Inside the hype train for Trader Joe's TikTok-viral lavender tote bag

• TikTok's newest collectible obsession: Trader Joe's lavender tote.
• The purple tote launched in March, and fans descended on stores to grab them.
• The grocer's totes sell for high markups on eBay and Etsy.

Maddie Bhattacharyya said that when she saw the new Trader Joe's lavender tote bag online, she stopped "mid-scroll."

"Lavender is my favorite color, so seeing it on a Trader Joe's bag felt almost personal, like it was made for me," Bhattacharyya, a content creator from the Bay Area who posts exclusively about Trader Joe's product drops, said.

She already owns more than 25 Trader Joe's totes, said she knew she had to add the lavender tote to her collection. But the first day she queued up for it, she was turned away because they were sold out. The next day, she was more prepared, showing up at 6:30 a.m. — a full 90 minutes before the store opened — with a folding chair.

"To my surprise, even so early in the morning, there were at least 80 people already in line before me, some with folding chairs and coffee, completely prepared for the wait," she said. She finally secured two lavender totes.

Like Bhattacharyya, many Trader Joe's fans descended upon the grocery store's outlets across the US to get their hands on the new tote, which was made available nationwide on March 23.

The lavender tote, a spring special, was sold for $3.99. It's currently unavailable on Trader Joe's website.

In response to a request for comment from Business Insider, a Trader Joe's spokesperson said: "We believe that customers vote on what they love, and what they want to see more of by what they choose to buy in our stores."

The spokesperson said that the grocery store has had a long history of selling its canvas totes, which it first introduced in 1977. In 2024, it launched its mini totes at $2.99 each. They caused havoc after huge crowds descended on stores to get their hands on them.

Lavender haze

Many Trader Joe's stores imposed a two-bag limit per customer, but tote aficionados found a way around it.

John Lee, a flight attendant based in Chicago, said he has bought 12 bags since it launched on March 23.

"I found out on social media what day they were going to start selling the lavender tote, so right after I finished breakfast that day, I rushed to buy it," Lee, 39, said.

He said that when he visited his friend in Japan, the friend was jealous because she could not get her hands on them there. This motivated him to buy several bags this round to distribute to friends and family.

Lee said he lives right beside an outlet in Chicago, and he got lucky because there were no lines.

"There was a limit of two per person, so every time I finished buying, I ran back home, changed my outfit as a disguise, and then immediately went back to buy more again," he said.

"I will just stop by once a day to buy them. I've already got 12, but it's a great gift to give in Asia," he added. "Cheap, durable, and cute. Why not buy more?"

Rachel Lee, a content creator in the Bay Area, said she waited an hour in line for the bags and was not planning to return for more.

"I'm satisfied with my 2 bags," Lee, 28, said. "I have more than enough."

Resale mania

Trader Joe's totes have become collectibles, selling for high markups on resale websites.

There are dozens of eBay listings for the tote, both mini and full-sized, priced well above retail. Business Insider saw listings priced at $10 to $15 per bag.

And it's not just in the US. Listings of the tote on Carousell, one of Singapore's largest resale marketplaces, are priced around 25 Singapore dollars per bag, or around $19.

Some people aren't just reselling the totes as is, but painting and customizing them to sell at markups on Etsy. One Etsy user is selling the totes for more than $40, promising cute embroidery and the buyer's name printed on each tote.

However, the Trader Joe's spokesperson added that the company does not condone the reselling of its totes and is doing everything it can to stop it.