Hermès’s Birkin bag has long been a status symbol, and the luxury brand is determined to keep it so. The least expensive model starts at around $10,000; a quota systems means that each individual buyer is allowed to purchase only two bags per year, assuming they can find them. The limited production lines and personalized approach that Hermès takes to selling each handbag—available only in licensed Hermès stores—means that waiting lists for popular Birkins styles can extend over multiple years.

Such status surrounding the bag perhaps explains why Walmart’s recent replica went so viral. Nicknamed the “Wirkin,” it inspired both jokes and praise, along with a ton of sales. Priced in the $100 range, it enabled virtually anyone who wanted one to get ahold of a fashion dupe. Such offerings represent copycat products that carefully tread the line to avoid infringing on any existing trademarks or intellectual property rights while still looking remarkably similar to the original design.

Even if it was legal though, it was not something Hermès wanted. Maybe fashion experts could relatively easily spot the dupes as unlike the luxury version, yet the Wirkins still held the potential to dilute the appeal and status-offering power of exclusive bags. In turn, they appear to have led to the announcement of a new initiative, involving a remarkable partnership between Walmart, with its long-standing and consistent reputation for low prices, and Rebag, a resale site that specializes in the highest of high-end goods.

Having agreed to pull the Wirkins from its shelves and website, Walmart gains the right to expand its online marketplace to offer thousands of used luxury handbags, from designers including Louis Vuitton and Chanel, Gucci and Prada—as well as Hermès itself. Rebag will also curate an exclusive assortment of bags that will be available only to Walmart customers.

Certainly, Walmart has been working to diversify its offerings (as we’ve discussed previously in these abstracts, in relation to its introduction of the Bettergoods line of gourmet, premium food offerings; see “Bigger and Better: Exploring Walmart’s New Premium Bettergoods Brand”). But being able to access Hermès on a Walmart site is a lot different from finding an organic pizza on a trip to a Walmart store.

Still, even if this novel market offering came as something of a surprise, it seems to make sense in retrospect. The competition created by the stunning popularity of the Wirkin bags forced the luxury brand to take notice and make a change. Walmart keeps trying to diversify. And in the face of economic turmoil, international tariffs, and interest rate hikes, even consumers with high net worths are altering their shopping patterns, including turning more of their budgets over to Walmart.

Discussion Questions 

1. Is this partnership with Rebag likely to generate long-term profits?
2. How else might Walmart expand its product offerings to appeal to wealthy customers?
3. How else might luxury brands like Hermès protect their trademarks and status?

Sources: Doug Melville, “Walmart Went from the ‘Wirkin’ to the Birkin in New Deal with ReBag,” Forbes, January 17, 2025; Dominick Reuter, “The Viral ‘Wirkin’ Bags Are Disappearing from Walmart’s Online Store. Here’s Why,” Business Insider, January 15, 2025; Natalie Stechyson, “Why Walmart’s $80 Birkin Bag Dupe, Dubbed the ‘Wirkin,’ Has Sparked so Much Controversy,” CBC Radio Canada, January 6, 2025; Francisco Velasquez, “Walmart Is Selling Chanel, Fendi, and Prada. Here’s Why that Matters,” Yahoo Finance, January 16, 2025