TikTok's 'Small Business Owners' Are DELUSIONAL...

As a society, I think we should stop telling small businesses to charge whatever they want for their stuff just because they're a small business. Oh my god, I've just been taking L's on L's on L's, guys, and it's not even funny anymore. On top of Cody Rods being robbed of the main event of WrestleMania because of The Rock, we now have more cup drama.

Yep, cup drama. This year seems determined to keep this trend going. Remember the Stanley Cup craze in January? Seems we're not done with cups just yet. I can't escape this; it's flooding my For You page. So now, I'm turning to you guys. If I'm suffering, y'all are going to suffer with me. We're in this together.

So let's rewind to December—keep December in mind because it becomes important later. The girl in this TikTok video bought a mug at a farmer's market, thinking it had only one handle. How much do you think she paid for it? Take a guess. How about \$ 125? Yes, you heard that right.

"I actually have no idea who I'm going to give this to."

The girl was at the Finders Keepers Market. She exclaimed how she thought the mug only had one handle and ended up paying \$ 125 for it. Yes, that's correct. The mug was tiny, and she didn't even ask for the price. The seller just told her to tap her card, and the machine read \$ 125.

She reluctantly bought it, not wanting to seem rude. See, me, I wouldn't take that level of disrespect. I don't have any shame. If I had found out the price, I would've backed out. The seller tried to justify the price by explaining that it's handmade. But this girl's reaction was pure disbelief.

"It's handmade? I'm sorry, but not worth it."

Naturally, this situation sparked massive drama on TikTok, especially when the seller posted a manipulative three-minute video responding to Sophie—the buyer wasn't named in the original video, by the way.

Thanking Sophie for supporting her small business, the seller elaborated on the laborious process of creating the mug but failed to mention she uses molds, not handcrafting from scratch. This fact got exposed by others on TikTok, showing that identical mugs were available at much lower prices online.

The seller even offered Sophie a refund, which did not smooth things over. The issue isn't necessarily about the mug's price; it's about the seller's manipulative and dishonest approach to criticizing Sophie, who wasn't even rude in her video.

The TikTok community took Sophie's side. This wasn't about the toothed price of the mug but the way Shelby, the seller, responded unjustifiably.

Farmers markets are seen as affordable alternatives to mainstream markets. Yet here we are, with prices inflating as if they cater to the upper echelon. What happened to affordability and accessibility?

It's deeply concerning when even a luxury brand mug is in the same price range as something purchased at a local farmers' market. Shelby's defensive response, questioning how a fellow small business owner could criticize her pricing, ignores the essence of fair consumer relationships.

Let's not forget Emily Maro, the girl who went viral for her sushi bowl in 2021. She's now selling market totes for \$ 120. Yes, $ 120 for a tote bag, which mimics bags you can get for a fraction of the price elsewhere.

When did markets intended for budget-friendly shopping turn into luxury item showcases? Something has gone massively wrong when the ordinary tote bag in a supermarket outshines your so-called "designer" bag.

Thank you all for watching and reading. Let's keep discussing these absurdities. I love you all, and until next time.

Keywords

Small Business TikTok Farmer's Market Overpriced Goods Consumer Rights Handmade vs. Molds Sophie and Shelby Drama Inaccessibility Luxury Pricing

FAQ

1. Why did the girl buy the mug for $ 125? She didn't want to seem rude and reluctantly paid the price after assuming it had only one handle and not checking further.

2. Why was there a backlash against the seller, Shelby? Shelby responded to Sophie's innocuous video with a three-minute manipulative response video, misleadingly justifying the high price.

3. Why are people criticizing farmers market prices? The rising prices at farmers markets make once-affordable alternatives to mainstream markets inaccessible to average consumers.

4. Are the items really handmade? In cases like Shelby's, the items are not completely handmade but made using premade molds, which contradicts the justified high pricing of purely handcrafted goods.

5. What other examples of overpriced goods are mentioned? Emily Maro's market totes priced at $ 120 are highlighted as another example of unjustifiably high prices for seemingly ordinary items.

6. What should consumers do when faced with overpriced items? Consumers should feel empowered to question prices and reconsider purchases if they believe the cost does not reflect the value.