January 1, Walmart Removes “Inappropriate” Boots from Online Marketplace

Walmart has removed a pair of boots from its online marketplace after determining that the item violated the company’s “prohibited product policy,” according to the retailer.

“KKK” men’s boots listed for $50

The boots, which were listed for sale by a third-party seller on the Walmart Marketplace, had the letters “KKK” emblazoned on the tongues.

It’s not clear why the letters were printed on the boots, listed as “Men’s Tactical Military Hiking Ankle Boot Outdoor Trekking Shoes” by a company called “Harsuny.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) issued a press release, thanking the retailer for “dropping an online listing for oddly/poorly named ‘KKK’ boots after we brought this to their attention.”

A Walmart spokesperson told Business Insider that the boots were “listed by an outside third-party seller and removed because the item is inconsistent with [the company’s] values and violates Walmart’s prohibited product policy.”

While the company has “a process in place designed to prevent third-party sellers from offering inappropriate items” on its marketplace, “at times, inappropriate items make their way onto our platform,” the spokesperson said.

“We are reviewing how this happened and will apply what we learn to further improve our rules and processes to prevent the sale of inappropriate merchandise.”

Not the first inappropriate item from a third-party seller

Third-party sellers have previously come under fire for items listed on the Walmart Marketplace. Previously, the retailer had to remove a T-shirt with the phrase, “I’d Rather Be Snorting Cocaine Off a Hooker’s —.” The retail giant has also removed a third-party seller’s listing for a coffee mug parodying the “Got Milk?” campaign slogan, with “milk” replaced by a slur for people with developmental disabilities.

Just a few days into the new year, Walmart removed a third-party seller’s listing for a children’s toy sold after videos of the “joke-telling” play phone gained viral attention on social media. The jokes reportedly included inappropriate subject matters, including Catholic priests and sexual abuse.

Source: Business Insider | Mashable | Grub Street | TODAY