- A TikToker posted a video sharing some of the "psychological tricks" she thinks Trader Joe's uses.
- Viewers responded to the video sharing the psychology of why they love the grocery store.
Since American entrepreneur Joe Coulombe founded Trader Joe's in 1967, it has gained widespread appreciation, especially on social media. Now, some of these die-hard fans are explaining the psychology behind why they keep going back to the store.
In a video posted on October 9, TikToker Nicole Urban shared some of the "psychological tricks" that she thinks Trader Joe's uses to encourage people to spend more money in its stores.
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.
@urbannic Replying to @eleni ♬ original sound - nicole urban
The video has gone viral, receiving 5.3 million views. It has sparked discussion, and many viewers are responding by sharing the psychology behind why they love the store, and whether it relates to her hypotheses.
One of the biggest talking points was the demeanor of the cashiers. A TikTok viewer with the username @slothslipnslide wrote: "My cashier made me cry because she said I looked like I needed flowers and then called me a good mom after giving me a free bouquet."
Many viewers responded with similar stories of Trader Joe's employees gifting them flower bouquets or potted plants. Urban replied, "I would sob…oh my god."
Another viewer, who goes by the TikTok username @world.o.winston, wrote that they once told a Trader Joe's cashier they were applying to adopt a dog, and the cashier encouraged them to do so. Whenever they go back to shop at Trader Joe's, they still show the cashier pictures of him. "She only knows us as Winston's parents," they wrote.
In September, Trader Joe's employee Akeem Caballero told Insider that the friendly demeanor of employees is genuine and that they are encouraged to interact with customers.
"Being able to enhance a customer's shopping experience makes my job fun. It also makes it easy to want to talk to customers because there are so many ways we can genuinely help them, not upsell them," he said.
In August, Trader Joe's executives said it has no plans to add self-checkout kiosks to its stores. Jon Basalone, the company's president and vice chief executive officer, said on the company's podcast, "We believe in people. We're not trying to get rid of our crew members for efficiency's sake."
Many commenters pointed to another personal touch too — Trader Joe's signature hand-painted signs. TikToker @moondrops_burst wrote that the store design was half the reason she started going.
In a reply, TikToker @christian.soria pointed out that some Trader Joe's stores have different art. "I've worked at two different stores, and both had such good but different art," they wrote.
Customers may be drawn to the art because it "emphasizes the personal relationship," Mark Gardiner, a former marketing executive who worked at and wrote a book about Trader Joe's, told the Washington Post in 2022. "It's the graphic equivalent of that cheerful conversation that you'll have with a total stranger that's working there, who sees you buying dog food and asks you what kind of dog you have," he told the outlet.
Another aspect people were analyzing was the impact that fewer choices had on their love of Trader Joe's, which is known for carrying a smaller selection of items than many other grocery stores. Clinical research doesn't confirm that fewer options will necessarily lead customers to spend more, Psychology Today reported in 2010, but anecdotal experience suggests it can.
Several people commented that not having to contend with tons of choices helps make them feel less anxious and overwhelmed while shopping, and more likely to want to go back.
While Trader Joe's does not disclose its financials, it's estimated to bring in around $16.5 billion in sales annually, Insider previously reported.
Analytics firm Numerator found that the typical Trader Joe's shopper is between 25 and 44, and the store is very popular on TikTok. The hashtag #TraderJoes has received over 4.7 billion views, with many videos receiving millions of views recommending their must-have products, picking up their favorite limited-edition items, and sharing their hauls.