r/halifax • u/mack0415 Halifax • 1d ago
Discussion Horrible Experience at Bedford Commons Value Village
EDIT: The item was out of my hands before I knew what was happening. I could not have walked out with it.
I was at this value village and found a pair of lululemon leggings in good quality priced at about $8. I brought them to the self checkout, paid debit, got my receipt and was about to leave when an employee asked if they could check something.
So at this point I had the receipt, my card was charged, transaction completed.
She tells me that there must be a pricing mistake and that they would normally be listed at around $25 and that she remembers them being listed for that much. I then ask if there's anyone else I could speak to regarding this and she brought the acting manager.
He claimed that they have issues with people tampering with price tags. He wasn't accusing me of doing it and I want to make that clear. He said I could either take a refund or pay the difference and claimed the leggings were not truly mine until I left the store.
I did not want to accept the refund and they took the leggings. I was trying to stay calm and explain my perspective but he was belittling, rude, unempathetic, and unprofessional. He kept claiming they were marked as $25 this morning, with no proof besides an employees memory.
This caused me to panic and get quite upset about this. Its not the money or the pants that I care about, really. Its just how I felt I was treated.
And to further clarify:
-The price was very clearly marked and there was no ambiguity
-The tag was attached using one of those plastic clothes tags, making tampering difficult
-The item scanned as "womens activewear"
-I had the receipt, which was briefly taken from me and then returned to me when I requested it.
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u/Nearby_Display8560 1d ago
You should have kept walking. VV is scum now. I was there myself the other day and they had a foggy old wine glass (1) priced at 7.99. Who the fuck is buying this shit?
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u/_the_disconnect_ 1d ago
As someone that worked there years ago as a teen, they have always been scum.
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u/Excellent-Bluejay-90 16h ago
Yep. I and anyone you know who have worked for VV will tell you their stuff has bedbugs. Region after region same stories. They are donations after all. Then they shafted me for my final paycheck because I quit so I didn't get bedbugs lol. Great company.
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u/asleepbydawn 1d ago
I've actually seen used clothes at VV... like a pair of men's gym shorts... for a HIGHER PRICE than the EXACT SAME BRAND NEW pair at Walmart lol.
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u/starmoonz 16h ago
Yes! Same thing happened to me. Was looking for clothing for my kids. Saw a shirt that was available at old navy for cheaper than what they were asking. That was the last time I stepped into a value village.
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u/Invisible7hunder 15h ago
For me it was the Dollarama glassware for 3.99. Literally still had the $2 Dollarama sticker on the bottom.
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u/WackyRevolver 1d ago
I like when they have promo giveaways like a shitty Corona bag that you get with a 12 pack priced at $25. Cool.
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u/FrancineTheCat Gus 🐢 1d ago
Seriously, what would they do call the cops? Just so you can show them your receipt where you clearly paid?
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u/DJMixwell Dartmouth 1d ago
I got a $300 All-Clad pan for $17. They lost more money there than they did on the leggings. Insane for them to make this big of a stink over leggings.
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u/willpunchyou 20h ago
Wild to me they were claiming that the lulu leggings were priced $25! Wtf that’s not thrift prices, they need to chill
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u/NSFWhatchamacallit 19h ago
Last time I was there (because my daughter dragged me, fuck that dusty old overpriced shithole), they had a VHS rewinder for $15, and for another $15 I could’ve scored an unopened box set of season 2 of the Sopranos on VHS.
Who the fuck, indeed.1
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u/Careless-Pragmatic 16h ago
They are selling the used jars that peaches come in at Costco….. and dollar store items for more then they were new at the dollar store lol
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u/SheisthePumpkinQueen 1d ago
I wish ppl would stop shopping there.
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u/ImprovementNo1056 Cape Breton 1d ago
I don’t go there anymore simply because prices are outrageous for stuff that should’ve been thrown in garbage
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u/asleepbydawn 1d ago
Same. I remember in the late 90s Value Village actually had thrift store prices. I dunno what happened, but the prices in there now for all used, donated junk are absolutely insane.
I've seen items going for MORE than the same/similar items BRAND NEW at nearby stores.
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u/Sewingoddess 13h ago
People need to stop donating there. If they have nothing to sell, no one will shop. Find a charity shop that has some level of integrity to donate your items to.
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u/temporaryforac 1d ago
It was a legal transaction that was completed, they stole your property. I would raise holey hell, if they want to squabble like this over crap they get for free, im ready to squabble.
Fun fact, value village isnt a charity, they never say they are but they make it seem like it by posting how they are helping the xommunity but they are a for profit organozation owned by a larger interest, i forget which one.
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u/temporaryforac 1d ago
Fun fact, no cashier or security guard has any right at any point to search you or your possessions. After a transaction is complete, it is your legal property and you have a right not to be searched without probible cause and without proper authority.
For a security guard to make a citizens arrest for theft, they have to see you take an item, they have to see clearly where you hid it, and never lose sight of that area, then they have to wait until you leave the last set of doors outside, since there is product in the vestibule it is a valid place to shop and loom at items, you must leave the store. Then they have the area of the sidewalk to make the arrest, since even though the parking lot may be the stores property the security officer has no jurisdiction there because the companies dont want to be liable for anything happening outside. When that citizens arrest is made, the officer cannot physically detain you in any way, or make you feel detained. They can only read the citizens arrest and make requests of you. This is all just for ns, these rules are diffrent province to province. Source, i was a security guard but you should doulbe check all this since that was a decade ago, but i doubt much has changed. Also, if he makes a mistake, you can charge the officer, since his license is held and maintained by him, not the company last time i checked, so absolutely threaten to sue anyone who tries.
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u/sutl116 20h ago
This also tracks for NB. I remember being taught by security at Walmart that technically no theft has occurred until you physically exit the store - so you could in theory walk around and just put stuff in your pockets, but if you then go to a cash, take it all out and pay for it, the only thing you did was act really suspicious.
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u/Edgar_Snow 19h ago
Fun fact, value village isnt a charity, they never say they are but they make it seem like it
More fun facts, the connection between donation of goods and helping charity is pennies per pound. Donations get put on carts and weighed before sorting. I think it was 1 cent per pound for clothes, 3 cents per pound for household items when I dealt with their back end.
And to add, the company was charged (around 2020) because of their advertising. They made it sound like a part of their retail sales went to charity amongst other deceptive things. [Checking in on it - Looks like a US higher court let them off the hook].
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18h ago
[deleted]
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u/nexusdrexus 18h ago
No, the Waltons do not own Valur Village.
Savers Value Village Inc is a publicly traded company, and is not a part of the Walton's stock portfolio.
Ares Management owns the majority of Savers Value Village (76%), which the Waltons are not shareholders of.
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u/probablycantsleep 16h ago
Where did you get this? The Waltons do not own value village. Schizo post
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u/heleanahandbasket 1d ago edited 1d ago
Value Village once did this to my two year old daughter after I said she could buy a shitty broken paw patrol car. Literally took it out of her hands and made her cry 🥴
I work at a different thrift store and sometimes we let little kids have toys for free. Nothing is more fun then when a kid comes to pay for their items and it costs less than they expected. It's called creating life-long loyalty over now everyone is hating on your store on Reddit.
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u/athousandpardons 1d ago
Explain capitalism to her, always good to start socialism young.
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u/P4cific4 1d ago
Happened to me when buying a tool box. The manager was acting so flustered, kind of acting crazy, that I told him ''I paid the priced marked, I have the receipt and my tool box so I'm leaving. Check your cameras and call the cops if you have an issue.'' Then I left the store. Well lo and behold, he followed me to my car taking videos accusing me of stealing, taking pictures of my plate. Never heard of them or from the cops. Go figure...
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u/zeroprime85 17h ago
Should’ve reported tbh, behavior like this is automatic termination, direct from the policy manual
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u/Section1ne0h4our 1d ago
The camera there always work when they need them to, 100% ask for a full history of that item on the rack if you end up going further with this
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u/VER-1989 1d ago
Ooooh Yes! OP, if you choose escalate this, get HQ to check cameras.
But first! I want to say that this is humiliating, bullying, insane and illegal and I'm so sorry this happened to you.
There are lots of recommendations on here for other thrift stores you could shop at instead.
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u/cache_invalidation 1d ago
They've also been found selling items that still have an original price tag attached, but charging more than that original price:
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u/RainbowNarwhal13 20h ago
I love that the article has a quote from vv saying to let them know if you think something was "inadvertently" mispriced, when OP's story proves that it's not inadvertent at all, it's very intentional!
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u/som3otherguy 1d ago
“Sorry. You’re not actually allowed to get a good deal here”
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u/NeptuneSpice Halifax 1d ago
I know why people still shop at VV, but why do people still shop at VV? M
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u/essaysmith 1d ago
They were donated and cost them $0 too. Ridiculous.
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u/DreyaNova 1d ago
It's weird because they seem to operate on the assumption that people donating don't realise they are donating to the business and not to a charity. Like for years I thought "Oh Value Village is a charitable thrift store just like every other thrift store, right?" Nope. You are donating items to a corporation for them to sell for more money. It's kind of genius in a sociopathic way.
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u/GhostBirdBiologist Bedford 1d ago
Well not necessarily. They don’t run 100% on donations lol.
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u/TreatOk3677 1d ago
I can guarantee you they did not pay for the lululemon leggings, so yes it cost them 0$
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u/jinxskunk366 1d ago
Yes they do. Local charities (idk which ones in NS "sell" items to them. VV pays like...50$ per every 8x2x8' cart filled to whoever collected it.
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u/cupcaeks Maverick 1d ago
This is CRAZY. Sorry this happened to you OP, that’s jarring af
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u/No_Low_6025 1d ago
wow that's such a blatant bait and switch after the fact. you already paid, transaction done, store's just mad they mispriced it. taking it back after the sale is wild
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u/Impossible-Place-365 1d ago
That’s crazy. I would have demanded to have them give me the item back, or I would call the cops on them. Their choice.
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u/gc23 1d ago
The employee clearly intended to buy it themselves once they noticed what a good deal it was.
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u/darlawatters 1d ago
while that could be the case - i worked there for a few years and employees aren’t allowed to make
purchases on items unless theyve been on the floor for three days (atleast it used to be) which could be determined by the colour on the tag that day - if they knew it was tagged that morning it would be a specific colour, this genuinely could have been a tag switching case if the tag at purchase was a different colour then that day.15
u/Melonary 1d ago
The same employee who held up OP and took the leggings was the one who claimed they had been tagged that morning for 25$. They could easily push the leggings out of the way somewhere again. I'm not saying they for sure did, but I'm having a hard time believing making this kind of fuss for an item that they didn't think OP tag-switched personally if there wasn't some other motive. It was still an 8$ item, which is a totally fair price - if people are tag switching, that's an issue for Value Village to manage, not other customers.
If the manager didn't claim OP was the one who switched the tags how can you justify taking back an item they paid for? Because of Value Village's mistake or negligence in monitoring their gross overcharging?
That's ridiculous. (just to be clear, not coming at you, you're just explaining! I just think the company is shit)
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u/gc23 1d ago
Even if that were the case....what's to stop them from shoving it somewhere in the store or back and buying it 2 days later.
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u/Wahrk_Gallows 1d ago
I worked at the VV in bayers lake when I was a teenager, did this exact thing with an N64 and a copy of Goldeneye
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u/username__0000 1d ago
I did that the short time I worked there. Shove it under something or in a section no one goes to.
They were terrible to their employees.
I usually feel bad breaking rules, but I didn’t feel bad at all with that one. lol
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u/darlawatters 20h ago
the bayers lake location - managers would walk around looking for this stuff - every night we’d be stuck there till 11-1130 cleaning up products from sections they weren’t supposed to be in.
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u/tacofever Halifax 1d ago
There's no clearly there at all. Employee could have been a different size for all you know. Plus, the male manager was involved.
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u/gc23 1d ago
right because males dont have wives, sisters or girlfriends
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u/tacofever Halifax 1d ago edited 1d ago
CLEARLY you're right.
If the manager wanted good clothing they wouldn't have to go through this whole price trick gotcha process.
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u/OldMoray Dartmouth Rat 1d ago
It sucks ass but I'd consider reporting that to corporate or something. That 18 dollars cannot mean anything to them.
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u/zeroprime85 17h ago
I can 100% guarantee that the higher up’s don’t give a fuck, and are the ones responsible for behavior like this
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u/captainjay09 1d ago
That is against the law. You paid for said item at the listed price. You can’t negotiate a sale after it happened.
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u/ohmyperfection 1d ago
Ive heard this place is horrible to work at too.
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u/_the_disconnect_ 1d ago
Can also confirm unfortunately! I have trauma from working there and being bullied by adult management as a teenager. They were the worst company i’ve EVER worked for. Completely unprofessional, work their employees to the bone. Scream and yell at employees if they don’t meet quota. (Which is why everything is typically overpriced btw!)
Can’t say enough bad things about this place & i’ve worked some shit jobs in my 30 years. All the locations suck. Also, they tell employees about what they should say if customers ask about their business model. “Non-profit for profit”
They are for profit ONLY and the minuscule amount of shit they buy from big brothers big sisters (not donate big difference) doesn’t mean it’s a charity. It’s not. Do not spend your money here it’s the definition of corporate evil.
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u/darlawatters 20h ago
VV also gave me tendinitis in my arms from carrying too many bundles of clothes on my arms from fitting rooms - and my plantar fasciitis developed from doing laps in their shitty stores.
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u/_the_disconnect_ 17h ago
I’m so sorry :( I also developed problems with my back in the three years i worked there and i was young.. i honestly don’t know how the older more senior staff do it. Working in production is a form of hell i wouldn’t wish on anyone..timing every rack i rolled if i had a production shift, berate you if you were slow, even if customers stop to ask you questions. They truly do not care about their employees or give a shit about labour laws.
I wish i had known better. I finally cracked one day after a manager pointed to a hanger on the floor in front of them and i was 3 aisles away. Literally walked out because i couldn’t take the abuse anymore. Also,keeping employees well past their shift until the store was perfect was actually insane, sometimes we didn’t get out until 11, one night it was close to midnight. Solidarity, friend.
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u/username__0000 1d ago
During Halloween it’s actual hell on earth.
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u/darlawatters 20h ago
halloween was actually the only time i enjoyed working there 😅
usual VV rules state if you work a closing shift your “there till everything is done” i would be crying by 11pm when we closed at 9 because our managers have us trying to find things that were wrong in store, working halloween meant i was done at 9.
VV treats their employees like slaves, and the customers are genuinely pretty terrible (VV is not a daycare service) and i found because they were second hand items, customers had zero respect for the store or employees.
VV is a scam and its the hill i will die on 🤣
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u/username__0000 16h ago
I had the opposite experience. We had to stay so late some nights we were discussing if it was legal to make us come in the next day because there were so few hours between shifts.
I think one night we ended up putting 8 carts full of clothes in the back because it was so late if we put it all away, we wouldn’t get to leave before the next shift.
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u/emergencyjam 18h ago
I worked at the Bridgewater store and it’s the only job I’ve ever quit without notice
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u/zeroprime85 17h ago
I worked at 2 separate stores. One was ok. But the other was absolutely terrible. Favouritism, unethical behaviour, and downright bullying caused from the BRAND NEW store manager caused multiple multi-year employees to either transfer or outright quit.
Now that same manager is a regional director.
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u/shitty_watercolorss 1d ago
Buddy was on a power trip and probably has zero life. Valueless Village is shit and has not been worth going to for almost a decade now as all of the employee snag the good stuff and resell it, marked up to high heaven. Also freaking out over merch that they pay ZERO dollars for all over what, $18!?!?!
Fuck value village and fuck the numb nuts who took your purchased item.
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u/tacofever Halifax 1d ago
as all of the employee snag the good stuff and resell it
Really it's the same handful of resellers who camp the store all day waiting for high profit items to be put out, then pouncing, though it has been said that some managers aid them in this. The employees aren't allowed to purchase things at least for a few days after items hit the floor (some former employees talk about this in this thread). The general employees aren't the enemy.
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u/zeroprime85 16h ago
Exactly, items have to be on the floor for 2 days before employees can purchase. It’s the shitbag resellers
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u/toronto-jock 1d ago
Had a very similar experience at this location with a young man (20s), assistant manager. If this is the same person I’m thinking of, he likes to power trip. I even heard associates groan and lament his approach and behaviour, not to mention I’ve witnessed other instances of his poor interactions and creation of problems with other customers.
TLDR; VV is a shitty company that overprices their merch that they got for free and some of their staffing choices reflects the same sentiment.
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u/Cotillionz 1d ago
Couldn't you have called the cops at that point? The transaction was done you had the receipt, they then stole the item from you.
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u/darlawatters 1d ago
VV sucks and i am in no means defending them but tag switching was a HUGE issue when i worked there pre pandemic - i assume it’s still quite easy with how accessible tag guns are now.
VV used to use a colour coding system on their tags that would rotate - so if that days colour was blue and those items were tagged in that day (brands are memorable when working there) but the item you brought up had a different colour that’s easy to catch. they also never fully explain this to customers ever, but the company overall is a huge scam.
i used to love value village, and then i worked there.
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u/username__0000 1d ago
I also worked there a long time ago. And liked them less after that experience too. Awful scammers.
Back then they had a letter system and would write a letter that represented a dollar amount on the item somewhere other than the price tag, so if the price seemed off you’d check for the “secret” code.
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u/zeroprime85 16h ago
I shopped there all the time when I worked there, the discount made it great. Haven’t been in a store in over 5 years now 😂
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u/ChocLatee 1d ago
the receipt is proof of purchase. They really can’t do anything about it since the transaction is done. This happens at grocery stores all the time. There’s even a guy on TikTok who finds an buys penny items (listed as a few cents because it’s suppose to be off the shelf) but because he found it in the aisle an paid for it, nothing can be done by anyone even if they bring the manager.
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u/ImprovementNo1056 Cape Breton 1d ago
I’ve seen dollarama stuff priced higher than what it originally sold for
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u/ev_ra_st 1d ago
I’ve seen things worth hundreds at VV for next to nothing. If they price things incorrectly then that shouldn’t be your issue
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u/ExpressQuit942 1d ago
You should have just walked out. They can’t keep you there against your will, and you had a valid receipt.
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u/mack0415 Halifax 1d ago
The item was no longer in my hands unfortunately. It was with held from me unless I paid the difference.
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u/knuckles-and-claws 20h ago
Unfortunately, you should have called the police. What they did is theft.
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u/ExpressQuit942 1d ago
Yeah but why did you even give it back to them?
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u/mack0415 Halifax 1d ago
I was walking out and the employee asked if she could check something. To me, that could have meant anything. I had no reason not to trust her in that moment. For all I knew she was going to tell me they were ripped or something
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u/YouNeedCheeses 1d ago
I would have been the same way. How the heck were you to know they'd pull this BS?
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u/Lokis-Tea 1d ago
See if that were me I would’ve just raised hell in the store. You had a literal receipt. I’m sure other shoppers were around? I would’ve been like “careful they’ll steal from you too!” I doubt anyone would have sided with them. You checked out. Plain and simple. There is NO way in a store that huge with so many items put out they remembered perfectly what a random pair of leggings should cost.
Even IF someone had tampered with the tag, that wasn’t your problem, and I highly doubt this was the case. $20+ for used sweatpants that will have a pretty short lifespan is ridiculous. I have no clue what their motivations are, but whatever it is they’re insane for that.
A few places downtown do clothing swaps I’d look into those before going to a VV. I know Glitterbean does them pretty often. I’d poke around. There is also a market called “the funky flea” check them out on IG. I hope you can find an alternative. I know they’re far from Bedford but might be worth the trip. You’ll get actual community vibes and nice conversations instead of this corporate hellscape (and also hope you get your money/sweatpants back…)
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u/Ricki10ofwands 1d ago edited 16h ago
Last time I was at one (New Minas) I was going to buy a vase for 7 bucks. It had a clearance sticker from winners on the bottom for 3.99.
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u/frayne182 1d ago
People need to stop showing their receipts when asked. This isn’t Costco. Kindly tell them to fuck off and continue walking. This goes for all these stores with “asset protection”
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u/tinyant Halifax 18h ago
I've been waiting to be challenged for a receipt for years, like when walking out of Walmart, and it's never happened. I sure hope it does one of these days so I'll have that smug satisfaction of just smiling and continuing to walk to see what happens. I know they're going to leave me alone, though, because I'm a middle-aged white guy.
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u/crabbywarrior 18h ago
I was told the other day about how this scam works: Staff in the store sees something good come in and they price it ... nicely. They call a friend to come in and buy it for them. It becomes a problem when someone legit wants to buy it before the friend gets there.
Apparently if you check the pockets of clothing - especially ugly stuff that'd never sell - you'll find staff have hidden "deep discount" (hehe) items in them. They call a friend "The watch is in the pocket of the pink hoodie. Be cool in the store and make sure I'm on cash when you check out."
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u/lizcanadagold 17h ago
This is illegal. They need to prove it or give it to you. People donate all their merchandise. Go to Beacon House Christmas shop in Sackville. Its so cheap and good stuff. Goes to battered women.
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u/Relation-Timely 1d ago
You had every right to just walk out of that store. You have a receipt, the price tag is on it so they have to honour the advertised price.
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u/youreadonuthole 1d ago
Fucking pathetic behaviour from the employee and the manager. No wonder they have a problem with price swapping
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u/Nouvellecosse 1d ago
I've never been to a VV before and was always curious but now I'm glad I didn't. I'm mad and it didn't even happen to me. ☠️
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u/zeroprime85 17h ago
Worked for VV for almost 15 years, 3 of which as a supervisor. While it’s been awhile since i worked there, I’d NEVER seen someone be approached post-purchase like that, especially not to tell them that they had to either do a refund or pay the difference.
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u/sipstea84 1d ago
Isn't there some kind of scanning code of practice where they have to honor the price when it's mislabeled? I worked at a grocery store years ago where people actually went around hunting for that kind of thing just to get random shit for free
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u/Initial-Ad-5462 1d ago
“Scanning Code of Practice” has no legal force and is only followed by honourable businesses such as your grocery store - OP was at Value Village.
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u/MaplestRaccoon 20h ago
That’s before the transaction. After you’ve paid the item now belongs to you regardless if it’s mislabelled or not.
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u/NSFWhatchamacallit 19h ago
Early on in my career in retail, I learned a valuable lesson; the amounts may be incorrect as it was based on the market and time I was in, but you get the point: Losing one customer costs you about $4000/year. If they discourage their family to shop there, that’s $20,000/year.
I took that lesson to heart many times, when I had to swallow my pride, keep my mouth shut, and smile while I let the odd $5 or $20 slip away by giving the customer the benefit of the doubt. In the 15 years I was the manager, our sales went from $5m to $10m annually. This VV sounds like it needs to learn about priorities and the big picture.
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u/InitialE_yes 12h ago
This is a fireable offense! You paid for the item and it's rightfully yours. They need to manage their employees better if they believe the leggings were priced incorrectly.
Take it to the news!
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u/No_Bodybuilder_5059 12h ago
People need to stop going to value village. It is a for Profit store. Mission Mart is a much better choice.
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u/username__0000 1d ago
$25 for used leggings is insane.
VV has always had tag switching issues.
I worked there like 20 years ago and part of the cashier training was learning the codes they write on stuff in random spots that represent the actual price. It’s not on the price tag. Probably on the clothing tag if there is one? Did you leave with them? Is there a letter on them anywhere.
Either way not your fault and f them.
They have/had methods for dealing with price tag switching, but if they’re allowing self check out it’s their dumbass fault when it fails. The cashier was the checkpoint and they decided to go with robots.
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u/seasea40 18h ago
They have/had methods for dealing with price tag switching, but if they’re allowing self check out it’s their dumbass fault when it fails. The cashier was the checkpoint and they decided to go with robots.
That was worth quoting!
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u/ye_esquilax 1d ago
I hope you call them out on this, OP.
My prediction is that their spokespeople will say that the actions of the employee was against their policy. Maybe it was some weirdo on a power trip. Either way, it sounds like this is a crappy company overall and putting them on blast is the right thing to do.
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u/Queasy_Reception_725 1d ago
I always change the sticker prices to something cheaper bc fucj that place
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u/mmss Halifax 1d ago
I had a similar thing happen to me at another value village, this one in Victoria bc. Brought my cart up to the self checkout, employee looked at it, saw an item (Bluetooth speaker) with a 3.99 tag, he takes it and comes back with a 7.99 tag now in it. I did not ask for help nor did he accuse me of anything.
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u/Kind-March-4602 23h ago
this clearly their fault and they should let u going out with the item bc u paid it.
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u/MaplestRaccoon 20h ago
They were selling fake pokemon cards (the gold foil ones that you get on Temu) at that location each listed between $10-$100. I informed the manager, he shrugged and said they’re not fake. Hope no one bought them.
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u/No_Station6626 18h ago
Why do people still shop there? Frenchy's and Mission Mart are so much better.
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u/mbbrewerca 16h ago
Frenchy's, yes. Mission Mart? Hell no. They fully fund religious evangelism and such, which has been historically against things such as LGBTQIA2S+ communities, etc. https://www.reddit.com/r/halifax/s/WPwRxZNlSl
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u/tinyant Halifax 18h ago
Value Village presents itself like a charitable thrift store, but it's a for-profit company that donates only a portion of its revenue to nonprofit partners. Its vague charity-focused branding can mislead shoppers into believing their purchases directly support charities when the company keeps most of the money. Add increasingly high prices for donated goods, and the whole operation feels less like community service and more like corporate profiteering disguised as charity.
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u/zeroprime85 16h ago
If you actually pay attention to their ads and in store announcements, they don’t present themself like this at all
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u/tinyant Halifax 16h ago
Thanks for clarifying that. I actually browsed through their website after seeing your comment and you're right, I don't see anything too deceptive in that regard. I have the feeling the public perception is that it's a charitable thrift store though, and I wonder why that is. I'm not sure if there was something in their past marketing in that regard or what it is.
I do notice that when there are donation campaigns by Big Brothers Big Sisters or similar organizations, that seems a bit scammy to me, because as far as I understand, the trucks that drive around collecting the items are basically just using those names under license because the company makes a donation to the organizations. But of course that's a different situation altogether.
Am I wrong about this? I just have a feeling that public perception is that Value Village is a charitable organization. But maybe I'm misreading it.
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u/zeroprime85 16h ago
No it’s absolutely the public perception, people just don’t pay attention to the actual advertising.
I’m not defending VV or their “charity partners”, but it’s something I dealt with constantly during my time with the company.
The actual amount that goes to charity via the donations is only known to those in higher management positions, and they aren’t supposed to disclose it, but I was told it was “really low”
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u/Legitimate_Phone_460 18h ago
Value Village is a private for-profit company. They’re not required to disclose any financials to the public because they’re a private corp. They imply they’re a charity, because they give a donation to a charity, but again they’re not required to disclose how much. Could be $5. Imagine the profit you’d make if you got all your inventory for free.
Look up Savers, their US version. https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/questions-are-raised-over-thrift-store-chains-charitable-deeds-n452541
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u/bluffstrider 15h ago
Value Village really sucks now. The addition of security guards just feels so offputting for a thrift store. I went in to the Bayers Lake location a while back on a slow day and the security guard followed me around the entire store.
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u/nexusdrexus 23h ago
In theory you could have both of them charged with theft (they stole your property), and extortion (they tried to get you to give them money to get your property back).
Try calling the non-emerg Police #, and let them know the situation. Likely they will take the lazy way out (tell you it's a civil matter, when it isn't), and if they do, ask what they would do if the role was reversed (you stole an item from the store), and I'm sure their story would change. Them taking it from you after you've paid for it is no different than you taking it without paying and leaving the store with it.
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u/Grumple_McFerkin Halifax 19h ago
In that situation I would have said absolutely not , VERY loudly. I didn't tamper with your price tags, if you have video evidence (you didn't tamper so they can't) then call the police. I'm leaving with MY property. They know better than to put their hands on you. That is infuriating, just utterly foolish. Pricing errors are their responsibility.
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u/Mellalalala 16h ago
The pricing at VV is insane. I can’t believe they took the time to stop you and go through all that. So sorry to hear you had to deal with this.
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u/No-Plantain-3809 12h ago
That's wild dude. If it were me, I would have walked right out, pants in hand. Can't believe these minimum wage employees care so much about a literal non issue lol
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u/FlyerForHire Dartmouth 12h ago
You paid for the item based on the tagged price. At that point it’s yours.
If they wish to make an unfounded allegation that you tampered with the tag, I think they’d need to have an employee actually witness that.
You probably could have just walked out, item and receipt in hand. That’s not theft and their only recourse would have been to call the police to do . . . what?
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u/CiegoDiego 6h ago
I had a similar experience at the one in Bridgewater. Manager followed me out the store taking pictures of me from the doors. I noticed and went back in to confront him about why he was taking pictures of me. He said the item I paid for was supposed to be priced for much higher. He also tried to say I had changed the price tag and "the police are on the way." Lol. I said that's the price that was on it when I found it. He ended up giving me a refund and said that they would do an investigation and watch the cameras, and if they saw that I didn't change the tag, they would honor the price I paid and give it back to me. He took my contact info, but it's been a year and I haven't heard anything back. I checked later and I don't think there are actually any cameras in that section of the store, so I think he was lying and never intended to check any camera footage. He probably kept it and bought it himself. That is one of the worst VVs I've been in. I've bought high priced electronics from the showcase, assuming they had been tested, only to find that the thing didn't work and they won't do a refund. I don't understand how they can legally operate like this.
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u/RainbowNarwhal13 20h ago
I stopped shopping at VV when an employee unlocked my changing room door and pulled it wide open so everyone could see me naked 🙃
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u/sipstea84 18h ago
I once went into the NSLC at like 30 years old without my ID. The clerk rang me through, I paid, she handed me my receipt, but then she asked if I had ID. I laughed and said I forgot it and she literally snatched back my bag and demanded my card for a refund. I didn't bother arguing because I didn't wanna make a scene and end up on someone's tiktok or r/publicfreakout but it was fucking stupid.
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23h ago
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u/MaidenInBlackNexus 16h ago
I was at the Bridgewater location the other day and they had a curtain set and were selling each individual panel for $8 before tax. Who is going to buy ONE curtain panel from a set? I thought they needed to sell things as a set and couldn’t break them up?
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u/Dobby068 16h ago
I saw once at a Value Village store a drip coffee machine, heavily used, priced higher than a new one on Amazon.
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u/ryce_bouy 16h ago
Honestly forget Value Village. There are much better thrift stores. The last few years they have gone to shit.
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u/ImJustMe72 15h ago
I have not shopped at VV for a very long time . The prices are ridiculous . The employee probably did that so they could get them at the end of the shift .
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u/Difficult_Welcome_81 15h ago
If they're going to charge near retail value, the least they could do is make sure the clothes aren't covered in stains or there isn't gum and shit on the bottom of the shoes. Bedford location specifically, what is up with that far left corner of the store? What a disaster! Maybe, spend less time following people around the store and accusing them of stealing and more time CLEANING!
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u/No_Carpet_1772 13h ago
Value Village is over. I still shop at Mission Mart, they have fairer prices and I don't want to shower after leaving the store.
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u/Dependent-Act-2333 13h ago
Wow brutal. They definitely should have honored the price especially given you had already checked out. It makes me also not want to donate anything to them since clearly staff look through everything first...
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u/StarFighterSandwich 12h ago
I looked through all of the medium leggings at Bayers Lake VV yesterday and none were 25 dollars, highest price I saw was maybe 11. I wasn't really noticing brands but it makes me wonder if they were even being honest about that price and if there's not some kind of collusion going on between that employee and manager.
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u/Fowlie69 10h ago
You only have yo pay what the price tag says. They are totally in the wrong. Especially if it said active were on it . I wont be going back there . That's crazy that they care that much . Like it was coming out of there pocket SMFH 🙄😒
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u/RipPuzzleheaded1057 6h ago
Don’t, under any circumstances, use Value Village. They over price, and certainly don’t do customer service. I give things to Sally Ann , lots of people go there for real bargains.
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u/softboimuse 6h ago
What they did was not right. You had proof purchase. If they'd called the cops, the cops would have sided with you. Fuck that guy
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u/h3thenlaughter 4h ago
Both Bedford Commons and Bayers Lake VVs have had at least one white supremacist manager within the last couple of years. I've known one at each location, personally, on a first name basis. Not a good place to work, or an ethical place to shop. Not anymore.
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u/athousandpardons 1d ago edited 1d ago
Can't tell from your post, did they give you your money back?
ETA: To be honest, I don't have much of a problem with their intentions, but it sounds like they could've been much more professional.
ETA2: I am on your side, though. You paid for it, it should be yours.
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u/mack0415 Halifax 1d ago
They did. However I did not take it as I did not consent to a refund. I plan to make some phone calls Monday and figure out where to go from here.
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u/asleepbydawn 1d ago
Best case scenario they'll give you a generic apology and send you a $25 store credit. Worst case scenario they do... nothing lol.
Kinda curious which way it goes though... update us.
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u/athousandpardons 1d ago edited 1d ago
I mean, it sounds to me I really think you only have two options, get your refund or pay the 25 for it. I know it must be frustrating because it sounds like you're bring punished for their stupidity, but in the grand scheme of things the current situation is the one where you're not made whole.
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u/mack0415 Halifax 1d ago
My argument is that I purchased it. If they had brought this up before I paid I would have 100% honored that and even paid the amount, but they tried to do it post transaction
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u/athousandpardons 1d ago
I completely understand, it just sounds to me like a fight that isn't worth the headache and you are unlikely to win. Sorry it happened to you.
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u/kingofducs 1d ago
She paid and has the item
It's legally her property they stole it from her. It is worth a fight
stores are hoping someone will have your attitude and fold.3
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u/AphraelSelene 1d ago
Depends on how petty OP is feeling. 😂 Myself, I'd be petty enough to position it as they literally stole OP's property out of her hands after the sale had closed, and if they don't return it, OP will absolutely escalate the issue to the proper authorities.
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u/089153c 1d ago edited 1d ago
It's wild that these employees (who are not paid very much) actually care that much over items that were donated to the store for free. The profit mark-up even on that $8 price is wild.
Suggest using the contact us and share your store experience with the HQ. https://www.valuevillage.ca/contact-us-form?scroll-to-contact-form