One eco bag stamped with a grocery store logo costs $50. That's close to 70,000 won, but it's not easy to get the item you want. This is about Erewhon, a premium supermarket chain operating around Los Angeles (LA).
Erewhon made its name with smoothies created in collaboration with celebrities such as Hailey Bieber and high-priced health foods. It mainly carries organic and natural foods, and its shelves are packed with private-label groceries. Recently, Erewhon-branded eco bags, tumblers, and clothing have even caught on as popular souvenirs among LA travelers.
On the 16th (local time), we visited the Erewhon Beverly Hills store in California. The $36 washable kraft bag, which is almost the same color and design as the paper shopping bags used in the store, sold out down to the last one. The $50 canvas shopper with a large Erewhon logo was restocked by employees whenever the display shelf ran low.
On one side of the store, there was a separate space gathering not only bags but also tumblers, socks, and hats. Most products prominently feature the Erewhon logo. Looking at the price tags, calling them grocery store goods feels off. A pair of socks costs $36, hats run $75–$95, and hoodies sell for $170.
This is not the first time grocery store goods have become popular in the United States. Before Erewhon, Trader Joe's eco bags had already become a staple souvenir for U.S. travelers. With a range of designs using regional names and logos and relatively affordable prices, travelers seek them out.
In particular, the $2.99 mini canvas tote has been so popular that it sells out every time it launches. When a limited edition went on sale in April last year, long lines formed in front of major U.S. stores even before opening, and some locations limited purchase quantities. The scarcity of being available only at local stores added to the frenzy, and on online secondhand markets it sometimes traded at prices far above the list price.
Goods marketing in retail is nothing new, but lately the role of goods has been changing. Rather than remaining add-ons to the core business, goods are increasingly drawing consumers into stores. Instead of buying an eco bag while grocery shopping, people are going to the store specifically to get the eco bag they want.
◇ Korean goods like Olive Young tarpaulin bags draw attention
Retailers in Korea are also strengthening their private-label merchandise. Olive Young is expanding its lineup of goods such as bags and pouches as the number of inbound foreign tourists surges. Among foreign tourists, items that symbolize Olive Young have emerged.
One is a large tarpaulin bag given with purchases over a certain amount. As foreign tourists pack cosmetics and various shopping items bought at Olive Young into these bags, it has become a familiar sight at Incheon Airport to see people carrying tarpaulin bags. Among foreign tourists, it has become a kind of proof that they shopped at Olive Young in Korea.
Department stores are also rolling out their own goods. House of Shinsegae Cheongdam's premium grocery store TWELVE sells a range of bags, including paper bags and canvas shoppers with its logo. At the House of Shinsegae gift shop, it showcases bags, bojagi wrapping cloths, and charms that combine in-house designs with a Korean sensibility.
Hyundai Department Store operates its own souvenir shop, The Hyundai Present, at The Hyundai Seoul. It sells eco bags, umbrellas, and travel accessories using The Hyundai Seoul's design, as well as stationery and home goods featuring Hyundai Department Store's signature character, Heendi. It has also launched diffusers and candles that capture the scent of Sounds Forest, the signature space of The Hyundai Seoul.
For retailers, goods are a lucrative marketing tool. Beyond additional sales, everyday items like eco bags and tumblers naturally promote the brand just by being carried around by consumers. Products that generate buzz also help bring new customers into stores.
Consumers' views on goods are changing as well. In the past, they were seen as freebies or promotional items; now they have become a category people pay for. As where you do your grocery shopping and which department store you visit become part of personal taste, retailers' logos have started to carry price tags.