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A recent rumor has fooled some Home Depot customers into believing they will soon pay before even entering a store.
Online product outlet Pro Tool Reviews published a report Tuesday that alleged Home Depot will soon implement a parking fee to as part of a “surprising and unconventional response to rising inflation.” The article reported that a parking fee structure would vary by location ranging from “$2 for up to two hours in central Florida to $5 for a full day of parking in Los Angeles.”
However, the post was part of an elaborate April Fools’ Day prank that cited a fictional press release from a nonexistent Home Depot spokesperson. The article written by editorial staff was posted Tuesday, on the playful holiday known for pranks and listed an “April Fool’s” tag at the bottom.
“Inflation has hit us hard, from supply chain costs to labor shortages,” fictional spokesperson Tucker Lotman said in the false press release. “By implementing a modest parking fee, we can avoid passing these costs directly onto our customers through higher prices on lumber, tools, and gardening supplies.”
Is Home Depot actually adding a parking fee?
No, Home Depot is not adding a parking free.
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The rumor commenced after the Pro Tool Reviews article reported a fabricated press release claiming the store chain would begin to charge for parking unless a customer spent at least $250 in a single visit or enrolled in the store’s loyalty program.
The post succeeded in fooling some readers, with one X reader expressing frustration and vowing to no longer shop at the store chain.
The store’s official X account responded to several users to debunk the rumor with one reply reading, “Hi Rocky, this is an April Fools’ post from a tool review website. We do not charge for parking.”
The outlet returned to reporting the truth on Wednesday, publishing a story on Home Depot’s Spring Black Friday citing legitimate deals customers can use.
Outlet does April Fools’ articles every year
Pro Tool Reviews Editor-in-Chief Kenny Koehler said the online publication does April Fools’ Day prank articles every year, though they typically don’t generate as much conversation.
“As a team, we enjoy good-natured humor and love laughing with other people,” Koehler said in a statement to USA TODAY Wednesday. “The idea came about as we put ourselves in the shoes of these companies and wondered what might be an over-the-top response to inflation. As we batted around brands and ideas, the idea of charging for parking came up, and that’s how Home Depot came into the story.”
Koehler called the article’s high viewership “truly humbling” adding that the Pro Tool Reviews team hopes “people got a chuckle out of it when they realized they’d been fooled. We hope our friends over at Home Depot were able to laugh as well.”