Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PETERSBURG, Fla. — iPads are a hot and expensive item. So, imagine if you bought one at WalMart only to open the box and find a pad of paper. One Tampa Bay area family found themselves in this situation and found that this is not an isolated incident, but a problem at the country's largest retailer.
Patrick Metz figured he'd scored a pretty good gift for his wife when he brought home an Apple iPad from WalMart.
"I've been working two jobs to get extra for Christmas," Metz said. "I have three kids so I wanted to make sure my kids and my wife had a good Christmas."
According to Metz, when his wife opened the iPad box, they got a shock. Inside was a stack of yellow notebooks and no iPad.
"I was, astounded," Metz said. Metz says the box had been sealed, but someone had gotten in.
"It's actually glued to the bottom. They're glued in there," Metz said.
A spokesperson for WalMart said they have heard of the problem before. "It's happening all over and it's happening to all retailers," WalMart Spokesperson Sarah Spencer said.
She wouldn't say how many reports they've gotten of these iPad fakeouts or where it's happening just that "it's been all over."
Until NBC called the retailer, however, WalMart didn't disclose that to Patrick Metz.
"The manager walked up briefly looked at it and said ‘that's not my problem, that's yours, you need to contact Apple,' " Metz said.
Metz says Apple sent him back to WalMart. He then contacted 8 On Your Side, a local problem solving group sponsored by a Tampa TV news station that helps resolve consumer issues.
WalMart says it's looking at surveillance video and also taking a close look at their return process to see if people are switching out the iPads before returning the boxes.
WalMart says if you go to buy an iPad at one of its stores, feel free to ask an employee to open up the box for you.
Patrick Metz did get a refund for the iPad, but only after he received help from 8 On Your Side.
