I have written about extreme couponing before and my major gripe with it was that the products people were stockpiling were toxic. They out-gas their containers and create toxic air in their homes. Not to mention, they are filled with toxic ingredients and using them can result in miscarriage, infertility, birth defects, cancer and more.
Today, there is something that is gaining great popularity on Facebook and other social media that I feel is responsible for out of control buying of all kinds of products. They are called glitch groups and the members post about all kinds of pricing mistakes online and in stores.
This week, one of the glitches posted was not really a glitch but a clearance price of $.30 for a can of holiday scented Febreeze spray at a major retailer. Photo after photo of people walking out of the store with shopping carts full of these holiday scented, fabric fresheners was posted. Many were walking out with cases of Febreeze.
Now, if you don’t know, Febreeze is one of the most toxic products you can use, it can cause central nervous system damage among other things. Try to share a word to the wise and it is obvious they are not wise and you are a hater. That is fine, if they want to stack their cancer-in-a-can, fabric freshener in pretty little rows in their stockpile, there is not much I can do. Even speaking to them as the mother of a cancer survivor, they do not want anyone to steal the joy that a cart full of Febreeze can bring them.
Worse are the ones who are not stacking it in neat little rows but coming home and adding it to rooms that are already stacked to the gills with other glitch, clearance or sale items they have found. It is not hard for things to get out of control and I truly believe it is a dangerous addiction.
I know how exciting it can be to find the deal of the century. I used to shop like that, it was not for toxic things but if I found games, toys, kitchen items, craft items etc. at a great price, I bought them up faster than you could say C-L-U-T-T-E-R. I ended up giving so much of it away in an attempt to clear my garage of boxes of the stuff that for a time, I used to sell on eBay until they raised their fees so high, it did not pay.
I know some of these Glitchers are selling at local swap sales, online yard sales, Craigslist, Amazon or other sites. Good for them! If they are moving products out for a profit that is super. The problem lies when things are not moving out and more and more things are moving in. This out of control bargain shopping addiction can be brutal.
Recently, they were posting about Christmas trees for a penny at a major retailer. I found a 12 ft. tree and since we did have to replace ours, I was thrilled to find one ringing up at around $60. It was a beautiful 12 ft. pre-lit tree, almost exactly like our other one that needed replacing that retailed at over $800.
Yet theses Glitchers almost made me hang my head in shame that I was not able to get it for a penny. Had I not been aware of these Glitchers, I would have been thrilled to get this deal. Darn Glitchers making others feel bad. I was surprised when one of them found one of the trees but it was ringing up at $12 and she did not want it at that price. Say what? I don’t know about you but I thought $60 was a super deal.
However, I don’t think anything is a super deal if you don’t need it, are not going to give it to someone or don’t sell it. If you are buying just to buy, you are going to end up being on Hoarders:Buried Alive.
Clearance or bargain shopping used to be something that people enjoyed solo or with a spouse or friend. Sometimes they would tell family and friends about the awesome deals and that is where it ended.
With these groups now all over social media, it is becoming a contest of just how many Pioneer Woman frying pans you can score for $4 or how many $9 Barbie Dreamhouses you can fit in your car and still have room for yourself in an Instagram selfie. Posting the photo and reading the comments can be a real adrenaline rush. We know shopping addiction is real and I truly think social media is taking it to a level we have not seen before.
What do you think? Please share your thoughts.
