Black Friday is a day when a lot of people think they can get a good deal. Many people flock to stores for doorbuster deals and to save on their holiday shopping. However, buyer beware, because not everything that looks like a good deal is actually a deal at all.
One TikTok creator who goes by the handle @headbusta_kapon shared a video where she is at a Target store on Black Friday looking at some of the so-called deals. In the video, she wants to know what the original price was of the items, so she removes the Black Friday sale sign to see if there is another higher price hiding behind the sign. In each case, there is another sign with a price, but shockingly, it’s the exact same price!
@headbusta_kapon #blackfrida #sale #target #scam ♬ original sound – HEADBUSTA’ KAPON
We will point out in this video that while the price behind the Black Friday price is exactly the same, that sign also indicates that it is a sale price. TMZ spoke to a rep from Target who explained the situation. The rep said, “In fact, the TVs were on sale before Black Friday as part of our early Black Friday sales. We continued to offer those items at the same discount during Black Friday, but updated the signage to reflect the extended timing. ” The rep added, “In both instances, guests would have saved the same amount, between $20-$80 depending on which TV they purchased. Those discounted prices compared to the regular prices are clearly shown in both sale signs in the video.”
So, while Target may be fooling buyers into thinking they’ve added a steeper discount for Black Friday, is might still be a discount from the original price. We say “might” because it still might not be a deal at all.
In another TikTok video by a creator who goes by the handle @recoveredmom1, we see footage from the video above, but we also see several other examples of how Target is deceiving their customers on Black Friday. For example, one shopper found that the Black Friday sale price in the store was actually higher than the sale price online. Buyers who don’t comparison shop, even against the same store’s online price versus in store price, are potentially getting ripped off.
@recoveredmom1 Black Friday 2023 is ripping you off PART TWO! Black Friday deals suck and people are boycotting! #blackfriday2023 #blackfridayscam #blackfridayboycott #targetblackfriday #greenscreen #greenscreenvideo @Maggi Faye @DeJay Downey @Roxanna / MAMICOUPONZ ♬ original sound – ConspiraTea
Many people have flocked to the comments of this video to share similar experiences at other stores. For example, one person commented, “I had this with Walmart today. They did not honor the price at the store because it said “online only,” so I just sat there and ordered it.”
Another TikTok user wasn’t surprised by these videos. The comment reads, “Used to work in retail: before a big sale, stores will increase prices in the weeks or months beforehand. So the sale price is usually the regular price!”
Do you like to shop on Black Friday? Does it surprise you that Target (and other retailers, apparently), are tricking customers into thinking they’re getting a deal when they actually aren’t?
