Why are people overpaying for Trader Joe's mini tote bags?
Trader Joe’s $2.99 Mini Canvas Tote Bags have quickly become the trendiest new must-have item to buy, and some have been listed in sets for as much as $499 on eBay.
Rivaling the hype of Stanley tumblers and Taylor Swift merch, the Washington Post reported the mini tote bags have become a status symbol.
Though the prices have quickly shot up, the Post said a wide array of the bags in various colors is available for under $20, including shipping.
The bags were not available Tuesday in Pittsburgh area locations. Trader Joe’s has stores in East Liberty, Upper St. Clair and McCandless.
Nakia Rohde, public relations manager for Trader Joe’s, told TribLive the grocery store chain didn’t even have a chance to promote the mini totes in any way.
“They just were in our store and customers found them and kind of created the hype on their own,” she said Tuesday.
The mini totes are made of the “same heavy duty, 65% cotton/35% polyester blend as our larger, classic Canvas Bags,” according to the Trader Joe’s website. They come in navy, yellow, red and forest green. The website lists the totes as “not available.”
For those who haven’t been able to snag one or don’t want to pay more than the original price, more mini tote bags will arrive in the coming months — hopefully in time for late summer, Rohde said.
Have you gotten your hands on the viral Trader Joe's mini tote bag? Read what associates told Scripps News when we asked if they would be getting more of the sold-out items. https://t.co/r73qZkG4Dx
— Scripps News (@scrippsnews) March 12, 2024
Rohde said she doesn’t know how long it took for each store to sell out of the mini totes. Someone answering the phone at the Upper St. Clair location said the totes sold out as soon as the buzz about the bags hit social media. A reporter visited the East Liberty location Tuesday only to find them sold out.
@yjw.ai New trader joes mini tote bags just launched in 4 colors! They are so cute! 2.99 already selling fast #traderjoes #totebag #fyp ♬ show me how - ❤︎︎
In terms of reselling, Trader Joe’s hasn’t been pleased by the popularity, the Post reported.
“We don’t endorse any resale of any of our products anywhere,” she told TribLive.
Megan Swift is a TribLive reporter covering trending news in Western Pennsylvania. A Murrysville native, she joined the Trib full time in 2023 after serving as editor-in-chief of The Daily Collegian at Penn State. She previously worked as a Jim Borden Scholarship intern at the Trib for three summers. She can be reached at mswift@triblive.com.
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