In a report from June 22, 2024, several months ago, social media influencer Thaddeus Yan heard that Trader Joe’s was preparing to launch a rather ordinary new product: a small insulated bag. He immediately began closely following this item, even asking his mother to keep an eye out for it while he was traveling abroad.
After waiting for months, Thaddeus Yan woke up early one day in June and drove to Trader Joe’s at 7:30 a.m. Since the bags were limited in quantity, he grabbed as many as he could – two bright blue-green ones and one pink one, all prominently featuring the Trader Joe’s brand logo. He paid $3.99 for each bag. The price of these insulated bags has now multiplied several times on eBay.
Thaddeus is one of many social media influencers who rush to purchase certain retail products and then promote them on their accounts, accelerating the popularity of these products.
Before the age of social media, niche products required more time to reach their marketing goals. Colin Campbell, Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of San Diego School of Business, told CNN: “Previously, you had to see products in public, so trends were limited by geography. But now, national audiences can experience trends at the same time.”
This is not the first time Trader Joe’s small bags have become popular. In March of this year, shoppers quickly snapped up Trader Joe’s mini canvas tote bags, causing them to sell out rapidly.
Most brands do not see their products become so popular in this way, especially finding such consumer demand consecutively. When a product truly becomes popular, many businesses seize the opportunity to market it vigorously, inviting fan engagement online and organizing new marketing activities to make the most of the spotlight.
However, Trader Joe’s does not have a strong presence on social media. The company is more low-key, and its product trends are often driven by influencers.
For example, another influencer Talia Heskett, who has around 146,000 followers on Instagram and approximately 68,000 on Facebook, boosts traffic to her channel by sharing her interest in Trader Joe’s products. “Trader Joe’s doesn’t have an official spokesperson, so I feel like I’ve taken on that role on social media.” Her channel is popular enough to earn her rewards.
When Trader Joe’s mini canvas bags became popular last March, the chain itself was puzzled. “What’s the deal with these bags? We didn’t expect them to be so popular,” said Tara Miller, co-host of the company’s podcast “Inside Trader Joe’s.”
Matt Sloan, another co-host, stated, “We thought we had enough stock prepared to supply sales for a few weeks or a month. We never expected them to become so popular so quickly, with hundreds of thousands sold within a week.”
Currently, Trader Joe’s plans to capitalize on this success and introduce more products. A representative of Trader Joe’s told CNN that the brand is always looking for new products that customers will love, planning to release more mini insulated bags this summer.
Not only Trader Joe’s affordable bags are sought after, but also a video of a UNIQLO crossbody bag went viral on social media and quickly became popular among young people worldwide.
This round mini crossbody bag has become ubiquitous, going by various nicknames such as the Birkin bag of the millennial generation, dumpling bag, the Happiest Place on Earth bag, and banana bag. The design of the bag actually resembles a crescent moon, but due to its resemblance to a dumpling, it is called the “dumpling bag” in mainland China.
This bag was released in 2020, but it wasn’t until 2022 that sales began to skyrocket, leading to shortages and making it one of the best-selling products for retailers.
If you search for Trader Joe’s mini insulated bags online, you will find many videos showcasing these colorful bags. Some may be tempted to purchase one the next time they shop due to its popularity; others might make a special trip to the store just for this bag.
Jonah Berger, Marketing Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and author of “Contagious: Why Things Catch On,” explains: “When you can buy something others don’t have, it makes you look cool and like an insider.”
He points out that this demand isn’t exclusive to high-priced or extremely rare luxury items and can be seen in more affordable everyday products like Stanley mugs, Owala FreeSip water bottles, and Nike socks.
“These things can be a viable luxury or show uniqueness, indicating belonging to a group,” Berger adds.
For some, “treasure hunting” can be part of the fun, especially when the hunt allows them to not only purchase in-demand products but also post envy-worthy photos on social media.
Thaddeus Yan drove to Trader Joe’s at 7:30 in the morning to hunt for the bags. He doesn’t curate a Trader Joe’s-centric channel like Heskett, focusing instead on pop culture and Disney themes on his social media. However, he loves the Trader Joe’s chain and enjoys sharing posts showcasing what he finds there.
He says, “You never know what they’ll come out with next – it could be something random and really cool that everyone’s interested in or wants to buy. There’s always a surprise.”