Thrift shops and secondhand stores might only exist for grandmas and those who are brave enough to paw through racks and racks of unwanted items. But these same businesses have become the lifeblood of online thrift stores like Tailgate Classics and 5 Star Vintage.
In a touching tribute to Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, the guys at Tailgate Classics and 5 Star Vintage are proving that one man's junk can in fact be another man’s treasure. But this treasure comes in the form of vintage hats, t-shirts, jerseys, and anything else they think customers want to buy.
Both businesses operate within the eCommerce realm of the internet, delivering goods directly to the consumer. Tailgate Classics and 5 Star Vintage both use Instagram’s store feature, which is an affordance that this social media platform offers to businesses.
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On Instagram, shops are an immersive full screen storefront that enable businesses to build their brand story and drive product discovery — all in a native shopping experience. People can visit a shop from a business’ Instagram profile or through Feed and Stories. Once they are at the shop, people can browse products, explore collections, and purchase products — seamlessly through the in-app browser or without leaving the app from shops with a website.
The two businesses are located on either side of the country with Tailgate Classics operating from Greenville, North Carolina and 5 Star Vintage doing business from Southern California. They coexist with one another, while competing in the same sector of eCommerce.
When Cameron Higley was a freshman at East Carolina University, he would often have people try to buy the previously thrifted clothes off his body. “One guy gave me $100 bucks for a hat and then I realized I had an opportunity there.” explained Higley.
Four years later, Tailgate Classics has 34.9k followers on their Instagram account which is estimated to be responsible for 99% of their business. Twitter is used often but does not drive anywhere near the same traffic. “We’ve begun doing some private label manufacturing as well so definitely want to try Facebook ads soon.” said Cameron Higley.
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Tailgate Classics has grown to a level of notoriety that allows them to use outlets like Old Row and Total Frat Move to target one of their best demographics: college students. “I love find some old school heat. I think that it’s sick that I can find stuff on Instagram, it makes shopping easy.” said Dylan Morgan, a college student who found Tailgate Classics because of Total Frat Move.
Across the country, 5 Star Vintage has been operating since 2013, did not start to see any real traction until 2017/2018. Social media has been a great tool for this company. “My business is 90% word of mouth. I spend little to no money on traditional ads.” said Steve from 5 Star Vintage. In this case, social media is used to update customers and grow the website because the end goal is growing the web presence.
While there are definitive advantages of the eCommerce world, Cameron Higley can admit that some of the traditional advantages of a brick-and-mortar store cannot be replicated. “Brick and mortar are advantageous because customers can actually see the product in person and try it on.” said Higley, “with vintage you can get a tee from 1989 tagged as an XL but has been washed and shrunk so many times that it fits like a medium.”
Conversely, because of nice weather in Southern California, 5 Star Vintage frequents at many outdoor flea markets. Flea markets allow customers who might have a better knowledge of vintage clothing to negotiate prices in their favor. Not that 5 Star Vintage is in trying to rip off customers, rather they just want to turn a profit. Instagram stores and their website allows for them to set a solid price and run sales on items as they wish.
For both businesses, their ability to sell online allows for them to reach far beyond just the smaller corners of the country that they occupy. While it is not outrageous to think “hey I could do this myself no problem!”, the guys at Tailgate Classics and 5 Star Vintage say it is a little more work than just going to your local Goodwill a few times a week.
“If you are going to start a brand, FULLY commit to it and work hard. Plan, plan, plan and get organized. Do your research ahead of time.” said Cameron Higley. Another thing to keep in mind is the time and effort needed to make this business model work. “Be consistent. That is what customers want. Where can I consistently go to get old clothes.
While Tailgate Classics does have almost double the Instagram followers of 5 Star Vintage, they are both able to utilize all available affordances that social media offers to them. They might not necessarily want you grandad’s clothes, but they probably will want the old beer signage or hats he has in the closet.
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