Where's Wal-Mart's OFFICIAL statement?

[blondeatlast]

Couldn't be bothered on a holiday weekend?

We know what it will consist of, of course: "Temporary worker, improperly trained, Wal-Mart isn't responsible, crowds are"--whether they will back the store manager up or leave him out for the wolves remains to be seen.

But I do find it interesting that there has been no statement after over 48 hours+. That's a g-d long damn time for bad PR especially in the internet age. There do seem to ba a lot of pure Wal-Mart apologists signing on to message boards, though (look at LBN for examples, many of whose posts have vanished--as have they).

I've checked their website; checked their stock info site, Google Newsed it, Googled it--nothing official yet.

I just find it a curious phenomenon. No statement? None? After a freaking PR NIGHTMARE? Very curious.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. WalMart is being badmouthed in WalMart country

that's right, the incident was the talk of the town as I waited in line at the bank here in Arkansas this morning. Common consensus was the only reason it didn't happen here was because WalMart Store #2 is open 24/7. Most folks said they didn't plan to shop much this year, btw.

[lebkuchen]

It's being discussed at the AZ post office, too

folks can't believe it and are very concerned

very bad press for Walmart

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. They can't

Anything they might say would be construed as an admission of liability.

Believe me, their lawyers know what they're doing.

[blondeatlast]

7. But that's what I find strange--that they haven't got a "safe" statement

from the lawyers?

I worked in retail management in a store we all know and mostly love and there is no way the Bod would allow this kind of devastatingly bad PR to go unanswered. The lawyers would have gotten a "safe" statement IMMEDIATELY.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

11. There's no such thing

as a "safe" statement. What I said was that anything they say can be construed as an admission of liability.

Construed being the operative word there.

There is no such thing as a safe statement, believe me.

Eventually there will be something said, but not yet.

[msongs]

3. please refer to it as death mart nt

[backwoodsbob]

4. oh god

melodrama much?

[Sonicmedusa]

5. Thanks! I will. N/T

[Dis Pater]

19. Murder Mart.

[THUNDER HANDS]

6. i find it interesting that wal-mart said he was a temp worker hired by an outside agency

unless he was a security guard, he wasn't hired by an outside agency. wal-mart does all their own internal hiring for the holiday season for positions like door greeter or cashier.

[hlthe2b]

14. They claimed he was temporary Maintenance worker...n/t

[blondeatlast]

16. MAINTENANCE?! And he OPENED the store? Can we say "criminally crappy

fucking management"?

[Scooter24]

20. Where does it say he opened the store?

The news is that the customers busted through the doors, breaking the door and windows to get in. He was probably there doing his job cleaning the floors and emptying trash but got caught in the stampede.

[Dis Pater]

21. Maintenence workers should not unlock doors?

[blondeatlast]

24. Temporary ones? No way. I worked retail; good management just doesn't give the keys to

untested employees--especially TEMPORARY ones.

[libnnc]

26. temps don't get the keys to the front door

if you've worked in a store, you'd understand that

[Dis Pater]

28. Oh, he was temporary. Arrest the managers, stat.

[patriotvoice]

8. Link at walmartstores.com:

http://walmartstores.com/FactsNews/NewsRoom/8829.aspx

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the deceased. We are continuing to work closely with local law enforcement and we are reaching out to those involved."
- Hank Mullany, Senior Vice President and President, Northeast Division, Walmart U.S.

[lpbk2713]

12. Damn, they couldn't even refer to him by name. Even though it has been released.

I'm underwhelmed by their compassion.

:eyes:

[blondeatlast]

15. I worked in retail management; at a certain level, we all had a little script

prepped by our legal an PR departments for IMMEDIATE release. Even that one had more warmth and compassion--and we had "name here" included.

[blondeatlast]

13. Nothing from Walton's evil spawn though; the one's who have drawn his

good name through the sewer.

Mullaney had a pre-written script, I assure you (I worked in a retail management capacity for over a decade, I know how it works).

[Scooter24]

18. Only one Walton is involved with the company.

and serves as Chairman of the Board. The others are just primary stock holders.

I wouldn't expect a Board Chairman to release a statement.

[blondeatlast]

23. Golly; I guess that makes everything okay then! Because I'm sure they

all are just delighted with brother's administration and are doing their damndest to see that everything is done just as dad would have wanted it. :eyes:

[tridim]

9. Probably because it wouldn't help to say how they really feel.

Something like, "Who cares, people will still shop here because they have no choice. We own our customers".

[amdezurik]

10. their offical staement will be detailed

in their insurance claim...the "house" always wins

[Scooter24]

17. PR Nightmare? LOL

I drove right by a Walmart this earlier today and the parking lot was nearly full. I highly doubt many shoppers even care.

This will be old news in a few days and consumers will go on about their lives like nothing has happened.

[Dis Pater]

22. uh

Wal-Mart spokesman Kelly Cheeseman issued a statement saying, "We are saddened to report that a gentleman who was working for a temporary agency on our behalf died at the store and a few other customers were injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families at this difficult time."

11/28
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/11/28/black.friday.violence/index.html

[pitohui]

25. walmart is very heavily covered by their legal dept

they're a really tough opponent in a lawsuit and i would be surprised if they said ANYTHING w.out running it past a lawyer

that said, i thought i did read a comment, perhaps it was from another year's tragedy tho

[onenote]

27. you need to work on your googling skills

There's been a statement posted on Wal-Mart's site since Friday.