Strategy December 05, 2024
Trader Joe’s Branded Totes Go Viral – Again
The grocery chain has scored a hit this year with collections of logoed totes and mini-totes, so much so that Fortune said certain iterations of the merch could be “this year’s Stanley tumbler.”
Key Takeaways
• They’re a Hit: Trader Joe’s branded totes, including new holiday-themed mini-totes and collapsible grocery bags, have gone viral, with some resellers already trying to retail them at inflated prices online.
• A Testimonial to Merch: The success showcases the potential of clever, well-designed promotional merchandise to enhance brand visibility.
Trader Joe’s is trending, and it’s all thanks to branded totes.
Earlier this year, the California-headquartered grocery chain scored a viral sensation with collections of totes and mini-totes. So popular were the items that, after they swiftly sold out, some resellers were reportedly retailing the bags online for as much as $500 to $1,000.
Now, Trader Joe’s is looking to repeat the feat with just-released holiday mini-totes and larger stand-up collapsible totes. And, the grocer appears to be having similar success.
The latest collection features three canvas mini-totes with holiday designs. Mistletoe mushroom, festive ornaments and another that reads “Eat, drink, and be merry” are the themes. Measuring 13 inches long by 11 inches high and 6 inches wide, each bag features a handle and is selling for less than a buck.
The mini-totes were in such demand that people were already trying to resell them online for nearly $19, well above the $.79 retail price from Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s also just released new stand-up collapsible grocery tote bags, each selling for $3.99. Media reports showed both the bigger stand-up totes and mini-totes were getting ample love on social media.
“That pink one is adorable and I need it!” wrote one commenter on Instagram of the mini-totes. Another said: “OMG soooo cute!!!!”
The new stand-up collapsible grocery tote bag from Trader Joe’s was proving popular already.
The stand-up collapsible grocery tote was certainly not short on praise either.
“A beautiful collapsible bag that’s perfect for keeping all your groceries tote-ally secure,” Trader Joe’s fan page @trader_joes_treasure_hunt said on Instagram. “Will you buy or deny!?”
TikToker @_jessiechoi spotlighted the collapsible tote in a video, showing how it easily held a carton of eggs and other groceries. “It’s so good,” she said. “So much stuff fits in here.”
“Trader Joe’s … new collapsible tote bag has gone viral – and is selling out quickly,” Fortune reported in an article headlined “This year’s Stanley cup could be a $4 Trader Joe’s bag.”
The secondhand market for the newly released Trader Joe’s totes was heating up, too.
A review of eBay, for instance, showed that some resellers were trying to fetch nearly $19 for the mini-totes that were retailing from Trader Joe’s for less than a dollar. The $4 collapsible stand-up tote was also for sale on eBay for upward of $19 as of this writing.
All the hype should prove heartening for promo products professionals and the corporate buyers who rely on merch. It’s clear that cleverly conceived, well-made and attractively decorated swag can be a vehicle for empowering a brand to greatly increase visibility, helping to please existing customers and win over new ones.