‘I thought I was getting a good deal’: Walmart shopper takes $30 West Bend Air Fryer home. Then she opens the box
‘They wrong for putting that back on the shelf.’
This woman thought she was getting a steal of a deal on an air fryer at Walmart. Unfortunately, only the “steal” part was right.
What is an air fryer?
Air fryers have become a mainstay in modern kitchens, not just a passing trend like many other gadgets. These handy devices were initially promoted as a healthier way to fry food. Beyond that, they’re terrific for reheating food, baking, and roasting, offering a quicker alternative to traditional ovens. The neat cleanup and compact size make air fryers a favorite.
Air fryers use a small cooking chamber and a fan to circulate hot air rapidly, providing faster cooking times. You can find these appliances ranging from $40 to as high as $400, depending on their size, brand, and features.
Walmart air fryer gone wrong
One enthusiastic Walmart shopper was overjoyed to discover a family-sized, extra-large air fryer on sale for just $30, down from its original $55 price tag. “The time I thought I was getting a good deal from Walmart,” Nicole White (@nicole_1815) lamented in her TikTok video’s text overlay.
White’s video, which has gone viral with nearly 400,000 views and hundreds of comments, shows her excitement turning sour. At the store, she peeked into the box to confirm it contained an air fryer—it looked fine. However, once she got home and opened it, she found not only a different brand but also a fryer that was clearly used, with rust, food grime, and what appeared to be oven-cleaner foam.
“So gross,” White remarked.
A common retail problem
This incident is sadly not unique. It’s part of a broader issue where customers purchase items, swap them with inferior or fake versions, and then return them to the store for a refund. This practice plagues various industries from technology to beauty products.
To combat this, many retailers, like Target, Marshall’s, and Costco, have updated their return policies requiring thorough inspection of returned items before issuing refunds. This problem has been particularly challenging in women’s fashion, where fake high-end handbags and perfumes are unknowingly sold to customers.
Nicole has seemingly moved on from the incident, as there are no follow-up videos on her profile. Hopefully, she was able to get her money back.
Commenters react
Commenters on Nicole’s video were outraged on her behalf and shared their own experiences. One commented, “They wrong for putting that back on the shelf.”
Another person shared, “I learned to check all appliances and electronics ever since I bought a microwave only to find out it was a old used one and Walmart didn’t want to exchange or return it.”
“I bought a JBL speaker cause it was on clearance and when I took it home it didn’t work so we charged it and still nothing only to find out it was full of sand and was damaged,” another recounted.
