Resellers are Flipping Trader Joe's Mystery Bags

News

By RC Staff

08 December 2023

We’ve got a weird one for you today. Right now, Trader Joe’s is selling “Mystery Packs” of their reusable bags. For a few bucks you can walk out of the store with three random bags from a massive list of designs. The idea has caught on with shoppers, and now the packs are selling out. Of course, where there’s a shortage, there’s also resellers looking to make a buck. Now these Trader Joe’s Mystery Packs are reselling easily.

What are Trader Joe's Mystery Bags?

If you’re not seeing the appeal, we’ll clue you in. These are actually a pretty simple product. Trader Joe’s Mystery Packs are a bundle of three different reusable bags packaged in a mystery wrapper.

There’s no way of knowing what bags you’ll get until you rip into it. It’s the same kind of novelty that makes opening a pack of cards so much fun, and we’ve seen more and more companies lean into the idea lately.

Back in September, we covered how Santa Cruz Skateboards “Blind Bag” drop ended up being a massive hit using the same concept. Clearly, the team at Trader Joe’s has been reading our blog.

https://www.tiktok.com/@jessica_2171/video/7305169807635238174

Well, probably not. This is not the first time TJ’s has done this. Mystery Packs were a popular product when they first rolled out in 2019, and this is the first time they’ve been sold since then.

What's in the Trader Joe's Mystery Bag?

Yeah, yeah, the fun is not knowing what’s in the pack, but if you really want to know what’s in the pack?

Most of the reusable bags included in the Trader Joe’s Mystery Pack are the various U.S. State designs. It’s a way for shoppers on the East Coast to get bags for California and Oregon, which are otherwise unobtainable (unless you know how to use eBay).

There are also some exclusive designs only found in the 2023 Mystery Packs. TJ’s hasn’t published an official list of all the potential finds, so you’ll have to use your imagination of what they might be.

Considering the Trader Joe’s Mystery Bags cost only $3, it’s possible to buy up a whole trunkload to rip.

Trader Joe's Mystery Bag Resells

These have been available for a few weeks now, and the response is incredible. The #tjmysterybag hashtag on TikTok has almost 5 million views as of this writing, and the packs are going viral across multiple social media sites.

Consequently, they’ve become hard to find at certain locations. $3 a pop makes these easy to stock up on, and the viral attention means stores have struggled to keep up with demand.

Fortunately there are plenty of folks out there willing to pitch in. Resellers have found a new opportunity in flipping these. Right now, Trader Joe’s Mystery Bags are reselling for around $15 to $20 if unopened.

Some have taken to opening and selling the individual bags, but the sealed packs are by far the more popular offering on eBay.

So next time you’re shopping at Trader Joe’s and filling your cart with overpriced snacks, check for these bags. If you can resist the temptation to tear them open in the store, you can make a few bucks easily by flipping them online or locally.

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