Trader Joe's pastel mini tote bags are back. Crowds rush in to score them
They’re the hottest deal at Trader Joe’s this week.
On Wednesday, the value-priced grocery chain unveiled its one-in-a-year event and shoppers were ready.
Out came the $2.99 mini pastel canvas tote bags in pink, blue, purple and green bearing the Trader Joe’s logo and they were met with lines of eager buyers that snaked all the way to the back of the store as early as 8:15 am in one Trader Joe’s location in New York City.
An employee told Bagable.com that customers had lined up outside of the store before it opened in anticipation of the rollout of the mini bags.
”It’s crazy in here this morning. It’s for the totes,” he said.
The demand was so high for the mini totes that the store limited purchase to two bags per customer.
Trader Joe’s last March first introduced its $2.99 mini canvas logo tote bags in yellow, blue, red and green. They went viral and quickly sold out. They were so popular that the mini bags popped up again online where people were quickly reselling them for hundreds of dollars.
Trader Joe's "Mystery pack" totes cause a stir
Be careful about uttering the words “Trader Joe’s” and “tote bags” together, and aloud. That combination has a history of triggering a euphoric viral frenzy.
“When it comes to our reusable bags, our customers have made themselves abundantly clear: the smaller the tote, the bigger the sensation,” the company wrote about the bags on its website.
“Last year, when we introduced our mini canvas totes, we were so pleasantly surprised by their rapturous reception that we’re bringing in even more mini totes, this time in a series of pastel shades to herald the beginning of Spring. Indeed, for a limited time only, you can find Trader Joe’s mini pastel canvas tote bags in delicate pink, baby blue, mint green, and lovely lavender at your neighborhood Trader Joe’s!,” it said.
Trader Joe’s said its mini totes, which are about 13 inches long, 11 inches tall, and 6 inches wide, are ideal for smaller shopping trips - “the kind where you’re just picking up something for lunch, or grabbing those items you forgot the first time around.”
It offered a few other suggestions for how best to use them: “Outside of shopping, they’re also excellent for packing up a little springtime picnic, bringing brunch supplies over to a friend’s house, or even just carrying your books and tech around school or work.”
With Easter coming up, the pastel hues of the mini totes could also double as gift bags or “Easter baskets when filled with springtime candies and treats from Trader Joe’s—especially if the recipient happens to be a dedicated TJ’s Tote Bag collector,” the grocery chain said.
The new mini pastel totes were already listed on eBay on Wednesday for as much as $150 for a set of 4.