‘Rip the tag next time when it’s time to check out’: T.J. Maxx shopper reveals the real meaning behind the purple tag
A T.J. Maxx shopper is going viral on TikTok after explaining what the store’s color-coded tags represent.
Letia Lynn (@letia_lynn) said she was shopping at the store when she spotted a cute coat. But then she saw it had a purple tag on it—and immediately knew that she couldn’t purchase it.
“You want to talk about heartbreak?” Lynn quipped. She said she was at T.J. Maxx looking for the "perfect coat" when she spotted one from across the room. Upon trying it on, however, Lynn said she noticed that the jacket had a purple tag on it.
“If you know about T.J. Maxx, a purple tag means it costs a hell of a lot of money,” Lynn said. That meant her so-called perfect coat cost $300.
In the end, Lynn said she didn’t buy the coat. “SOIA&KYO is the brand let me know if y’all got a coupon,” Lynn wrote in the accompanying video caption. As of Sunday, Lynn’s video had amassed more than 1.7 million views.
The meaning of T.J. Maxx’s color-coded tags
According to Home Hacks, T.J. Maxx’s array of price tag colors might be confusing to navigate. Here’s a handy trick for knowing what each color represents.
A white tag indicates the regular price of an item, while a red tag symbolizes its clearance price. If you stumble upon a yellow tag, it will display the item’s final clearance price, which will give you the best bargain. A blue tag means the item has another piece that goes with it.
If you’re lucky to come across an item with a purple tag there’s good and bad news: The good news is that the piece is from a high-end designer and came straight from the runway. But the bad news is that these items are often the most expensive.
According to News Nation, the purple tags are only on items “belonging to T.J. Maxx’s ‘The Runway’ department, a higher-end collection featuring ‘European, contemporary, and couture fashion.”
A spokesperson for T.J. Maxx also told the outlet that items with yellow tags will not be discounted further. And if items linger in the store for too long, they will eventually be “sold to a third-party or donated to charitable organizations.”
@letia_lynn @SOIA & KYO is the brand let me know if yall got a coupon ???????? #greenscreenvideo ♬ original sound - Letia_lynn????????
Viewers respond to news of expensive T.J. Maxx pieces
In the comments section of Lynn’s video, a number of viewers expressed shock that T.J. Maxx sells such expensive clothes.
“I didn’t know they sold stuff for $300,” one woman wrote. “When they start that?”
“3 HUNNID?!” another said, clearly taken aback. “FOR A COAT!!???”
“Tjmaxx and Marshalls always playing with my emotions,” a third viewer quipped.
Others, however, said if the coat is of good quality, $300 is a steal.
“300 bucks for a good jacket is still reasonable tho,” one user said. “It’s cute.”
“For a grownup good quality coat you could have for a year… that’s a good deal,” another added.
“300$ isn’t bad,” a third commenter echoed. “That’s the cheapest I got. I live in Canada. I’m freezing.”
Meanwhile, some other viewers joked that they planned on ripping off the purple tag the next time they visited T.J. Maxx.
“Rip the tag next time when it’s time to check out have them search the item which they hate to do they’ll price guess it for you at a cheaper price,” one user recommended.
“I be switching tags cause who really be looking lmfaooooo,” another quipped.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Lynn via TikTok comment and to T.J. Maxx through email.
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