Tricks of the Trader

Our town, like so many others, offers the choice of grocery shopping at a national-brand market or at one with a more local vibe. We spend our dollars at Publix (1,300 stores across eight Southeastern states) but also splurge at The Fresh Market (161 stores) when we’re after something a little more unique. Having said that, our town lacks another popular market and it begs the question: What is the appeal of Trader Joe’s?

Chattanooga, TN

This post was originally headed in a different direction.  Trader Joe’s made the headlines because of its popular cloth “mini-tote” bags; so popular they were reselling on eBay for $500.  That led me to think, America has an obsession with miniatures and let’s make that today’s topic.  But no, I can’t get Trader Joe’s itself out of my mind, so let’s walk through their aisles for a few minutes.

Very popular!

The cloth bags are a great place to start.  Did you know Trader Joe’s was the first grocer to offer reusable shopping bags, beginning in 1977?  The trend didn’t catch on with other stores for another fifteen years.  Even better, “TJ’s” encourages use by refunding you $0.05 per bag or entry into a weekly raffle for a $25 gift card.

The above paragraph was brought to you by the food-and-drink enthusiast website Tasting Table.  Their 25 Facts About Trader Joe’s… is a convincing sell, maybe getting you to dash over to your nearest TJ’s for a look inside.  But a company’s commitment to sustainability isn’t enough to draw me in over and over.  There must be something else at play.

Maybe it’s more about TJ’s “revolving door of new products”.  They frequently discontinue one product in favor of another, so what you find on the shelves is constantly changing.  They limit certain items to seasons (right now you’ll find pumpkin-spice everything).  And their product line is impressively diverse for a medium-sized grocery store, which probably attracts more than your run-of-the-mill shopper.

I suppose you could make the same argument for a restaurant.  Shaking up the menu is a good idea every now and then (hence “specials”).  Leave the core set of entrees alone but occasionally introduce new ones to see if they’ll take.  Yet it’s not a perfect analogy for Trader Joe’s.  My impression is, nothing on TJ’s shelves is safe for the long haul because all products are under constant scrutiny.

How about “affordable prices”?  Here’s where I take my hat off to TJ’s.  The advertised price of a given product at Trader Joe’s is the one-and-only price.  No discounts, coupons, gift card offers, special promotions, or even online ordering to cloud the cost to the consumer.  And since 80% of what TJ’s sells can only be purchased at their stores, price-shopping the competition is a waste of time.

Stuffed animals are hiding at TJ’s

TJ’s probably draws in young families because the shopping experience is fun.  The nautical theme is apparent in its decor, as well as on its “crew member” uniforms.  A stuffed animal hides somewhere in the store – find it and win a prize.  And a bell rings (again, the nautical thing) to alert employees to open new check-out lines or answer customer questions.  I like that approach a whole lot more than simply announcing the need over a loudspeaker.

You can try a lot of things at Trader Joe’s (Costco on steroids?), you can call the store ahead of time to reserve popular items, and you can usually get a refund on anything you regret buying (regardless of reason, proof of purchase, or the amount of the product you’ve consumed).  What I highlight in italics here is impressive for a grocery store yes, but it still doesn’t make me a return customer.

At the end of the day (or a list of “25 Facts…”) I go to a grocery store because it carries the items I need.  To put it another way, I am brand-loyal and fairly routine in what I buy.  Perhaps that is the genius of Trader Joe’s.  It draws people in again and again because, well, they want to be more creative in the kitchen.  Try out new things.  Emerge from the doldrums of the same thing on their plates every other week.  And who can argue with variety as the spice of life?

Oakland, CA

Maybe, collectively, 25 facts explain Trader Joe’s success.  Or maybe someone from out West will chime in and solve the mystery.  After all, California was the birthplace of Trader Joe’s (Pasadena), and the number of stores in the state has ballooned to over 200.  There should be plenty of TJ’s experts out there to explain what the fuss – er, repeat business is all about.  Then, just then, I might get into my car to drive the hour and change it’ll take me to get to my nearest location.

Some content sourced from Wikipedia, “the free encyclopedia”.

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Author: Dave

Five hundred posts would suggest I have something to say… This blog was born from a desire to elevate the English language, highlighting eloquent words from days gone by. The stories I share are snippets of life itself, and each comes with a bonus: a dusted-off word I hope you’ll go on to use more often. Read “Deutschland-ish Improvements” to learn about my backyard European wish list. Try “Slush Fun” for the throwback years of the 7-Eleven convenience store. Or drink in "Iced Coffee" to discover the plight of the rural French cafe. On the lighter side, read "Late Night Racquet Sports" for my adventures with our latest moth invasion. As Walt Whitman said, “That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.” Here then, my verse. Welcome to Life In A Word.

22 thoughts on “Tricks of the Trader”

    1. I think that’s how I’d shop Trader Joe’s if we had one, Andrew; “get some of my favorite treats from there”. It’d shake up our routine grocery shopping habits nicely.

      Liked by 1 person

  2. Trader Joe’s is definitely frequented by members of my family. But they also shop PCC, QFC, Safeway, and public markets, depending on certain favorite selections and convenience on a particular day. So many choices are nearby.

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    1. We’ve only been to a QFC once (Seattle) but I remember it being very nice. Fresh-made takeaway meals and baked goods in the front, plenty of fresh produce, and aisles of everything else you’re looking for further back. Really liked the variety, cleanliness, and small-market feel. Probably a little pricier than standard-brand markets but well worth it.

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  6. I am a regular at Trader Joe’s but only for certain items. I think their meat and produce (unless they have a long shelf life like apples/bananas) are not the best which is how they can keep the price in NYC the same as the price in the middle of the US. The higher quality meat from Whole Foods is worth the extra cost. I love TJs dried fruit/nuts, cheese selection, cereal, frozen desserts, flowers, and 99 cent greeting cards. My current obsession is their frozen pumpkin waffles, they’re so good with a little peanut butter and syrup.

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    1. I still remember your post with a photo full of TJ’s Halloween items, Lyssy. Figured this would be your response, although I didn’t know about the flowers or the $0.99 greeting cards. The cards seems like four dollars less than what they go for in national-chain markets (seriously). Not a bad place to boost profit margin.

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  7. We used to go to a TJ occasionally, but have not in awhile. It is not as convenient as some other stores and there are no “must-haves” there for us. I suppose we are much like you – we tend to be creatures of habit in what we buy/cook.

    I remember when they were famous for selling the $1.99 bottles of Charles Shaw wine, which became known as Two Buck Chuck. I don’t know if that wine is still there (but I am sure that if it is, it is no longer two bucks).

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    1. I didn’t connect Two-Buck Chuck with TJ’s until I did the research for this post. They now have Three-Buck Chuck for the really big spenders. Me, I’ll stick to the more exotic makes; say, in the $11-$15 range 🙂

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  8. This was interesting about Trader Joe’s Dave. I have never shopped there because there are none around me, but I just assumed they would be pricey, so I am surprised to read they are not. That was a fun list of 25 things, especially the nautical themes, hidden stuffed animal and employees allowed to get creative with signs.

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    1. We have Lowes Foods here in the South, which takes a similarly creative approach to shopping. Their employees do the chicken dance when the fryers come out. They have a beer garden for the spouses who don’t want to be there. They even host kids’ birthday parties right in the middle of the store. Whatever draws in shoppers, right?

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      1. Well Dave, the grocery stores where you shop sure know how to have a good time and lure shoppers in. They all sound like fun activities at Lowes Foods whereas Meijer, where I shop, is only found in the Midwest, staid and boring and they could learn a thing or two. 🙂

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  9. I know Trader Joe’s is wonderful but the nearest one to me is a nightmare to drive to and has limited parking so that often if I get there, there’s nowhere to park. So I don’t bother with it anymore. Fingers crossed it’ll move to a better location.

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    1. This was true in Colorado Springs as well, Ally. You could never park in their lot but customers were still willing to park a block or more away and make the trek. Which probably translated to overcrowded aisles inside. Nope, not worth the hour-and-change to get to my nearest one.

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