If you’ve been shopping recently, you’re probably aware of just how common it is to see items locked behind glass.
No matter where you shop, you’re likely to find at least one item behind lock and key. This has become a major frustration for shoppers, as they now have to find workers in order to buy simple things like baby formula and makeup.
Not helping matters is the fact that many stores appear to be understaffed. This means that, if an item requires assistance from a store employee, a shopper may have to wait a long time before they actually have access to their item.
Given this, some have developed their own workarounds. TikToker Steve (@steveg2e) recently shared one such workaround while at Lowe’s in a video with over 847,000 views.
How Do You Get Around a Locked Case at Lowe’s?
In his video, Steve shows a locked case at a Lowe’s location.
“No one to help you at Lowe’s? No problem!” he writes in the text overlaying the video.
Confronting the locked case, he simply walks around to the aisle behind it, which does not have locked shelves. Reaching through the shelf, he is able to remove the item from behind the glass.
“I did pay for it lol,” he adds in the caption.
Does This Really Work?
Steve’s video shows that this method can actually work in some cases.
However, there are also other ways to get around locked-up items. For example, one internet user showed their method for removing items that are locked into hangers. The user simply removed the hanger itself, then took the item off the unlocked end.
Other internet users shared their methods not to circumvent the cases, but to show the store their dissatisfaction. These methods include sharing photos in Google reviews of the locked cases, speaking to employees, or simply refraining from shopping at such stores in the first place.
Thankfully, it seems many retailers are getting the message. Some stores have removed the locks from their items, while others have employed alternative methods that allow customers to unlock the cases by themselves without assistance from an employee.
@steveg2e I did pay for it lol #fail #lowes #impatient #homeimprovement ♬ Funny video "Carmen Prelude" Arranging weakness(836530) – yo suzuki(akisai)
Commenters Are Fed Up With Locked Cases
In the comments section, many users expressed their frustration with having so many items locked in glass or plastic cases. Some also offered their own tactics for summoning employees.
“If you start climbing the shelves you will find an associate very quickly,” said a user.
“I’ve been kicked out of Home depot for cutting my own key,” added another.
“I used to work at Lowe’s and the ‘security cages’ are a complete joke,” wrote a third.
“Someone from corporate gonna see this now and fix it and then customers will be up the creek without a paddle lol,” stated a further TikToker.
The Mary Sue reached out to Lowe’s and Steve via email.
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