‘These are grown adults shopping’: Walmart worker reveals the real reason why the website says your item is in stock—but not on the shelf
Shopping during the holidays can be stressful, especially if you can't find what you're looking for on the shelves. But one retail worker says keeping shelves stocked—and managing customer expectations—is even more challenging.
In a video with over 148,000 views, TikToker and Walmart worker Skylouieeeee (@skylouieeeee) says a woman came into his store and asked for help finding couch cushions.
"I typed in couch pillows and showed her what kind we got," he says. "She said, 'Do you not understand what kind of couch pillows I'm talking about?'"
The woman tries to clarify that she's looking for the "kind that you put on your couch." Eventually, the TikToker deduces that she's asking about couch cushions—not decorative pillows.
"I tell her we don't sell regular couch cushions, but I turn on my phone and type the couch cushions to see if we actually have some," he continues. "None showed up, of course."
The woman insists they have the cushions, showing the worker they are sold online at Walmart.com. He clarifies that she thought that all Walmart stores sold all items available for purchase online.
This doesn't just happen at Walmart; The Daily Dot previously reported on a TikTok posted by a Target worker who showed that all items on the app aren't available in-store.
"It's getting sad; these are grown adults shopping," he says.
How to tell if an item is available in-store
Walmart offers thousands of items on its online-only platform, which functions similarly to Amazon or eBay—allowing sellers to upload items for sale.
If you want to pick up a specific item in person, Walmart's website and app have a "Search My Store" function. This lets you input your local retail location and browse available items.
The Walmart app also has a "Store Assistant" to help you locate the item in the store.
Retail workers respond
Other retail workers commiserate with the TikToker in the comments, sharing their experiences.
"People will be looking for a very specific item but INSIST on referring to it by the most vague, barely makes sense descriptors," one writes.
"I swear, we couldn’t even fit their every request into a Walmart store if we tried. But building a larger store would likely be a massive waste of merchandise," another says.
@skylouieeeee That’s something u gotta get at a WHOLE other store #fyp #walmart #storytime #storytelling #retail #retailworker ♬ original sound - skylouieeeee
"And then they'll insist that they bought it there before, like that's gonna change my answer, and I'm gonna lead them to the secret spot where we hide things from customers," a third adds.
The Daily Dot reached out to Skylouieeeee via TikTok direct message and comment. We also contacted Walmart via media form.
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