Tesco shopper branded 'sad' after 'clearing' supermarket shelf to make £1,000 profit
Shoppers have expressed their outrage at an ambitious TikTok user known as 'Sam's Journey', who has taken to buying in bulk from supermarkets and reselling the items online at a profit. With 95,000 followers on the platform, Sam is part of a growing trend among young Brits seeking to make easy money through such methods.
His strategy involves filming his shopping trips to different UK retailers, where he purchases items in large quantities with the intention of selling them for higher prices via Amazon FBA.
This Amazon service allows businesses to send products to its fulfilment centres, which handle listings, storage, packing, and shipping. It has previously been criticised for generating inflated prices that deter consumers.
Notably, anyone earning more than £1,000 over a tax year from such side hustles needs to register as self-employed with HMRC and fill out a self-assessment tax return, aside from possibly inciting public wrath.
In one recent video, Sam can be observed encountering a shelf filled with Sistema lunch boxes priced at only 88p each. "Oh my god these are 88p [but] they sell for £7 on Amazon - they sell over 100 times a month," he excitedly proclaims, reports the Mirror.
"Mate, we're going to get a trolley and take the lot... We'll leave a few of them but I'll take a f***ing 100 at least."
Sam snapped up a whopping 81 units and returned to the shop the following day for more lunchboxes, boasting about a £1,000 profit in the comments: "I've sold them all..." Amazon FBA, which charges £25 (excluding VAT) monthly plus selling fees, pays out bi-weekly based on the proceeds from orders over a fortnight.
Supermarkets often impose limits on bulk purchases of identical items, particularly during national shortages. Certain bulk products like cans of soda may carry a 'do not re-sell' notice.
While Sam was pleased with his entrepreneurial venture, online commenters expressed their disapproval. One frustrated individual shared, "What's sad is I tried to get these for the kids in my additional special needs class [but] couldn't cos there was someone loading a trolley with them in Tesco,".
Another sarcastically commented, "Thanks for telling me where I can buy it cheaper."
A third questioned the logic, asking, "Why would people buy for that price when they could go to Tesco themselves? " And a fourth bluntly called him a "B*** end."
However, others have praised the man's savvy approach, suggesting he's working 'smarter not harder'. "Good luck to you, I hope you make lots of money."
One supporter said, while another chimed in: "Admire what you're doing mate! Should've taken all the units."
A third person contributed: "Good lad, he's out there trying to earn some money, how can anyone knock him? ".
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