In April, Bed Bath & Beyond filed for bankruptcy. While “the company secured a $240 million loan to help fund its operations during bankruptcy,” per CNN, it also announced that it would be closing some stores — and offering special sales while doing so.
Naturally, customers flocked to the stores in hopes of finding some previously-undiscovered deal.
The results have been mixed. For example, one customer went to a store to find that the blowout closing sale only offered a modest 10% discount.
Now, a user on TikTok has sparked discussion after alleging that prices in her local store weren’t marked down at all. In fact, the TikToker says, prices increased.
In a video with over 62,000 views as of Saturday, TikTok user Deidra (@deidra.bailey) shows a welcome mat with a price sticker on it. The actual price has been blotted out using a permanent marker, though it’s clear that the price was once $20.
Deidra then pans to the current price: $28.
@deidra.bailey Sneaky🤨 #bedbathandbeyond #liquidationsale #storeclosing #bedbathandbeyondfinds #sneaky ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
“When you go to the Bed Bath & Beyond liquidation sale and [notice] some prices marked up,” she writes in the text overlaying the video.
Suspicious discounts are nothing new on TikTok. In December 2022, a user showed a piece of luggage at Kohl’s that claimed to be marked down 60% from its original price of $440. When she peeled off a sticker on the bag, it was revealed that the original price was actually $319.99.
Under Deidra’s video, users offered potential reasons for the price change.
“This isn’t a bed bath issue,” one user commented. “It always happens. Raise prices 20% and do a sale to drop 10% or 15%.”
“I worked at Bed Bath and that happens when product comes in with the wrong price and you fix it before it goes out,” another alleged. “That has been happening long before any of them started closing.”
“Because prices over the last couple years. I just went through liquidation and it doesn’t get marked up. All promo sales go back to regular price,” offered a third.
Still, many users shared their thoughts on the lackluster sale prices.
“Went in there and didn’t understand why people were buying so much the sales weren’t even good,” stated a user.
“Went today and not worth it,” claimed a second.
We’ve reached out to Bed Bath & Beyond via email and Deidra via TikTok direct message.
