Crazy 4,000-Won Bag... All-Night 'Open Run' and $700 Resell Frenzy in the US

Trader Joe's Limited Edition Mini Tote Bags Spark Craze in the U.S.
Long Lines Form for $2.99 Bags, Resale Prices Soar Online

A $2.99 (about 4,300 won) bag sold by the American grocery chain Trader Joe's is causing a sensation as people across the United States line up from early morning for open-run sales.

People lined up in front of trader Joe's store in the United States to purchase tote bags. Photo captured from X, online community.

According to local media such as USA Today and CBS News on the 9th (local time), Trader Joe's began selling a limited edition 'Mini Canvas Tote Bag' at stores nationwide earlier this month. Released as a limited edition for the Easter season, this bag is made in four pastel colors: blue, pink, purple, and green, and is sold for $2.99 (about 4,300 won) each.

However, Trader Joe's canvas bags are gaining popularity as "souvenirs only available in the U.S." beyond being simple shopping bags. Especially, limited editions with city names or those sold at specific stores, as well as mini-sized variant products, attract even more attention.

Because of this, some stores ran out of bags within just a few hours after sales began. In fact, numerous photos and videos showing people gathered in front of Trader Joe's stores nationwide to buy the bags were shared online on platforms like TikTok and X (formerly Twitter). The photos captured long lines in front of stores from the dark early morning before sunrise, and people who brought camping chairs to wait for extended periods.

The popularity of the bags has extended to the resale market. On online marketplaces such as eBay, these bags have been sold at a premium, with sets of four reportedly trading for $200 (about 290,000 won). Individual bags have been listed from $280 (about 400,000 won) up to a maximum of $500 (about 720,000 won), according to local media reports.

Trader Joe's expressed regret over the resale of the bags without their approval and stated, "We are doing our best to prevent such practices."

Meanwhile, Trader Joe's is a supermarket chain headquartered in California with over 560 stores nationwide. In March last year, Trader Joe's also released a mini tote bag made of canvas material, which sparked a sales frenzy. When the bag quickly sold out, Trader Joe's took measures to limit the quantity customers could purchase.