walmart ammo scam

[Tenderfoot]

I bet this type of behind the scenes selling is everywhere. In WA state there is no box limit..some guy in front of me the other day bought out all 27 boxes of .40 cal...he out loud said to his buddy (not the guy working...just some dude with him) that he might hope to resell it for about $6 more than what he was paying.
However some honest workers are still around. The older gent behind the counter was very forth coming on stuff selling super quick and the .40 stuff lasted 2 days before that happened...but the .38 stuff I wanted is never on hand...he said they only get like 2 to 3 boxes every 2 weeks and it's gone within 2 hours of hitting shelf. Didn't seem like the type to keep some for "friends".
Some walmarts sill "hold" for 24 hours....I know what that did..I doubt that's against policy. Most stores will set something aside for you if you ask nicely and say your on your way...if you don't show..it goes back on the shelf.
Another Wally World said to call each night around 7pm and ask..by then he said we normally know what's on the truck coming in the morning...
Back in the mid-90's I worked at a Kmart. Back then we sold Ammo like Walmart. I was in Sporting Goods and sold many a shotgun and rifle (we didn't sell handguns though)...back then we had plenty of ammo on the shelves for all calibers ! those were the days !! now Kmart doesn't sell the stuff (as of mid 2001 I think).

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[fotomaker57]

I had just the opposite happen at my local WW. I was looking for some 40S&W and asked the lady behind the counter if any was in stock? She told me no but said she thought some was coming in. She pulled up her order sheet and said some would be delivered that night. I stopped in the next day and picked up 300 rounds. I left another 600 rounds for those that might need some also.
Mike

[ouch]

i would bet theres alot of people that do it. If I lived closer to a walmart id think about gettin a job and work a couple nights or weekends and then I would know what days it came in and use the money i make from workin extra hours to buy ammo... but Im not driving 45 min. for that.

[ccw9mm]

whos to say this is not going on at all walmarts?

Cannot say, but I'd be willing to bet it's not a "WalMart" scam and far more likely to be an individual person's realization that, in exchange for a bit of honor and respect in others' eyes, a selling opportunity has presented itself.

[David in MI]

About a month ago I called around to the four semi-local WM stores and found that there were only three boxes between them. I headed to the store with two boxes and called to see if they would hold them for me as I was en route when I called. When I arrived the gentleman on the phone informed me that they just received a shipment. I bought all 15 boxes and haven't see a single box since then.

Since that time I have called around to both WM and Meijer and been informed that people are buying the entire shipments as soon as they get onto the floor and then reselling them at gun shows.

[Rock and Glock]

An Anti-Social Neighborhood

What an idea! I want in too! Ice-cream anti-socials, the works!

[Pure Kustom]

Wally world is limiting ammo in my area..........Honesty I didn't really buy that much!!!

[ernE]

Yall seem to be a bit unfair and disrespectful of WM employees. While some WM folks do have a dont give a **** attitude, most IMO do not. I have a good friend who works for WM in the sporting goods dept. He has called me several times to let me know that certain ammo has arrived, or this product is on sale, or that product is being clearenced and so on. This friend is a very moral person and needs this job desperately. The pay aint what it could be and the management seems to be very greedy, but the health insurance and benefits are top notch. I dont like to shop at WM but when I get a call that .38 sp is in I love to shop at WM. It sounds like sour grapes when some one gets a deal on ammo some one cant get the same deal.
And another thing. What is wrong with bying a product in bulk and selling it at a profit? Aint that the American way?
I guess you can say I have a dont give **** attitude also.

[Tenderfoot]

And another thing. What is wrong with bying a product in bulk and selling it at a profit? Aint that the American way?
I guess you can say I have a dont give **** attitude also.

What's wrong depends on how much you are selling. If you sell Ammo for a living (like own a gun shop or something) you are probably ok..you'd have a merchant license and such and report it as income.

However if a regular joe walks in and buys up a bunch to resell you are running a fine line. A) who's checking that you are selling to over 21 ? B) income not reported most likely...meaning if you sell in bulk you need to be a legit business or watch out for IRS.

I would think it would be nice to see a temporary price freeze. Like what they do on Gasoline and Water etc..after a Hurricane. Prevent profiteering on items considered "basic needs"...isn't ammo a basic need

[thebigdl86]

I think i would have had a hard time restraining myself from pummeling the guy!

[Tenderfoot]

I think i would have had a hard time restraining myself from pummeling the guy!

I should note that it would be perfectly legal for a gun shop to send an employee to Walmart 2 times a day to check what's on the shelf and buy it out and resell at their store for more. Not cool nor ethical but legal because they have a license to sell it as a business.

However, if the "gun shop" has an agreement from their supplier not to do such (middleman distributors often like to have exclusive supply rights ), then probably not going to happen. Unless the exclusivity says if we can't meet your needs etc...

Assuming a small gun shop doesn't have such an agreement with a supplier...they would be smart to each morning on the way in to work check WallyWorld and on the way home...buy it up and resell it.

You typically would not use another retailier as your supplier to resell (cheaper to buy from the wholesaler )..but in times of high demand and nothing at the wholesaler...it will happen on items that are not protected by a price freeze. Unfortunately, Ammo is not considered a "basic need" by our President...so it's the Wild West...

[JerryM]

As to employees of WM, it is good to have a job. This is especially true today.
As long as one works hard, is honest, and attempts to do a good job, I think he should have respect no matter where he works. An honest and hard working janitor deserves more respect than the several million $ per year crooked CEOs and bankers.

I am glad to see that WM employs a lot of elderly who need the jobs to add to SS, and maybe retirements that went south with the economic crisis.

More power to WM. I bet that most of you who disparage WM would hurry there if you thought they had ammunition. Note they are not raising the prices like some gunshops that you frequent.

Regards,
Jerry

[ernE]

WOAH there boy. Tenderfoot, I never said anything about doing something illeagal, unethical, immoral or unscrupulous. I simply stated that buying something and selling it at a profit IS the American way. Please dont drop me in a souppot full of unsavory vegetables by using words like "profiteering"or "illegitimate". I am a firm capitalist. I believe in making money. If I dont make any money my wife and daughter dont eat. It IS the American way. At least thats how it is in sweet home Virginia.

Oh! thebigol86, I do hope you are refering to the WM employee that lied to the customer. I just hope he got fired.

[auburn4]

I was caught in the toilet paper shortage started by Johnny Carson on the Tonite Show. You could NOT find a roll of paper. People were going into bussiness and using the restrooms and taking the paper. People were selling it at gas stations for ? It was panic. THEN PEOPLE CAME TO THEIR SENSES. You could not give TP away. It will be the same for ammo. I do believe that the main manufacturers will quit making some odd calibers, that are slow movers.

[woody99]

I had heard that Walmart was starting to limit the amount of ammo each person could buy at one time. Must not be true.