As uncertain economic conditions persist, many consumers are working hard to make their dollars stretch further. With this comes a more critical eye toward clothing items from large retailers that are well-known for offering frequent sales.
Fashion content creator Lauren Deleon (@laurendeleon_) says that stores like Kohl’s pad their margins, pricing clothing originally higher than the sale price, and that the sale price is actually what they always intended to sell the clothing at.
“It’s because they’re padding their profit margins, so they can sell things ‘on sale’ when really the sale price is what they knew they were going to make, and that was their goal really,” she says in a video, which was viewed over 104,000 times. “I feel like this is a growing trend amongst companies where, like, it’s a tactic for selling items. … You are more prone to impulse purchasing thinking it’s on sale.”
@laurendeleon_ Kohls is one of many big brands in fashion that pads their profit margins to give customers the illusion of scoring a “deal”. The original creator had her stitches off, but I tagged her #kohls #fallfashion #autumnfashion #autumnvibes #fashion #industryinsider #kohlshaul #targethaul #targetfinds #bougeeonabudget #bougieonabudget ♬ Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince – Taylor Swift
Deleon was responding to another TikTok creator, Lindsay Albanese, who went on a shopping spree at Kohl’s. In Albanese’s video, she picks up a sweater and is shocked by the price tag. “This is $40. Why did I think Kohl’s was cheaper than that?” Nevertheless, Albanese, a fashion stylist of over 20 years, leaves the store with a shopping cart full of items.
Several viewers of Deleon’s video speculated that padding the original price tag is a common tactic many retailers use.
“Hobby lobby, bath and body work and old navy all have been doing this for years too!” @just_melissad said.
“Old Navy needs to remember how to old Navy…these prices are crazy,” TikToker @chrissycottam wrote. (Old Navy recently came under public scrutiny after a customer questioned the quality of its clothing in a now-viral TikTok.)
Current and former retail workers also weighed in.
“I work at Kohls and it amazes me how many customers truly think they’re getting good deals,” @livib27 said.
“I worked at Macys, Dillards, and JC Penny in the early 00s. It was a tactic used back then,” a commenter wrote. “‘Sale’ is rarely really a sale.”
Another former retail worker shared their tip for how to actually get good deals at stores like Kohl’s.
“Ex retail worker here. 60% off is what you want to look for. depending on the item you want to look for,” @trashraven offered as a tip.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @laurendeleon_ via TikTok comment and to Kohl’s via email.
