Retail

Chaos is ensuing at Trader Joe's over mini tote bags

Inside a Trader Joe's store in Miami Beach, Florida.
Inside a Trader Joe's store in Miami Beach, Florida. Jeff Greenberg/Getty Images
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Forget the groceries.

If you visit Trader Joe's this week, you want to keep an eye out for mini tote bags.

Over the weekend, employees and shoppers began posting videos about the store's new canvas shopping bags. They look just like the classic, reusable totes that have been sold at Trader Joe's for years but in a much smaller size — almost like a shoulder purse.

The bags are sold in four colors — red, yellow, blue, and green — and cost $2.99.

@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 - ❤︎︎

The bags quickly went viral online, leading shoppers to flock to Trader Joe's stores across the country in search of them.

And in many cases, the effort is proving to be fruitless.

Some people have shared on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, that they've searched multiple locations but have yet to find a single tote.

In other Trader Joe's stores where the bags are in stock, giant crowds have formed.

One TikTok video shows employees scurrying away from dozens of shoppers who swarm a display of the bags as it's brought to the sales floor.

Another shopper at the same store described the experience as "so scary" in the caption of her TikTok post.

In another clip from a different Trader Joe's location, shoppers are seen filling their carts with multiple totes.

Speaking with Business Insider, a Trader Joe's representative said the bags "certainly sold more quickly" than anticipated.

"Before we had the opportunity to promote them in any way, customers across the country found them at their neighborhood Trader Joe's," the spokesperson said.

And as resellers bought up stock, many of the bags have ended up on websites like eBay for prices upwards of $13 each.

But don't worry. More will hit Trader Joe's shelves soon, according to the company.

"Our customers, in our stores, are our focus; we do not endorse the re-sale of any of our products, anywhere," the representative added. "We do have more Trader Joe's Mini Canvas Tote Bags coming. Customers can expect to see them in our stores in late summer."

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Amanda Krause
Amanda Krause is a Senior Reporter at Business Insider covering a variety of lifestyle topics.Her work at BI includes profiles of beauty moguls, analyses of celebrity fashion, reviews of trending products, expert interviews across topics, features about booming small businesses and lucrative side hustles, and live coverage of award shows, pageants, and other events. Amanda has also widely covered Disney brands and theme parks, writing everything from slideshows about her experiences on Disney cruises to breaking-news stories focused on major changes and layoffs within the company. She previously appeared on CBS in 2024 to discuss the Met Gala and won an Anthem Award in 2023 for her work on Business Insider's package "Better Me."Amanda graduated from Ramapo College of New Jersey with a degree in Communications and Journalism, and has more than seven years of experience in the lifestyle space.You can email her at akrause@bjinnox.com.ExpertiseFashion, celebrity style, beauty, lifestyle trends, and Disney theme parks.Popular ArticlesI spent under $200 a night to stay at Disney World's cheapest resort. My tiny room was worth the convenience.A woman spent $2 on a necklace that resembled a Tide Pod. It turned out to be a one-of-a-kind art piece worth $3,000.Bobbi Brown is still living a life of luxury and lipstick — and it's all on her own termsA Kansas City store owner thought someone made a fraudulent order on his website. It was actually a legit purchase from Taylor Swift.Beyoncé's mom promised Ty Hunter 20 years ago that she would get him out of his retail job. Now he's styling the biggest stars in Hollywood.I've tested every product in Selena Gomez's makeup line, and almost every item is worth buying