"Buying Frenzy"... 4,000-Won Mart Bag with Resell Price Soaring 200 Times

Popular Trader Joe's Mini Tote Bag in US Grocery Stores
Sold Out in Stores with 11 Million TikTok Views Last Week

An eco bag sold for $2.99 (about 4,000 won) by the American grocery store Trader Joe's has caused a sold-out frenzy in the United States, with resale prices soaring up to nearly 200 times the original price.

Trader Joe Mini Tote Bag [Image source: eBay capture]

On the 10th (local time), CNN reported that the Trader Joe's mini tote bag made of canvas material is recently being resold online for up to $500. The Trader Joe's bags, available in blue, red, green, and yellow, became a hot topic on social media last week, garnering over 11 million views on TikTok. Some stores are reportedly limiting the quantity customers can purchase at one time. Despite this, customers flocked to stores nationwide to hoard the bags. As a result, most of the products have sold out, according to store employees.

Some of these bags are being resold on online e-commerce platforms such as eBay and Facebook Marketplace. As of the afternoon, hundreds of mini tote bags are listed on eBay with prices ranging from $5 to $500. One eBay user selling four tote bags of all colors for $145 said, "As a seller, I naturally expected these items to sell well," adding, "I have already sold eight sets, and now only one set remains." Another seller listing four bags for $499.99 stated that one set has already been sold and two sets remain. However, since eBay allows bidding below the starting price, it is unclear whether the bags have actually sold at the advertised prices.

An employee at an Iowa store told CNN, "The bags sold at an incredible speed for a week before they ran out, and the next shipment is expected to arrive only in September." Another employee at a New Jersey store said, "The tote bag craze started about two weeks ago, and consumers are buying them in advance with the holidays in mind," adding, "Customers bought a tremendous number of tote bags. They will make excellent baskets for children for the upcoming Easter."

Stanley Limited Edition Tumbler That Caused a Sold-Out Frenzy Last Year-End
[Image Source: Captured from eBay]

Trader Joe's is a supermarket chain headquartered in California with over 560 stores nationwide. It recently gained recognition domestically for selling frozen gimbap.

The Trader Joe's tote bag craze is reminiscent of last year's Stanley tumbler frenzy. In December last year, the U.S. retailer Target released a Valentine's Day limited edition Stanley tumbler collection. Shoppers lined up outside stores to buy these cups, and the scenes were shared on TikTok and other platforms, becoming a viral sensation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.