Have you ever seen a deal so good that even the employees don’t want to honor it?
That might not make sense on the surface. However, many internet users insist that such deals exist. These shoppers say that there are items for sale in stores today that can be had for such a low price that even the workers don’t want you to have them—and that if you do try to purchase them, you could face issues.
For example, some have noted the existence of “penny items” at stores like Dollar General. These are items that can be purchased for a single penny, even if they are not marked as such on the shelves.
Now, a user on TikTok claims that they found a deal at Home Depot so good that an employee tried to hide it from them. But is that true?
What Was This Home Depot Deal?
In a video with over 1.7 million views, TikTok user @tickles_dealz shows himself speaking to a Home Depot employee. The location is in Clifton Park, New York.
Over the course of the video, the user attempts to purchase as many Husky Bite 10-Piece Wrench Sets as the store will allow. Unfortunately for the TikToker, the employee says he only has one in stock.
“It’s $10, and I got zero on hand,” the worker says.
After several attempts, the TikToker sets off to find it for himself—and manages to do so. When he spots the employee looking at him, he claims in the overlay text that the worker is “pissed” that the TikToker “found his stash.”
Consequently, he says that he was able to get the tools, which retail for around $40 each, for just $10.
“HD Employee lied right to my face!” he writes in the overlay text. In the caption, he adds, “Home Depot sells Hidden Clearance everyday AND they are required to sell it to you.”
Was The Employee Really Trying To Hide These Items?
Probably not.
As many users noted, Home Depot workers do not generally get an employee discount. Additionally, it’s unlikely that the TikToker arrived on the day this deal began. If the employee truly wanted these items, he could have just purchased them like a normal customer. He would have no reason to need to hide the items away.
Furthermore, if this deal was a glitch or quirk of inventory, such as the aforementioned penny items, many internet users say that an employee would likely be fired for purchasing them.
So, why did the worker say he had none in stock?
Home Depot hasn’t made any official statements about how their system works. That said, some users in comments explained that it was likely just a quirk of their inventory management.
“You’re talking about the clearance items that are recently marked for clearance but have been moved yet due to a pending reset of that section,” shared a user. “Not a hidden secret.”
To put it a different way, the store had marked the items for clearance. Only one of the items was in the proper clearance section. The rest were set aside in their old section to be placed into the clearance inventory. This would explain why the item appeared tucked away and why the employee said he didn’t have it in stock.
@tickles_dealz Home Depot sells Hidden Clearance everyday AND they are required to sell it to you. 1) First tou need to locate which items are on clearance (comment DEALS for the software 2) Go into your store and find the item(s) 3) Take it to self-checkout 4) Secure it for an INSANE price #resell #reselling #deals #hiddenclearance #homedepotclearance
Does Home Depot Have To Sell You Every Item They Have?
No.
The TikToker insists in the caption that Home Depot must sell you any item on the store shelves, including penny items. This simply isn’t the case.
Home Depot, like any store, has the right to refuse to sell you an item for any non-discriminatory reason. If you go to self-checkout and manage to complete the transaction with your penny item, you will likely be able to keep that item.
However, if you get to a checkout and the worker refuses to sell you the item, they are within their rights to do so.
BroBible reached out to Home Depot via email and @tickles_dealz via TikTok direct message and comment.