire. 3 hours is a loooong time to spend in Mal Wart. Several cars had come and gone by this time and the little twit at the counter (with whom I have had problems before) was no help.

So I waited. And waited. And waited.

Then I found Mr. Manager. Got my new tire on my car in less than 15 minutes at no charge (just a 60 dollar tire, though) and I have not seen little twit there since. I know this was not the first complaint against him, as I had complained a couple of times in the past. Sorry attitude, slow, talking on the phone with a friend instead of doing job, etc. Why should it take 2 hours for an oil change with 2 cars in the garage? Then tell me they cant do it.

Call Bentonville. The idiots at the store level dont have a clue most of the time (the ones that do are usually managers who started out years ago working as a stocker) and going over their head, in my experience is one of the few ways to get results quickly.

Oh and needless to say, I dont use their auto department for anything.

 

[Missashot]

After buying my daughter's Crickett (in pink of course!) from Walmart,I doubt that I will buying another gun from them. That was one of the worst shopping experiences in my whole life! I will probably buy ammo from them and other things, but no more guns. I'm still trying to figure out the reasoning behind some of their policies.
As to trying to get arrested, maybe you should have tried to walk out with the gun instead of the forms!

 

[Avenger29]

I've spent 3 hours in walmart buying a couple of shotguns once with my father...

Took back a Ruger 10/22 mag that wasn't feeding right- the girl at the return counter had to ask someone else if it was returnable- I had to grit my teeth and explain that it was not a firearm or ammunition- how can people be so stupid!? The only reason I got it at Wally world was that I wanted the SS model with the 22 inch barrel- and the gunshop I deal with in town did not have a 10/22- but I did buy scope, sling, and hi cap mags for it there after I got out of wal-mart- It felt great to walk into the gunstore with the 10/22 in my hands instead of having a manager "escort" me...I am going to make my next firearm purchase (lookin at an AK as soon as I turn 18!) at the gunstore- no escort or idiots!

 

[Molon Labe]

The real travesty is that you wanted to buy a gun at Wal-Mart.

Why oh why would you want to buy a gun at Wal-Mart?

 

[Biker]

Biker,

I could be "detained" as opposed to being under arrest. Detained for investigation, or any number of other reasons such as "officer safety" (Terry stop).

The important part is that if the detention or arrest were not valid, someone would pay.

stay safe.

skidmark

Tell ya the truth, I honestly thought that if you weren't free to go, you were under arrest.
I've always (almost) cooporated with cops, if for no other reason, it's stupid not to, generally.
I was referring to legal terms.
Then again, I'm no lawyer....Thank God!

Biker

 

[svtruth]

Skidmark

Congratulations on teaching a bunch of Dummies. Whether they learned can only be determined by repeating the buy attempt. And having a bunch of your buddies do the same.

 

[buck00]

You are out of your mind Skidmark, and I LIKE IT.

9 out of 10 people would have given that condescending Walmart twit his little victory and gave the form back. I am impressed you stood up for yourself. Another interesting thing is often you have police who, in a situation like that, simply try to bully the civilian into backing down. At least they made some calls and did their homework in this situation.


Here is another Walmart story. Not sure if this was nationwide our just here in PA. On 9-11 I had a relative who, after watching the news, decided to stock up on ammo in case of follow up attacks, mass civil disorder, etc. He rushed out to the local Walmart to get rifle and 9mm ammo. He finds the employees haphazardly clearing the shelves of ammunition. They refused to sell him any. To make a long story short, he demeaned to speak to the manager, who said they decided to pull all ammo for fear people would rush to Walmart, buy guns and ammo and "go on Arab-killing sprees".

Truly amazing. Although the moral of the story is when all h--- breaks loose; a mushroom cloud, mass flood, Hillary takes office... and you suddenly have to rely on Walmart for your ammo- you're in trouble.

 

[Phaetos]

Then when Walmart throws its arms up and decides that, between government and the gun buyers, this ????s just not worth it, and quits selling rifles altogether...

Too late ... stores in my area Baton Rouge,La STILL aren't selling guns of anytype, save for airsoft and the like. They finally just started selling ammo again. When will we see longarms again? Good freaking luck.

 

[Jubei]

Bravo Skidmark, for standing your ground without losing your temper. I doubt that I would have had the patience that you showed.

The dumb employee was just trying to do his minimum wage job. Nobody works at Walmart because they're highly intelligent... they work there because they're not good enough for McDonalds.

Actually, you'd be suprised at how many Wally World employees are really "into" being a Wal-Mart employee. Almost like brain washing. I BRIEFLY worked for Wal-Mart some years ago when they were setting up a brand spankin' new Super Wal-Mart. I was part of the crew that went in and set the place up, all the shelves, racks, pretty much everything. They would have daily "let's go to work and do a spendiferous job" rally. They would spend 20-30 minutes each morning telling us how important we were and that we were doing wonderful/excellent/crappy, whichever applied at the time. Their idea to motivate us was, if we did such and such a job in X amount of time, So and So Manager will dress up as a woman for a day. (they never did offer to dress up any of the lady managers as anything, I guess that would be wrong)

And once a week, the Community Relations Associate would come around and ask everyone how much they wanted to give to this weeks cause. I actually got pulled aside by one of the managers because I was not a "giver". I asked the manager if contributing was a job requirement and he told me that it was not, but it would not reflect well on my employment record. I told him that if I want to give a donation to some organization or other, that I would do it on my own accord and on my own time.

I still don't miss the stupid blue vest.

Jubei

 

[FPrice]

By the way, I went to a local gun store (real gun store) and found a Ruger 10/22 with scope on sale. I bought it.

Did you use your Wal-Mart 4473?

 

[V4Vendetta]

My mom works at Lowes foods. One of her store managers who used to work at Walmart told her that Walmart isn't interested in sharing the world with other companies. They want it all. They are like a insidious plague. I recall one time when a Garth Brooks CD came out, Walmart told the Garth Brooks people that they were either going to let only Walmart sell the CD, or Walmart was going to make it difficult to for the other places to sell it. I don't recall what happened.

 

[raghorn]

Well met, skidmark! You did a good thing.

 

[Arkie]

I have a walmart just up the road from me and the guy that runs the sporting goods department is very friendly and does know his guns. I think he just works there to help out with his retirement check. I just buy plinking ammo there and he is always trying to talk me into buying more. lol...

If there is somone else behind the counter I will pass on buying anything until I see him. Most of them do not know anything nor do they want to learn

Hey there MAURICE,,, I'm just up the road from you and I buy all my guns at Ozark Armory. Nice bunch of guys.


Skidmark,,, Glad that everything went ok after everything you had to go through.

 

[WvaBill]

I recall one time when a Garth Brooks CD came out, Walmart told the Garth Brooks people that they were either going to let only Walmart sell the CD, or Walmart was going to make it difficult to for the other places to sell it. I don't recall what happened.

Guess where the only place in the world to buy a new Garth Brooks release is.

 

[theCZ]

Skidmark, that may be the most entertaining thread I've EVER read on THR! Thanks, you are quite an entertaining person.

 

[V4Vendetta]

"Guess where the only place in the world to buy a new Garth Brooks release is."


I'm not surprised.

 

[ravencon]

This sort of thing is why I would NEVER buy a firearm except at a gun store, a gun show or a from a sane private individual.

If I ever broke my own rule I still would NEVER EVER buy a firearm at China-Mart.