People love their cars, right? That doesn’t just happen when you are in adulthood. It begins when you are a child. Hot Wheels, for decades, have been the go-to model car for kids that love vehicles. The Hot Wheels range is one of the most popular toys in the world. Therefore, it isn’t a surprise so many people wonder ‘does Trader Joe’s sell Hot Wheels?’.
Trader Joe’s does not sell Hot Wheels. In fact, they do not sell any toys at all. At least, not as standard. Some toys may appear in their range at various times throughout the year, but they won’t have them in stock most of the time. If you want Hot Wheels, or any other toy, then Trader Joe’s is not the place to be shopping.
Let’s explain.
Overview of Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s is an American grocery store chain. It isn’t like your typical grocery store chain, though. Trader Joe’s stores are small. Very small. They may only have a couple of staff working there, and their product range is limited. You certainly wouldn’t be able to do your weekly shopping there. So, why do people buy from Trader Joe’s?
Well, Trader Joe’s is known for selling unique, high-quality food products. People absolutely love the delicious foods that Trader Joe’s sells at incredibly cheap prices. In fact, people love Trader Joe’s foods so much that you will find online communities dedicated to them. Countless review sites, etc.
On top of it all, Trader Joe’s is about the customer experience. While their stores are not overloaded with staff, the people that work there are always paying attention to the customers.
Trader Joe’s also listens to customer feedback to ensure that their stores are kitted out with the absolute best products at all times. No other grocery store does this.
Trader Joe’s Toy Section
Unfortunately, Trader Joe’s does not have a toy section in their stores. Around Christmas time, you may find a limited number of toys in stock, although this is rare. It certainly isn’t a place where you would want to do your Christmas shopping.
Trader Joe’s doesn’t have toys because they take up a huge amount of space. As mentioned previously, Trader Joe’s is a store that has limited space as it is. They are struggling to keep some very popular products in stock.
The last thing they want to do is load up their shelves with toys that don’t sell all that often, and often sell at very low prices. Not to mention the fact that Trader Joe’s is a big supporter of selling ‘green’ products, and plastic toys don’t really fit that category.
So, if you are searching for toys, then you should look at any other grocery store than Trader Joe’s.
That being said, you may sometimes see a stuffed toy on the shelves of Trader Joe’s. This isn’t for sale. It is a sort of scavenger hunt for children. If children find the stuffed toy on the shelves, they can take it to a staff member to collect a small reward.
Hot Wheels and Their Appeal
Hot Wheels is an American company owned by Mattel. In 1968, Hot Wheels was launched. While other model vehicles had come before Hot Wheels (Matchbox being their biggest competitor), no other model cars had been designed the way Hot Wheels cars were. Hot Wheels were designed for fun and speed.
The original design for Hot Wheels was unique, modded cars. While they would be based (ever so slightly) around real vehicles, Hot Wheels cars looked different.
They looked like they were the fastest cars on the planet. These cars were designed to go with plastic playsets.
Children (and probably some adults) could put their Hot Wheels cars on these plastic playsets and launch them, sending them at whopping speeds. These were toys built for fun.
Because they were launched in 1968, we reckon a good number of the people reading this page will have encountered Hot Wheels cars.
There is a sense of nostalgia around them, and since the company is still launching new Hot Wheels products, the children of the original Hot Wheels owners (and their children), are also buying them. Because of this, Hot Wheels has continued to be one of the most popular toy brands in the world.
The Hot Wheels model vehicle range is now massive. There are tons and tons of cars to choose from, plus a ton of accessories (track builders, scenery for tracks, etc.). There is so much that even a dedicated toy store wouldn’t be able to keep the complete range, let alone a Trader Joe’s.
Researching Trader Joe’s Hot Wheels Availability
If you wish to find out what products Trader Joe’s has in stock, you can always find the latest product listing on www.traderjoes.com. Alternatively, you can ask one of the staff members in the store.
It is highly unlikely you will ever find Trader Joe’s selling Hot Wheels products.
Results: Does Trader Joe’s Sell Hot Wheels?
Trader Joe’s does not sell Hot Wheels, nor is it ever likely to sell Hot Wheels. Trader Joe’s stores are far too small to keep toys.
You should also remember that Trader Joe’s main goal is to sell its own-brand products. So, they probably wouldn’t even consider stocking Hot Wheels anyway.
Alternatives for Hot Wheels Purchases
Most major grocery stores and toy stores will have Hot Wheels products in stock. Walmart always has a few different options available, as does www.toysrus.com. Alternatively, you can check sites like eBay and Amazon.
Prices of Hot Wheels can vary drastically, with car packs starting as low as $10 and tracks anywhere from $30 all the way up to several hundred dollars. Toy stores will generally have cheaper prices than your typical grocery store.
Final Thoughts
Trader Joe’s does not sell Hot Wheels products, and it is unlikely they will ever have Hot Wheels products in stock. This is because there simply isn’t enough space in their stores.
Anybody that wants to purchase Hot Wheels products will need to go to one of the larger grocery chains or, better yet, a toy store.