‘I’m gonna teach you’: Man says T.J. Maxx, Marshalls rip customers off. Then he reveals a simple trick to outsmart the retailers
A shopper with a keen eye notices a pattern on price tags at stores like T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods. He shares how to decipher them to make sure you’re getting a great deal on a quality product.
TikToker Elliott (@callmebelly) holds up a Calvin Klein blanket set in T.J. Maxx.
“I’m going to teach you how not get ripped off at T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, or HomeGoods,” he says. “Just by knowing what number is on this little tag. The numbers are very important.”
Shoppers flock to the off-price retail group for discounts on designer brands. However, he suggests that some items aren’t great quality despite the label.
How should you read the tag at T.J. Maxx, Marshalls?
He points to the last two numbers on the price tag’s serial number.
“The first one tells you the month. 24, this means it came in December,” he says. “And then right here is a 1.”
He says the final number, 1, indicates that the brand made the product for the off-price retailer.
“It is not overstock from a nice store. This was made for sale here,” he claims. “You’re probably not getting a good deal. The quality is also a little bit lower.”
He shows a Ugg bedspread set and points out the “1” at the end of the serial number. He feels the fabric and says it seems low quality compared to the brand’s usual products.
However, the tags can also help shoppers score deals on quality products. The TikToker notes that a final “2” indicates that the product came from another store as overstock and may be of better quality.
He holds up a pack of GAP socks and points to the “2” at the end.
“This is a genuine item from another store,” he says. “This is what I recommend buying.”
The TikToker suggests that the namebrands “caught on” to Marshalls and T.J. Maxx.
“They’ve made products specifically to be sold here because they know people come here for certain things,” he says.
Shoppers on the r/marshallsfinds subreddit suggest some items may also end in a “7,” indicating the original brand discontinued them.
Customers aren’t happy with off-price quality
While shoppers used to go to outlets and off-price stores to get a deal on last season’s designer items, some suggest that the stores have cut quality to stay on trend for cheap.
‘Nowadays, outlet stores are completely separate entities with noticeably lower quality product lines made specifically for outlet stores. It is rare you’ll find an outlet that merely carries out of season items,” one user on the r/malefashionadvice subreddit suggests.
“Is this why I keep blowing out the crotch on my outlet store Levi’s?” another asks on r/YouShouldKnow.
A third adds, “Every single tee I bought in outlet brand stores were objectively worse than any regular store, even the cheaper ones, usually the fabric feels the same, but the dyes and the stitches definitely are not.”
Will viewers use his clever trick?
In the comments, viewers say they can’t believe they shopped at T.J. Maxx and Marshalls for so long without knowing how to read the price tags.
“I bought some Ugg sheets at TJMaxx and after a couple of washings the pilling was horrible! Thanks for this tip! Now I know better than to buy a 1!!” one says.
Another writes, “As a avid shopper there, thank you for this wisdom.”
“I learned this from another video a while ago and it has helped so much. I recently found true religion jeans at Marshall’s with a 2 on them for $25 when the original tag on it said $156,” a third adds.
Others who work at the discount retailers co-sign his message, sharing more information about the price tags.
A worker says, “Also, when you see a yellow tag, that is the lowest it will go before they throw the item away. if something is marked down to low when they do the markdowns they throw all them items away and not sell them.”
“THANK YOU! I’ve worked in the fashion industry for years in off-price stores and YES brands design lower quality products specifically for off-price stores,” a second writes.
@callmebelly welcome to my Ted talk #marshalls #tjmaxx #homegoods ♬ original sound – elliott
The Mary Sue reached out to Elliott via email and Instagram direct message and to TJX Companies via email for further comment.
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