A trip to Kohl's for jeans and underwear was supposed to save one family money, but the shopper says the final bill came to $125 despite bringing a 30% discount coupon. The frustrating experience has now drawn attention to wider complaints about the retailer's promotions, as a separate online video raises questions about whether some displayed original prices accurately reflect the cost of the items.
The Reddit user, who shared the experience in the r/mildlyinfuriating community, described disorganised clothing racks, a lengthy checkout queue and confusion over which products qualified for the discount. Meanwhile, a video creator examining Kohl's price tags claimed that some advertised reductions did not match the prices printed on individual garments, although the examples have not been independently verified.
The $125 Checkout Shock
The shopper said the family visited Kohl's because their son needed new jeans and underwear, with a 30% coupon making the trip seem worthwhile. After finding two pairs of jeans and a six-pack of Hanes boxer shorts priced at $38, they expected the bill to come to roughly $100.
Instead, the original total was reportedly £104 ($138) before the coupon brought it down to £94.40 ($125). The shopper said a member of the staff explained that the jeans were excluded because they were a name brand, leaving the family frustrated after spending around 20 minutes waiting to pay.
The Coupon Exclusion Problem
According to the Reddit post, the shopper checked the coupon's small print but could not find an exclusion specifically mentioning Levi's jeans. The customer said the employee explained that premium brands, including Levi's and Under Armour, were routinely excluded from promotions, but the exchange did not resolve their concerns.
Kohl's does offer legitimate promotional coupons, but eligibility depends on the offer's terms and the products involved. Its brand and category exclusions mean that a 30% coupon does not necessarily reduce every item in a customer's basket, making it important to check the conditions before relying on the advertised saving.
@the_stripelife So tired of the scamming discount codes to get you in only to pay a higher price than Amazon and everywhere else. @Kohl’s make your discounts work for everything #kohls #scam #fyp
♬ where is my mind (piano version) - your movie soundtrack
The Price Tags Raise Questions
A separate YouTube video takes aim at the way some discounts are displayed, with its creator examining digital price labels and comparing them with physical garment tags. In one example, the creator said a pair of pyjamas was displayed with an original price of $40 and a sale price of $28, while several physical tags reportedly listed the regular price as $32.99.
If those comparisons are accurate, the advertised reduction could give shoppers a different impression of the saving available. However, the video alone does not establish why the prices differed or whether the discrepancy reflected an error, an outdated label or another pricing issue.
The Small Print Matters
The creator also highlighted small codes on digital labels that they said indicate whether products are on sale, eligible for additional coupons or included in buy-one-get-one-half-price offers. These details could matter to shoppers trying to combine promotions, particularly when a prominent sign advertises a reduction but the item does not qualify for another discount.
The video further questioned red signs displaying regular prices, arguing that the colour could make shoppers associate an item with a sale even when no reduction was advertised. That is the creator's interpretation of retail presentation, rather than evidence that Kohl's deliberately misleads customers through its signage.
Shoppers Share Their Frustrations
The Reddit thread attracted other complaints about the shopping experience, with one commenter joking that their local Kohl's resembled an Amazon returns desk with a clothing and perfume shop attached. Another criticised the retailer's pricing strategy, suggesting that some products appeared to be presented as bargains despite costing what the commenter considered their ordinary value.
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by u/CBus-Eagle from discussion
in mildlyinfuriating
One shopper also recounted an alleged incident from around 15 years ago in which a failed shoe-order kiosk reportedly charged their card three times without delivering the shoes. These are individual accounts, and the comments do not independently establish a wider pattern of misconduct by the retailer.
Real Deals Still Exist
Despite the criticism, the video creator acknowledged that some Kohl's products could offer competitive prices, particularly selected kitchen appliances and clearance items. The creator compared a Ninja appliance priced at $199.99 at Kohl's with a reported $279.99 price at Walmart, illustrating why shoppers may benefit from comparing identical products rather than assuming one retailer is always cheaper.
For customers, the simplest approach is to read coupon exclusions, inspect the final checkout total and compare an item's current price with other retailers before buying. The Reddit shopper said the experience had put them off returning to Kohl's, but the post and video remain individual accounts, not proof that every promotion or price at the retailer is misleading.
