Burlington Coat Factory apparently put up a sign in the makeup aisle of one of its stores that left shoppers stunned. The sign, which appeared to be directed at potential shoplifters, read: “Imagine stealing our makeup and you’re still ugly. Burlington LOVE the DEALS.” Video of the sign shared on TikTok, where it drew a wide range of reactions from viewers.
The sign was spotted by a shopper who filmed herself walking through the makeup section of the store. She stopped in front of the sign and reacted visibly to what she read. “Oh my God. The shade, honey. The disrespect of Burlington’s. I feel offended,” she said.
A TikTok creator who goes by the handle @hirrgk765 shared the footage along with his own commentary. The video has since picked up 64,400 views on the platform. In the video, he described the sign as Burlington’s apparent attempt to cut down on makeup theft in its stores.
The sign drew mixed reactions, with some shoppers finding it funny and others calling it disrespectful
The creator read the sign aloud for viewers and questioned whether it would actually work. “So I guess my question to you is, do you think that that’s going to deter makeup theft from Burlington stores?” he said in the video.
The sign appeared to be a retail anti-theft message with a humorous edge. It used the store’s own branding, “Burlington LOVE the DEALS”, at the bottom, suggesting it may have been an official in-store display rather than something placed by an individual employee. However, it is not confirmed whether the sign was officially sanctioned by Burlington Coat Factory’s corporate team or created at the store level.
Burlington Coat Factory has not publicly commented on the sign. Retail theft has apparently been a growing concern for stores across the United States in recent years. Many retailers have responded by locking up products, installing additional security measures, or using signage to discourage shoplifting. A similar incident involved a Houston shopper who spotted a cute little two piece on a Burlington rack.
The shopper seen in the video continued to react after reading the sign. “Imagine stealing our makeup and you’re still ugly. How dare they? How dare these people come get us?” she said, appearing both amused and taken aback at the same time. The creator wrapped up the video by pointing directly at the sign and reading it one more time, inviting his audience to weigh in through the comments.
Viewers appeared split. Some people who said they work in retail felt the store had a point, with one commenter writing, “I work in retail i get it 🤣.” Others found the sign outright funny. “I’m sorry, but that’s hilarious,” one person wrote, while another said it made them want to visit the store: “oh i want to shop there more often now.”
Not everyone was on board, though. Some viewers felt the message was aimed too broadly and could land poorly on innocent shoppers. “It’s just rude and disrespectful to anyone regardless,” one commenter said. Another said the sign had put them off the store entirely: “I never go to that store and now even less.”
One comment that appeared to cut through the debate came from a viewer who suggested the sign should only sting if it applies to you: “If you never steal any make up it shouldn’t hurt your feelings.” Similar unconventional measures, like locking entire candy aisles behind plexiglass, have also sparked confusion among shoppers.
Published: Jul 20, 2026 06:00 am