SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio — Michell Cox of Euclid never expected her Black Friday purchase of two flat-screen televisions on Nov. 22 would take such a turn, but now, more than a week later, she still doesn't have the TVs or a refund.
Cox told News 5 she paid $449.28 online for televisions at the South Euclid Walmart and set an in-store pickup date of Nov. 28. However, Cox said she was stunned to learn both flat screens were picked up from store days earlier on Nov. 25 by two men she didn't know.
Cox said Walmart store management told her the two men had her name and order number, and that's why her merchandise was released by store staff three days early.
“I was just so confused, I was thinking it was just a glitch, but when I got to the store the manger told me somebody had picked it up, she was very short, she didn’t want to help me," Cox said. “Surveillance showed the TV’s being put into someone’s Jeep Compass and I don’t know who these people are. I contacted Walmart and they said there is nothing they could do because technically it’s like I signed off on the order.”
Cox and News 5 contacted South Euclid police, who responded to the scene following the incident. South Euclid police told News 5 the case is a civil matter between Cox and Walmart because the store has still not filed an official theft report.
Cox said her purchase receipt indicated she needed to present a valid picture ID to be able to pick up her merchandise, so she was surprised the store manager and her staff released the televisions with just an order number.
Cleveland Better Business Bureau President Sue McConnell told News 5 it's imperative consumers completely understand the online buying in-store pickup policy before making a purchase, and if a store doesn't require a photo ID for pickup, in all cases, you may want to shop somewhere else or have your item delivered.
“You want to be certain that the store has some type of security protocols in place so that no just anyone can walk in and pickup something that
you paid for,” McConnell said. “You need to be comfortable with how the company has it set up, and if you’re no comfortable you can buy from someone else.”
McConnell said consumers should use their credit cards for online in-store pick-up purchases when possible so they can utilize the card's fraud protection if something goes wrong.
“Because if there is an issue with a purchase, you don’t receive it, something happens you can dispute that with your credit card company," McConnell said. “I’m wondering if her account wasn’t hacked somehow and somebody got into her account saw the purchase with the order number and thought let’s just go to the store and see if we can pick it up.”
News 5 contacted Walmart's corporate offices for this story, and the company responded immediately. The company verified that an online buyer can designate another person for in-store pickup if they have the order number, and in all cases, a photo ID is required for purchases of more than $200.
In both instances, Cox said she did not designate another person for pickup, and store management confirmed they did not ask for a photo ID when the TVs were picked up on Nov. 25. Walmart corporate offices said it is investigating this case as News 5 waits for an official statement.
News 5 will follow through on this developing story.
