When shopping in-person versus online, there can often be a price difference. Sometimes this is due to exclusive coupons offered for online shoppers, or flash sales to get rid of stock that is not moving on shelves in-store.
One Old Navy shopper is warning potential customers of a significant price difference between what she paid in-store, and what she could have paid online for a set of items.
In a video posted to TikTok, fashion content creator Shelby (@shelsfashion) shared that she paid a difference of around $100 when shopping in-store versus what she could have paid online.
“This is a PSA: if you shop at Old Navy or you plan to shop at Old Navy, listen to this,” she says in the video. “I went in to shop at Old Navy in-store, and I saw so many cute things, so I end up buying a bunch of stuff. I bought nine items worth of stuff. Here’s my Old Navy receipt. I spent $280.54. A little expensive, but I thought the stuff was cute.”
Shelby then explains how she learned of the price differences. She went online to order something that wasn’t carried in her size in the store.
“There was this sweatsuit set that I really liked, and they had it in this really pretty purple color, but they did not have my size in store,” she says. “So, as soon as I got in the car, I jumped on the app and I looked online. I noticed that the sweatsuit was cheaper. Not a little bit cheaper. Significantly cheaper.”
She says that when she put all of her items in the online cart, it was at a steep discount that she did not receive when shopping in person.
“Then I was like, ‘I’m going to do an experiment,'” she says. “I went through and matched up every single item that I had just bought in-store. I put all nine items in my cart, and you know what my total came out to? $180. They charged me $100 more for the exact same items, in the exact same size at the exact same time. Same day. It was literally five minutes after I left the store. I didn’t know how to feel. Was Old Navy trying to rip me off? I couldn’t even fathom how the pricing would be that much different.”
If the price difference had been smaller, Shelby says she would have been more comfortable with having price differences between what is available online and in-store.
“I would understand if it was $20,” she says. “Okay, whatever, I can get over that. $100? You are trying to charge me $100 more for shopping in-store? Make it make sense. This is just your reminder if you are shopping at Old Navy, make sure you check online first because you can save a significant amount of money on the same exact items.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to both Shelby and Old Navy via email regarding the video.
Many viewers shared in the comments section that they had also noticed an inconsistency in price when shopping in person versus online.
“Yesss!” one commenter wrote. “Always cheaper online, and stores wonder why their physical locations are closing.”
“Shopping in store at old navy is actually crazy, I was looking at a coat once and it was 70$ less online,” another said. “like WHY”
“This literally happened to me the other day!” a third added. “Bought it all online and returned the original purchase to the store.”
@shelsfashion Old Navy.. what in the world is going on here 🤔 #oldnavy #oldnavyshopping #oldnavyfinds #CapCut ♬ original sound – Shelby | Plus Size Fashion
Others recommended asking the cashier to price match their items to what is advertised online, saying they had done so with mixed levels of success.
“I always add everything to my cart and then show the cashier the prices, and they will match,” one commented. “They ALWAYS are cheaper online, it’s crazy.”
“They will price match at the register!” another commenter wrote. “You just have to show them the item online on your phone!”
“They wouldn’t match the online price so I had to stand there and order it on my phone for a store pick up,” a third claimed. “Then she just handed me the exact pair of pants I tried to have price matched. Ridiculous.”