Thrifting & Fleas & TikTok Please – TSK Warehouse

279 Rte. 13, Cortland
(607) 344-3900

By Shana Karn, Owner

We’ve heard it repeatedly: “Thrifting and Flea Marketing is the next big trend for Gen Z and younger!”  When it comes to small businesses tapping into what’s trending and how to tap into it, there is a learning curve. In the past, trends started in larger urban areas—not in Cortland/Dryden. Often, it would take years for a “trend” to finally make its way to Central New York. However, we’ve seen this fast forwarded thanks to social media—and most recently TikTok. Youth, teen and young adult trends that begin in the bigger cities now make it to little ol’ CNY much faster.  See?! TikTok isn’t always a “bad” thing…at least for small businesses.  A quick search for “thrifting” on Tik-Tok or Instagram brings up more results than imaginable. Thrifting to resell, thrifting finds, thrifting near me, thrifting home décor, thrifting clothes are just a few of the hundreds of results at your fingertips.  And the reels, videos, & posts—predominantly from tweens, teens and young adults—most calling themselves “Influencers.”

Very few people believe me when I tell them that “Influencers” became a thing in the early 2000’s—2004 to be more precise. But it’s true. Influencer marketing began with bloggers and “mommy bloggers” leveraging niche audiences for sponsorships— influencing didn’t begin with Instagram and TikTok. It simply began with the realization that the Internet connects us all. YouTube “Creators” appeared around 2009-10 and helped turn “hobbies” into “careers.” Between 2012-2015, with the rise of social media and the promotion of products on Facebook, Instagram, etc, the FTC (in 2015) started regulating these endorsements, marking the recognition of this work as a paid industry. By 2016-18, we saw an explosion of “Influencers” largely due to Instagram’s shift in algorithm, Stories, and influencer agents becoming common. By 2018, “Influencer” was recognized as a potentially lucrative and highly sought after career. Virtual influence skyrocketed during the Pandemic (2020-2021) and parents of the Gen Z population cringed and asked “How? Why?” when their kids announced it as an actual career goal. I want to note here that, currently, 1 in 4 Gen Zers say they plan to become social media influencers—and the industry is predicted to be worth billions.

The “how and why” are simple: Influencers can earn an income—a small percentage will earn millions; an Influencer is a non-traditional position and doesn’t require formal education or starting in an entry-level position. The growth of social media platforms allows for faster career growth and monetization (earning money). But here is what it all boils down to: At some point, consumers began trusting “relatable” social media figures more than traditional celebrity advertisements, making influencers invaluable to brands. For those of us Gen Xers (and older) who are in retail, we need to pay close attention to this because if we want to take advantage of this thrifting and flea trend happening with the next generation(s) we have to involve them in our marketing and promotion. 

While I’ve had a stagnant TikTok for The Second Knob for a few years, last week we introduced TSK.Warehouse to TikTok with a bright, young assistant creator and guess what? We saw results within days. It is a new era, and we are embracing it with a semi-Gen Z vibe that inspires (and influences) thrifters and antiquers of all ages—not just the younger one. The feedback on our new TikTok account has been amazing and we believe it will only get better from here on out. 

Haven’t checked out TSK Warehouse? Now is the time to do so! We are open Tues-Sat from 9am-6pm and Sun from 10am-4pm. Our outdoor flea markets begin on Saturday, May 16 and we still have a few vendor spaces available! Call today to reserve yours: (607) 344-3900.