Why Trader Joe's Mini Tote Bags Keep Going Viral — And Selling Out Instantly

Guess who's back: That's right, it's the Trader Joe's mini tote. Trader Joe's mini totes became the chain's hottest commodity upon launching in March 2024 and immediately causing a frenzy. Reddit threads formed for people to ask where they could find them, Instagram accounts hunted them down, and totes began popping up on resale sites like eBay at anywhere from 10 to 50 times the original price. The primary-color T.J.'s totes reappeared in September 2024, and now they're back for 2025 with a twist: pretty pastel hues of mint, pink, lavender, and blue. They've gone viral again, which begs the question, why? Why is the internet losing its collective mind over a three-dollar carryall?

Initially, demand for the tote could likely be explained with three simple reasons. One is that Trader Joe's, in general, has a cult following thanks to its low prices, novel food items, and engaging customer service. Another is price. $2.99 for a tote that's as useful as it is collectible? Trader Joe's is famous for things like "Two Buck Chuck," made by a California winery and sold for $1.99. A tote for three dollars is another irresistible bargain. A third explanation is the bag itself, which is made with good-quality canvas with fun colors and a versatile, crowd-pleasing simplicity. But the level of fervor likely comes down to the limited quantities of bags available. People see the bags all over social media, want them, can't find them at their local stores, and take to the internet.

Stanley tumblers became the "it girl" must-have in 2024, with people camping out in store parking lots for the limited-release cups. Tickle Me Elmo caused hysteria in 1996. When something is desirable to begin with and only available in limited quantities, that desirability skyrockets. This is a pyschological phenomenon called the scarcity effect. In layman's terms, you could also call it FOMO, or fear of missing out. The short windows of availability for these Trader Joe's totes and the fact that small amounts are put on sale and gone quickly, instills shoppers with urgency. They see items like these totes as more valuable, which explains why they're willing to pay $50 or more on eBay, they feel triumphant obtaining one because of how hard they are to find, and they instantly see it as a special collector's item.

Apparently, this is a collector's item people also find useful. On one Reddit board, commenters describe utilizing the tote as a purse or for their dog's vet-visit supplies — you could also take it on store runs and fill it with the best Trader Joe's snacks. If, that is, you can find it. To do so, try eBay, where prices are coming down, or join in on the Reddit or social media conversations, or simply ask your T.J.'s, as the store has said it will restock when it can.