Last week, Trader Joe’s restocked its $2.99 mini tote bags, which were resold for as much as $500 on online shopping platforms earlier this year. Every store’s prime spots are now filled with travel-sized haircare, skincare, and cosmetic products. On social media, miniature beauty bags packed with mini products have garnered millions of views. Even the iced tea brand Snapple has introduced smaller bottles, promoting them in ads as perfect for pocket-sized bags.
The Fashion Cycle of Miniature Products
Many people seem indifferent to mini products. Despite higher individual prices, more elaborate packaging, and increased risks of overconsumption, brands are betting on mini products to appeal to users’ nostalgia and their small desires for luxury brands.
Shawn Carter, a professor of business management at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, said that since the pandemic, stores have been dedicating better display spaces to mini products, offering them at lower prices to attract younger consumers. Carter noted that the “mini product” trend began in the 1960s, following the mini-skirt craze, which was then followed by mini handbags and totes.
Like all latest fashion trends, mini products have come back in style. “Since 2022, this trend has grown rapidly, like it’s on steroids,” said Carter. “This time, it’s not just a passing phase; it might be here to stay.” Matt Sloan, Vice President of Trader Joe’s and host of the “Inside Trader Joe’s” podcast, said the company “never anticipated” that the mini tote bag would become such a sudden hit: “We sell hundreds of thousands of these bags every week.”
Free Samples Drive Consumer Spending
Even if you’re not interested in buying mini products, you can’t escape the trend on social media. Influencer Jo Buck’s account “Little Bean” has amassed 3.2 million likes, thanks to her clever packing techniques, where she fits loads of mini products into tiny luxury bags. In one of her most popular videos, she fits a mini lipstick, a mini mascara, a mini concealer, a mini powder compact, a mini perfume bottle, and several other items into a mini luxury bag (sold online for $195).
Buck created her account in 2021 to connect with other fashion professionals. The pandemic made her realize she didn’t need to carry many things around, so she started making videos featuring mini bags. “Every time I go out, I bring a smaller bag because it better suits my lifestyle.” The mini lifestyle goes beyond just bags — Buck also repackages her cosmetics into small bottles.
Brands like Sephora offer mini samples when customers complete specific orders, redeem loyalty points, or celebrate birthdays. These mini samples encourage spending, as certain items are only available to frequent shoppers.
Value is Subjective?
Even people who don’t like mini products are often drawn to Buck’s content. Watching someone pack tiny bottles into a bag is both relaxing and mindless, perfectly suited for social media’s fast-paced feeds. “I think there’s a bit of cuteness to it, right?” Buck said.
You might have played with pocket toys or used kids’ meal boxes as a child. Now, brands are tugging at your heartstrings, trying to evoke nostalgic childhood memories. Anna Keller, chief analyst at Mastercard, said, “People will always like tiny, mini things — it’s just a functional iteration.” Some people favor mini products because it’s easier to use them up within their shelf life, reducing waste. Even though mini products are more expensive per unit, their overall cost is lower. You don’t have to buy knockoffs or substitutes; mini versions of luxury beauty and fashion items allow you to indulge in your high-end desires.
For small brands, making mini versions can be burdensome, as operating and logistics costs increase, but the rewards can be worthwhile. “It’s a very valuable marketing tool,” said Keller.
However, following social media fashion and beauty trends comes with the risk of increased white plastic waste. Compared to standard-sized products, mini bottles often require more materials to produce.
Melissa Varriente, Communications Director at the environmental organization Beyond Plastics, said companies should start developing recyclable and reusable products. “The resurgence of small bottles and mini products means more plastic waste.” The Association of Plastic Recyclers recommends buying full-sized products and using reusable containers when traveling. This is because, under the current system in the U.S., packaging smaller than 2 inches cannot be recycled.
For trend-chasers, value is subjective. “Buying a larger product might save me a lot of money, but I won’t use it because it doesn’t fit my lifestyle,” Buck said. “Although I spent more on something smaller, if I enjoy it and use it more, then the money was worth it.”
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