If you bring something to the register and it rings up as a single penny, you probably don’t think that you’re simply getting a good deal. Many shoppers believe that, if such an event occurs, it’s simply a glitch and that the store won’t honor the penny price.
However, some users on TikTok insist that this is not the case. “Penny Items” have repeatedly gone viral on the platform, and many users allege that if you find a penny item, the store has to honor the sale.
While some videos feature stores like Dollar Tree, the most popular “penny shopping” videos take place in Home Depot. TikTokers say they can find everything from vanities to paint sprayers for just a penny. Furthermore, they say employees have to sell them to you if you find them.
But is this really true? A recent video from TikToker @albanianjlol casts doubt on this claim.
Can You Really Buy Items from Home Depot for a Penny?
In a video with over 951,000 views, the TikToker films a dispute he had with a Home Depot worker over a penny item
While the TikTokers insist they are allowed to buy penny items, a worker says that’s not the case.
“Let me tell you something,” the worker says. “Put it to a penny, that means it’s out, it’s going out. That’s why it was in the overhang.” In this case, “overhang” refers to an item being stored up high above the shelves in the overhead storage racks rather than down on the sales floor at the customer level.
The TikTokers continue to argue with her, saying they should be allowed to buy the item.
“We don’t sell penny items,” the worker states.
“It’s your policy,” counters the TikTokers.
Did Their Strategy Work?
As the worker attempts to stop them from buying the item, they manage to scan a credit card and finalize the sale.
Once a manager comes, they are able to confirm the sale as legitimate and leave the store with the item.
But is that really store policy? The answer is a little more complicated.
The TikTokers insist that it’s Home Depot’s “policy” to sell penny items. However, Home Depot has never officially confirmed its official stance on the issue.
On Reddit, many Home Depot workers say the policy regarding penny items varies from store to store.
Why Do Penny Items at Home Depot Exist in the First Place?
According to both the employee in the video and multiple users on Reddit, an item being marked to a single cent doesn’t mean that’s the intended sale price. Instead, it’s more of an internal marker to show that an item is supposed to be taken off the shelves.
Consequently, every store appears to have its own policy regarding how it handles people trying to buy these items.
“Whenever a penny item manages to find its way to a register, we explain that it’s not supposed to be sold to the customer,” said a user.
“SOP is that, as long as a receipt hasn’t printed, we are explicitly instructed to confiscate them directly out of the customer’s hands and say that we contractually cannot sell them, because we get in trouble with the vendors if a Penny Out leaves the building,” wrote another. “But if a receipt has printed, it’s legally too late to confiscate it.”
“This is why I wish they’d program the registers to freeze the transaction if a $0.01 price point is scanned, the exact same way that they do for $0.00 items,” the user continued.
“I was told (as a HC) that if a penny sku comes up we sell it, but we inform the customer that they cannot go back to get more (those we won’t sell), then we inform the DH or ASM of the sku,” shared a third.
@albanianjlol Nah this was crazy work #fyp ♬ original sound – Albanian J
Commenters Are Divided
In the comments section, users weren’t sure how to respond to the interaction.
“Their own fault for using a penny for these items,” declared a user. “Why not set them to 1 million then no ones gonna buy them lol.”
“Stores can have errors. Do you really think this is good for the bottom dollar of the stores ?” countered another.
“Why do these people care so much,” questioned a third.
The Mary Sue reached out to Home Depot via email and @albanianjlol via TikTok direct message and comment.
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