At the beginning of last year, a former Hobby Lobby worker went viral after explaining why many items at the store don’t have barcodes. According to this worker, the lack of barcodes is because the company’s CEO “just really believes in the power of humans over computers.”
While that may be a noble belief, some Hobby Lobby shoppers have claimed that, in practice, this belief and other practices can lead to problems when trying to purchase items in-store.
For example, TikTok user Alyssa (@thebowhuntress) recently went to Hobby Lobby and tested a theory she had seen on TikTok. The previous TikToker claimed that the same items are priced differently in the store, with the prices on a single item ranging considerably.
In her experience, Alyssa found this to be true. When browsing the store, Alyssa looks at the prices of various items. The price difference can be stark; when looking at wood signs, Alyssa notes that the first item in the rack is priced at $39.99, while the “last one is $49.99.”
“Check those prices before you buy the most expensive one,” Alyssa urges at the video’s conclusion. Her video currently has over 3.3 million views.
In the comments section, some users attempted to offer explanations for this inconsistent pricing.
“The supplier ups the price (inflation), yet Hobby Lobby doesn’t up the store price until all the old stock is gone—unlike most other big box stores,” said a commenter.
“It’s because they don’t rotate stock and prices change,” echoed another. “I used to work there. The different prices are from different trucks and time periods.”
@thebowhuntress #trending #hobbylobby #hobbylobbypricechanges #viral #fyp #foryou #sneaky #adulting #craftstore #crafting #watchout #hobbylobbychallenge ♬ original sound – Alyssa
Still, many expressed their distaste for the practice.
“This is why I won’t shop at a store that doesn’t have price tags that are permanent. This is wrong on so many levels,” wrote a user.
“That’s why I don’t shop there. And they don’t match with [their] online prices,” declared another. Hobby Lobby’s website appears to confirm this idea, reading, “We do not guarantee that a price, product, or promotion offered through the Site will be available or honored at a Hobby Lobby Store or vice versa.”
“The way I am going to check everything at Hobby Lobby now,” shared a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to Hobby Lobby via media contact form and Alyssa via TikTok direct message.