Walmart’s Sam’s Club counters China claims it pulled Xinjiang goods from app
- Executive tells analysts that the matter is a misunderstanding and app did not support searches based on place names
- Around 500 shoppers in the region cancelled their membership, he says
Chinese social media users and local news outlets criticised Sam’s Club, a members only warehouse club that offers products and services, last week for the removal of the products from its domestic online stores. China’s anti-graft agency accused the US retailer and Sam’s Club of “stupidity and short-sightedness” over the matter.
The call, a full recording of which was shared by a participant, introduced the representative as Sam’s Club regional e-commerce leader surnamed Zhang.
“This matter is a misunderstanding,” Zhang said on the call.
“We didn’t defend ourselves, because, there is no reason to be afraid of things we haven’t done,” Zhang added. A second participant corroborated Zhang’s comments made on the call, which also talked about Sam’s Club’s plans in China.