The Possible Reason Trader Joe's Seasonal Items Are So Limited

Trader Joe's is known for having some great seasonal specials that make the holiday season just that much better. From jams to candies and even cat-treat Advent calendars, the Trader keeps us celebrating through the long, dark winter months. That is until they run out of stock. We are all frustrated when we make a trip back to the store in need of one more bag of Thanksgiving stuffing potato chips or that amazing gingerbread ice cream only to learn it's sold out, sometimes long before the actual holiday even arrives. Crew members we spoke to mentioned several possible causes for the early sell-out, and a major reason is that holiday products are designed to be limited edition.

No store wants to be stuck with excess products to discount after a holiday, and Trader Joe's is no exception. The company projects its needs long in advance, sometimes half a year before a holiday in order to get production lined up, and increasing orders late in the season is not possible, no matter how desperate we are.

A second and related reason for finding limited stock on hand at your local store might be that some savvy bulk shoppers are swooping up the specials before you get there. A crew member told us there are always a few customers in each area who buy large quantities of popular items on a regular basis, and the store does not limit this behavior in most cases, so it's first-come-first-served. 

Over on Reddit, shoppers were complaining that items sold out so fast. Other commenters encouraged them to buy as soon as they saw what they wanted. The trouble is that this then contributes to the shortages.

Social media viral trends also put pressure on those seasonal items. So it probably is a good idea to stock up if you know you'll really need more of something you love, because it just may not be available for re-stocking during the season.

The good news is that just because one store is out of stock, other nearby stores could have additional products on hand. Each store places its warehouse orders independently, so it's possible a manager in the know scooped up some extra bourbon barrel maple syrup or mini chocolate mousse desserts, you never know!