Boycott Walmart

[MrDig]

Walmart has caved to the Anti's by removing gun sales in certain "Urban" and "Metropolitain" areas and allowing them in others. Following is a post of mine in another forum
"I was at My local Walmart last night and was told by the Manager that Walmart will sell firearms, but not in certain "Urban" or "Metro" areas. I can go to the Walmart in one suburb (Brooklyn Park MN) and there are no guns, but in another (Blaine MN.) there are. Worse yet I can go to a Sporting goods store a few miles away, (Gander Mountain in Maple Grove), and get a gun. Or even another Department store, (Mills Fleet Farm in Brooklyn Park) that is less than 1/4 of a mile from the Walmart."
The Manager went on to say "This is a direct result of Caving to the Anti's. Walmart is the Number One retailer of firearms in the country and the new policy is the result of pressure from Anti Gun Groups to Corporate."
I won't spend another dime at Walmart

 

[Steve in PA]

Who buys guns from Wal-Mart?????

#1 retailer, umm....I'd think Cabela's, Ganter Mt, Bass Pro Shop's, etc would be bigger.

 

[45Badger]

#1 retailer, umm....I'd think Cabela's, Ganter Mt, Bass Pro Shop's, etc would be bigger.

They might have higher per unit volume, but there are a heck of a lot more (think many multiples) Walmarts than there are Cabela's, Ganders, and Bass Pros combined!

Walmart wins on scale.

 

[Car Knocker]

MDig,

If you do a search on THR, you will note that other Walmart managers and employees have stated that firearms sales are being discontinued for various other reasons, such as inadequate sales volume.

You are advocating boycotting a business based on hearsay comments by people who are not authorized to convey corporate policy and may just be propogating unsubstantiated and baseless rumor. Unless you can document that this is indeed Walmart corporate policy, your call for a boycott based on the information you provided is unconscionable.

That being said, there are many other reasons to legitimately avoid Walmart if one so choses.

 

[SolaScriptura139]

I don't buy guns from them, and I avoid shopping there. However, when Wal-Mart offers a box of 100 9mm Winchester White Box for 12.88, and my local gun store offers them for 16.99 , guess who I'm going to buy my ammo from? It's going to be Wal-mart everytime , as $4 is a large savings on ammo for a poor married (with children) college student.

 

[Zero_DgZ]

For once, Walmart's unsavory (as we see it) choice here has nothing to do with caving to hysteria (Does anyone remember the "just for Walmart" censored albums? How quickly we forget...) but plain old business. Only Walmarts who are losing money on gun sales/maintaining their FFL's are discontinuing gun and/or ammo sales.

My local Walmart has both guns and ammo, and the working manager when I asked said that neither is going anywhere.

 

[countertop]

This is old news.

I have no idea if its caving to antis. I'd suspect not. Rather, its addressing local marketplaces. Floor (and shelf) space is valuable, and Wal Mart made a decision that some items in some locations were of a higher value to it.

Thats economics 101. Not caving in to antis. The fact that you can go to a wal mart 2 miles away and get a gun is proof of that.

Same thing happens here in NoVA too. The wal mart just down the street from the NRA stopped selling guns cause they weren't selling guns. Too much local competition and not enough volume. What they do sell though, is ammo. Ammo is what they sell, and they sell a lot. As a result, thats what they choose to use the space for.They now have an ammo selection that is twice as large and displayed in a much more user friendly, accessible, and professional manner. Heck, I'd even go as far as to suggest its the prettiest looking department in an otherwise dreary looking wal mart.


Sounds like good business sense to me.

 

[Molon Labe]

The activity of selling guns should be reserved for those who embrace the idea that guns are liberty's teeth. Hence Wal-Mart doesn't deserve to sell guns. We should rejoice that Wal-Mart is getting out of the gun selling business, and giving the business to those who are much more deserving.

 

[mainmech48]

I believe that the situation has more to do with poor training of their personnel and lax oversight by Wal-Mart local and regional managers causing huge trouble with BATFE for Corporate.

Recent administrative changes to forms and regulations by BATFE, and more zealously aggressive compliance enforcement, have cost ol' Sam's empire literally millions in fines and penalties, especially in the last year or so. Mostly regarding "strawman" purchases and technical violations of paperwork rules.

Wally World wants to do everything their way, and their way only. If it means that they'll have to change some significant part of that system in order to keep it profitable, they'd just as soon chuck it. They want to be able to put any minimum wage "associate" in any department at any time, with the absolute minimum of "special" training. The realities of selling firearms in today's market pretty much make that an untenable position.

 

[RNB65]

Boycott Wally World? I don't think so. They're my primary ammo supplier. And food supplier. And music. And DVD's. And fishing lures. I could care less about gun sales as long as the sell ammo and cleaning supplies.

No, I think I'll boycott MN first since some Wal Mart's there seem to follow irregular patterns regarding shooting merchandise.

 

[EttenBoom]

MDig,

Is that the Wal-Mart on University in St. Paul?
They weren't allowed to open that store unless they agreed not to sell guns there.

 

[Technosavant]

We should rejoice that Wal-Mart is getting out of the gun selling business, and giving the business to those who are much more deserving.

I disagree.

IMO, Wal-Mart getting out of firearms is not a good thing. As it is now, having firearms in a major retailer means people walk by them when shopping for soccer balls and light bulbs. It is reinforced that firearms are mainstream, and not evil things that need to be hidden in shameful places where normal folks never visit. The more exposure to them the average person has, the less likely it is that they will attach a stigma to them.

I understand that firearms have a strong aspect of freedom to them, but at the same time, selling (and even making them) is a business. If you can't make enough money doing it to justify the work, you will stop by choice or by force (when you can't pay the bills). WM has been having profitability issues, and they need to squeeze every dime they can. I honestly haven't seen any gun stores where, when I buy from them, there is flag-waving, shouts of joy, and songs of the warrior because another American has exercised his rights.

 

[GEM]

Once five gunowners decide to boycott WalMart this will cause a collapse in the Chinese economy. Then they will unleash the 50 million hidden Red Army troops in Mexico or on container ships in the L.A. harbour.

So you better keep shopping at WalMart!! They still have better prices on some ammo than others.

Also, why not boycott politicans whose best friends are Saudis? Wait - then there will be gay marriage.

 

[Zoogster]

Walmart now tracks ammo purchases

Walmart sometime this year also started requiring ID (which is scanned into thier computer) during purchase on a totaly voluntary basis(meaning no law was passed requiring it, not that it is voluntary for the customer). I guess it just seemed like a good idea to track and know who buys ammo.

 

[Delta608]

I buy 9mm at Wal-MArt almost every Sat. morning...They never asked me for I.D. or anything other than the 12.88 for a box of a 100...!!!

 

[Green Lantern]

The new WalMart in Erwin, TN, never has sold guns. Also don't have a "tire & lube" either. Pretty sure they don't even have NACHOS! They're like a "mini-Wal Mart." They still do sell ammo. But last time I was in there, it sure looked like they had installed GUN RACKS behind the sporting goods counter! Meant to ask, but by the time I spent 1/2 an hour to find someone to get me some .22 short for my aunt's Astra, I'd forgot...:banghead:

I was also under the impression that WM just took guns out of stores that had weak gun sales.

 

[GEM]

Never had an ID scan at WalMart - BS!

 

[El Tejon]

The Wal-Marts here in the Wabash Valley sell firearms.

While I am not a regular shopper of Wal-Mart, however this Sunday I did purchase a rail car full of buckshot at an insanely low price. I was never asked for ID or anything other than cash.

 

[thumbody]

Walmart sometime this year also started requiring ID (which is scanned into thier computer) during purchase on a totaly voluntary basis(meaning no law was passed requiring it, not that it is voluntary for the customer). I guess it just seemed like a good idea to track and know who buys ammo.

I have purchased ammo at Walmart several times this year.They have never recorded my info into any computer. I have been asked for ID to prove age but not for any other reason.
Most times they don't even ask for my ID.I have been asked for ID more often for beer purchases than for ammo purchases.

 

[Zoogster]

ID

Perhaps it is a California walmart thing? I know the walmarts in California stopped selling firearms altogether years ago because it was too much hassle.
Earlier this year though local walmarts started requiring myself and anyone else I saw purchase ammo to submit thier California ID/driver's License for a quick swipe into the computer. When I asked about it they told me it was a new policy the first time it happened. They do not simply check the age on the card, in CA we have magnetic strips on the licenses that allow scanning just like any credit card in case you don't have similar state ID.

 

[RNB65]

Walmart sometime this year also started requiring ID (which is scanned into thier computer) during purchase on a totaly voluntary basis(meaning no law was passed requiring it, not that it is voluntary for the customer). I guess it just seemed like a good idea to track and know who buys ammo.

This is incorrect.

Federal law prohibits selling handgun ammo to anyone under 21. Also, most states require purchasers of rifle/shotgun ammo to be at least 18. Wal Mart policy has always been to check ID to verify the buyer's age. However, most store clerks at most Wal Marts ignore the policy and don't check ID's unless the buyer is really young. The two or three times I've ever had my ID check it was buy a new clerk who was obviously nervous about bypassing any procedures.

 

[El Tejon]

But, but, but the Errornet and Air America told me that Wal-Mart is eeevil.