Wisconsin's Unfair Sales Law stops Walmart back-to-school sales

Wisconsin shoppers won’t get those $9 back-to-school deals announced by Walmart on Tuesday.

That’s because the Badger State is one of four that prohibits stores from selling items for less than what they paid for them.

Earlier this year, a federal judge struck down Wisconsin’s minimum mark-up law for gasoline. And while that decision is being appealed, the case has nothing to do with the state law that prohibits selling merchandise below cost.

That’s still in effect and there have been no rumblings in Madison about changing it.

It’s designed to keep the big stores from pricing mom and pop shops out of business.

But Lisa Nelson of Walmart says the law hurts the consumers’ ability to take advantage of low prices at a time when they could really use them.

The state’s consumer protection agency says it enforces the law when complaints are made.

Jeremy McPherson says they get very few complaints about back to school sales and it’s not like bureaucrats are digging through ad fliers looking for violations.

National retailing groups say back-to-school marketing is more aggressive this year, because shoppers plan to spend up to 8.5 percent less due to the recession.

Tags: unfair sales law, back to school sales, wisconsin, walmart

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