In a viral TikTok video, a customer draws attention to Dollar Tree’s unique presentation of its brooms and other cleaning products.
With over 1.7 million views, the video features TikTok user @thefunnybombshell showing an aisle of brooms in a Dollar Tree location. The broom handles are sold separately from the broom heads, causing confusion for the TikToker.
“I came in here for a broom…they’ve got the scrubber pads, the mop pads without the stick!” she exclaims in the video.
@thefunnybombshell #DollarTree almost made me steal! 😂 #fyp #foryou #hacks #funnyvideos #pranks #lmao #petty #foryoupage #explore #fyppopular #trending #populartiktok #comedyvideo ♬ original sound – The Funny Bombshell 💣
While the video is joking in nature, many TikTokers in the comment section noted that this is likely a cost-cutting measure.
Put simply, if Dollar Tree can sell a universal broom handle that works with multiple heads, they can stock more of the heads—and thus, have more inventory in stock for customers interested in purchasing cleaning products.
However, as @thefunnybombshell jokes, this could potentially be a slippery slope.
“If y’all was going to do that, y’all might as well [have] sold the plungers without the suction cup — [or] sold the toilet brush without the brush,” she says. “Make it make sense!”
The TikToker then observes that Dollar Tree appears to be doing the same thing with its cleaning products by selling the spray head and the bottles separately.
In the comments, viewers remarked upon the idea of selling such an item in two parts.
“The POINT is…why take it apart and sell it separately lol,” questioned one user. “Other stores don’t do that.”
“I think they should sell it with the broom head then sell the attachments separate if you want them,” added another. “That would only be logical.”
“Might as well make you put in your own bristles in the broom,” shared a third.
“I’m not understanding how y’all think she complaining about the cost,” detailed an additional TikToker. “She’s complaining how they are making every thing separate and paying for each.”
Still, many users observed that even sold separately, the total cost of the broom is relatively inexpensive.
“That broom would be 8 at the grocery store,” wrote a commenter.
“Thinking 2.50 for a broom is too much is crazy,” said a second.
The Daily Dot reached out to Dollar Tree via email and @thefunnybombshell via Instagram direct message.
Update 2:50pm Feb. 24, 2023: In an Instagram direct message exchange with the Daily Dot, @thefunnybombshell explained why she posted her video.
“You know, I was just out shopping and wanted to tell people what I saw,” she detailed. “Often times I’m just ranting and making people laugh. I had no idea that my video would spark that much conversation and go viral.”
“I mean, complain all you want but it shocked me to see parts of a broom being sold separately,” she added.
In the end, she revealed that she did not buy the broom from the video.
“I actually bought a sturdier broom that came with a dustpan from Ross for $7.99,” she stated.
