Shoppers on TikTok are accusing Target of quietly hiking prices by slapping stickers over original tags, raising questions over whether the retail giant is edging into price gouging.

In clips with millions of views, shoppers peel back stickers on clothing items to reveal cheaper original prices underneath. Their videos quickly gained popularity, with people discussing how transparent the chain really is about its pricing, particularly during a time of economic strain.

One clip, posted by TikToker Megan Bice (@meganpopplewellbice), showed her peeling back stickers on clothing items to reveal lower original prices. Another TikToker, Nikki Batson (@nikkibatson90), shared a similar discovery just a day later.

Shoppers accuse Target of disguising higher prices

In her video, Bice pulled multiple garments off the racks while pointing to the altered tags. She told viewers, “Okay, the rumors are true about Target prices. This cardigan, it’s like, oh, not bad. You probably think it’s like maybe $20 or so. Regular Target prices, $40.” She then revealed the price tag under the sticker, which was much lower.

@meganpopplewellbice

didn’t buy a single piece of clothing today bc of this 😭😭

♬ original sound – Megan Bice

She then showed another piece. “This thing right here, what is this, a skirt? It’s $30. Let’s see what it used to be. $25. This dress, oh, my gosh. This dress is actually so cute. $40 was $35. I’m done. I’m fed up. They just want our money. I have to thrift for the rest of my life.”

Batson echoed the frustration in her own TikTok. She peeled back a sticker on a $40 item and revealed the original price underneath. “Y’all will not believe this. At Target, don’t trust the prices. Let me show you,” she said, later adding,

“No, it was $32 originally. What does that mean? They’re just. They’re just [ripping us off], like. This is crazy.”

@nikkibatson90 What is happening target?!? #target #price #fyp #targetscam ♬ original sound – Nikki Batson

Both creators stressed that the company appeared to raise prices without transparency. Their claims framed the discussion that later spilled onto X, where reactions ranged from anger to resignation.

What is price gouging?

The allegations sparked questions about whether Target’s tactics counted as price gouging. Harvard Business School defines it as occurring when businesses “raise prices to unfair levels.” Importantly, there is no universal rule for what qualifies.

The school noted that examples often cited include rising EpiPen costs and Uber surge pricing. Both instances drew backlash because they were seen as exploiting consumer vulnerability.

Moreover, experts explain the difference between gouging and inflation. Inflation reflects broad economic conditions, such as supply costs and demand. Gouging, on the other hand, is a deliberate strategy by companies that “is localized and opportunistic.” Inflation is natural, but gouging is often harmful, especially during crises when shoppers have few alternatives.

Last year, Target CEO Brian Cornell told CNBC’s Squawk Box there was no room for price gouging in today’s competitive retail environment. Still, the viral clips suggested many shoppers felt otherwise.

Customer backlash spreads across social media

The TikTok videos were shared on X, and on both platforms, folks tied the price changes to larger political and economic factors.

@kamaladuh1 claimed, “Trump’s tariffs just gave companies an excuse to raise prices.”

Another person, @tigerpmimi, argued, “All of our US chains preemptively raised their prices before any tariffs were issued ~ they were chomping at the bit.”

Some responses focused on disappointment rather than politics. @PBootman99985 said, “It’s frustrating to see companies taking advantage of customers by increasing prices unfairly.”

Others took a more cynical tone, claiming that even if tariffs aren’t to blame for price hikes, the companies will still claim they are the reason for price increases.

One TikToker claiming to be in the fashion industry offered another reason for the stickers: the items had to be repriced because of production snags hitting certain items with tariffs that the company hadn’t accounted for in the original pricing.

@meganpopplewellbice and @nikkibatson90 did not respond immediately to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok DM. Target did not respond immediately to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via email.

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s newsletter here.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post “Don’t trust the prices”: Shopper peels back a Target price sticker. Then she sees the cheaper price underneath appeared first on The Daily Dot.

Categories Social Media

Tags social media