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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Blogs Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Multimedia Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Road Cams Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Women in Business Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend March 28, 2007 UPC code dispute settled out of court Gold Hill businessman receives a cash settlement from Chinese exporter for mix-up By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune The Gold Hill man whose UPC bar code ended up on candles made in Asia, creating angst on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, has settled with the Chinese company. John Setzer, the 65-year-old former operator of Sams Creek Farm, said Tuesday that the U.S. representative for Chinese exporter King King USA wired an undisclosed cash settlement to him on Monday. King King apparently inadvertently stamped candles made for distribution throughout the Wal-Mart retail system with Setzer's personal UPC bar code. The error came to light when one of the company's candles flamed up into a fire on a granite counter top in Georgia last Nov. 29. Retailers use UPC bar codes to identify products for customer purchase or reordering. Setzer and King King's representative Matt Hewitt exchanged contracts on Friday, clearing the way to close the books on a caper that caused a stir at Wal-Mart's global sourcing office in Bentonville, Ark. Advertisement "We've settled and they can use my bar code in such a manner that I'm held harmless (legally)," Setzer said. "We didn't go the court route, I don't need that in my life. I wasn't out to get rich and looking for hundreds of thousands of dollars. I lived very well before this happened, but there was stress and time involved." With more than 160 different coded items supplied by King King, the matter had Wal-Mart's attention, too. Ultimately, the world's largest retailer pushed the issue to a conclusion. "Wal-Mart pulled product from its shelves and said it would destroy it if we didn't have an agreement in 48 hours," Setzer said. Wal-Mart responded to the closure in a single sentence from corporate headquarters. "We're pleased that we were able to resolve this matter and come to a solution that met Mr. Setzer's satisfaction," said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Karen Burks. The issue took Setzer by surprise earlier this month when he received a 37-page packet from the Consumer Product Safety Commission informing him one of his products had burst into flames. Although the one-time syrup and jelly maker had never made a candle nor sold a product to Wal-Mart, he discovered King King's candles had the bar code number he had purchased in 1999. For the next two weeks Setzer relentlessly pursued the matter with GS1 (the Lawrenceville, N.J., company that assigns bar code numbers), Wal-Mart and King King. While U.S. bar codes contain 12 numbers, international bar codes use 13. "Somewhere they dropped a digit and put my bar code on," Setzer said. "It makes more sense than them just fabricating a number. GS1 said it's happened before, but it's not common." Bar codes can't be sold, but they can be transferred with the sale of a company. Rather than buy the defunct Sam Creek Farm business, King King merely entered into a contract that protects Setzer from legal repercussions should other products malfunction. Hewitt did not return a phone message left on his cell phone. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 776-4463 or at [email protected] Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Trunks, Footlocker Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Casinos Canada Cord Blood Banking Discount Hotel Reservations Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Online Casino Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Debt Help New Hampshire Primary