Is the Trader Joe’s mini canvas tote the new Stanley? It appears so, in the sense that people are mobbing stores for it and selling it on the secondary market at a steep upcharge (think a 6,000% markup).
What is the Trader Joe’s Mini Canvas Tote?
There’s nothing fancy about the $2.99 tote. It’s a mini version of the regular Trader Joe’s canvas bag — a petite 11 inches by 6 inches. According to Trader Joe’s, that makes it perfect for smaller shopping trips for a few snacks, a box of cookies or apples.
It comes in four colors (navy blue, red, yellow and forest green).
You can’t order them online through Trader Joes. You have to buy them in stores, and they’re available only for a limited amount of time.
Why is the Trader Joe’s Mini Canvas Tote So Popular?
As with many viral products, nobody truly knows. The bags have been around since late-February, and thanks to social media hype and the cult following that already exists around Trader Joe’s, they started gaining steam, with TikTok creators posting videos of the frenzy of shoppers yanking them off shelves. Trader Joe’s stores started instituting a per-customer minimum. And that dash of scarcity was the last ingredient needed for a viral sensation.
In other words, a cute product from a cult favorite brand + people saying it was “going viral” fanned the flames, and now the bag is nowhere to be found.
How to Get the Trader Joe’s Mini Canvas Tote Bag
If you want the bag for $2.99, you’ll have to try your luck at a store. The bags are largely sold out, though. You can call ahead to stores to see if a nearby one has them stocked, but you’ll have to weigh that against how much you want to bother the employees.
TJ’s public relations manager told USA TODAY that the bags (the popularity of which shocked everyone) may get restocked in the summer.
If you must have this bag at any cost, plenty who got their hands on them are selling them at an upcharge (a steep one) on secondary sites.
Here are some of the priciest listings we’ve seen:
- eBay sellers have sets of three listed between $70 and $200. You can also get a set of all four bags for $450 and six bags for $619.
- Mercari has some more “reasonable” options for between $20 and $30 per bag, depending on the color.
- You can find single bags on Poshmark for around $20 to $40.
The post How to Get the Viral Trader Joe’s Mini Canvas Tote appeared first on The Real Deal by RetailMeNot.
