$1,000 For A Trader Joe's Mini Tote? Resellers Believe The Hype

It's official: A trendy new tote bag is spring's hottest accessory. The bag is a viral sensation, currently sold out in stores after people lined up for hours to buy it. Now, online, resellers are asking for upward of $2,000.

Nope, the pricy purse isn't from Gucci or Louis Vuitton. It's Trader Joe's new limited edition mini tote, and it costs $2.99 new. The 13-inch-long, 11-inch-tall, and 6-inch-wide cotton and polyester canvas tote is a smaller version of the store's larger canvas bags. This isn't the first time that the mini totes have sold out: The original mini bags sent shoppers scrambling when they hit stores in March 2024, then again when they were re-released in September. So what's new? The latest launch features pastel colors instead.

News of the impending release leaked on Monday, a day before Trader Joe's officially released the coveted bags. Reportedly, shoppers lined up for hours outside stores in hopes of snagging the bags before they sold out. Resellers on eBay are acting fast, too. Sellers are listing sets of four for $1,000, and one "rare" factory misprint is priced at $1,999.

Is anyone actually buying these bags for over a grand? Apparently not. While some sellers are setting their hopes high, others are listing the bags at (relatively) reasonable markups. Plenty of postings list sets of four for under $50 or single bags for less than $20. If you search by sold listings, you'll find that nobody has actually paid more than $30 per bag.

Call ahead to ask whether the store actually has the bags in stock before braving the lines yourself. Representatives revealed that release dates vary by location, so your local store might not have the bags in stock just yet. Some locations are handing out tickets to people lined up outside the store and visitors are limited to four bags each. It might be worthwhile to ask if your local Trader Joe's is planning a restock, too.

The totes are undeniably iconic: Trader Joe's original totes were the first reusable shopping bags sold in stores and the canvas bags are big in Japan. But do you really need to wait for hours just to buy a pastel pink tote? Personally, I'll be waiting to see if the bags are still around once the hype dies down.