For many, the low prices of Trader Joe’s have made their store the go-to for food and drink. But, what if you want something else? Does Trader Joe’s sell lightbulbs?
No. Trader Joe’s does not sell lightbulbs. While they do a few homeware products, they simply do not have the space in their stores to stock the range of lightbulbs they would need to sell to satisfy everybody.
Let’s tell you more about the store.
Trader Joe’s and What They Offer
Trader Joe’s is one of the largest grocery store companies in the United States. They are famed for their low prices and product selection.
Their unique business model ensures that they can offer competitive prices on products that they have in stock without compromising on quality.
Trader Joe’s stores tend to be very small in size. They pack them tightly, though. This does mean that they have to think long and hard about the types of products that they keep on their shelves.
Something needs to sell exceedingly well in Trader Joe’s or it just isn’t worth bringing into stock. This is why the company regularly discontinues products and, mostly, sticks to the retail of food and drink.
Availability of Light Bulbs in Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s does not stock light bulbs. It is unlikely that they are ever going to stock light bulbs, and there are some good reasons for this.
Firstly, Trader Joe’s has a limited amount of space in their stores. While we are sure that they would love to pack a ton more products into their buildings it isn’t feasible.
Trader Joe’s are never going to upgrade the size of their stores either because that isn’t in their business model. They are more meant to be a local friendly store rather than some big behemoth like Walmart.
Plus, even if their stores were far bigger, light bulbs wouldn’t really be the thing that they would be focusing on when they expanded their product range.
You have to remember that light bulbs are complicated. There are a lot of different types out there. It would be difficult for Trader Joe’s to stock all potential light bulbs that can be sold and if they stocked the most popular ones, customers would end up getting disappointed their bulbs are not there.
Not to mention the fact that they simply do not have enough staff working their stores to answer any questions about light bulbs.
In addition to this, we doubt that Trader Joe’s would ever be able to be competitive on light bulb prices anyway. Trader Joe’s prides itself on offering competitive pricing against all the major retail stores out there.
They would never be able to sell enough lightbulbs to justify keeping the price low. When Trader Joe’s knows that it is not going to be able to compete in a market, it simply isn’t going to bother trying to compete.
Alternatives for Purchasing Light Bulbs at Trader Joe’s
While you won’t be able to find lightbulbs at Trader Joe’s, you may be able to find them in local stores.
Any good hardware store will have lightbulbs in stock for you. In most cases, their product range is going to be a lot better than you would be able to find at any of the big grocery stores. You can feel good knowing that you are contributing to the local community too.
Of course, if you regularly shop at Walmart and Costco, then you can find plenty of lightbulbs in stock there, and their prices are pretty competitive.
If you want to order online then you will certainly have your pick of stores to choose from. There are a ton of them out there. While Amazon is likely going to have the biggest selection of lightbulbs available, you may be able to find even more competitive prices.
Considerations When Purchasing Light Bulbs
There are a few things that you will need to consider when purchasing lightbulbs.
Type of Fitting
Your priority is always going to be the fitting on the lightbulb. This will either be a bayonet fitting (with two metal lugs sticking out of the bulb) or a screw fitting.
Both of these can come in different sizes. If you are replacing an old bulb, it should say on the bulb the size. If it doesn’t, then take it into a store so that you can carry out a quick comparison between the bulbs.
Energy Efficiency Ratings
You will also want to think about the energy efficiency rating. While lightbulbs are small, they are on all the time. This means that they consume a lot of power. All good light bulbs will list the energy efficiency rating on there somewhere.
The more energy-efficient that product is, the more money you will be saving on power. People can easily save hundreds of dollars on their energy bills every year simply by switching over to lightbulbs that are much more energy-efficient. It is an investment, but a worthwhile investment.
In our opinion, you should opt for LED lightbulbs wherever possible. They are going to be a lot more expensive than your traditional lightbulb, but they will save you money in the long run.
This is because they are much more energy-efficient (so you will save money on power) and they last a lot longer (sometimes a couple of decades). This means that you won’t be replacing the light bulb all that often.
Final Thoughts
Trader Joe’s does not sell light bulbs and it is likely that they will never introduce light bulbs into their range. They wouldn’t sell fast enough, and the entire business model of Trader Joe’s relies heavily on selling food and drink products.
Luckily, there are major stores that will sell lightbulbs. Walmart and Costco are big retailers, but you can also head to your local hardware store or shop online. There likely will be a store close to your Trader Joe’s that sells them.
Remember to do your research before buying a bulb. This way, you can be sure that you will end up with the right bulb for your home.
