Should Grocers Pay Online Influencers?

Trader Joe’s, Costco, and numerous other grocers continue to benefit from influencers on social media that showcase their product offerings, apparently with no compensation from the grocers.

Not paying influencers helps grocers benefit from “earned media,” or when someone voluntarily offers a review that’s generally seen as more credible and trustworthy compared to paid advertising.

Trader Joe’s, which has a limited social media presence, doesn’t appear to work directly with influencers at all.

Trader Joe’s biggest influencer is Natasha Fischer, who started her Instagram blog — @TraderJoesList — chronicling new and must-have items at Trader Joe’s in 2008. Her Instagram post states she is “not affiliated with Trader Joe’s,” although her 7,404 posts have earned her 1.9 million followers, also allowing her to promote other brands.

She writes in an Instagram post, “I am not affiliated with Trader Joe’s and I do not get paid by Trader Joe’s. My brand partnerships (which I personally select and love) and my spatula brand (@patthespatula), which I created to spread smiles and give back, are how I make a living. I love what I do, and I feel fortunate to have the life I’ve always wanted. The internet is a weird, ever-changing (sometimes scary) place, but I’ve met so many incredible people because of it, and I’ve also been able to travel and explore many pockets of the world because of it.”

Trader Joe’s has dozens of other product review influencers across social media, including @traderjoesobsessed, @traderjoesfoodreviews, @traderjoesaficionado, and @traderjoeskitchen, with many likewise stating they have no formal affiliation with the grocer.

Costco and Most Other Grocers Also Benefit From Influencer Content

Costco likewise has a number of influencer accounts — including ones such as @costcohotfinds, @costcobuys, and @costco_doesitagain — with over a million followers. Many likewise indicate they have no direct affiliation with Costco, although partnerships with the brands that sell to Costco are an opportunity. A.J. and Big Justice, a father-son duo known on TikTok as the “Costco Guys,” are currently running a campaign for Smucker’s Uncrustables at Costco.

Costco does operate an affiliate program, managed through an outside firm CJ Affiliate, that enables influencers to earn $3 for each Gold Star membership and $6 for each Executive membership sold through referral links.

Other grocers from Publix to Kroger, H-E-B, Whole Foods, Wegman’s, and Aldi also benefit from organic influencer content online from fans showing off their grocery hauls, meal prep, and store experiences. These are often conducted without official brand partnerships, but many also appear to often partner with influencers on certain campaigns or product launches.

Paying influencers incentivizes more posts, and quality influencers have established connections with their followers. The fourth annual “Trust in Influencer Marketing” report from IZEA Worldwide, which connects brands with influential content creators, found 77% of social media users prefer influencer content over traditional ads, and 85% trust influencers over celebrities.

Amazon, Walmart, and Target are among food sellers with formal affiliate programs that allow influencers to earn commissions when promoted content leads to an online purchase. The SideChef affiliate program enables food creators and bloggers to turn their recipes into shoppable content. When a consumer clicks to purchase the influencer’s recipe online, each ingredient will be matched to the products available at their local Walmart with a commission earned in each subsequent sale.