Don't waste hundreds of dollars on a secondhand Trader Joe's mini tote bag, just buy one yourself … in a couple of months.
The viral accessory swiftly sold out nationwide weeks ago after unexpectedly causing a Stanley cup-type of chaos in stores, with videos on social media capturing shoppers fighting to grab as many bags as possible.
But now with no current restocks, those eager to get their hands on this year's "it" bag are faced with two choices: wait until late summer to buy one at the hefty retail price of $2.99 or — and this is a hard choice — buy from an online reseller for a small fee of $999.
Yes, one eBay listing is actually selling a set of all four colors of the mini canvas tote — green, yellow, red and black — for a whopping $999.99, which is just $988.03 over the retail cost of four bags. The kicker? The listing states that two sets have already sold.
Another eBay seller is asking $740 for all four colors, while one wants $700 for just the yellow model. One of the cheapest mini tote listings I saw asked for $20.99, which is still $18 over retail.
Stores sell out of Trader Joe's mini tote bags after viral fame
The mini tote bags are similar to Trader Joe's classic canvas bags, but they are a lot smaller, coming in at 11 inches tall by 6 inches wide.
All this to say, the Trader Joe's mini tote bag has become a sensation — to the surprise of the company, too. But whether you want one for the trend, or maybe you just want something to pack your lunch in, mark your calendar for late August and early September. KTLA reported that's likely the time frame when mini totes will be back in stores.
A spokesperson for Trader Joe's also confirmed to Scripps News that a restock is coming in late summer, and they suggest customers don't fall for the sky-high eBay listings before then.
"Our Mini Canvas Tote Bags certainly sold more quickly than we anticipated. Before we had the opportunity to promote them in any way, customers across the country found them at their neighborhood Trader Joe's," Nakia Rohde, Trader Joe's public relations manager, said to Scripps News. "Our customers, in our stores, are our focus; we do not endorse the re-sale of any of our products, anywhere. We do have more Trader Joe's Mini Canvas Tote Bags coming. Customers can expect to see them in our stores in late summer."
In the meantime, Trader Joe's still has its classic canvas bags for those itching for a branded bag; those will just be a bit bigger than the 11-inches-tall and 6-inches-wide minis.
