[NFB-Talk] [NFBWATlk] Note From Chris Jones About Walmart Shopping Experience

Thu Mar 25 19:09:59 UTC 2021

Hello Pam and everyone,

                There services like Visiting Angels that can assist you with shopping and other house-hold chores as well as providing transportation. They pick Mary up from work on Wednesday afternoons and bring her home. Kathy then picks up our grocery order, reads any mail we received,shops for us and puts the groceries away when she returns. On someoccasions some of their caregivers have fixed us meals and one light house cleaning which help us keep this place in ship shape.

                The only things they cannot do is anything medical in nature such as cleaning respiratory equipment in my case. They can read labels on medication bottles and help you sort them but are forbidden from administering any medications. If it’s non-medical they can do it.

                Since services like Visiting Angels provide only non-medical assistance they’re most likely not covered by insurance. Check with your insurance provider for information. We ourselves pay around $500 each month for their service. The amount you pay will depend on how often you use them. I’ve said it before and will say it again. If money is an issue and you would like to use a service like Visiting Angels for shopping assistance and whatever else and these providers are not covered in any way like the sighted it’s our responsibility to investigate ways to create the needed income to allow us to use these services. People, ask those who lost jobs during the pandemic and had to find other ways to restore lost income so they could continue to meet their monthly needs and obligations. I’m sure many of them regret ever having said “No” when an opportunity was presented to them or began generating extra income and quit on themselves never knowing they could have protected their finances and livelihoods when the pandemic hit had they not quit and became successful. The blind are no different. Mary and I have seen this up close and personal. In some ways the issues we as blind people face are brought on by our own action and lack of action. There are various ways to solve shopping assistance issues. Positioning yourself to be able to use caregiver services like Visiting Angels is another tool in a blind person’s toolbox. For further information about Visiting Angels visit:

http://www.visitingangels.com

Here’s hoping this food for thought helps.

Peter Donahue

From: nFB-Talk <nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Pamela Dominguez via nFB-Talk
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2021 9:04 AM
To: NFB Talk Mailing List <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Pamela Dominguez <pammygirl99 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NFB-Talk] [NFBWATlk] Note From Chris Jones About Walmart Shopping Experience

Yes, because not all of us have an electronic aid, or a sighted person to go with.  Pam.

From: Nimer Jaber via nFB-Talk <mailto:nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>  

Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2021 1:23 AM

To: NFB Talk Mailing List <mailto:nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>  

Cc: Nimer Jaber <mailto:nimerjaber1 at gmail.com>  

Subject: Re: [NFB-Talk] [NFBWATlk] Note From Chris Jones About Walmart Shopping Experience

On the other hand, I think it's a huge deal, not all blind people want to go with a sighted person, can afford Aira, or would even find Aira to be helpful in a shopping setting like Walmart. And, I hope that, instead of dismissing a concern like this, or making selfish statements, we can try to step into the shoes of someone and understand why something like this is important and should not be refused. I will be calling Walmart to add my voice to this, but I really hope that a bigger voice, like the NVF steps in on this matter.

On Tue, Mar 23, 2021 at 7:37 PM Mike Capelle via nFB-Talk <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org <mailto:nfb-talk at nfbnet.org> > wrote:

It is because of covid, I am not going to make a fuss over it, I will just use AIRA, or bring a sighted person with me.

No big  deal.

From: nFB-Talk <nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org <mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> > On Behalf Of Zachary N. Griego-Dreicer via nFB-Talk
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2021 8:36 PM
To: NFB Talk Mailing List <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org <mailto:nfb-talk at nfbnet.org> >
Cc: Zachary N. Griego-Dreicer <zdreicer at gmail.com <mailto:zdreicer at gmail.com> >
Subject: Re: [NFB-Talk] [NFBWATlk] Note From Chris Jones About Walmart Shopping Experience

Hi, I a sorry to hear of your experience. I have actually not going into grocery stores since the start of the pandemic. But my parents have occasionally. Curb-side at Walmart has been a big hit for my area…the amount of times we’ve gotten “Out of stock” or “we can substitute with”… is far outweighed by the amount of times we will have the order right on the 1st try without ever actually going in. I would definitely understand if you would rather remain in person when doing your shopping though. And as for that, I would think that’s just an associate having an issue. Regardless of this we still need to buy groceries so you did the right thing by contacting a supervisor. I would encourage you to continue doing so. 

Sent from my Macbook Pro 13

On Mar 23, 2021, at 17:14, Judy Jones via nFB-Talk <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org <mailto:nfb-talk at nfbnet.org> > wrote:

Hi, All,

Today, my husband was denied customer service shopping assistance at the Walmart, located in Mt. Vernon, Washington.

The only other time in our lives I can remember being turned away from shopping at a store, was in a neighborhood where we’d just bought our first house in 1980.  It was a Winn Dixie, and I stopped there in the evening for groceries.

However, when I explained that I worked during the day and this was the only time I could come, right away, they found someone to shop with me, and we never had any issues with that store or any other ever since.

So, today’s experience was very surprising.

I would like to know of anyone’s personal shopping experience at the physical store, and how much of this shopping assistance denial is tied to a possible Covid policy of Walmart, or if our particular store is simply not providing reasonable accommodations.

We have no problems with any other store in the area:  Costco, Safeway, Hagen, Pioneer Market, to name just a few.  Thanks for perspective and comments.

See my husband’s e-mail below.

Judy

From: NFBWATlk < <mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org> nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Chris Jones via NFBWATlk
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2021 3:55 PM
To:  <mailto:nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org> nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Chris Jones < <mailto:clj53787 at gmail.com> clj53787 at gmail.com>
Subject: [NFBWATlk] Note From Chris Jones About Walmart Shopping Experience

Dear Listers,
This is Chris Jones from Sedro-Woolley.
Earlier this afternoon I went to Walmart to pick up a very few items and to get some Subway sandwiches.
I met a greeter who found me a young lady who gave me some very strange information.
She indicated that Walmart no longer provides customer assistance in shopping and that everything needs to be handled on-line.
I was told that this has been their policy for somewhat over a year.
I was shocked, but went ahead and asked this lady to show me the Subway area, which she did.
I completed that portion of shopping and, when I got home, called a manager of Walmart at the Mount Vernon store.
He explained that, due to Covid restrictions, an associate could not be involved with such a shopping trip for any more than 15 minutes.
I asked if I had a short list, if someone could obtain products for me.
He said that if I needed a very few items he could probably grant me an exception to policy.
I do not regularly shop Walmart and I have never found such a reception at Costco, Fred Meyer, Safeway or any other store which I frequent.
Is there anyone who can explain this type of treatment to me? Is this a Walmart thing, or does this occur at many other stores where folks shop?
Feel free to respond here, or if you'd like to e-mail me privately, my e-mail is  <mailto:clj53787 at gmail.com> clj53787 at gmail.com.
Thank you, one and all.
Chris Jones 

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