Walmart and H&M Douchery

[Raziaar]

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/beauty/h-m-and-wal-mart-destroy-and-trash-unsold-goods-562909/

Not sure what store H&M is, but it's also implicated.

This week the New York Times reported a disheartening story about two of the largest retail chains. You see, instead of taking unsold items to sample sales or donating them to people in need, H&M and Wal-Mart have been throwing them out in giant trash bags. And in the case that someone may stumble on these bags and try to keep or re-sell the items, these companies have gone ahead and slashed up garments, cut off the sleeves of coats, and sliced holes in shoes so they are unwearable.

The New York Times points out that one-third of the city's population is poor, which makes this behavior not only wasteful and sad, but downright irresponsible. Wal-Mart spokeswoman, Melissa Hill, acted surprised that these items were found, claiming they typically donate all unworn merchandise to charity. When reporters went around the corner from H&M to a collections drop-off for charity organization New York Cares, spokesperson Colleen Farrell said, “We’d be glad to take unworn coats, and companies often send them to us."

The ****ing ****? Assholes. It's a cold ass winter, people could really use that stuff.

After several days of no response from H&M, the company made a statement today, promising to stop destroying the garments at the midtown Manhattan location. They said they will donate the items to charity. H&M spokeswoman Nicole Christie said, "It will not happen again," and that the company would make sure none of the other locations would do so either. Hopefully that's the final word.

The simple fact that it did happen is absolutely astounding.

Public Image > Profits > Everything Else

EDIT: Actually it's more like...

It's really Profits >< Public Image > Everything Else

Profits is always more important, with the occasional exception of Public Image if it may have the effect of decreasing profits.

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

Buncha cocksmokers.

 

[VirusType2]

I think a lot of other stores do this, because I've heard about this before. Destroying brand new office chairs and shit. They don't want you to have it for free, because then you no longer need to buy one.

 

[AiM]

H&M is a relatively low-priced fashion store, it's very popular... at least around here. Actually I'd imagine similar things happen all the time, only this time they got caught.

 

[Raziaar]

I wouldn't care if they disposed of it by recycling it back into their process somehow... but throwing it in the garbage, and cutting it all up and shit?

Awful.

 

[jverne]

One of the darkest sides of capitalism. This is on par with trashing food because they couldn't sell it. Despicable.

 

[Naph]

One of the darkest sides of capitalism. This is on par with trashing food because they couldn't sell it. Despicable.

Food is different. Some laws here dictate that most food to be trashed otherwise would pose as a health risk. Whereas clothes can be guaranteed in good condition with transit, food can be altered quite easily by natural and unnatural force.

 

[jverne]

Food is different. Some laws here dictate that most food to be trashed otherwise would pose as a health risk. Whereas clothes can be guaranteed in good condition with transit, food can be altered quite easily by natural and unnatural force.

well true, but bread that is half a day overdue is still pretty edible.

 

[Unfocused]

That's messed up.

 

[Remus]

I find it funny, that one or two store chains does this and you all make a big fuss about it, yet over here every single store does this and no one gives a shit.

 

[jverne]

You know what i'd love? To get brand new old computer equipment. A 3 year old CPU would be excellent for my needs. Stores usually don't keep such old equipment on stock. Where does it go anyway? recycled?

 

[15357]

Wut?


If I were in charge of Wal-Mart. I'd sell the damn things or give them to the employees instead of their salary. What a waste of good consumer product.

You know what i'd love? To get brand new old computer equipment. A 3 year old CPU would be excellent for my needs. Stores usually don't keep such old equipment on stock. Where does it go anyway? recycled?

They engrave it again and sell it for a higher price.

 

[Raziaar]

Wut?


If I were in charge of Wal-Mart. I'd sell the damn things or give them to the employees instead of their salary. What a waste of good consumer product.

Instead of their Salary? You're nuts.

 

[15357]

Instead of their Salary? You're nuts.

Well, you see, in my twisted CEO mind, it's their fault for not selling the damn clothes.

 

[Raziaar]

They're not cars salesmen.

You are twisted. lol

 

[Remus]

Numbers president of the world, vote now for a better tomorrow!

Better for him that is.

 

[Maestro]

Wow, they don't like...

...donate them to charity?

...sell them at cutrate prices?

...give away for free?

I mean holy shit there's so much you could do instead of that.

Bookstores 'destroy' books by ripping the cover off, but they only do that when they move stores. I got so many free books from my sister when the B&N moved stores.

 

[YROC]

This makes me a sad panda.

 

[Saturos]

What jverne and Raziaar said pretty much sums up my thoughts. Capitalism is a dirty business.

Militant conservatives and capitalists around here though would normally just say, "f**k em', they should've paid attention in school." But these days, there are so many people in the US with even a college degree who can't afford a nice winter coat. Our f**king economy is shit. The article said that a third of NYC's population is poor, which is a pretty large number of people. I'm just lucky to earn a minimum wage and have people to live with as long as I pay my way and still somehow manage to have some nice material possessions.

 

[L3N!N]

Wow, they're stooping pretty low here.

 

[barbarbarbarbar]

That must be the evilest thing I have ever heard of.I hope humanity dies.I hope global warming does strike.I just hope we don't make it to the space age so that we don't contaminate other planets with us.I know that this sounds stupid , but I'm ashamed of my humanity.

 

[Warped]

If they were throwing out broken/destroyed furniture and clothing thats one thing but it bothers me that at our work we throw out pretty in tact items as well. as a business you'd look much better giving half that shit away

 

[Letters]

Ah quit being a bunch of god damn drama queens. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE FREE!!!!!! YEEEEAH! GOD DAMN CORPORATIONS!

Christ... it's their stuff and they can do whatever the hell they want with it. Giving shit out for free isn't good business.

 

[jverne]

Ah quit being a bunch of god damn drama queens. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE FREE!!!!!! YEEEEAH! GOD DAMN CORPORATIONS!

Christ... it's their stuff and they can do whatever the hell they want with it. Giving shit out for free isn't good business.

:dozey:

 

[YROC]

Ah quit being a bunch of god damn drama queens. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE FREE!!!!!! YEEEEAH! GOD DAMN CORPORATIONS!

Christ... it's their stuff and they can do whatever the hell they want with it. Giving shit out for free isn't good business.

Well, your face.

 

[PvtRyan]

Please enlighten me: how does this have anything to do with "evil capitalism"? Looks to me that the effort of manually ruining the items one by one is more costly than calling a charity organization with "we've got some shit you can come and pick up". Not to mention that throwing it all away creates a lot of garbage and that costs money as well. So it would in fact have been cheaper to give it away, where does that leave the "evil fat cat capitalist corporations, man!" argument? In fact, that's what I have seen, businesses that don't want to take stuff back with them as it will cost them so they just leave it for others. As with a lot of other scandalous "human interest" stories, these are most likely incidents caused by sheer incompetence rather than evil intent.

"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity" - Hanlon's Razor.

Honestly, this story made me laugh because I had a mental image of unshaven, unwashed bums looking all fashionable wearing womens clothing.

 

[Raziaar]

Ah quit being a bunch of god damn drama queens. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE FREE!!!!!! YEEEEAH! GOD DAMN CORPORATIONS!

Christ... it's their stuff and they can do whatever the hell they want with it. Giving shit out for free isn't good business.

How is it not good for business? That's what I don't understand. They could use it to generate lots of good publicity.

Plus, it's not bad for business simply in the sense that they're losing the items either way. The only way it would be bad for business is the people who have the crappy shit no longer have the need to buy the crappy shit from the store. I doubt those people would be the ones to buy the items in the first place, seeing as they needed to get them for free.

 

[VirusType2]

I'm nearly positive that if they donated them to charity, they could write off the retail price for each item as a tax break.

For a billion dollar corporation, that's a stupendous tax break. So, unless I'm missing something, it just doesn't add up to destroy it.

Obviously, if they gave away 100 coats because they couldn't sell them, then 100 people wouldn't need to buy a coat for years - in fact - a coat can last decades, for someone that just doesn't give a shit about fashion... or soil build up.

 

[Raziaar]

The people they'd be giving it away to... the needy, wouldn't really be the types of people buying new coats anyway. Because they're poor.

 

[VirusType2]

I know it, but I guess they figure if you don't have money to buy one eventually, even in a few years, they'd rather you just die. No, in all seriousness, they probably aren't tearing up many coats.

I actually worked in Kohl's distribution plant, and there was a tractor trailer full of clothes (I mean if you piled it in there as much as could fit, no boxes, just clothes) that couldn't sell, even at drastically reduced prices. Really cheap.

They don't throw it away at Kohl's, I'm sure of it. Maybe they were going to give it away, or try to sell it again later - I wish I could remember.

 

[CyberPitz]

There could have been more profitable ways of disposing them, but I'm sure as hell not going to get up in arms about this.

 

[Adabiviak]

Are the thrift stores short on supply? As in, are the homeless people unable to keep themselves dressed and warm because there are not enough garments already available?

 

[CyberPitz]

They take the same stance on that as they do becoming a productive piece of society. "I can't be bothered."

 

[Darkside55]

And in the case that someone may stumble on these bags and try to keep or re-sell the items, these companies have gone ahead and slashed up garments, cut off the sleeves of coats, and sliced holes in shoes so they are unwearable.

implying that the companies slashed them up out of spite so that people wouldn't wear them

Hurf durf I don't understand how retail works. Herp derp I don't understand agreements between suppliers and retailers. Hurr de durr why for are capitalist companies so greedy and don't wants to help the poor and needy?

Fucking nobody understands how a business works, goddamn. Also, I enjoy seeing these threads where everybody suddenly gives a shit and becomes bleeding hearts when BIG MULTIMILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES aren't helping out those in need and it's such a WASTE and a SHAME and a CRIME but I bet the number of you who actually help out the poor on a regular basis--hell, not even help out, the number of you who actually even GIVE A SHIT on a regular basis--could be counted on one hand.

 

[Dog--]

Food is different. Some laws here dictate that most food to be trashed otherwise would pose as a health risk. Whereas clothes can be guaranteed in good condition with transit, food can be altered quite easily by natural and unnatural force.

I work in a grocery store and have to throw out food all the time, even a little dent in a can makes them throw it out (well not really, but when they deem it unopenable, which is bullshit, a can can never unopenable). This pisses me off so I asked my manager 'why don't you just donate this stuff, or atleast let employees take the stuff home, rather then just throwing it out, it's a really big waste'. Their response? 'My manager tells me I have to do this'.

So then I talk to the manager of the store (I'm not kidding about this whole thing it actually happened), he's the highest up manager there is, and then he tells me 'My boss tells me I have to do it'.

THE ****ING ****?

There's nothing I can do, because I'm like the lowest ranking person there pretty much (my whole department is), it's god damn retarded. I don't want to steal the food because I could get fired for that and I kind of need my job, so I just have to keep throwing out all this perfectly good food. Most of it isn't even because of expiration dates, I can see why they throw something out thats past expiration that makes sense, but most of the time it's stuff that's slightly damaged. For example a box of Ritz crackers - the box is torn open, but the bag holding the crackers inside is perfectly fine, no holes or anything - they just throw it out. All of it.

 

[Darkside55]

^ See, this just proves what I was saying. "Why can't you let people take it home? Why do you have to throw things away?" It's retarded that your managers don't even know the exact reason why. Aside from what Naph said about food laws, there's also something called a credit-and-destroy arrangement. Look it up.

Goddamn. Nobody knows anything.

 

[Raziaar]

I work in a grocery store and have to throw out food all the time, even a little dent in a can makes them throw it out (well not really, but when they deem it unopenable, which is bullshit, a can can never unopenable). This pisses me off so I asked my manager 'why don't you just donate this stuff, or atleast let employees take the stuff home, rather then just throwing it out, it's a really big waste'. Their response? 'My manager tells me I have to do this'.

Here they would put those dented cans in a managers special section where people could buy them at greatly discounted prices because they are dented up.

Hurf durf I don't understand how retail works. Herp derp I don't understand agreements between suppliers and retailers. Hurr de durr why for are capitalist companies so greedy and don't wants to help the poor and needy?

Fucking nobody understands how a business works, goddamn. Also, I enjoy seeing these threads where everybody suddenly gives a shit and becomes bleeding hearts when BIG MULTIMILLION DOLLAR COMPANIES aren't helping out those in need and it's such a WASTE and a SHAME and a CRIME but I bet the number of you who actually help out the poor on a regular basis--hell, not even help out, the number of you who actually even GIVE A SHIT on a regular basis--could be counted on one hand.

You really are a heartless bastard

I can understand whole credit and destroy arrangements for most things. Hobos and needy families don't need games or electronics and shit. But clothing? ****ing clothing man, during a cold ass winter.

If you're not one to question business practices, that's fine... but I am, in regards to something like this. It's just dubious to me.

If you're going to adopt the mindset of not questioning anything businesses do just because it's in a business standard operating procedure or some shit, that's weird.

That's like not questioning any laws simply because it is a law and should be obeyed as a result.

 

[Dog--]

Here they would put those dented cans in a managers special section where people could buy them at greatly discounted prices because they are dented up.

We've got that too, but if both ends of the can are dented they throw it out. The can opener pretty much cuts through the dent anyways so I don't even see why that's a big deal. Customers are ****ing stupid. Most of the time when I have to throw out a can that a customer says is defective, I just put it back on the shelf, because a normal person will come through and just take it and not care anyways.

 

[Raziaar]

People are indeed stupid. The success of snuggies and other similar things proves it. People have so much difficulty getting their arms free from covers to answer a phone that they need to wear a blanket robe.

"Are you fumbling with the remote because your hands are cold? Unfortunately due to the extra wide sleeves of our Snuggies, your hands remain exposed to the chilly air. But now, there is a solution! Introducing Snuggie brand Snittens. They're Snuggies for your hands! Who has time for gloves, which fully envelop your hands and require you to take them off when you need some dexterity? Slip on a pair of Snittens to complete your Snuggie ensemble!

You'll be Smitten by our Snittens!"

 

[Darkside55]

You really are a heartless bastard

Indisputably.

But you must understand that while I truly am a black-hearted soul it seems that I'm the only one ITT who gets why you have to destroy things instead of giving them away. I've already mentioned the relationship between merchandisers and retailers and how they receive credit for unsold goods.

Now, you're still questioning the practice of it, because those of those poor, freezing, needy hobos. I'll refrain from my usual diatribe about those loathsome beggars and instead tell you exactly why shit's destroyed and not left out for these vagrants.

It's called, "I don't want my company to get fucking sued in case something happens because of our cast-off merchandise."

It's also called, "Where in the blue hell am I supposed to take this shit, and how am I going to get there?" It costs time and money to drop that stuff off at a charity. Can you imagine how much stuff a big-ass company like Wal-Mart gets rid of? It's a lot. A LOT. It isn't exactly profitable to take that shit around to these places; you're actually WASTING money on shit you just threw away and are getting reimbursed for. The best you can hope for I suppose would be for someone to come by and pick it up. At least you get some tax write-offs.

And in any case, apparently it IS Wal-Mart and H&M's policy to donate to filthy peasants. Or, you know, they're saying it is because of the backlash from bleeding hearts who give a shit about the homeless one day out of the year, when it's in the news.