Filed under: iPod Family
Texas Target stores hit rock bottom with iPod theft
Long ago, there was a time when people actually gave each other rocks as gifts; these rocks were welcomed and enjoyed by the recipients (why? We can't say. It was the '70s) and, as quickly as the trend started, it was gone. Gone, that is, everywhere but two Target stores in Fort Worth and Grand Prairie, TX, where the lithogift appears to be alive and well.
The Star-Telegram reports that mother and daughter Melanie and Regan Ritter had an eerie experience of deja vu while shopping for Regan's 14th birthday present, a shiny new iPod(note to self: begin collecting empty bottles and green stamps for children's future gifts). After finding the iPod in stock at a Fort Worth Target store, Melanie bought it and delivered it on her daughter's birthday, and Regan opened the lovely shrink-wrapped "Designed by Apple in California" box to reveal... rocks. A collection of rocks, in fact, matching the approximate weight of the missing iPod. I believe the word you're looking for is "buzzkill."
Mom Ritter did what any caring mother would do: marched back to Target and demanded a refund (no luck, she paid with a Target Card so store credit was all they would do) and subsequently went on a hunt for a new iPod for her little girl, preferably a rock-free model. The nearest Target with stock was in Grand Prairie, 20 miles east as the crow flies, so off she went. This time, she insisted that she be able to open the iPod box prior to purchase; the Target salesfolk said nope, she would have to buy it first. She purchased the iPod, then in full view of the Target staff, opened the box and found -- you guessed it -- more rocks.
Target says it's investigating the incidents. Meanwhile, the Ritters ended up having to use their $350 Target store credit for more mundane, and rock-free, merchandise.
[Picture is of the i-Stones iPod docks, not the actual rocks that were found in the box.]
via MacNN
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
franko said 5:43PM on 10-09-2007
sounds to me like some employees are selling ipods on ebay...
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jonathan ober said 5:44PM on 10-09-2007
thats just sad...you have to wonder though where the iPod Touches were sitting that someone could fill them up with Rocks.
Maybe Steve Jobs did it, to help recoup the cost of the $100 money back to early iPhone adopters.
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Paul said 5:50PM on 10-09-2007
I call shenanigans on this bogus story.
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Mike Schramm said 5:54PM on 10-09-2007
It's one guy who used to have a lot of rocks and now has a few iPods.
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Lobato said 5:57PM on 10-09-2007
A similar story has happened before, here in Brazil, involving a Playstation 3 and the biggest online retailer (submarino). Hard to be believe, but it's true.
http://bjornn.wordpress.com/2007/08/11/pedra-station-a-saga-pelo-playstation-3-continua/
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birdbarrett said 6:33PM on 10-09-2007
I work at Target, and while not a daily experience, almost every store in my area has had an issue like this in some manner. PS3 boxes would be returned with bags full of sand to make the weight feel convincing. Vacuum boxes returned with an older model/some other random object. Basically when there's anything high-dollar you'll see this happening. Yeah people at Guest Services are supposed to check it, but when you have a line 10-20 people long and people are yelling for you to hurry up, things get missed. This guy probably waited for just that time to do his little rock switch trick.
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mentalsticks said 6:36PM on 10-09-2007
The weirdest thing is that the shop actually believed the lady when she returned the rocks... i've read some similar stories on consumerist where people weren't so lucky.
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S said 6:56PM on 10-09-2007
This isn't a Target thing, it's a FedEx/DHL/UPS thing. Freight theft is one of the most prevalent forms of shrink in retail. Apple no longer lists their contents on the outside of shipping boxes for this reason. It's not uncommon to have a few things go missing in transit, most businesses have taken to using unique tapes to ensure that no once can repackage a shipment unnoticed.
Also, birdbarrett, iPods are never resold at retail once they are returned. As a serialized item, they are returned to Apple and "refurbished." No one failed to do their job at Target Guest Services, it would be more likely that whomever received the shipment that particular day didn't check the boxes for the Chinese factory tape that every container of iPods ships with.
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Patrick Griffin said 6:59PM on 10-09-2007
I bought a vaccuum at Target and got it home, and realized it was the wrong vaccuum and that I was overcharged for a more expensive one but I didn't notice cause I was buying a bunch of stuff and had the kids with me. Bad part is I already carved up the box for the recycle bin and Target would not refund me the difference in price. Basically, what was in the box and what was marked on the outside box price were 2 different things. I didn't shop at Target for 3 years after that! Next time, open the box when you're in line before you pay! What are they gonna do, arrest you?
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Chris W. said 7:05PM on 10-09-2007
Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the news article specify "video iPod"? How do we know it was either an iPod Touch or Classic iPod, or even a 5.5 gen iPod?
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Michael Rose said 7:08PM on 10-09-2007
Chris, you're right, it doesn't specify -- I misread a second source. Judging by price it's probably an 160GB classic. I'll correct.
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julianne said 11:38PM on 10-09-2007
A few years ago, during the holiday season, I remember reports of people buying iPods at Walmart and finding meat in the boxes. Yes, you heard me right, meat!
http://uk.gizmodo.com/2005/12/29/imeat_heartburn_for_ipod_fans.html
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Tim said 12:32AM on 10-10-2007
I would second the comment that its probably the handiwork of the shipper's employees. Especially given that two stores in the same area have had the same issue. If I were those Targets, I'd take a very hard look at all their high dollar merchandise and track where they came in from and get stinky with their freight carriers.
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Stuart Bell said 4:53AM on 10-10-2007
I'm just amazed that she had to accept a voucher from Target. Isn't it a criminal offence/offense in the US to sell rocks labelled as iPods? I'd have demanded cash back, or full refund on the card, or else called the Police in straight away, since clearly a crime had been committed.
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Will said 11:41AM on 10-10-2007
I don't work at Target, but isn't also possible that someone bought these ipods that had access to a shrink wrap machine? I don't think that Target would return Ipods to Apple that appear not to have been opened.
You can buy the heat guns, and shrink wrap for a lot less than a new iPod, so it's not out of the question.
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Ken Westin said 12:03PM on 10-10-2007
Hello,
You might be intererested in our company GadgetTrak. We have launched several products aimed at curbing the rising occurance of gadget theft, ranging form iPods, cell phones, PDAs, laptops, GPS devices and more.
http://www.gadgettrak.com
The company originally started with a patent-pending solution for iPods, digital cameras, MP3 players, Sony PSPs and other gadgets. Their solution became quite popular and was recently featured on Dateline NBCs exclusive on iPod theft "To Catch An iJacker" as well as several popular technology news sites.
More recently the company launched new software targeting the mobile phone market. If a phone is stolen, the software will alert the owner with any new phone numbers the phone is assigned along with other forensic information that will allow law enforcement to recovery the device. GadgetTrak also launched new software for laptops and Mac computers that will capture video of the thief along with other forensic data to locate the system.
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Codey H. said 12:24PM on 10-10-2007
Ken, I'm sure TUAW would be glad to sell Ad space. ugh.
This sucks as far as the stolen ipod goes.. hopefully Target Corporate will step up on this issue.
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Chris Williams said 12:08AM on 10-13-2007
Had a similar thing happen to me at Frys. Bought a $349 video card. Go home, find out it doesn't work. Try to take it back, turns out it doesn't work because it's not the card it says it is. AND FRYS WOULDN'T TAKE IT BACK. They accused me of the switch. I complained vigorously. Talked to the manager, pointed out the many thousands of dollars I had spent there. nothing. They simply accused me of being the criminal. I was screwed for $349 and will never spend another dime there again.
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