A Black woman reveals a trick to stop workers from following you around the store when you’re out shopping. This isn’t the first time a shopper has addressed how they deal with discrimination in public spaces.
This time, it was TikTok user Simone (@thesimoneestelle), who posts about hair and beauty products. In the video, which has amassed more than 460,000 views as of Monday, Simone says, “You ever find yourself being followed in the store? Here’s what you do.”
Simone says this is a trick to employ when a retail employee is following you around the aisles.
“You just stand two inches from them,” she says. “They still don’t move, you start looking at the shelf they looking at. Start touching the product right next to what they touching. And don’t put it back neat.”
Simone demonstrates the tactic with a few boxes of Nutrisse hair dye.
“Stack ’em up. Look at it. Put it back stupid[ly]. I bet you they leave,” she says. In the caption, Simone clarifies, “DISCLAIMERSSS* i put these products back the way they were AND i’ve worked retail many years so its PAINFULLY obvious when an employee is following you not that you would have to work retail to know.”
In the comments section, other women applauded Simone’s tactic and shared how they contend with retail racism, which, CNBC reported in 2020, “is prevalent, even as Black buying power grows. Industry watchers and activists say that problem remains persistent and retailers must do more to examine how they treat and cater to Black customers.”
One user wrote, “I usually say out loud ‘Oh he must be security’ he’s not even buying nothing! And they move.” Simone responded, “Scatter like roaches.”
A second user wrote, “I seen some say she have the hold her stuff for her.”
@thesimoneestelle DISCLAIMERSSS* i put these products back the way they were AND i’ve worked retail many years so its PAINFULLY obvious when an employee is followong you not that you would have to work retail to know👏🏾 #funnyvideos #blacktwitter #viraltiktoks #fyp #blacktiktok ♬ original sound – thesimoneestelle
That is what TiKTok user Neek (@neekdagemini) did in March, after she said a Hobby Lobby worker followed her. The worker can be seen in the video holding a shirt and some hangers.
Another user said, “I made a clerk hold my basket while I pointed out what items I wanted & told them to put it in the basket.”
Someone else said, “It’s so sad we have to have strategies. And this one is hilariously good!”
The Daily Dot reached out to Simone via email for comment.
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.