Overview
- Trader Joe’s released four pastel-striped mini totes on June 17, prompting early-morning queues at multiple stores and reports of lines that in some places wrapped around the block.
- The bags sell for $2.99 and measure about 13 by 11 by 6 inches in a heavy-duty 65% cotton/35% polyester blend with side pockets, according to the company.
- Stores set differing per-customer limits—reported examples range from one per color up to 16 items per person—and managers are ordering extra shipments but availability remains uneven across locations.
- Resale listings for the new striped style surged on marketplaces such as eBay, Mercari and Depop with prices starting around $5 and reaching much higher for sets or rare listings, including international buyers where Trader Joe’s has no stores.
- The release continues a pattern since the mini tote went viral in March 2024 of limited drops driving collector behavior, gifting demand and knockoff sales, a trend Trader Joe’s says it is addressing through legal action to protect customers.