Lucky Bags sold in Japanese Apple Store
Fukubukuro, or "Mystery Bag," is a Japanese New Year's Day tradition during which merchants sell sealed bags of various items at a substantial discount, often as high as 50%. Apple participated this year, and one lucky shopper, Justin, blogged his experience.
For the approximate equivalent of $384US, Justin received
- an 8 GB iPod touch
- Nike iPod sensor and armband
- Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere2 speaker set
- Cool, re-useable bag (at right)
- Commemorative T-shirt
- 2009 calendar
Quite a haul! Shoppers lined up at midnight on January 2nd for a chance to buy one of Apple's Mystery Bags. I'm thinking that US retailers need to adopt this tradition.
[Via ifoAppleStore]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
CoSMiC DrMr said 3:53PM on 1-06-2009
First!!
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LiqwidZero said 5:23PM on 1-05-2009
Yes, first. First to fail.
Brian said 7:01PM on 1-05-2009
I think that all of the blogs have to have a noob post every few weeks to explain that the "First!" posts are totally unacceptable and lame (and quite annoying) and also please dont be a smart a$$ and write first backwards like !tsrif and think you can get away with it...because you cant....
Charles said 12:25AM on 1-06-2009
Hey, I know that guy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciG-Xs7mBwU
noza said 5:29PM on 1-05-2009
This reminds me of the Woot.com "Bag of Crap" which is only a dollar. Most people get thrift-store junk, but a few lucky random buyers get TVs, GPS, iPods, etc.
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artifex said 6:03PM on 1-05-2009
I was just thinking that. Last time I got a Woot Bag o' Crap order, it was a huge box filled with a bunch of stuff, mostly forgotten by now, but also almost a dozen Sansa MP3 players of various models, and a broken Apple Shuffle. (And, of course, a bag.) Since the Sansas could double as thumb drives (and many of them had video screens), my ~$8 (3 bags+shipping+tax) was an awesome deal. I've never had a *bad* bag of crap from them, but they sell out so quickly I've only been able to have a couple of orders so far.
HarryMcBack said 5:31PM on 1-05-2009
I've seen Disney do this in Orlando; unfortunately the bag was just a bunch of old merchandise from the previous season. I think most US retailers would see this as a way to pawn off a bunch of stuff that didn't sell; and thus most consumers would just be upset because they got crap. However, if Apple did it, then you know you are getting quality stuff, but $400 for the unknown. I'm not sure I'm that brave with my money. I'd be afraid to get a bag with $600 worth of nano fatty cases and skins.
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artifex said 6:07PM on 1-05-2009
Even if it's a bag full of old stuff, it's still often a good deal. I've also bought a grab box from Archie McPhee, and while the stuff was pretty obviously overstock and opened store display stuff, it was still very fun to get, and to give to my sister, too :)
sonicwind said 5:34PM on 1-05-2009
That doesn't sound like a deal to me. Sounds like a rippoff.
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Matt said 5:48PM on 1-05-2009
They left out the USB power adapter, the Skylon sport headphones, the avenue--d leather sleeve for the iPod touch, and an anti-glare film set. Don't know how Dave missed all those, but whatever.
Ryan said 11:05PM on 1-09-2009
I'd do it! Anyone know if we can order a bag online via the Japanese Apple Store?
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required said 5:43PM on 1-05-2009
Totally awesome. That bag alone is worth like three dollars. I bet the commemorative tee shirt is even better and a calender for '09! Dang looks like I totally wasted my January 2nd. Stupid head cold.
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m said 6:37PM on 1-05-2009
if you think that's a bargain, tell you what: i'll give you a tshirt, bag, and calendar for only $200. i'll even throw in my ipod nano. i ran over it with my bike, but it still works perfectly.
vanaheim said 6:17PM on 1-05-2009
Those bags usually contain items whose retail prices sum up at least three times as much as the bag price. This bag should not be called a fortune/lucky bag. As far as price concerns, $400 is more like an expensive side although this year's most expensive one is sold for one billion yen (approximately 10 million dollars.)
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Emily said 6:47PM on 1-05-2009
screw the contents - i want that bag!
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designr said 7:51PM on 1-05-2009
What a rip off!
8 GB iPod touch $229
Nike iPod sensor and armband $19.99
Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere2 speaker set $119
Cool, re-useable bag (at right) $2
Commemorative T-shirt $8
2009 calendar $8
$385.99 RETAIL !!!
Wholesale: About half that!
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Matt said 10:02PM on 1-05-2009
No one bothered to read the article, did they? The actual article, not the craptastic, skimp-on-the-details blather TUAW comes up with...
Moe Hong said 11:59PM on 1-05-2009
I read the whole article. Most people's reports on the Japanese mac blogs were of $200 or so worth of gear. This is a ripoff.
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umijin said 12:30AM on 1-06-2009
I've lived in Tokyo for about 5 years and have never been able to get to the Apple store in time for this, nor any other retailer. It might be a great deal, but the exclusivity of it sucks eggs. Most of us just don't have the luxury of getting somewhere in the middle of the night to wait in line for the opening bell.
I think last year, however, they did sell a few on-line. Too bad I can't use my US credit card to order Apple products here.
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Shaun said 5:59AM on 1-06-2009
I too was in Japan for this and opted not to take the two hour train ride to Fukuoka (my closest apple store) to take part in the January 2nd craziness and decided to stay here in Sasebo instead...looks like it wasn't half bad...although I probably would have been reluctant to hand over 35,000 yen at our hideous exchange rate of less than 90 yen to the dollar for a "mystery bag" that very well could be filled with crap.
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