Current:Home > BackTrader Joe’s $3 mini totes went viral on TikTok. Now, they’re reselling for hundreds-InfoLens
Trader Joe’s $3 mini totes went viral on TikTok. Now, they’re reselling for hundreds
View Date:2024-12-23 12:24:28
NEW YORK (AP) — Trader Joe’s mini canvas tote is the latest item to cause a stir on social media, so much so that resellers are taking advantage of the hype.
The mini totes are offered in four colors — blue, red, green, and yellow — and they are all in high demand. The bags, retailing for $2.99, are now advertised on platforms like eBay and Facebook Marketplace for many times their original price.
Offers from third-party sellers range significantly, but as of Wednesday, listings ranged from about $20 for a single bag to as high as $999 for a set of four.
Videos shared on social media show crowds of customers visiting Trader Joe’s stores hoping to get their hands on one of the highly-coveted mini totes. Beyond the checkout line, TikTokers have gained tens of thousands of views for sharing and customizing their bags with detail paint, buttons, and embroidery designs.
“Our Mini Canvas Tote Bags certainly sold more quickly than we anticipated,” said Nakia Rohde, a spokesperson for Trader Joe’s. “Before we had the opportunity to promote them in any way, customers across the country found them at their neighborhood Trader Joe’s.”
While Trader Joe’s is no stranger to having its products go viral, the Monrovia, California-based grocery chain also said it does not condone the reselling its products — with Rohde stressing that “our customers, in our stores, are our focus.”
Exclusivity and limited supply are always key factors impacting both prices and consumer behavior. Beyond the added influence of the internet, that’s previously been displayed in demand for products ranging from the scarcity of Huy Fong Foods’ Sriracha to empty toilet paper shelves seen at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Of course, Trader Joe’s mini totes aren’t the first to become a viral sensation. Stanley cups, for example, similarly skyrocketed to online fame this year, with demand for the tumblers causing chaos at retailers nationwide. Limited-edition Stanley cups have also been priced up by third-party sellers.
The mini totes have sold out in stores across the country, but shoppers can expect to see them return. “We do have more Trader Joe’s Mini Canvas Tote Bags coming,” said Rohde. “Customers can expect to see them in our stores in late summer.”
______________
AP Business Reporter Wyatte Grantham-Philips contributed to this report from New York.
veryGood! (989)
Related
- Missouri prosecutor says he won’t charge Nelly after an August drug arrest
- Russia’s ruling party backs Putin’s reelection bid while a pro-peace candidate clears first hurdle
- Practical Ways To Make Your Holiday Leftovers Last As Long As Possible
- Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid fined for criticizing officiating after loss to Bills
- Diamond Sports Group can emerge out of bankruptcy after having reorganization plan approved
- Ex-Jesuit’s religious community in Slovenia ordered to dissolve in one year over widespread abuse
- Activision Blizzard to pay $54 million to settle California state workplace discrimination claims
- Tiger Woods' daughter Sam caddies for him at PNC Championship in Orlando
- Waymo’s robotaxis now open to anyone who wants a driverless ride in Los Angeles
- The leaders of Italy, the UK and Albania meet in Rome to hold talks on migration
Ranking
- Nicole Kidman Reveals the Surprising Reason for Starring in NSFW Movie Babygirl
- Texans' CJ Stroud to miss Sunday's game vs. Titans because of concussion
- Israel presses ahead in Gaza as errant killing of captives adds to concern about its wartime conduct
- 2 new cases of chronic wasting disease found in Alabama deer
- My Little Pony finally hits the Toy Hall of Fame, alongside Phase 10 and Transformers
- Prosecutors say Washington state man charged in 4 murders lured victims with promise of buried gold
- Steelers' Damontae Kazee ejected for hit that gives Colts WR Michael Pittman concussion
- Catholic activists in Mexico help women reconcile their faith with abortion rights
Recommendation
-
Trump has promised to ‘save TikTok’. What happens next is less clear
-
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Stars Have a Full Cast Reunion That Will Lift Your Spirits
-
Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid fined for criticizing officiating after loss to Bills
-
WWE star Liv Morgan arrested in Florida on marijuana possession charge
-
Stressing over Election Day? Try these apps and tools to calm your nerves
-
Can a state count all its votes by hand? A North Dakota proposal aims to be the first to try
-
As 2023 holidays dawn, face masks have settled in as an occasional feature of the American landscape
-
'Reacher' Season 2: When do new episodes come out? See the full release date schedule