Kid's 'new' MP3 player was preloaded with smut
'I wish I could take the thoughts out of her head'
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A US father got a lot more than he bargained for when he bought each of his three kids an MP3 player from Walmart for Christmas. One of the devices was preloaded with pornography and explicit songs.
"Within ten minutes, my daughter was crying," Daryl Hill, the ten-year-old's father, told AP. "I wish I could take the thoughts and images out of her head."
It seems that the offending MP3 player - manufacturer unknown - had previously been purchased by another customer, who downloaded smut onto the product prior to returning it to the store. Somehow, and contrary to Walmart policy on returned goods, the product was then resold as new by a Walmart store in Sparta, Tennessee.
Walmart, which has launched an investigation into the incident, has offered to replace the tainted MP3 player. Hill is dissatisfied with the offer and has kept the product while he consider whether or not to sue the retailer. In the meantime he's bought his daughter a new MP3 player. ®
COMMENTS
@What's the big deal with restocking?
Restocking is perfectly valid IF done correctly. Having worked with a large UK retailer (won't mention the name here, but there is a B and a Q in it!) I know that returned stock (damaged or otherwise) does not get properly categorised. Consequently, faulty products end up back on the shelves even though there is a corporate procedure in place. The attitude is that there is too much hassle to go through the paperwork to record reasons for returns and it is simpler to sellotape the box and put it back on the shelf.
Suppliers can also get a bum deal due to return policies of stores. Remember iQon got burned by Tesco's 'no quibble' return policy not so long ago. Again, if iQon understood the policy they probably would have looked for an opt out or at least attempted to make accounting provisions for it.
The thing with this..
To me this sounds like the item was bought and the most offensive porn possible put on it before returning it to the store, in an effort to highlight the 'reselling old as new' point.
I don't think the father is the one responsible, I just think he's been the victim on the other end of someone elses campaign...
If you were pissed off with this policy it certainly sounds like a viable way to hilight it publicly, without getting caught in the flak yourself :)
To Greg: Nothing wrong with repackaging?
You wouldn't mind buying a 2nd hand toothbrush?

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