Trader Joe's mini canvas tote bags are the hottest non-food item flying off shelves
A mini tote bag from Trader Joe's is making massive waves on TikTok -- so if you thought the viral hype over Stanley tumblers was wild, the resale market on this $2.99 canvas bag will blow your mind.
Trader Joe's is no stranger to watching popular products fly off shelves and implementing purchase limits. But usually, it's frozen aisle favorites like kimbap or cauliflower gnocchi.
This time, in large part due to viral popularity on social media, the "totes adorbs" miniature version of the retailer's signature heavy duty canvas bags are impossible to find.
The product description on Trader Joe's website states, "The adorable Totes in question are made of the same heavy duty, 65% cotton/35% polyester blend as our larger, classic Canvas Bags. They also have the same long, comfortable handles that accent each mostly white-colored bag with one of four vibrant colors: navy, yellow, red, or forest green."
The main difference: Unlike the classic canvas Trader Joe's totes, these mini totes are about 13 inches long by 11 inches tall by 6 inches wide.
"The size is ideal for smaller shopping trips, to pick up those few items you forgot the first time around," the product description states. "It'll fit a dozen of your favorite TJ's apples, or you can fill your Mini Tote with TJ's snacks & sweets to keep you munching on your next road trip."
Trader Joe's even stimulated shoppers' interest in the limited-time item by suggesting using the mini tote "for a relaxing spring afternoon in the park."
"You can even stash a small paperback in the handy side-pocket, along with a Ciabatta Demi-Baguette, Organic String Cheese, and Citterio Salami Sticks," the retailer wrote online. "But please note, these Totes are only available for a limited time, so pick one up while you can."
TikTok has gone bananas for the bags, with users sharing videos of shoppers swarming the in-store stands to get their hands on one, garnering millions of views.
"I had to wait maybe about 10 minutes for them to update some of the colors, because the blue one and the green one were already kind of taken," shopper YJ Wang told "Good Morning America." "But as I did the rest of my Trader Joe's shopping, they kind of restocked on the other colors as well."
Yang added that the commotion for the petite canvas bags is "pretty crazy" and likened the shopping craze to Black Friday.
As of time of publication, the mini totes were completely sold out after first hitting shelves just two weeks ago.
Now, re-sellers are cashing in on the craze, with some of the small bags fetching hundreds of dollars on ebay.
Fashion stylist Erica Wark told "Good Morning America" that "anytime you mark something as limited edition or exclusive in any type of way, it already naturally drums up this need or want to have that item -- that quick fix of buying something that you know a lot of other people aren't gonna have."
Trader Joe's site currently lists the item as "not available" and told ABC News in an emailed statement that it does "not endorse the re-sale of any of our products, anywhere."
Customers who may have missed out on the first drop aren't completely out of luck. The retailer has reiterated that the totes will be restocked "in late summer."
