A recent TikTok post by deals finder and influencer Kim Nuzzolo touted a fancy metallic eyeshadow at Dollar Tree selling for a fraction of its $38 pricetag at Ulta Beauty.

“I almost missed this hidden gem at Dollar Tree,” reads the text on the video, which garnered over 261,000 likes, nearly 650 comments and 3.8 million views.

Nuzzolo’s post is one example of the countless haul and discovery videos on TikTok promoting dollar store products at a time when the economy is putting pressure on consumers to search out deals. The videos include treasure hunts of shoppers finding cool products at discounters such as Dollar Tree, Family Dollar or Dollar General, dupe videos promoting lookalike items that cost a fraction of their designer counterparts, and creative DIY ideas in which dollar store items can be used to craft new products. Such content is helping these stores, long a stable of older budget shoppers, gain ground with younger consumers in particular.

Though the trend began with consumers, both influencers and regular shoppers, posting their own content on the social media channel, the discounters themselves soon got in on the action. Last June, Dollar Tree and its Family Dollar brand joined TikTok; in November, rival Dollar General did the same, promoting its arrival with a “We’re on TikTok!” holiday-themed post. All now boast tens of thousands of followers.

“The great thing for dollar stores is they don’t like advertising much because it’s expensive, it costs them money and they try to keep their whole operation very lean,” said Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail. “They use social media as a very cost-effective, savvy way of marketing and advertising themselves.”

Traditionally, he noted, dollar stores are more of an in-person destination and do not do a lot of business through e-commerce, yet by being on social media channels, such brands are able to connect with Gen Z and reach such customers in a creative way.

Read more: 20 brands gaining popularity with Gen Z

Of course, brands need to be careful their posts don’t go viral for the wrong reasons. A Dollar General employee was terminated last year for posting on TikTok about her workplace challenges.

Sales rising

The renewed interest in discounters comes when many shoppers are looking for ways to save money. The rise in prices for everyday items such as groceries and toothpaste, and continual fears of a recession, have consumers looking to dollar stores as a destination for more of their regular shopping. The strategy is also in sharp contrast to some other popular trends on social media.

Some creators are looking for ways to distinguish themselves and promoting a “dollar store haul” is one way to stand out from luxury buys, for example. In this way, it’s similar to de-influencing, when creators advise their followers on what products not to buy, according to Lia Haberman, a social media consultant who teaches about social and influencer marketing at UCLA.

“The dollar store videos are a pendulum swing against all the over-the-top shopping videos we've seen recently, such as the influencer who ‘accidentally’ bought the $100,000 couch,” she said. “Influencers are still creating content around their lifestyles, but the delivery has changed to pop against a saturated social feed where everything looks the same.”

The newfound popularity appears to be paying off. Dollar General’s fourth-quarter sales rose 17.9% to $10.2 billion. The chain has recruited 24,000 followers on TikTok since its November arrival. Similarly, Chesapeake, Virginia-based Dollar Tree saw net sales in the fourth quarter rise 9% to $7.7 billion. However, even though sales are on an upswing, discounters are being cautious in their yearly forecasts in the face of unpredictable spending by consumers. Dollar General declined to comment about its TikTok strategy. Dollar Tree did not return a request for comment.

“Dollar stores are one of the bright areas of retail—they’re certainly taking market share and they’re doing a lot of activity in terms of opening up new stores, new concepts and attracting new customers,” said Saunders, noting that many outposts are located in rural areas making them convenient shopping destinations for most consumers.

A lot of the growth for dollar stores has been in non-consumable goods such as home décor items and that’s being driven by younger shoppers in particular, according to experts. Some of the TikTok content involves taking a dollar store item, like a terrarium, and creating something more decorative like a suncatcher or hanging ornament. This type of content appeals to Gen Z, which is known for its creativity.

“They are these quick-fix, cheap solutions you can put in place to decorate your living space or accommodations if you’re a student—it’s a creative generation and they do have budgets,” said Saunders.

As brands that don’t like to spend on advertising, discounters’ use of TikTok to connect with new shoppers is a smart tactic, experts say. It’s also something other brands may try to adopt as they see the trend gain traction. For example, outlet stores like T.J. Maxx and its HomeGoods brand could try to do more showcasing of their own products on social media.

This type of content, including haul videos and treasure hunts, is easy to create and has a low barrier to entry, according to Mae Karwowski, founder and CEO of influencer marketing agency Obviously, which was recently acquired by WPP.

“They’re doing a great job of riding the wave of this trend and doing it themselves,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be this Super Bowl commercial—on TikTok, you see the dollar stores are tapping into that and they get it.”