My Defective Walmart Air Bed Somehow Turned Into An OSHA Bed Bug Issue With Me Getting Some Beauty Rest

Last week, after the Super Bowl, I mentioned in a blogging that an air bed that I bought at Walmart had had a massive failure upon first inflation.

Yesterday I stuck the defective air bed back in its box and attempted to return it to "Satisfaction Guaranteed Or Your Money Back" Walmart.

There was no line when I got to the customer service center, which quickly removed one potential annoyance.

I sat the air bed box on the counter and handed the customer service guy the receipt whilst I explained how the air bad had massively failed upon first inflation.

And then the experience turned into a Seinfeld episode.

The customer service guy, in a very friendly manner, told me that it was good that I returned the product in its original box. And that it was good that I had the receipt.

But, if I was wanting my purchase price refunded, that was not possible, because I'd opened the box.

Huh? said I. How would I know the product was defective without opening the box? Walmart sold me a defective product, how can you not give me a refund?

It is an OSHA regulation about bed bugs and air beds, said the customer service guy.

Are you making some sort of joke, said I?

Another customer service person chimed in that it was not a joke, pointing me toward a list stuck to a wall, one of which was an OSHA regulation not allowing the return of air beds, due to bed bugs.

I asked the customer service guy why would the Occupational Safety & Health Administration have a rule about bed bugs and air beds that causes Walmart to not make good on its satisfaction guaranteed guarantee?

The customer service guy then totally empathized with me thinking this was totally nuts.

The customer service guy then told me that while Walmart could not refund the purchase price I could have in-store credit for the amount of the purchase price, or get another air bed of equal or higher price.

Why would I want to go through the bother of trying out another of these INTEK air beds, I asked?

The customer service guy then told me I could get an air bed from another manufacturer as a replacement.

I said something like are you telling me I can go get another air bed, that costs more than the the defective one, from a different brand?

Yes, was the answer.

So, I walked to where the air beds were located and picked up a Queen sized Beautyrest air bed.

The defective INTEK air bed cost something like $59.95, plus tax. The Beautyrest air bed cost $89.95.

I took the Beautyrest air bed to the customer service guy. He quickly made the transaction and had me sign something and gave me a new receipt.

I left Walmart with the new Beautyrest air bed, leaving the INTEK air bed with the customer service guy.

Now, why, if OSHA thinks returned air beds present a bed bug danger, did Walmart keep the possibly bed bug infested air bed?

Why could Walmart not simply refund my money and then stick the possibly bed bug infested air bed in to some HAZMAT container, prior to incineration?

I went to the OSHA website to see if I could find the specific regulation regarding bed bugs and air beds.

I found nothing about air beds. I did find some OSHA bed bug issues.

Googling 'air beds bed bugs' I found that there are people recommending that if you have a bed bug woe that you might want to switch to sleeping on an air bed, because air beds are not happy homes for bed bugs!

Like I said, like a Seinfeld episode....