Trader Joe's viral insulated mini totes are back in stock today
Trader Joe's mini insulated tote bags are back in stock Wednesday, after they sold out almost immediately when they first hit the grocery store chain's shelves in June.
The insulated cooler bags proved so popular upon their initial release that customers who'd managed to get their hands on the $3.99 mini totes listed extras on resale sites like Ebay at inflated prices. There are currently 150 listings for the cooler bags on Ebay, where resellers are hawking sets of them for as much as $200.
Trader Joe's told CBS MoneyWatch Wednesday the bags are now back in stock. The grocer in June had promised they would become available again later in the summer.
"A limited number of magenta and teal mini insulated totes will be available for $3.99 in most Trader Joe's stores today," Trader Joe's said in a statement to CBS MoneyWatch.
As of Wednesday afternoon, they were in stock in at least one Manhattan Trader Joe's store, where customers were limited to two bags per person. The bags come in two colors, "hot magenta" and "cool teal." A Trader Joe's spokesperson noted it is up to individual stores to set purchase limits.
Trader Joe's touts the mini bags as "great for lunches, travel & outdoor activities." They hold up to 1.5 gallons of food and drink. It's unclear why the items, which resemble traditional kids' lunch bags with soft exteriors, are so popular.
They are also not the first Trader Joe's-branded piece of merchandise to become a sensation among consumers. Its mini canvas tote bags, originally priced at $2.99, were also wildly popular. After they quickly sold out in stores, one seller listed a set of four tote bags on Ebay for $499.99, breaking down to $125 per bag.
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Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News 24/7 to discuss her reporting.
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