TikTok and thrifting: a new role for traditional retail stores in the Internet era

In America, traditional stores aren't dying; they're transforming

How TikTok has turned thrifting into a niche business model

A fashion trend originating in New York, where the shopping habits and new consumption models of younger generations shape fashion trends in the American market.

Vintage rock T-shirts and vintage Juicy Couture tracksuits aren't mainstream fashion. But Spotts and Rogue view their assortment of '90s and 2000s apparel as a way to differentiate themselves from other vintage competitors and attract high-end customers who shop at The RealReal. "Having good taste and a unique niche is what sets vintage sellers apart," said Liana Satenstein, a fashion journalist at Vogue. "It's nice to buy from someone who knows those years well... and is excited to talk about them. It adds to the shopping experience." Rogue, who sources many vintage pieces at specialized tradeshows, has noticed that more collectors buying for celebrities and designers are now purchasing more recent vintage labels. "It's fun to see these guys who used to rummage through stalls looking strictly for '60s items now buying only Y2K-style pieces," Rogue said.

The new entrepreneurs born from TikTok

Sellers like Choon, Rogue, and Spotts have ventured into the brick-and-mortar world as online secondhand marketplaces like Depop, eBay, Grailed, ThredUp, Poshmark, StockX, and Goat have become increasingly crowded. "We joke that when we walk into a thrift store and see a stylishly dressed girl, the timer goes off because we know these stores display only a limited number of great pieces daily, and you dive into that dimension to find the dream bargain," Spotts said.

Young sellers are capitalizing on the '90s and early 2000s vintage boom in the United States, which nods to sustainable fashion and excites Gen Z consumers eager to showcase unique looks. While these young shoppers grew up buying online, stores like Funny Pretty Nice and Rogue reflect that physical retail is still very much in vogue, even if the power to dictate the latest trend is entrusted to TikTok.