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1.  

   

   Craig, Nov 21st, 2007 @ 8:42am

   
   

   Why refuse to do business?

   I understand your point about BFAds being simultaneously spanked and stroked by Wal-Mart, but why should they refuse to do business with them because of this? Without the controversy, I would have never heard about BFAds! This kind of thing is a publicists' wet dream! Free advertising for both, and probably a marked increase in traffic to BFAds as a result!
   
   Hmm...maybe Wal-Mart and BFAds actually staged this whole thing...

    

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2.  

   

   Anonymous Coward, Nov 21st, 2007 @ 8:44am

   
   

   Maybe Walmart does have it figured out

   By threatening a lawsuit, Walmart is getting even more publicity and sending more people to the BVAds web site. This type of thing is often pointed out suggesting that by taking legal action companies raise more awareness of something they want to hide. Well, Walmart wants as many people spending money in their stores as possible, so I think this lawsuit may be the equivalent of an intentional leak of a news story. It is simply a new way of advertising. BVAds may even be in on it since they do business together.

    

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3.  

   

   RudeDogs, Nov 21st, 2007 @ 9:12am

   
   

   Think a little deaper

   Walmart threatened to sue for the publicity. More and more people hear about BFAds and the ads then goto the site and check out what its all about. this helps walmart and BFAds get more customers. If walmart had not sent the threats then there would be no news and no one would hear about it.

    

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4.  

   

   CRASH RIP ROCK, Nov 21st, 2007 @ 9:18am

   
   

   I think if you understand that these lawsuits are recommended by company employees that have to justify their salaries it is really just the same old same.....

    

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5.  

   

   Greg, Nov 21st, 2007 @ 9:50am

   
   

   One of the other Black Friday sites (blackfriday.info) actually pulled down their Best Buy listings - too bad they didn't fight it, because I've got a big fat Best Buy gift card that I was ready to use Friday, and now I won't, because I'm not fighting the crowds unless I have a specific purchase in mind.
   
   Jerks.

    

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6.  

   

   Kevin, Nov 21st, 2007 @ 10:13am

   
   

   Newsflash...

   One of the other Black Friday sites (blackfriday.info) actually pulled down their Best Buy listings - too bad they didn't fight it, because I've got a big fat Best Buy gift card that I was ready to use Friday, and now I won't, because I'm not fighting the crowds unless I have a specific purchase in mind.
   
   It's a gift card, so Best Buy already has the money. They don't care if you come on Friday or not. In fact, they probably would prefer that you didn't, because if you don't come on Friday then you're probably getting less for your money than you could be, which means that they're making higher margins than they would if you used that gift card on a Black Friday "doorbuster".

    

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7.  

   

   Benefacio, Nov 21st, 2007 @ 10:45am

   
   

   And evrey year...

   Techdirt fails to point out that layout and design of a specif ad IS covered by copyright, and that scanning and posting the ad directly IS infringement.
   
   Techdirt fails to point out companies using the Streisand Effect to their advantage.

    

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8.  

   

   Greg, Nov 21st, 2007 @ 10:53am

   
   

   Re: Newsflash...

   That's true, they've already got my money and it does them no good to let me get more for it, but it certainly doesn't endear the company to me, when they pull stunts like that.

    

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9.  

   

   Buzz, Nov 21st, 2007 @ 11:52am

   
   

   wow

   Considering this happens like EVERY year, you'd think these companies would tighten security and actually DO something to prevent the leak.

    

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10.  

    

    Mooch, Nov 21st, 2007 @ 12:24pm

    
    

    Please be careful dismounting from your high horse

    Exactly how does one story have anything to do with the other story? Based on what I read, WalMart isn't suing "The Web". They are sending cease and desists to BFads (which, btw isnt really the same as suing...but I'm sure your knew that). Looking through the BFads site I find that the links for the pictures of the product appear to be scanned in, possibly from the walmart circular. If that is the case then there is a possible copyright infringement. So whats the point, Tim?
    
    Hey something else I just noticed. What the heck do either of these stories have to do with Tech?

     

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11.  

    

    Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased), Nov 21st, 2007 @ 1:26pm

    
    

    Funny thing

    BFAds has links on certain items from Wal*Mart that take you directly to the Wal*Mart buy it now for the Black Friday price. The link even has the tag that it was from BFAds. I call this an advertising scam brought to you by Wal*Mart and BFAds.com. All the while the other stores don't get the direct links and Wal*Mart's buddies at BFAds get their name thrown out there.

     

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12.  

    

    Max Powers, Nov 21st, 2007 @ 2:48pm

    
    

    Publicity Stunt

    Wal-Mart releases this lawsuit information to the press release sites which I monitor everyday. Some of these press releases by company's are ridiculous and are obviously attempts to bring free publicity to their company.
    
    Of course another press release stated today that some gay rights group wants people to not shop at Wal-Mart because they do not offer health benefits to those that have "partners" instead of spouses.
    
    What's next? Press releases to notify the public that the CEO of a company picked his nose but everything is O.K.?

     

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13.  

    

    mb, Nov 23rd, 2007 @ 1:18am

    
    

    I just say celebrate Festivus in July. I mean, less black eyes on Fridays. Copyrights, funny things. Whether circulars are scanned or not they are provided via a 'free' medium and publicly distributed. If someone knows how to scale them out, good for them. The root of the problem is the insider trafficking of this info. I'd wonder publicity aside, if this isn't more of the 'insider information' argument. All it does is stimulate more public interest and steers consumers to the raucus. I wonder if societies outside the western money centric mentality struggle with similar pathetic problems? I'm grasping for the 'tech' centric spin of the initial article/rant myself.

     

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14.  

    

    TX CHL Instructor (profile), Nov 23rd, 2007 @ 1:54pm

    
    

    Too bad that BFAds...

    Too bad I couldn't reach any of the links on BFAds. Seems the crapware list in my hosts file blocks all of them.
    
    "Black Friday" (much like Christmas) is basically a pain in the ass, anyway. I had been ignoring it in the past, but I got a notice from Fry's about some things I thought I might like to buy at pretty good prices, so I actually went out there at 5:00 this morning. I was expecting maybe a couple of hundred die-hard shoppers to be waiting at the door, and I was planning to just park in the far part of the lot and wait in my truck for the line to get in.
    
    OH. MY. GOD.
    
    I was off by about two orders of magnitude. Not a parking spot within a quarter-mile (not even any illegal ones left).
    
    I'm somewhat embarrassed that I factored myself in with the epsilon-minuses, even just this once. But, lesson learned; never again will I lose any sleep worrying about getting to the store on time to get a Black Friday special.
    
    Fry's is now on my list of places to avoid until at least the end of January. Sorry, but there isn't a hard drive or LCD display priced low enough to make me stand out in the cold for over an hour while the Fire Marshall makes sure that the building capacity is not exceeded. I don't care if the damned things are FREE!

     

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15.  

    

    Walmart Deals, Oct 23rd, 2008 @ 12:08pm

    
    

    Walmart Black Friday Deals

    Maybe next year Wal-Mart should spend less time looking for people to sue and more time looking for ways to attract customers online. Black Friday Deals Dell Deals Walmart Deals

     

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16.  

    

    Best Buy Shopper, Apr 15th, 2009 @ 11:31am

    
    

    Walmart's Legal Team

    I guess Walmart wants to have the last word. Walmart gave the "ok" to post thier ad the Friday before Black Friday (after all the other ads already leaked). They will probably do the same in 2009. We'll see I guess.

     

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