‘I was in tears’: Shopper finds Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones at Marshalls. Then she opens the box

A woman is vowing to never shop at Marshalls again after purchasing what she believed were Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones.

In a video with over 481,000 views, TikTok user Alexus (@alexus.nesbitt) zooms in on a box of Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones in a locked case at Marshalls.

The video cuts to Alexus walking through the parking lot, excitedly holding her purchase in a plastic bag. Alexus didn't reveal how much the headphones, which usually retail for $198 to $398, cost at Marshalls. However, one can assume she found them for a lot less, as Marshalls sells a variety of nam-brand items at a discount.

Her excitement quickly dissipated. She unboxed her headphones on camera. She didn't find brand-new Sony headphones in the box but rather beat-up Bose ones.

In a follow-up video, Alexus shares how she felt after she saw what was in the box and what actions she took to remedy the mixup. “I didn’t believe it to be true. Not four days before my birthday. I was in tears, almost,” she recalls.

What happened when she tried to return the headphones?

Alexus says she called Marshalls to explain what happened and then returned to the store to take them back. “I pull up. I get there. I'm showing them everything, and they’re just, like, ‘This isn’t real. This can’t be true. This was already packaged. There’s no way this could’ve been done,'" she recalls the worker telling her.

“Long story short, they're sitting over there, ‘We gotta go in the back and look at security cameras,’” she continues recounting.

“'Security cameras for what? What are you going to find? The fact that I went to ask for assistance to get the box that was already wrapped? Like we both thought we knew? And I went home, opened the box, and it was something we didn’t know was in there?'” she recalls pushing back.

In the end, she says the worker opted to give her store credit for the purchase. So, she says she went to buy another Sony set with the store credit. The worker accompanied her to the section where the headphones would be, but there were no headphones in stock.

She calls the store credit "useless" to her and points to the fine print on it.

“When you use this gift card,” she says, “you won't be able to return your item without a receipt. You’re gonna get a warning in the system, and you won’t be allowed to make a purchase and won’t have a receipt."

She then questions why the workers gave her such a hard time about returning the headphones even though she had a receipt proving her purchase.

Switcheroos are a common occurrence

But it's likely the workers thought she swapped the headphones herself and was trying to pull a fast one on the store. After all, it is a pretty common occurrence. In 2022, a shopper swapped a pair of shoes with her own old ones. Another urged viewers in 2024 to “check their packaging” when she received Pacifica Fluffy Blushy Blush instead of Glossier Stretch Dewy Buildable Coverage Concealer.

The Daily Dot reached out to Alexus via Instagram direct message and TikTok comment, as well as to both Marshalls and Sony Electronics via press email. 

Marshalls return policy

Although the company accepts most returns within 30 days, there are exceptions.

“Merchandise that is used, worn or in unsellable condition will not be accepted for refund, merchandise credit or exchange. Returns of swimwear and intimate apparel require tickets properly attached to the merchandise. Other restrictions may apply. Unfortunately, many retailers are subject to fraudulent return activity. Returns may also be limited or declined based upon our refund verification systems, which are used to process and track returns to help administer our loss prevention program,” per Marshalls' website.

Did she ever receive a refund?

According to another follow-up video, Alexus was denied a refund by corporate. According to the email she received and shared with viewers, she was denied the refund because the store couldn't validate if the headphones were in a sealed box.

“I will never be shopping at Marshalls again," she expressed in the caption, tagging the retailer. "Even after contacting corporate i am still receiving the run around when the only thing i am asking for is the item i originally paid for or to be refunded my money to my original form of payment!!! i had nothing to do with the headphones in that box!!!”

@alexus.nesbitt day 2 of me posting of why i will never be shopping at the @Marshalls in tamarac, fl !!!! the full storytime is on my page! #marshalls #fyp #sonyxm4 #storytime ♬ Funny - Gold-Tiger

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