A woman says a stranger called dibs on a purse at Goodwill. But the bag she was claiming was the woman’s own Louis Vuitton

A stranger recently confronted a TikTok creator named Nicole at a local Goodwill, demanding that she hand over the purse she was wearing. Nicole, who is known as @nicole_yank0 on TikTok, was browsing the aisles hoping to find a hidden gem. According to Bored Panda, she spent some time looking through the bags section, but nothing stood out to her.

While she was checking out a different item, an older customer approached her and insisted that she had seen the purse first and planned on buying it. At first, Nicole assumed the woman was talking about the random bag she was holding, which was actually a piece of inventory on the shelf. These kinds of arguments happen in thrift stores often, so she didn’t think much of it at first.

However, the situation changed when she realized the woman wasn’t talking about the item from the shelf at all. The stranger was trying to claim the Louis Vuitton Speedy in Damier that Nicole was wearing on her own shoulder.

The designer bag carried a personalized keychain that marked it as Nicole’s own

This particular bag is a high-end item, selling for between $1,980 and $2,330, and it featured a personalized Louis Vuitton keychain on the side. Even though it was clearly a personal accessory and not a donation, the woman kept pushing, insisting that she had seen it first and intended to buy it.

Nicole eventually realized that the woman had no intention of backing down. Since the stranger was becoming more agitated, Nicole decided that the best move was to walk away from the conflict entirely. She didn’t want to get into a heated argument, so she left the store and recorded a video from her car to share the experience with her followers. Thrifted bags can hold surprises too, like the shopper who found something inside a purse.

The incident sparked a reaction online. Several commenters argued that designer donations are not sold in stores, with one writing, “there’s no way thst purse would sold in store. donations like that are sold on shopgoidwill action site never in store..” Another shared a similar complaint, saying, “Goodwill sucks because most of the good stuff that gets donated gets sold online rather than in the store.”

Other viewers related to the conflict itself. One person commented, “I’ve had confrontations at thrift stores over who saw something first I was currently holding.” Another reacted to the encounter more bluntly, writing, “the more i know people the more i love my dog.” That kind of designer find is rare next to some heists, like the millions that vanished from a bank.

Thrifting has become very popular, and with that popularity comes a certain level of intensity around the hunt for designer goods. Whether you are looking for a bargain or just browsing, it is a good idea to keep an eye on your personal belongings.

When you encounter someone who is being this confrontational, experts often suggest that the smartest thing you can do is de-escalate the situation and remove yourself from the area, which is exactly what Nicole did.