A Walmart shopper in Canada was outraged to discover a gadget that supposedly charged a customer $1 to use a shopping cart. But according to other shoppers, it wasn’t quite what it seemed.
The TikTok video alerting Walmart consumers to the development came from creator Jordan Bonaparte (@nighttime_pod), posted to the platform on May 19 and getting attention in the form of more than 20,500 views since going up.
He starts by identifying the particular store in Halifax, Nova Scotia and says, “I got bad news for you.”
He then notes that Walmart “installed a gadget” on the shopping carts in the store “that requires you to pay $1 to use one of their carts.”
@nighttime_pod BREAKING: #walmart is holding a gun against the heads of shopping cart users! #Haifax #halifaxnovascotia #walmartfinds #scam #canada #retail #KeepCanadaWeird ♬ The Pink Room – Angelo Badalamenti
He then proposed, “If anyone plans on protesting this, let me know. I’d like to join the rally.”
Commenters came in to add to the narrative.
“Good Gawd you get your dollar back ffs,” one remarked.
“Jesus, you get your dollar back,” another remarked.
That comment spurred Bonaparte into action; he declared, “And they will get their parking lot back when they remove these satanic devices! We are protesting on Tuesday at 9 am.”
But, no, really, said others, you get the dollar back when you return the cart.
“You get the dollar back when you return it,” one noted. “Do you not shop at no frills? It makes people take the cart back to the corral.”
“I’m banned from the two no frills in my area,” the creator shared, “and even if they unbanned me I wouldn’t go back! I’m better than that, I’m not going to go crawling back!”
One resorted to mockery, commenting, “Did anyone understand what he was crying about? all I heard was waaa waaa waaa.”
He recorded a number of follow-up videos. In the process, he tried to make the hashtag #freecartconvoy (and a related protest) happen.
Commenters continued in much the same vein.
He also unveiled a video, recorded a few days later, showing that he was banned from the store.
“Pretty sad,” he remarks to kick off the video, “but as it turns out, this is as close as I’m allowed to be,” showing himself at quite some distance from the store.
@nighttime_pod The #Freecartconvoy will not be phased by me being banned from the #walmart property. Tuesday at 9am we are back unless the paywalls are removed from OUR shopping carts. #walmartfinds #justice #protest ♬ We're Not Gonna Take It (2016 Remaster) – Twisted Sister
The Daily Dot has reached out to the creator via TikTok comment and to Walmart via email.
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Source: https://www.dailydot.com/news/walmart-shopping-cart-dollar-back-gadget/