Shoppers rush to buy viral $4 back-to-school essential after it sells out at Target — but a competitor still has stock

A UNIQUE back-to-school essential has gone viral, and shoppers across the country are rushing to get their hands on it before it disappears completely.

The item was first spotted at retail giants like Target for just a few dollars and quickly garnered attention online.

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It is listed on Target’s Up&Up label as a clear case with a hard zipper, according to its website.

Apparently, there is nothing other than its translucent design that would make the case very different from any other standard case.

It also features a wraparound zipper with a single storage compartment and is about 8.75 inches wide, 6.25 inches deep, and 2 inches tall.

Even so, customers began to rave about the product.

The clear, hard-zip case has a five-star rating on Target’s website and is completely sold out.

“Multipurpose and great price!” someone exclaimed in a glowing review.

“I waited a whole year for them to restock,” wrote another.

It sold for just $3.99 per unit, and it’s unclear if or when it will be back in stock before the start of the school year.

Shoppers can still get the same case, but in gray with a black zipper, for the same price at the last remaining Target stores that carry it.

fan madness

The case’s popularity caught fire on TikTok during last year’s back-to-school season and extended into 2024.

Influencer Jocyline Martinez (@jocylinemartinez) posted a clip last August, which encouraged mothers to run to the store while they could, as the case was “perfect for storing essentials.”

Many in the comments claimed they could no longer find the product, and stock has already dwindled again at Target this year, as early as this month.

“Not even a week into BTS’s set and I’ve already gotten a million questions about it and I just emptied my bookshelf right before I posted this,” said a Target employee. he wrote on Reddit this week.

They added that it was “crazy” to see the item go so quickly.

What is Target Circle 360?

In April, Target launched its first paid membership program, Target Circle 360.

For $99 per year ($49 if you sign up before May 18), members have access to the following perks:

• Unlimited, free same-day delivery on orders over $35
• Another 30 days to return your items
• Free two-day shipping on 100,000 items
• 5% discount in store and online
• Automatic offers and exclusive benefits for partners

ACT FAST

Fortunately, there is a version of the case that buyers can purchase now, before time runs out.

Staples sells the Pep Rally Collection PET Clear Bag in store and online.

While it’s not identical to Target’s Up&Up version, it’s the next closest thing, with a clear design and gray zipper.

It retails for a little more at $4.79, according to Staples site.

Versions with other colors in the zipper fabric cost $7.19.

Target is also offering deals for shoppers around the 4th of July.

A prized kitchen essential is more than $660 off its original price for a limited time.

Shoppers also rushed to Target recently in search of products from a discontinued pajama and sweatshirt brand before it sold out.