Reader Jeff writes in with a troubling but ultimately positive experience buying wooden blocks disguised as a hard drive from Walmart.

I received a Wal-Mart gift card from my father-in-law for Xmas. I never shop at Wal-Mart, but I figured I could get a hard drive there this one time. After researching online, I figured the best deal for me would be a 1TB Western Digital External for $99.

There were 3 on the shelf, so I just pulled the one in front out and bought it. It was shrink-wrapped, taped up and had the security device on it just like the rest. I took it home and to my surprise inside the box were 2 wooden blocks. One of the blocks was filed down on one corner so as to ensure that the plastic piece on top would fit just like on an actual hard drive. I snapped the attached photo before I took it back.

To their credit, Wal-Mart was very helpful and gave me no trouble whatsoever in exchanging it for a new one. I made sure to open it in front of them before I left with it.

Well, yay for Walmart. Other stores have not been as cooperative.

Want to keep this from happening to you? Check out our story on the “boxes of crap” phenomenon.

RELATED: What To Do When A Store Sells You A Box Of Crap And Won’t Take It Back

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