How Is Trader Joe’s So Cheap and Popular? | WSJ The Economics Of

[@jasprerph]

They did not mention the biggest reason why we love TJ !!! Customer service !!! So, many cashiers … there’s always someone to ask questions & friendly employees .. unlike Safeway & luckys where you would be lucky to have one cashier & one person at the deli ! 🤦🏽‍♀️

[@arishem555]

I'd rather checkout myself somehow in automated fashion. It is coming

[@dani23dani85]

Very true

[@nb5053]

the cashiers there are REALLY chatty. Everyt time i go there i have to pretend i'm on the phone while going through the checkout, or i'll just pretend i don't speak english at all (i'm chinese).

[@visualpun650]

Always a lot of workers walking the aisles too

[@soleilroth]

Trader Joe’s cashiers are always SO NICE

[@vivsevs1087]

I love Trader Joe's, their branding/graphic design, and easy shopping experience, but I don't love getting my heart broken every time they discontinue a product I just got obsessed with ಥ◡ಥ

[@ashleylala4293]

Oh yeah, the products I miss most are the frozen acerola vitamin c packs, the ube mochi waffle mix and those super thin coconut cookies.

[@bethelight3017]

@@ashleylala4293I think the Ube mix is seasonal not discontinued. At least the pancake ones are

[@Mor4me]

True that

[@micheljordan123]

haha cool drawing

[@valerietomsic8454]

And like the organic strawberry spread with NO ADDED SUGAR...it was awesome! Now they only have reduced sugar.

[@plr2473]

Trader Joes was also the first store to apply the Paradox of Choice principle to its selection of items. Basically, people want choice, but if you give them too many choices they feel overwhelmed and ultimately choose nothing. Psychology has shown that 6 is the number of choices people like best. So that is what Trader Joes did. They gave customers six different choices of popular items such as pasta sauce. Their sales soared as a result.

[@DeathscytheBleh]

This comment and others = a much deeper exploration than the basic time waste pit that was the actual video

[@miseendriste6337]

Where did you get that number "6"?

[@marioncapriotti1514]

@@miseendriste6337 I don't know where plr2473 got the specific number 6, but I certainly agree that there is some sweet-spot number of choices that people actually enjoy selecting from. Think in terms of clothing: if you want a new blue shirt, you'd certainly like more than one or two to choose from, but a huge long rack of endless permutations of blue shirts (indigo, sky-blue, midnight blue, medium blue, long-sleeve, short-sleeve, cotton, silk, rayon, raglan-sleeve, regular sleeve, etc., etc., etc.) is just overwhelming and off-putting. Trader Joe's does seem to have found the sweet-spot number of choices that people enjoy, and it looks like it's working.

[@doughoward6401]

I used to shop at trader Joe's, but several years ago things changed and I just quit going . Also the quality went downhill of what I did buy went downhill . Things started to taste like cardboard .

[@great-garden-watch]

Good point but their cheese selection is one of the largest I’ve seen!

[@Jake_AC]

The banana pricing thing is misleading. They are likely a loss leader. I.e. they are intentionally willing to lose money on bananas, milk, and eggs because they know how important they are. It is a common practice in retail for these key items.

[@davidstring8301]

They're not that great of a deal anyway. I just got 6 at another supermarket for $0.89

[@NotKimiRaikkonen1]

Exactly. Staples are almost always loss leaders to get you in the door and buy their other products with higher margins.

[@Errhhk]

yeah yeah whatever nerd

[@Jake_AC]

@@Errhhk 🙄 or I'm just in the industry...

[@vivsevs1087]

@@NotKimiRaikkonen1 lol at first i thought you meant staples like for attaching papers together and was like.. staples bring people in that much??

[@lucybanta7311]

Plus everyone is friendly and helpful, not that that affects the prices but it sure makes it a more pleasant place to shop!

[@arishem555]

Being helpful pretty much. Being friendly? They are not your friends. They are smiling to you and laughing cause their boss told them to. But people can cry inside and still smile to you.

[@sonofben9766]

@@arishem555 you dont need to be friends with someone to act friendly

[@genxx2724]

Their employees seem more intelligent than other grocery store employees. They have a positive attitude and an interest in what they’re doing. They give proper customer service. They find out the answer to questions if they don’t know. This used to be normal, but standards no longer exist.

[@arishem555]

@@sonofben9766 I don't want anyone to act friendly towards me if they are not in the mood or it is not sincere. It's like your wife telling you whole life she loves you, - but she is actually not and instead she loves your money, - but she is being "friendly".

[@sonofben9766]

@@arishem555 ive never seen someone who had a problem with others, especially people in the customer service sector, presenting themselves as kind and approachable

[@zikamaster]

When you shop at trader Joe's you feel like the products are unique and not found in any other store because of authentic interesting labeling. Also its not just labeling, the products are actually healthier and taste really good and are often cheaper than in other stores. Just writing this comments makes me understand better why I love trader Joe's, especially their vegan/vegetarian section.

[@brooks5895]

They are not all healthier. Their marinara sauce is not better than Kirkland signature marinara sauce from Costco

[@zikamaster]

@@brooks5895 Yes you are correct. I meant to say "many products are actually healthier" not "the products". Yes, Trader Joe marinara sauce is boring. I always buy Rao from Costco.

[@KaleHello]

I don't think you know that they buy patent from other brands and plaster their name on it. For instance their orange chicken is the same what you would find at Winco. Or their soy chips are same as well

[@MysteryExodus]

Not healthier. Many of their products have vegetable oils

[@jazzyj904]

This was going to be comment. I feel like I get the best snacks too.

[@MijoShrek]

The funny thing to me having grown up around the first trader Joe's locations. They were known to be more expensive at the time, they were like the very first whole foods type grocery stores. As they expanded they adapted to their general location and kept it simple by keeping it store locations small and not having a massive amounts of stock that's not even getting shopped like most big brick and motor retailers.

[@caitlinweiss8801]

Same! When I heard Trader Joe's being described as "cheap" I was blown away. But I've always loved the occasional trip with my mom to Trader Joe's. I'm excited to go back and see if it really is affordable.

[@bobbyc1120]

@@caitlinweiss8801 It is pretty affordable. It's not quite as cheap as Aldi or Walmart, but it's cheaper than a typical grocery store.

[@MijoShrek]

@@caitlinweiss8801 The original Joe's was in Santa Barbara, to me atleast the rich folk and their kids would go there. Growing up poor, you make decisions based on your budget or what you even can afford. Things change over time, so now their operating model has kept them prices good. And the shopping experience is legit.

[@cheesewithxbread]

​@@bobbyc1120 their prices are on bar with Wal Mart. I shop at both. Bag Spinach, and other items are even cheaper

[@MijoShrek]

@@cheesewithxbread that's what we're saying here, and the video was showing how they've managed to remain relevant and become a sorta cult filling grocery store. You wanted to get your as over to trader Joe's as they had specific quality foods for their loyal shoppers. And because of they're specific niche operating model, have been able to keep prices the same, as prices on mass produced distribution foods prices increased to be the same now.

[@deanaiello6738]

As a retired industry exec, this was a realistic portrait of Trader Joes. The two things I'd add is 1. that each trip can be one of discovery which keeps the consumer engaged. and 2. private label agreements may be with well known producers and may be equal or superior to the branded version; something not all retailers try to achieve.

[@peterbogdanoff]

TJs has a podcast where they talk about their business practices in detail. For example, in one early podcast they explained how they have a committee that meets regularly to sample new food candidates and approve what should be put on the shelf. This is counter to many other retailers who receive payment from manufacturers to carry their products.

[@Fitnessdealnews]

didn't know they have it. good catch

[@Hyun989]

what's name of the podcast ?

[@TheSimplydar]

My dream job is in that committee

[@dragonflychaser]

Hands down the best "customer service" consistently across every store I've been to in California. 2 days ago I was at the checkout and when they asked did you find everything you were looking (which by the way they ask EVERY SINGLE TIME) I casually mentioned that I didn't see Mango Tea on the shelves, the lady literally went to the screen behind her and looked it up for me and said it was seasonal. She went above and beyond and exceeded my expectation for receptive customer service. It's the little things that makes TJ so amazing

[@echuynh]

Big fan of Trader Joe’s! Great products, friendly customer service at reasonable price.

[@justinadamson3155]

Trader Joe’s is nice if you’re not actually looking to cook. Unfortunately if you are, they’re basically guaranteed to not have at least a few of the things on your shopping list, so you end up at a conventional grocery store anyways.

[@aponcedeleon7428]

True story. At least in Louisiana. 😂. But California stores never ran out of anything.

[@SisterFromAnotherPlanet]

I cook from scratch almost every night and I love TJ's for produce. At least in NYC, you can call in the AM and ask them to hold something for you til the end of the day if you know it's something popular. In fact, I find they usually run out of the frozen meal specialties much faster than produce--but again, you can call ahead early and they'll hold it for you.

[@audreyd3595]

As someone who is a regular cook, that’s not likely true. They’re even more likely to have ingredients that I won’t find at other stores actually. Like fresh rhubarb and fresh figs and a specialty apricot I made pies and cookies with. Also the veggie section is the same, where else would I have found baby cauliflower, and drain now carrots all year round? The only issue is they can run out on a busy day and stores are only able to order a certain amount. Or when their suppliers crops are affected, then they won’t carry that product until they find another.

[@SnowBalling]

When I go into Kroger's to get a few items, they plaster my face over security monitors, their buildings are massive and take a long time to go through. And sometimes there's long lines at the self checkout. They obsessively want to scan your cartons of water so they know you won't steal. Trader Joe's feels more like grocery stores used to feel, they don't treat you like a criminal, their lines are fast, you don't have to walk far, they don't force you to do self checkout. The whole experience is way better.

[@tofuyam7361]

you also need the stupid rewards card to pay a decent price on items

[@CHMichael]

In my corner publix has the monopoly. - too much plastbags and shopping carts all over the parking lot. ..... we pay for that. Or we don't when we g8to trader Joe or Aldi

[@gabrielagomez8169]

Trader Joe’s is for people who don’t really cook from scratch all that often. Trying to make something from scratch from Trader Joe’s is either expensive or hard to do because you can’t find all of the ingredients. Trader Joe’s is mostly more “affordable” if you’re looking for prepackaged meals.

[@oneohtricks8244]

i disagree about it not being as affordable. you can get a lot of staples from trader joe's that are cheaper than other places, and then buy things you can't find there and things you are buying for an individual meal at a different store. so you save money by purchasing as much as you can from TJs and getting the rest somewhere else. i've never been a chain grocery store that is as affordable.

[@tobielurie4582]

I disagree. I cook from scratch and except for produce, I get almost everything there.

[@misosoupbowl]

Almost had a heart attack trying to buy a bag of cane sugar for a cake and it was like $10

[@MS-we9gn]

I work there and disagree. The only thing customers might have trouble with is getting the “wet produce” they’re looking for. The truck that carries our produce, eggs, dairy, cheese and flowers arrives in the morning, so if you shop at a busy location and get there mid-day or in the evening, what you’re looking for might be out of stock. It’s very easy and cheap to make stuff from scratch with TJ’s ingredients, though

[@MrDeanvalentin]

Exactly. I shop at Trader Joes to buy a bag of orange chicken, rice, and frozen dumplings. All 30 minute heating up/low prep meals from TJs

[@nicholasbeck2649]

The first time I finally went to Trader Joes I was instantly converted. It's super affordable and their produce and meat is superb. I generally don't buy much packaged food but when I do from Trader Joes I'm always impressed by the quality of it. Their ingredient lists are small and the food actually tastes like it's not overly processed.

[@monikalenz2559]

Simply the best and easiest place to get groceries. No paper coupons, silly games, digital coupons, membership requirements or high end name brands. I've shopped at TJ since 1968! Cheaper, simpler, better!

[@graphenebusinesslaw]

as a business lawyer, trader joe's has the mindset and customer loyalty that many of my clients dream of!

[@joelbolton7252]

I adore Trader Joes. I am in Northern VA, and my local store has a cashier that is the brother of one of my coworkers. We found this connection organically through conversation, and it brings me joy to come into that store, find the great variety of foods and CHEAP beer/wine, and I never have to deal with self checkout issues, a lack of cashiers, or a confusing labyrinth of isles. Generally, the people working there don't seem to be simply "putting on a happy face," and that matters a lot these days to me. Its honest, and real. Some things may be cheaper at other stores, which is fine, but I am good with what is being charged for the quality I am receiving. They rock, and I prefer them almost bar-none to other chains for this reason alone. For me, and seemingly for them, its very personal. Keep it going!

[@adelaferreira4575]

I am a fan of Traders Joes for the last 25 years ,their products are good quality and 30% cheaper then the competition ,I won’t go anywhere else for good cheese,bread,butter,olive oil,little tomatoes etc, they really pay attention to their customers and that is a recipe for success ,I think .

[@darkhairboy1]

“So cheap”? No way anyone would consider trader’s Joe a cheap grocery store, nuts , fruits, dairy products and most of meat sections are way more expensive than some other grocery stores.

[@jaxr.s.4647]

@@darkhairboy1 That definitely depends on where you live. In my area, Trader Joe's has the cheapest nuts, produce, dairy, and meat among the various grocery stores. The only cheaper ones in town are convenience stores where you won't find anything fresh.

[@darkhairboy1]

Yeah I hear you, I live in Dallas, Texas and we have Winco, HEB, Brookshire, can’t really beat their prices, not saying you can buy all same brands for cheaper but same products and I don’t think you’d notice a big difference.

[@jaxr.s.4647]

@@darkhairboy1 yeah, growing up in the south, I always considered TJ an expensive store, so it was to my surprise that it was the only store I can afford here!

[@Micfri123]

Reasonable prices on most products & I love how a lot of it is fresh/organic. Lucky to have one close by.

[@Terika-]

I love Trader Joe's. I actually look forward every time to go grocery shopping ! Also prices are great . As a vegan, I purchase a lot of fresh food ...I would go bankrupt if I had to shop every time in other stores here in California.

[@briannarichardson1596]

As I vegan too, and crew member at Trader Joe’s , I agree with you ❤️. It’s so easy to get all the veggies I need , and such a low price . We have to re-up on a produce more often than others . I’m in New York , where nothing is cheap either lol

[@keana172]

yes same!

[@bphilipnyc]

The best thing about the whole store are the friendly cashiers.

[@joe.oneill]

Trader Joe's is a well run company. They have a Glassdoor rating of 4 (out of 5) with close to 8K reviews; 77% positive.

[@kevins6114]

My husband is from California and introduced me to them via a store in Virginia. It was life changing…Almost fun to go shopping. We still haven’t gotten over them discontinuing the jarred mole sauce though. :). So good.

[@derred723]

yeah i used to buy their low sodium butternut squash soup. They discontinued it. I guess i was the only one buying it. But it was usefull when you didn't want to cook to have a quick soup for lunch or even dinner.

[@HEMAYATC]

Trader Joe’s also treats their staff well and this contributes to better customer service. This human element is a major ingredient in the Trader Joe’s formula.

[@Error_694]

TJ employees are always nicer than other grocery stores. Not sure how they find them.

[@hpj1992]

I think many factors mentioned here are true for Costco as well. Costco customers are very loyal.

[@TheModernDespot]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@MartyAckerman310]

The thing about Costco and Trader Joe's is no matter how busy the stores are, I can always get through the store and checkout pretty quickly.

[@Willburys]

In Germany is Aldi with the Brothers with the Companys Aldi North and South are Legends!

[@timp1293]

Trader Joe’s service is top notch. No long line, cashiers always greet you making you feel you are being taken care of. You always have a good feeling leaving the store. No other chains can match Trader Joe’s there. It’s their number one advantage.

[@gaiaearendel2414]

When I was house hunting I made sure there was a Trader Joe's no more than 25 min away first.

[@Rickets1911]

I love it when advertising is in the form of an article or a story.

[@serialkilla23]

and the comments full of traders joe bots.

[@Rickets1911]

@@serialkilla23 what’d he do that made you mad?… fall of his bicycle??

[@marlanscott2508]

I really like their specialty products concept that other grocery stores don't offer. Maybe this is why they do so well.

[@Chaoes96]

Hands down their customer service is great as well. Every trader joes employee has always been nice and appreciative of me! Thank you to any employees out there reading this, we love you!!!

[@editorjohn8803]

I always buy five bags of chili and lime tortilla chips whenever I go, feeling a thrill and guilt at the same time

[@jasprerph]

My guilty pleasure is the trail mix crackers .. they are addictive !

[@affie3279]

5 each?

[@claudiahansen4938]

Same feeling when I throw 3 bags of the Elote corn chips into the cart. Addictive!

[@HR-re6mr]

It’s just a fun place to shop. I feel like there is stuff there I couldn’t find elsewhere. Breaks up the monotony of shopping. Plus the great flowers and EVERY cashier and employee is nice, offers suggestions and just pleasant

[@thealexshowable]

Another unique advantage of shopping at Trader Joe's are their customer policies. As a customer you can ask an employee to try any product at any time. You can return any product you purchased even without a receipt or if it has been consumed. And they pride themselves on their trust, customer service, and community so you won't find any cameras in the stores. They truly provide a great customer experience and at the price point they offer the quality cannot be matched.

[@noahsabadish3812]

not to mention how friendly their cashiers are

[@stefanfrankel8157]

Their products tend to be fresher, too. When I buy fresh vegetables at the local market, they often start to turn bad within a couple of days. Trader Joe's vegetables can last up to a week or more. That's great because they are out of my way and I only shop there once a week.

[@TheDAT573]

I am a regular Trader Joe's shopper. Yesterday I spent $107.00 on groceries in TJ's yesterday. I avoid most of TJ's prepared foods, due to their high salt content. Also, sometimes I have a favorite TJ's product, buy it for months and then TJ discontinues, drops the product.

[@radioactivehands]

I like how it isn't too big, all the things you need are there and you don't waste too much time wandering around. Quality is good, price is good and it has a warm atmosphere unlike big supermarkets that are basically just warehouses. And you don't have to buy in bunks to save.

[@jayski9410]

They didn't mention that Trader Joe's uses one of the tactics Whole Foods uses which is that you tend to enter in through the Produce section in order to give you the feeling you're going to be "eating healthy" by shopping here. But most of their offerings lie beyond in the processed and packaged goods.

[@specialk9999]

That makes people think they are eating healthy? Lol. No one is eating healthy unless they are looking at all the ingredients on products and doing their own research on those chemicals in foods.

[@djm2189]

​@@specialk9999exactly! Granted tried one if their salad kits and fell in love so now eat more salads. People actually check the labels. I was going to buy juice and I check the labels one had 30 grams of sugar per serving while the other only had 8 guess which one I got. Love trader Joe's!

[@mayhewfisher62]

Interesting

[@jonkrispeterson6678]

That is what most grocery stores do.

[@monikalenz2559]

Vons has one entrance at produce and the other at Starbucks counter. 😅

[@ArtemAndrusov]

I was surprised to see in the title saying Trader Joe's "So cheap". I I've been to 3-4 Trader Joe's and I always found them expensive, not conviniently organized and with long wait on the registers. Apparently, with my experience, I've been asking a completely opposite question: "How can Trader Joe's and Whole Foods be so expensive, not have the best vegetables, and still remain so popular?". I guess, it well depends on where you live. In my area, Sprouts is a number one in both quality and costs. Then comes Safeway with the same costs but a little lower quality of produce, and then expensive and not the best quality Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. This video just sounds like and an infomercial

[@sydneyrene2014]

It is completely contingent on where you live. In a major city Trader Joe’s is usually one of the cheapest options. If you are in the suburbs or a mid-sized city, this is likely not the case.

[@Ann-kw1pn]

Agree, I'm an Aldi girl. I go to TJ's for the flowers and specialty items they don't have at Aldi.

[@rlb2444]

After shopping at Trader Joes I despise going anywhere else. I can park close to the entrance and get in and out very fast compared to any other store. I don't have to worry about coupons or special gas deals. Daily prices are extremely fair and reasonable and quality is much higher than generics and national brands purchased at the large grocery supermarkets. It's more like shopping at a locally owned neighborhood stores where you know everyone. There are always creative new items that are priced reasonably. Total shopping change and I love it.

[@sgregerson]

Shopping since my son was 6 yrs old, at Trader Joe's, my son is 38 yrs. old and he also shops here. I love Trader Joe's.

[@mdsfo]

I have shopped at TJs for 20 years in California and later Washington. I've never liked large grocery stores or earehouse stores, too overwhelming with too many choices. And as a family of one, I don't want huge packages of anything. I actually enjoy shopping at TJs, and would only shop there if they had the pet supplies I need. But I still have to buy those at Fred Meyer.

[@davidlawson5303]

Trader Joe’s has made grocery shopping so much more affordable when living in an expensive city like NYC. I could buy so much good stuff at TJs for $100, whereas I would get half that amount of food at a local grocery chain.

[@fridaee]

As a Trader Joe's employee, I can confirm that 95% of customers leave very satisfied

[@marjorielarner9969]

Great customer service should be near the top of the list of their successful strategies.

[@1029blue]

What I don't like about Trader Joe's is that, because the stores are so small, it can get very crowded, depending on where you live. They're also not good about giving visibility to their gluten-free items (which aren't even certified gluten-free, as far as I know).

[@Hat65]

Go shopping in the early morning. That’s what we do.

[@_kaleido]

Yeah it’s pretty terrible, if you go any time after noon you’ll constantly be brushing shoulders with strangers

[@putamadre3640]

Why is everyone gluten free

[@ginayus2603]

I HATE grocery shopping but I am ❤❤obsessed ❤❤with Trader Joe's.

[@pullman1958]

TJs is great. I’ve been shopping there since 1987. As far as cheap, I wouldn’t go that far. Probably fair is a better description. My bill is close to $200 when I walk out of there. Far from cheap. TJ used to be cheaper back in the old days of bulk bins, and minimal packaging. But I still like shopping there after all these years.

[@rotatopotato5212]

For me, TJs frozen food section keeps me alive, is delicious and still more affordable than the gross frozen foods like other big grocery stores

[@REPSDirect]

Trader Joes has friendly employees, products/store is well laid-out, has great prices, I'd shop there more often but Sprouts is only a 5-minute walk and Whole Foods way too expensive now.

[@The_Savage_Wombat]

They didn't jack prices way up and the people that work at my store are awesome. That's why I love going there.

[@ihatekpeng]

I really like the clip at 2:27 where y'all pour marinara sauce over frozen gnocchi.

[@curtisgrindahl446]

I often ask the person checking me out how long they've worked for Traders.... the answers are telling. Folks love working there AND they stay. I do almost ALL of my shopping there.

[@romannikiforov3311]

Your passion for trading is contagious! Watching your videos makes me excited to dive deeper into the world of trading.

[@axnyslie]

I have definitely noticed this trend since 2020. TJ's prices have remained stagnant while all the other grocery chains have committed massive price gouging. Proof that all the excuses grocers use to justify their price increases are a total BS lie. It is greed pure and simple, evident by the massive profits reported each quarter.

[@downeastboy84]

One of the many reasons why i love Trader Joe’s besides being cheap is the fact that you can often unique items that you might not be able to find in other grocery stores like Their Soup dumplings or their frozen croissants and so many different things that I feel that are unique to TJS I also love the once a year stuff that Trader Joe’s has only around the holidays like their Wasil punch or their microwaveable cheese founde

[@thalyfe-pg8dk]

Thanks Trader Joe’s for cool products and low prices. 👍

[@supansaseesod1663]

I love Trader’s Joe and will always support them ❤

[@Storesdavidal]

I like Trader Joe's Brands and their free food taster for their customers.

[@Mor4me]

You haven’t been since before Covid

[@p.2846]

@@Mor4me No, free samples are back, at least in the State where I live.

[@abby--]

Always been a TJ's fan, but with the prices rising so much at other grocery stores, the value of shopping there now is insane. If I go to my local supermarket chain or Whole Foods, I'm spending $100 minimum on one tote bag of grocery essentials. I went to TJ's the other day and got 3 bags for $130, including a pack of chicken thighs that were only $3.60!!!

[@cbpd89]

I don't go to Trader Joe's that often (not a good location for me) but I found the produce to be much more expensive that any of the other stores I shop at. A lot of dry and canned goods were excellent price, but not the fresh fruit and veg. Maybe it was just because it was in a city and everything in that area has inflated prices, but I was surprised since they have a reputation for low prices.

[@hado1916]

I think so too. And many times, the fresh produces are not as fresh as in other stores.

[@karlairiscaldelasluna2401]

I agree, I don’t buy produce from trader joes because it’s expensive and they don’t really have much variety anyway, I end up going to Vons. Trader Joe’s has great prices for the canned goods as you said and also I tend to find good deals for organic stuff (dairy/meat/seafood) which other stores overprice, like wholefoods and sprouts

[@claudiahansen4938]

My uncle in Tarzana advised me to shop there. That was forty years ago. TJs is my favorite store. Wherever I travel, I look to see if there is a Trader Joe's there.

[@davidsiemens7359]

Morning Joe is great coffee at a reasonable price. We make a monthly 100+ mile round trip just to stock up on Trader essentials.

[@itslogical3884]

Trader Joe's has the best customer service of all the other grocery stores that I have been to. Also, the restrooms are the cleanest east and west of the Mississippi, and even on the Mississippi.😀😀

[@alp3781]

I love shopping at TJ's. Easy in and out, very good products. always fresh, very tasty snacks, good ingrediencies. They are not that cheap compare to others, but the quality is worth it. The only thing I hate is when the store is busy. You just can't move around. So, we changed the shopping time, on the weekend. The do well in NJ. Good place !!!!!!!!!! TJ, please bring back the Bean Soup !!!!!

[@98265]

I love TJ for the easy to grab food ideas, wine selection and friendly staff

[@gloriafleming218]

I love trader Joe's, but cheap is not a word I would use to describe them, more like " expensive".

[@chm825]

I absolutely love Trader Joes. I hardly shop anywhere else anymore. Anything I need to maintain a super healthy diet, is always available. Absolutely keeps my sugar readings at a prediabetic level.

[@Amirhesamyan]

They have unique stuff + friendly staff. It doesn't feel like a grocery chain.

[@anmolsmusings6370]

I love Trader Joe's!!

[@danielhernandez4617]

I love trader joes frozen fish options, so many options at a affordable price

[@essieessie5399]

In the search of a new State to move, my main criteria is,,,,,where are the Trader Joes located? I love TJs!!!

[@NewKingBrandon]

I like Trader Joe’s but it’s strange to think of a grocery store as having fans

[@MsParklover]

Another reason for me to love TJ is that I don't find problematic ingredients like HFS, artificial colorings in their products. They are much cheaper alternative to Wholefoods and PCC for health conscious shoppers.

[@randomoneforstuff3696]

That's true for the most part. Sadly not for the boxed broths though. I recently bought beef broth only to find out that it had caramel color in it. That's the same junk that's used in coke.

[@JennySimonArt]

That's amazing plus Trader Joe's is healthier than all other grocery stores. Just pick up any item and look at the ingredients list. Years ago I bought sweet relish at a regular store and I could literally taste the chemicals in there. I went to TJ's and picked up sweet relish and the ingredients list was much healthier and you can definitely taste it too. And yes, prices are so much better. Love Trader Joe's!

[@Arthur-ke9vz]

Taste the chemicals??? Bwahahaha. Let me guess, you support wind and solar energy???

[@ACMendez]

@@Arthur-ke9vzi'm gonna ask you to take a step back from the internet and read your comment to see how weird you sound... please get some fresh air lol

[@Arthur-ke9vz]

@@ACMendez weird? Because I’m not an pathetic EPA loving idiot?

[@eliu868]

@@Arthur-ke9vz You don't support renewable and alternative energy??? Bwahahaha.

[@susiepoo51]

Best customer service!!! Employees always make you feel welcome and happy to be there!

[@savvysearch]

Trader Joes is like a mini Costco where the items they sell are tested, approved and curated for the customers. There’s no need to value shop or compare brands. They just put on offer one or two brands of a product that they deem to be the best value. It makes shopping easier. Even their frozen foods are like shopping at Picard in France. Just really good items. Also people like that it’s a family owned company that’s not at the whims of activist investors. Aldi’s also has a fanbase and they were founded by the same members that founded Trader Joes. BTW, their brand chocolate is supposedly made by Callebaut.

[@Argonaut121]

Frankly, I don't really like Trader Joe's but I have lots of respect for how they do business.

[@muhammad-bin-american]

Yeah I used to avoid Trader Joes thinking that its some high end store but during the pandemic I started shopping there and I was very surprised. Great quality produce at low prices. The problem is though I find their store set up to be a bit weird for some reasons. Still struggling to get use to their style. Maybe its because I'm used to stores like Giant.

[@saturdaysequalsyouth]

My only problem with Trader Joe's is it's so crowded.

[@lagunapugs]

I love Trader Joe's too. Unfortunately, the closest one to me is over 2 1/4 hours away in Henderson, NV.

[@jloiben12]

Because they are actually good at their job

[@Zoe-ge3kx]

I love Trader Joe's! I hope they bring back the coffee flavored ice pops. Love those.

[@cmconcon]

Love the store long time fan! I DO wish they would use higher quality oils in their foods. They use a LOT of cheap, inflammatory oils. I always check the labels. Love the fun, and cultural items!

[@sylviaperez3784]

Customer Service, once a week shopping trip takes only 20 minutes for family of four, consistently fairly priced! Best grocery store hands down!

[@susanbrazeal1275]

Thank you for the information regarding TJs. I am a loyal customer so now I understand the marketing better. Love the selection of products there. Also they have a policy to issue a refund if you don't like an item.

[@johnmantis5959]

I love Trader Joe’s (Crazy Joe’s) as I call it. There’s some many things I love about their stores that have already been covered by other readers in this post. We have done price comparison with our local Public stores, and crazy Joe’s prices are not only lower but also the quality of products are better.😊😊😊

[@wenbo9543]

Defining Trader Joe's cheap is mind blowing

[@cngreen2950]

I love Trader’s joes . Thank you very much !

[@salviaofficinalis02]

Trader Joe's is cheap?!!! Are you f kidding me?! This is one of the best, safest, most trustworthy grocery stores in the U.S !!! (aside from Whole Foods) My sister only does her groceries there & it's anything but CHEAP.

[@valdezfam8694]

A very good friend of mine worked at Trader Joe’s for several years. When he and other coworkers became interested in unionizing, the company stabbed them in the back. I no longer shop at Trader Joe’s because of their position on unions. It’s unfortunate because I really enjoyed buying food there, enjoy and supporting businesses that support unions

[@dustingariepy2056]

Love Trader Joes. The smaller store makes shopping way more efficant and not having those middle ilse the big stores have is an automatic money saver. That Kung-Pao chicken is so good too.

[@HotHoneyAndSpice]

I really wish they could come to Canada. We love Trader Joes!

[@Hamlet137475]

yes it's cheap but one problem i have is their produce and baked goods have a very very short shelf life. Products go bad pretty quickly and do not always follow the label for expiration. oftentimes their products go bad well before the labelled expiration.

[@ProjectArjun]

Absolutely agree, it is a disturbing trend that I have been noticing in Trader Joe's lately - their produce have a very low shelf life and their organic fruits disintegrate within themselves - the produce is also mishandled during unboxing - have witnessed that on numerous accounts

[@JimB16]

Yes Hamlet...agreed...

[@denysivanov3364]

No harmful chemicals inside then..

[@tylerd8245]

I can't speak for the inaccurate expiration dates, but as alluded to in the previous comment, it's possible it goes bad more quickly because they don't buy products that use chemicals to preserve shelf life. I don't know for sure. But large chain grocery stores generally don't care about such things.

[@Heavenboundexpress]

I always feel trader Joe’s and Walmart are the most honest stores out there.

[@JimB16]

I am a big fan of Trader Joe's. Great prices. Creative products. One comment...their time dated products, e.g. salads, sandwiches, etc. do not have a very long shelf life and usually need to be used within a couple of days of purchase...and the staff don't seem as proactive and helpful as they were a few years ago...a common issue in retail recently. Still a thumbs up... 👍

[@c.yamaura4239]

I live 2 short blocks away from trader joe's here in NYC. I can't tell you how happy I am - I feel like I hit a jackpot 😊

[@gbb82]

I have been to Trader Joe’s; it’s not cheap.

[@mattnelson8726]

As a Trader Joe’s employee I say thank you for your kind words I love working for the company