Numerous V.I. residents have emailed the Source in the past week asking for an investigation into rumors that Walmart, and possibly other retailers, had stopped shipping to the territory. The Source made efforts to purchase and ship items to the territory, but these attempts were not successful, with every item selected being rejected subject to shipping restrictions.
The online window displayed the message: “Due to carrier restrictions, one or more items in your order cannot be delivered to the shipping address entered.”
That “test” was followed up with calls and emails to the company. A customer service representative said Walmart was still shipping to the territory and that any items that would not ship were items its shippers had listed on its lists of restricted items.
The company representative could not produce a list of items or identify its shippers and suggested writing a physical letter to Wal-Mart Stores Inc., its corporate headquarters.
On Thursday, Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen issued a statement saying her office had been inundated with complaints about the same question.
“We have reached out to our contacts at Walmart,” Christensen said. “They indicate that their policy of sending products ordered to the Virgin Islands has not changed. But after further discussions, we were able to clarify the nature of the complaints and they have called an internal meeting to address the complaints. When we receive the outcome of those meetings, we will alert the public.”
Christensen said residents who are experiencing similar problems with the Walmart website are encouraged to contact her district offices to fill out a Privacy Act Release form and to provide copies of their Walmart online order forms that indicate the restricted items. Complaints can also be submitted online at www.donnachristensen.house.gov.