Walmart seems to have been paying close attention to all the hubbub about its so-called "Walmart Birkin" or "Wirkin"—the under-$80 Hermès imitator that skyrocketed to viral fame after it was tracked down by TikTokers this winter. The mega-retailer is responding not by dealing in more dupes, but helping shoppers get closer to the real things.

In previous eras of internet culture, mockery of the rich and famous was usually relegated to far-left forums. But as 2025 begins, ridiculing the rich appears to have gone mainstream.

By contrast, Walmart’s Wirkin bag represented an affordable way for everyday shoppers to embrace the Birkin aesthetic. The bags became a viral sensation on TikTok, where users celebrated the design as a playful jab at the inaccessibility of luxury goods.

Walmart is not trying to convince anybody it's copying the real deal, said Koyaana Redstar, a luxury handbag authenticator.

Walmart is adding tens of thousands of pre-owned luxury handbags, jewelry and watches to its marketplace through a partnership with resale platform Rebag.

If you don’t have $40K to spend on a Birkin, how about a “Wirkin?”