Walmart Mandolins on Clearance!

[MikeEdgerton]

So you need a mandolin neck? But I wonder what kind of joint it is?

Good guess. It doesn't matter where it's going

I'll make it work either way.

[Russ Donahue]

I love the title of the listing...

I do my best to achieve a state of ejoyous at least once a day...sometimes twice!

[Russ Donahue]

This really is unfair. What is the phrase? Like shooting fish in a barrel?

[EdHanrahan]

And don't forget...

Package List:
1 * Mandolin
1 * Mandolin Storage Bag
1 * String
3 * Picks
1 * Wipe

[Bill McCall]

Hurry, only 1 left!

[Jess L.]

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ejoyous-I...spFykeBgCwVMzM

Another Walmart seller's Irin mandolin page shows that you don't even need to actually *play* this mandolin in order to achieve total bliss and contentment, as shown by the following picture, one merely needs to be in the same vicinity as the mandolin for it to work its ethereal magic:

Apparently you can play them left handed and fingerpick behind the bridge!

And no need to ever trim those fretting-hand fingernails either, this mandolin is magically playable even with long fingernails:

[belbein]

So, let me get this right. ... is a scam

Why might an experienced consumer protection enforcement lawyer think it's a scam? (1) The price is ridiculous. (2) The picture is ridiculous. (3) It's not sold through legitimate music markets (the Cafe, Reverb, whatever). (4) There are no personal details about this seller anywhere: nothing on the "Wal-Mart" site, nothing on the Ejoyous Facebook site, (5) no text reviews posted anywhere but (6) the summary of reviews shows something less than 73% positive. In on-line selling, anything less than about 95% is iffy ... below 75% you're talking pure scam. And (7) even Wal-Mart and Harbor Freight don't rebrand it's cheap, mass-produced products with their company names. (I'd add (8) that since there's no contact information and the seller requires an RMA, there's probably no way to return anything he sells.)

But hey. It might be that single mandolin that Guarnari made and has been sitting in storage for 500 years, and the seller's an idiot. I mean, it's possible.

[MikeEdgerton]

Why might an experienced consumer protection enforcement lawyer think it's a scam? (1) The price is ridiculous. (2) The picture is ridiculous. (3) It's not sold through legitimate music markets (the Cafe, Reverb, whatever). (4) There are no personal details about this seller anywhere: nothing on the "Wal-Mart" site, nothing on the Ejoyous Facebook site, (5) no text reviews posted anywhere but (6) the summary of reviews shows something less than 73% positive. In on-line selling, anything less than about 95% is iffy ... below 75% you're talking pure scam. And (7) even Wal-Mart and Harbor Freight don't rebrand it's cheap, mass-produced products with their company names. (I'd add (8) that since there's no contact information and the seller requires an RMA, there's probably no way to return anything he sells.)

But hey. It might be that single mandolin that Guarnari made and has been sitting in storage for 500 years, and the seller's an idiot. I mean, it's possible.

Some people shouldn't buy online. I'll trust Wal-Mart to give me my money back on a $30.00 mandolin if it has a problem. Everybody isn't out to scam the world and people sell things every day that they haven't got a clue about.

[Ranald]

I don't think this is worth getting worked up about. We have here some amusing pictures from poorly thought-out ads for cheap mandolins. Personally, I'm getting a kick out of this thread, and hope some more silly photos turn up. Let's face it, at $30 for a musical instrument, it's buyer beware. However, Walmart is very good about returns -- I exchanged a lamp the other day, and the clerk didn't ask a single question -- so the mandolin is less risky than I'd expect at that price. There's a mandolin at my local second-hand shop that I could take away for $30 (or probably $10 at this point), but I won't buy it because it's essentially a toy, a souvenir of Mexico. If someone buys it for something other than a decoration, for only a few dollars, they'll learn an important lesson about being a consumer. Anyway, let's just enjoy the ad pictures and wording. Thanks to those who posted them

[re simmers]

Aren’t some of us paying more than $30 for a pick???
Bob

[Paul Busman]

That same image for that same ad has actually been here before. I'm tryng to remember if it was on eBay. It's always refreshing to see things like that though. I've always enjoyed this stock photo of someone that obviously has never really performed this task. For anyone unfamiliar with soldering, don't hold the iron that way.

Nobody would try to hold a soldering iron that way more than once,for sure.

[darrylicshon]

I have purchased many items at that unbelievable price. I have received the items a few times. Most of the time i get a refund. I would trust Wal-Mart to refund your money, since it's on there site. Can't wait to hear what happens

[pops1]

I've seen the ad with the girl on ebay, for a Irin mandolin. Bought one of these to setup and donate to a fund raiser for a folk festival. I know it's a cheap donation, but the setup will be worth more than the mandolin. Let you know when it comes.

[MikeEdgerton]

I knew I'd seen that ad before.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...ide-down-Irwin

[Jess L.]

... Walmart is very good about returns -- I exchanged a lamp the other day, and the clerk didn't ask a single question -- so the mandolin is less risky than I'd expect at that price. ...

Yes, but... it's my understanding that 3rd-party reseller ("Marketplace") items can *not* be returned to the nearest Walmart Customer Service counter, instead you have to ship the item back to the actual seller (not Walmart). It's worth noting that such Marketplace sellers have a DIFFERENT "Return Policy". Quote from Walmart website:

"Walmart Marketplace sellers have returns policies and fees that are different from Walmart.com items. ... Walmart Marketplace sellers cannot impose restocking fees greater than 20% of the item price. ... Walmart Marketplace sellers may not impose restocking fees for the following reasons:
Missing RMA instructions.
If a customer refuses delivery of their order."

Doesn't say anything about whether or not restocking fees are allowed for misrepresented items, alleged damaged or defective items, etc. As far as I know, Walmart itself never imposes restocking fees, so that's one important difference between buying directly from Walmart vs buying from one of their "Marketplace" sellers.

It also doesn't say who pays for the return shipping, when buying from 3rd-party resellers ("Marketplace sellers") on Walmart.com.

On the other hand, when buying an item that actually says "Shipped and sold by Walmart" (NOT a "Marketplace" seller), then it's like Ranald said - returns are super easy, and if for some reason you want to ship it back instead of taking it to the nearest Walmart customer-service counter, then Walmart pays the return shipping. At least that's been my experience.

---
(I know it's only $30, but if a person regularly buys a whole bunch of various $30 and sub-$30 items, it could add up if there was a problem.)

[MikeEdgerton]

I just got a tracking number from Wal-Mart. We'll see what's in the box when it arrives.

It's hard to misrepresent a mandolin of this caliber.

[DaveGinNJ]

Aren’t some of us paying more than $30 for a pick???
Bob

I believe that if you buy 3 or more Blue Chip picks they will throw in one of these mandolins for free

[HappyPickin]

I'll just drop this screenshot here for grins an giggles.

I wish my mandolin had winding pillows.

[Louise NM]

When the winding pillows are lined up that carefully, you just know it's absolutely in tune.

[Jess L.]

I'll just drop this screenshot here for grins an giggles.

I wish my mandolin had winding pillows.

When the winding pillows are lined up that carefully, you just know it's absolutely in tune.

Lol!

Er, not to nitpick, but according to the pic, those perfectly-aligned thingies are the "Open Chord buttons" (see close-up below).

Whereas the "Winding pillow" appears to be the nut. That kind of makes sense when one thinks about it, a pillow for the strings to rest on after/while they're being wound up to playing tension.

And it looks like the "Piano tying" is probably the posts that the strings wrap around (some translator must have been thinking of the tuning pins inside a piano, where the piano strings attach to).

Contrast-enhanced close-up view:



One would presume that the "open chord buttons" are referring to open tuners (not enclosed tuners), rather than open chords. Because, if the only thing the tuners can be used for is tuning to open chords, then does that mean that the player need not ever bother with fretting the instrument?

Anyway...

[MikeEdgerton]

For anyone thinking buying into this scam you have until until Sat, Jul 6 to return it for your money back or a replacement. Wal-Mart shows the package as being at a carriers terminal in New Jersey (where I am) for delivery tomorrow. They did charge me tax. The total is 31.01.

[Mark Gunter]

It's hard to misrepresent a mandolin of this caliber.

So true.

Cool that you're getting one of these, even though it's a sacrificial one. I'd buy into that "scam" for fun myself, but no room right now for an extra mandolin and no time to make something with parts from it.

[Louise NM]

JL277z, you may be right about winding pillows versus open chord buttons. But on this mandolin, what ever you call them, they're made by the same people who make Peeps. Shiny, almost glittery, sweet and pillowy. You could probably special order them in fluorescent pink or yellow.

[Jeff Mando]

That peghead looks to be inspired by a snakehead.

[mandolin tony]

an the wait is on, for the post from mike about his new $31.01 mandolin. please post pictures we can't wait.