Despite being a national chain, Trader Joe’s somehow makes you feel like you’ve found the most charming supermarket nestled in the center of a small town. It’s small and quaint, but packed with hidden gems and some of the friendliest employees you’ve ever met. Not to mention, the prices are competitive and the selection of products is top-notch. Trader Joe’s remains one of the most popular and beloved grocery stores around, and here are a few reasons why.
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Trader Joe’s Private Label Products
Trader Joe’s takes pride in its private label products, which aren’t just cheap knock-offs of the brand-name counterparts. A lot of product development and fine tuning goes into perfecting each item, and a team of Trader Joe’s executives have to approve all of them before they hit the shelves. So, customers have a lot of confidence and trust in the Trader Joe’s name.
The brand also has strict criteria for what ingredients make the cut. You won’t find any artificial flavors, food coloring, GMOs, or MSG in TJ’s products.
Friendly Staff Members
Trader Joe’s has a reputation for having some of the friendlist employees—so much so that people wondered whether they’re trained to flirt with customers (FYI, they’re not).
The first thing you see when you enter a Trader Joe’s store is a happy employee welcoming you inside. You’ll come across several staff members throughout the store stocking the shelves and assisting customers, so if you need help finding something, you don’t have to go far. Finally, as you head for the checkout, there are always several lanes open with smiling staffers ready to strike up a conversation about your day.
Unique Products
You can get your avocadoes, canned tuna, and chicken breasts at any grocery store, but there are certain products you can only get at Trader Joe’s. Fan favorites include the Speculoos Cookie Butter, Everything But The Bagel Seasoning, and Unexpected Cheddar Cheese. It may not seem like a huge deal, but scoring a fun item at TJ’s can make something mundane, like grocery shopping and meal planning, a way to romanticize your life.
The chain also creates tons of demand with its unique seasonal products. Every major holiday inspires a wave of limited items, such as pumpkin-flavored everything in the fall, and peppermint, gingerbread, and eggnog equivalents in the winter. TJ’s even offers candles, beauty products, and greeting cards to match the season, so there’s always something new and exciting to look forward to.
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Reasonable Prices
Since the significant majority of products for sale at Trader Joe’s is from the chain’s private label, the prices are pretty competitive. Costco is known for its $5 rotisserie chicken, and Trader Joe’s is known for its affordable fancy cheeses, wine, dips, and more.
Plus, there are a few ways that the chain keeps its costs low, so the private label options are not only top-tier quality, but at reasonable prices, too. For example, Trader Joe’s does away with supplier fees that get passed on to shoppers, large stores, and advertising costs to keep prices low. In the rare event that a name-brand item finds itself on the shelves at Trader Joe’s, the chain doesn’t charge extra for the shelf space.
Convenient Frozen Items
For a relatively small store, Trader Joe’s has a massive frozen section. It’s got your basics like frozen broccoli, strawberries, and salmon filets, but it’s also got some gems you can’t get elsewhere. Some of the best sellers include the Mandarin Orange Chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings.
If you favor quick and easy meals, the Trader Joe’s frozen aisle is where it’s at. Between the frozen aisle, ready-to-eat salad kits, and marinated meats, dinner has never been more convenient.
Generous Return Policy
Trader Joe’s stands behind its products, so if you don’t absolutely love something, just bring it back for a full refund—even if you already opened and tried it. This incentives shoppers to try new products, since the generous return policy pretty much screams “satisfaction guaranteed or your money back!”
The return policy is so generous, you don’t even need a receipt. You won’t get cash for it, and you’ll get the lowest advertised price, but you’ll get store credit.
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Free Samples
Everyone loves a free sample, and Trader Joe’s is happy to let you try anything in the store. You might see an employee passing out free samples of new products every now and then (this is what they call a “demo”), but that’s not your only opportunity to see if a product is worth buying before adding it to your cart. If anything piques your interest, simply ask an employee if you can sample it. They’ll open it right on up so you can try it for yourself.
The “Try Anything” policy applies to almost anything—except for alcoholic drinks and frozen food. Most ready-to-eat foods are fair game.
FAQs
At Trader Joe's, you won't find a lot of branded items. Instead, you'll discover a store full of unique and interesting products, along with everyday basics, in the Trader Joe's label. Our buyers travel the world searching for products we think are exceptional and will find a following among our customers.
What is so unique about Trader Joe's? ›
They talk about what makes Trader Joe's so unique and popular, including their focus on community, curated selection, transparency around pricing, and exceptional customer service. d popular, including their focus on community, curated selection, transparency around pricing, and exceptional customer service.
What makes Trader Joes stand out? ›
Innovative Product Selection at Trader Joe's
They carefully select unique and high-quality products that are not commonly found in other grocery stores. By offering these exclusive products, Trader Joe's creates a sense of exclusivity and excitement among its customers.
How is Trader Joe's different from its competitors? ›
Trader Joe's distinguishes itself by carrying selective private-label products not found at your typical grocery stores. Unlike most chain supermarkets, Trader Joe's stores are quite small, typically under 15,000 square feet and carry around 4,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) per store.
Why do people love Trader Joe's so much? ›
She mentioned the outgoing, charismatic employees who are encouraged to strike up conversations, its quirky hand-drawn signs, its low prices, its unique seasonal products, and its fun, laid-back atmosphere that helps it to stand out from the hustle and bustle of other popular supermarket chains.
What is Trader Joe's best known for? ›
The eclectic and retail-fan-favorite Trader Joe's is well-known to its loyalists for low prices on unique food items, ranging from cookie butter to salsas, cheeses and ready-to-eat packaged meals. The grocery store chain is also known for its quirky culture.
Why is everyone so nice at Trader Joe's? ›
“It is an unspoken expectation to be nice to our customers. We hire exceptionally nice people, so we don't feel the need to train them to be friendly,” Rachel Levine said. Madison Valdez added to this idea, “We go above and beyond with our customers to make sure they find whatever they need.”
What are the key sources of Trader Joe's competitive advantage? ›
They Provide a Seamless In-Store Experience
Beyond the friendly staff, the in-store experience has been optimized with the customer in mind. For example, a typical supermarket has 40 to 50,000 SKUs (stock-keeping units). A Trader Joe's store typically has about 4,000, so only about 10% of the total number of products.
What is the most sold item at Trader Joe's? ›
The #1 Overall award went to Chili & Lime Flavored Rolled Corn Tortilla Chips.
What is the secret to Trader Joe's success? ›
The secrets to Trader Joe's success are pretty simple and not all that secret: smaller stores with a limited number of SKUs, a friendly, playful atmosphere, helpful employees, aggressively competitive pricing, and most importantly, the food. It's Trader Joe's focus on food that makes the rest of it work.
In most cases, the missing animals differ across stores to maintain variety and deliver new experiences. And, if you see a lobster, it's not a coincidence. “In addition to a stuffed animal, most Trader Joe's also hide a plastic lobster,” Russo adds. So, be on the lookout!
What is a weakness of Trader Joe's? ›
Dependence on private label products: While Trader Joe's private label products are a key strength, its heavy reliance on them could be seen as a weakness.
What is unique about Trader Joe's? ›
Trader Joe's takes pride in its private label products, which aren't just cheap knock-offs of the brand-name counterparts. A lot of product development and fine tuning goes into perfecting each item, and a team of Trader Joe's executives have to approve all of them before they hit the shelves.
How does Trader Joe's differentiates itself from competitors by offering? ›
Question: Trader Joe's differentiates itself from competitors by offering top-quality foods obtained through sustainable agriculture. This business strategy implies that Trader Joe's focuses onincreasing the perceived value created for customers, which allows it to charge a premium price.
Why is Trader Joes such a good company? ›
Trader Joe's stands out as a grocery store chain magically because they keep true to their branding, because they have a quick turnaround for feedback, and because they create and keep a positive workplace.
What sets Trader Joe's apart? ›
They actively seek out items that cannot be found in other grocery stores, ensuring that their customers have access to a truly distinctive shopping experience. This commitment to offering exclusive products sets Trader Joe's apart from its competitors and creates a sense of excitement among customers.
Who is Trader Joe's biggest competitor? ›
Top 10 Trader Joe's competitors
- Walmart.
- Bravo Supermarkets.
- CJ Express.
- DealsOfAmerica.com.
- HEB Grocery.
- Kroger.
- Pete's Market.
- Target.
As we said, unique product offerings are a big traffic driver for Trader Joe's. 81% of our survey respondents said that was among the primary reasons they love the trendy grocery store so much.
Is Trader Joe's more expensive than regular grocery store? ›
That is: Trader Joe's more or less only sells products under its own brand name, with few exceptions. Trader Joe's is definitely cheaper than the average grocery store, but you might have to wait in a longer checkout line to take advantage of them.
