Walmart shoppers across the country have increasingly encountered locked cases and cabinets in recent years, a strategy the retail giant introduced to combat rising shoplifting rates.
Reports of locked merchandise vary widely from place to place, with some stores protecting entire laundry departments with plexiglass, while others even store underwear in locked containers.
Do you store toys in a locked place?
Walmart's anti-theft measures appear to extend to its toy department as well: A mother recently posted a viral TikTok video showing rows of locked toys at her local Walmart.
The video, posted by TikTok user @radotv1029 on Aug. 4, has been viewed more than 32,500 times on the video-sharing platform. In it, she can be seen walking around the store, filming aisles of toys, including popular Lego sets, all protected by glass panels.
“Let me show you what Walmart is shutting down right now. They're doing crazy stuff,” the TikTok user says at the beginning of the video. “Why do they have to shut this down?”
The shocked mother expressed disbelief as she continued her tour of the locked toy department: “You guys are stealing toys and reselling them? Look at this. They're locking toys up. If they start locking toys up, you know this place is going to be crazy.”
The TikTok user also displays a button that says “Press to become an Associate,” but she argues that this has little effect: “And even if you press this button here, it's going to take 40 or 45 minutes for them to show up,” she explains.
@radotv1029 Walmart Scandal!!!! What is everyone doing??!!! #walmartfinds #walmart #fyp #foryoupage #walmart #targetwouldnever #kamala2024 #viraltiktok #shacarririchardson #noahlyles #parisolympics2024 #paris #dallastx #texas #alabamamade #presidentialrace #backtoschool #backtoschoolhaul #legos ♬ Original Sound – RaDOTV
Walmart shoppers aren't buying it
In the video's comments section, viewers expressed their frustration with the inconvenient anti-theft measures.
One commenter didn't mince words, saying, “Stores that do this just tell me not to shop there because I'd go somewhere else before I let someone unlock half the store for me.”
Another user sarcastically suggested: “So when are they going to implement personal shoppers? Is anyone else waiting for someone to unlock everything?”
“At this point there needs to be someone shopping with each customer,” another commenter added.
The Daily Dot reached out to Walmart through the media relations contact form on its website and reached out to TikTok users through their comments on TikTok.
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