20-05-2025
American tourist shares brutally honest review after visiting Kmart in Australia
American tourist shares brutally honest review after visiting Kmart in Australia
An American traveller posted a TikTok video reviewing a Kmart Australia store
The content creator's assessment of Kmart as 'budget' ignited Aussie shoppers
READ MORE: A $30 Kmart item has been declared 'the cleaning find of 2025'
An American travel blogger shared her honest thoughts on Kmart Australia stores – and her remarks ignited Aussie shoppers.
Carli Rasschaert, a travel blogger who hails from Minnesota and is based in Seattle, shared a video of herself touring a Kmart Australia store in Brisbane while comparing it to equivalent mass retail stores back in her US homeland.
In a TikTok video, which has amassed over 56,000 views, Carli explained that Kmart stores in America have a poor reputation, with many outlets even going out of business.
'Kmart pretty much doesn't exist in the US anymore because it was so bad. So this will be an experience for me,' the travel blogger explained.
The content creator who writes for her Adventures With Carli travel blog explained that Aussies shoppers had recommended she check out the popular local chain store – insisting it was nothing like the poor-quality American version.
Accordingly, Carli quipped in the video: 'I'm gonna say something I've never once said in my life - but let's go to Kmart.'
But on arrival in the Brisbane Kmart store, Carli was initially underwhelmed.
'My first impression was, "Why is there so much stuff at the entrance?" Carli said in the video voice over.
Carli Rasschaert, an American travel blogger who posts under the social media handle @adventureswithcarli, reviewed Kmart Australia after touring a store
'It felt really claustrophobic,' she added.
Once inside the store, there were however elements that Carli liked.
'I did, however, appreciate that they had distinct vignettes and endcap displays and just better displays in general,' said the seasoned traveller.
Carli also noted that the broad 'selection of products' available at Australian Kmart made it feel 'more like an [American] Target' store, which are hugely popular in the US.
The blogger also called out a few key specific sections as standouts.
'My favourite part of the store was the beauty section. There were some fun finds like playful bath bombs and the cutest koala eye mask ever,' she said.
'I also appreciated the craft section,' added Carli.
'And the best find of the day was by far the disco ball pinata,' a gleeful Carli said while holding the decorative party item.
Travel blogger Carli was underwhelmed by her Kmart Australia shopping experience, but did appreciate finds like a disco ball pinata
Travel blogger Carli was underwhelmed by her Kmart Australia shopping experience, but did appreciate finds like a koala eye mask
Carli concluded the video by saying: 'Overall, this was probably the best Kmart experience I've ever had. But the store was still pretty dishevelled and gave budget vibes.'
'But there were some good items that you can definitely find here,' she added.
The video attracted hundreds of comments – with many patriotic Aussies defending the down under version of the mass retailer.
'Australian Kmart is amazing,' read part of one comment, adding that it is 'not related at all' to the US Kmart stores.
'Kmart in Australia is much better laid out then the American Walmart, Ross's etc,' declared another reply.
But the gripe Aussie Kmart shoppers had with Carli's assessment was her negative use of the word 'budget'.
'Kmart IS budget! That's what we like about it,' asserted one reply.
'Kmart is a budget store in Australia. It sells dupes of higher brands,' read another comment.
Carli Rasschaert refers to herself as a 'part time traveller', and shares details of her travels on her blog,
Carli herself chimed in to the comments to explain further: 'Just because a store sells discounted merch doesn't mean it has to look budget.'
'It would have been better if it wasn't so messy, it definitely hadn't been organized in awhile,' she doubled down in another response.
A select few commenters agreed with Carli's observation that Australian 'budget department stores cannot compare' with American equivalents like 'Walmart, Target, Ross for Less'.
Carli created her Kmart review video in response to a previous video shared to her TikTok account where she'd visited a Target Australia store.
In that TikTok video, which has been viewed over 76,000 times, she delivered a scathing assessment of the Australian version of the store, particularly when compared to the beloved American equivalent.
'Target lovers, I have bad news: the Targets are not created equally down here,' she said in the Target Australia review video.
'Imagine the saddest Target you've ever been to… this was worse,' Carli said in the social media video.
'To the Australians: you deserve better than this, or at least better displays and lighting at a minimum.'
