When a woman learned that her online Walmart order of Tampax Pearl tampons was unavailable, she was more disappointed over the retailer's replacement suggestion.
Walmart apparently thought a suitable item in place of tampons would be a container of 16 ounce whole white mushrooms.
When a product is no longer available, most grocery stores typically suggest alternative options they think customers will settle for, and they can either accept the suggestion or reject it and receive a full refund.
Twitter user @ask_aubry shared a screenshot of her receipt showing what Walmart considered was the next best thing to the feminine hygiene product.
She politely declined, writing:
"Hi Walmart, I don't think mushrooms will work."
\u201cHi Walmart, I don't think mushrooms will work.\u201d— AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d (@AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d) 1667430556
@ask_aubry/Twitter
Unsurprisingly, the internet was in stitches.
Some who related to her experience shared similar shopping inconveniences.
\u201c@ask_aubry I used to have a screenshot of my Amazon shopping page where I had bought acne cream and right under where they recommend other things for you that go with your purchase, "customers who bought this, also bought this"; it was a gun. Why wld I need a gun with my acne cream?\u201d— AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d (@AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d) 1667430556
\u201c@ask_aubry Walmart on instacart \n\nhttps://t.co/M4Lj73RAQT\u201d— AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d (@AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d) 1667430556
\u201c@ask_aubry My daughters pads were substituted for a block of cheddar cheese.\n\nThe same delivery substituted our chocolate cake with a block of cheese too\u2026\u201d— AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d (@AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d) 1667430556
\u201c@ask_aubry A British supermarket once substituted PERI PERI SAUCE for my sanitary towels...\u201d— AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d (@AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d) 1667430556
\u201c@ask_aubry I\u2019m not even kidding this was an option for bathroom accessories on Amazon\u201d— AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d (@AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d) 1667430556
\u201c@ask_aubry My confusion comes mostly from Amazon recommendations. I put a package of socks in the cart and it asks if I would like a foldable solar panel. ????\u201d— AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d (@AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d) 1667430556
\u201c@ask_aubry Don\u2019t think my dog would be impressed with this substitution last week\u2026\u201d— AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d (@AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d) 1667430556
Some speculated Walmart may have been onto something here.
\u201c@ask_aubry I don't know. First time I ever bought mushrooms, I washed them in soapy water. They absorbed the heck out of the soap!\u201d— AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d (@AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d) 1667430556
\u201c@ask_aubry No no dude listen they WILL work. I fried shrooms earlier and forgot to dry them before putting them into the frier. They absorb water better than tampons. Not my best fried mushrooms tho :(\u201d— AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d (@AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d) 1667430556
\u201c@ask_aubry I am sure there\u2019s a crunchy granola mom out there who has tried this and swears but it\u2019s natural approach. Maybe add some essential oils?\u201d— AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d (@AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d) 1667430556
\u201c@ask_aubry Are they thinking that if you flip them upside down and then insert them that it would work like an upside-down umbrella catching rain?\u201d— AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d (@AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d) 1667430556
\u201c@ask_aubry Maybe morel mushrooms?\u201d— AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d (@AskAubry \ud83e\udd9d) 1667430556
Thanks, but no thanks, Walmart.