Americans buying & selling employee uniforms in new craze to beat crowds on Black Friday
The insanity for Black Friday bargains has reached new heights in the US, after one joke suggestion to sell a Walmart uniform to anyone seeking to skip ahead of the lines went viral and spawned dozens of similar but seemingly real offers.
It all reportedly started with Twitter user @OverlyLiked announcing he would be selling his Walmart vest for $100. “I’m selling this Walmart vest for $100,” he wrote. “Use it to skip the line during Black Friday. You can even walk in, grab what you want, and walk out.”
Although he tweeted it as a joke, which earned @OverlyLiked over 30,000 retweets and almost 80,000 likes, it wasn’t long before he was being inundated with real requests to buy his shirt.
I’m selling this Walmart vest for $100. Use it to skip the line during Black Friday. You can even walk in, grab what you want, and walk out🤷🏾♂️. pic.twitter.com/Q0UyDHUeU0
— 6'4 (@OverlyLiked) November 20, 2017
“The popularity of the tweet really did not surprise me… What shocked me was the news coverage of that,” @OverlyLiked told RT, explaining that apart from the bidders, he was also sought out by numerous media outlets covering the story.
Lol people really been trying to buy the Walmart vest. It was a joke i don’t even own a Walmart vest. pic.twitter.com/WFnhEAaNWZ
— 6'4 (@OverlyLiked) November 21, 2017
But soon other people had caught on to the idea and began selling their own uniforms, for real this time…
Going out for Black Friday? Pick up this Walmart vest for $30!Might be able to cut some lines. https://t.co/8P9MR1SPwzpic.twitter.com/vEsghCDX0K
— Fat Kid Deals (@FatKidDeals) November 21, 2017
Now I know them Walmart vest seemed like a good deal ,but I got these Best Buy joints going for $110 walk right in , skip the line , and take whatever you want !! pic.twitter.com/eVzML3RYbQ
— Teezy (@Jayteeezyyy) November 22, 2017
Walmart vest for sale ‼️80 dollars ..Walk right in ;Get what u want and walk right out on Black Friday 🤷🏾♂️ I'm willing to negotiate #FirstComeFirstServepic.twitter.com/An9yHp275b
— benneth (@KennethRaw) November 20, 2017
While others went out looking for them.
If anyone works or has worked at Walmart and has an employee vest..please let me buy it. I’m tryna test something out black Friday.
— scythe (@FuckDae) November 22, 2017
A few shameless individuals didn’t even bother snapping a new picture.
Walmart vest for sale‼️$80.. Walk right in; Get what you want and walk right out on Black Friday🤷🏽♂️ I'm willing to negotiate #firstcomefirstserve#BlackFridaypic.twitter.com/MUc5yHi6S8
— hadez (@Hadezipoo) November 21, 2017
Walmart has apparently caught onto the hustle, and has asked its employees to “question” anyone they see wearing one of their vests, but whom they do not recognize.
this spread so fast that at the manager meeting today we were told that if we see anyone we don’t recognize on thursday/black friday wearing a walmart vest, to question them. 😂😂😂😂 https://t.co/IEA9CTFrkQ
— Emily Gould (@emg_emily) November 21, 2017
Black Friday is the day on the American shopping calendar following Thanksgiving, where retailers offer massive bargains prompting anarchy nationwide, as shoppers often engage in fighting one another for the cheapest deals on anything from blenders to widescreen TV’s.