Just had a RC that said no books from Walmart  because they have different content. My first question is really because i ahve never heard that before and how can i tell if my book was bought at walmart? 

You can't. And they don't.

Someone is really misinformed. I would reject that one in a heartbeat.

I did reject because of her cat thing which is fine, but the walmart one that she also had baffled me.

How strange.  Sometimes Walmart has its own editions of books to be sold at its stores, but I've never heard of the content being altered.

I have heard of movies having curse words or graphic scenes being removed from DVDs and being sold at walmart.  So if the book was graphic or has loads of curse words, maybe they get edited too??  But I'd think they'd be the walmart editions.  Interesting question though.

X - I suppose it might be possible, but thus far it hasn't happened - which makes this RC nonsense.

Actually, in some cases there are "Walmart Editions". As far as I know the content isn't different (I haven't checked -I don't shop at W/M), but the covers have these "stickers" that aren't really stickers but are part of the cover. See here:

http://www.amazon.com/Guilty-Pleasures-Walmart-Vampire-Hunter/dp/051514441X

(not a referral link of any type.)

I have Lora Leigh books that I bought from Walmart with plenty of curse words and content, same ISBN as Amazon too

Just another one of those Walmart Myths.  Content is the same.

-RD

Yeah I've bought romance novelsl from Walmart with graphic sex scenes and swearing.  Movies too.

I received a Walmart edition of a popular current book through PBS. It was one of Christine Feehan's and it was marked as a Walmart edition. It had an extra novella at the end of it, which I don't think the regular edition had. Can't really say if it was different or not I think it may have had a different ISBN.

Some people are very anti-Walmart for various reasons. Perhaps this person is one of them and using that RC to avoid supporting them.

Or is that to conspiracy theorist of me?

Just when you think you have heard it all...

I googled 'walmart editions' and didn't find anything regarding the content being different. I figured if this was the truth, somebody would have talked about it somewhere.

@Lori B.

Spot On.

I sort of alluded to this in my post about this being one of those "Walmart Myths", that are usually propagated by those against Walmart for whatever reason.

-RD

To change the content (especially on newer books) Walmart would need to have a contractural arrangement with the publishers and a publising house of their own to print the books . . . I don't think so.  Just like generic food items, they pay a few publishers for custom covers. 

Otherwise I serioulsy doubt the content is different.  Well, maybe on books out of copyright (like abridged).  OTOH, doesn't Walmart market some special 'clean' or 'family friendly' music products?  Thought I'd seen some of those at one time, but they are clearly marked as such.

ROFL  %#@! A Walmart  RC, crazy ,,,,

  Oh Wait does that mean Sam's Club books are OK???

Pooh-- I just joined the brand new Sam's Club that opened nearby last week and they have next to no books and certainly not the just released bestsellers in HC that my MiL says she gets there all the time for half price or better!

If it's a brand new branch Jeanne, maybe they don't have all their stock in yet?  Try again in the next few months and see if selection improves!

I think I know where they're coming from on this. They just misunderstand things a bit.

Wal-Mart has very strict policies about what they sell on their shelves. Combine that with the fact that they're the number one retailer in the world, and they're literally trying to use that power to try to have influence over mass-media. It's working, to a limited extent. They have backed off on some things.

Wal-Mart HAS been known to ban books from their shelves due to content and/or cover art (though it's seemingly random, given the books you can buy there). This has happened to the point where many publishers actually review the covers and content of any book they feel may be marketed for sale on Wal-Mart shelves in order to make it more friendly towards their policies. Jon Stewart's books (from The Daily Show) are among those that were officially banned from being sold on the shelves at any Wal-Mart or Sam's Club store (but can be bought on their website). However, while they do exercise authority to choose to ban books from being sold on their shelves, they do NOT edit content of books that they do carry, except in some cases of public-domain books that they may release in a abridged or family edition, and (I would expect) would always be clearly marked as such.

Things Wal-Mart DOES edit include movies and music. Well, that's not really accurate. More like they have a tradition of refusing to sell many R-rated movies (and screening those they do sell for content), and any music with Parental Advisory labels. Not wanting to lose the sales Wal-Mart can bring, music artists and movie studios actually sometimes edit their music and movies in order to make them meet Wal-Mart's standards. So, the Special Edition DVD you get at Wal-Mart may possibly not be the same as the one you'd get elsewhere, if it's a title they originally intended not to carry, though they have reportedly cut back on and possibly eliminated this practice recently (which seems to be supported by the fact they do currently sell such gruesome titles as the 'Saw' movies). If you like rap music, or anything else with "inappropriate" lyrics, you'll only be able to get the "Edited" version from there, if there is one. Either that, or a clean version that's just 'bleeped' out. This policy, they still stand firm on, for some reason.

Fortunately, there's always Amazon for the things Wal-Mart refuses to sell you.

However loony, RCs are simple and easy to decline. Since most of my books are used, I have no idea where they were originally purchased. So....decline, next, move on.

Cheryl

I just bought a book from WM. No where does it says or is stamped Purchased From WM. I wonder if the requester will ask for a copy of the receipt?

Walmart does not censor books or movies, BUT any Music is cleaned up and/or  cenored, So I do not buy music at walmart. I also might be offended but would like to make my own choice.