Florida creator Alexis Janée Stuart (@ajstuart124) went to a Goodwill hunting for a bargain, but she left with a front-row seat to the thrifting apocalypse. Discount day or not, the price tags she allegedly uncovered were swinging way past “charity shop” and landing squarely in unhinged territory.
In a TikTok storytime sitting at over 25,000 views, Stuart called out the thrift giant after two alleged back-to-back checkout incidents. The experience supposedly left her so frustrated that she’s now seriously contemplating a permanent boycott.
A color-coded tag failed to yield the expected discount at checkout
On a recent Wednesday, Stuart says she had spent well over an hour filling her shopping cart at Goodwill before heading to the checkout. Her first sign of trouble came when the cashier scanned a yellow-tagged $5 paperback book.
According to Stuart, yellow tag items were supposed to receive a steep 75% discount by midweek under the store’s weekly promotional rotation. However, the cashier flatly informed Stuart that the price markdowns didn’t apply to her book. So, she had to but it at full price.
“Why are you putting a color tag on the books if you’re not going to honor the color of the week?” Stuart questioned in her video. But since the cashier made themselves clear, Stuart said she left the $5 book behind in frustration.
Goodwill staff allegedly removed a price tag to issue a 1,500% price hike
The situation rapidly worsened when the cashier reached a brass-style globe Stuart had picked out for her father-in-law. She had previously photographed the globe on the shelf with its original $5.99 tag attached to text her family.
At checkout, the cashier allegedly told Stuart that the tag had fallen off and called for a price check. “Did it come off while you were scanning it? Because like, I have a photo with the tag on it,” Stuart said. She then claimed that a manager then took the globe into the back room, only to return with a newly assigned price tag of $99.99.
After seeing a massive 1500% markup, Stuart again explained that she had photographic proof of the original price on the display shelf. But the staff allegedly refused to honor the initial tag and asked if she still wanted it. “No, I don’t still want it!” Stuart said, recounting her immediate reaction to the outrageous price hike.
Why are thrift store prices and policy exceptions causing customer outrage?
Thrift shoppers across the country have voiced growing frustration over modern thrift store practices. Many complain that secondhand chains are pricing items near or above original retail value. That is despite acquiring 100% of their inventory through free public donations.
If a stores arbitrarily adjust prices at checkout or exclude certain items from standard weekly discount promotions, it somewhat disappoints secondhand shoppers. Instead of offering an affordable marketplace for budget-conscious consumers, it leaves them feeling penalised for finding a genuine bargain.
Stuart is asking her audience if Goodwill deserves a full boycott
Reflecting on the allegedly absurd $100 price tag for a donated globe, Stuart couldn’t hide her exasperation. “That’s why I come thrifting, to get treasures for a good price,” she noted. She then asked her followers if she should stop shopping at the chain altogether.
If her story is true, taking away a simple color-tag discount and multiplying an item’s cost by sixteen isn’t good business. This is especially because Goodwill receives its entire inventory for free. Have you ever experienced a sudden price jack or policy denial while checking out at a local thrift store?
Published: Jul 22, 2026 12:49 pm