- Bed Bath & Beyond stores around the country have begun their closing sales.
- However, TikTokers seem to be sharing their irritation over the sales more than sharing their finds.
There are certain retail events in the US that become more like an Olympic sport: Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the mad rush before Christmas Day when everyone is frantically buying last-minute gifts.
Then there's the Bed Bath & Beyond closing sale.
Since the chain announced it was filing for bankruptcy in April and locations across the country have started marking down household goods, avid shoppers are closely monitoring how steep these sales will go. Over the last two weeks, an NYU student has been visiting the flagship store every day to track this to thousands of her Bed Bath & Beyond fans.
So far, it seems, at least from social media posts, that the closing sales are nothing to write home about (with many discounts still hovering at 10% off). TikTokers are venting their frustrations and warning each other not to get their hopes up. But at least they have each other (right?).
One of the most popular videos from a sale-chaser was by Ryan Flip, a 33-year-old from Austin who duetted a TikTok urging people to check out the sales...and telling them not to bother.
"Don't waste your time, I already went so you don't have to," Flip said, before ranting about the 10% sale on what he found to be already overpriced items. "Go fuck yourself, Bed Bath & Beyond, oh my god."
@ryanfilipski #stitch with @cassidywilliamsnews bed bath and bogus pricing #bye ♬ original sound - Ryan Filipski
In the description, he nicknamed the store "Bed Bath and Bogus Pricing."
Flip, who went to the chain's location in Austin, told Insider that he doesn't plan on ever returning.
"I think by the time prices drop to an actual discounted price, it will either all be picked over or just junk that isn't worth it or nobody wants," he added.
Another TikToker had similar gripes. The poster @vxledw showed a slew of items — like candles, mirrors, bedding — and said the 10 to 30% sales weren't enough of a reason to purchase them since she could find the items at other places.
"Honestly, just save the trip and go to Home Goods," she said at the end of the clip.
@vxledw are these sales at bed bath and beyond worth it?! you be the judge! you can tell by my voice how I feel #bedbathandbeyond #homegoodsfinds #homedecor ♬ original sound - val
The comment sections of these videos are also swamped by disappointed Bed Bath & Beyond aficionados. Congregating like Pokemon card enthusiasts at a trading card convention, commenters are discussing amongst themselves what deal they'd be willing to open their wallets for.
"60% up or nothing! I'm waiting on a Nespresso," one person wrote on a video.
"10% off cmon that's not even sales tax in California," another person quipped. "Waiting for prices to drop more!"
Flip wasn't startled to see people bonding over their shared discontent with the sales in the comment section of his video.
"I wasn't surprised everyone had the same reaction with the weak discounts," he told Insider. "It's very emblematic of the larger problem of inflated prices and stores trying to scam customers and recoup their losses."
Another popular clip, by the TikTok comedian Eric D'Alessandro, also attacked Bed Bath & Beyond's lackluster sales.
"Stores going out of business should look like the apocalypse. There should be a haze of smoke," D'Alessandro joked, adding that when the Sears near him went out of business, someone even took the store sign.
"You should be looking for who you came there with. Tribes should have formed."
Even the NYU student who's been chronicling the flagship store sales told Insider that the prices haven't dropped low enough to get her to bite.
Amid the less-than-stellar Bed Bath & Beyond sales, at least their cult followers have each other (right...right?!).