A TikToker is calling out T.J. Maxx over pricing discrepancies, leaving bargain shoppers stunned.
Efrain Pelayo (@efrainpelayo) recently brought his camera into his local T.J. Maxx store to do some investigating, comparing the prices of items at the front of the shelves to those of the same items shoved to the back. And on multiple occasions, he found that the pricing varied, sometimes up to a $13 difference.
A decorative container filled with cotton swabs jumped from $7.99 down to $4.99 when Pelayo reached to the back of the shelf, a two-pack of hand towels dropped from $12.99 to $7.99, and training pads for dogs varied from $29.99 to $16.99—a difference of over 40%.
“What the hell?” he asks in the video.
The video is a follow-up to one Pelayo made back in January, showing a similar situation at Hobby Lobby. In that scenario, people claiming to have worked at the store commented on both his video and others showing the same thing to say that the discrepancies have to do with the prices going up on certain items, but having no way to adjust that price on the old ones if they haven’t sold.
The T.J. Maxx video, on the other hand, drew claims that the items are priced by the vendors and arrive at the store with the tag already in place.
“Ex Homegoods/TJ maxx worker here! It really depends on what company priced what,” wrote one commenter. “Each vendor is going to have their own preset price.”
“It depends on when it comes in,” another added. “If you look on [the] very top the longer number says the week.”
@efrainpelayo They somewhat playin too!!! Let me know what you find!!! #tjmaxx #youtoo #hobbylobby #played #what? #beard @tj max official ♬ original sound – Efrain Pelayo
Other viewers have noticed the same thing but didn’t seem particularly bothered by it.
“I play price tag bingo ALL THE TIME! It’s like a scavenger hunt for deals,” one viewer joked, while another admitted the video “did nothing but convince me to go to Tjmaxx.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to T.J. Maxx via email and Pelayo via TikTok comment.
