Japan Apple Stores Kick Off 'Lucky Bag' Sales with MacBook Air, iPads, iPod Touch Featured

[Terrin]

Anyone with their own "ueito" in Japan for this?

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Because it is considered a form of gambling. You are paying a fixed price for an amount returned with an house determined random probability that you will profit from it with no guarantee. This is effectively how a casino operates.

This was very popular in with the European sail traders (especially the Dutch) when unloading inventory at the end of a season. Eventually, it made its way to Japan.

That is not the reason. Go online and do a search for something like, "mystery bag", or "mystery box" sale. There are plenty of retailers that do such things in the United States. There is nothing wrong with selling a person a mystery container. Look at the storage places that sell, mystery abandoned storage containers, with people buying them in hopes of some expensive find. We have TV shows devoted to that.

The reasons we don't do it in the United States is likely for the reason somebody else stated. Culture. This is part of the Japanese culture, like shooting off Fireworks on July 4 is for us. Further, Japan is a much smaller market than the United States. As a practical matter it might be harder to implement here.

 

[MasterRyu2011]

We do have this guys. It's called the lottery. You buy something that costs the same everytime. Sometimes you get something valuable out of it, sometimes not.

 

[forcesteeler]

To many Lawsuits, You can blame the capitalistic mindset in the USA.

People will sue if they feel they did win what they think they deserve. Also you will have people that will just buy tons of those Lucky Bags just to turn a quick profit on Ebay.

 

[ChpTrk]

Call it gambling or not, this type of practice of packaging up items of various values and selling each package in a lot at the same price is against many US Federal Trade Laws.

But a $1 Bag of Crap from Woot! is OK? Is there a cap on these trade laws?

 

[Terrin]

"Other variants of the bag offer a fifth-generation 16GB iPod touch, a 16GB iPad mini 3 or a 16GB iPad Air 2"

I would call those, an Unlucky Bag.

Way too easy to fill up a 16GB iOS device. Fun for a bit; full soon enough.

To each their own, but I do fine on a 16 GB device. Then again, I don't store music or much video on the phone long term. I use Beats, Pandora, or iTunes radio for music.

 

[hlfway2anywhere]

I find that hard to believe, otherwise Apple would be losing a lot of money. And Apple doesn't do anything if it loses them money.

There has to be people paying $300 for a Lucky Bag worth far less than that subsidizing those who get MacBook Airs in their $300 Lucky Bag.

http://9to5mac.com/2015/01/01/lucky-bag-2015-contents/ here's whats in the Lucky Bags.

"The final (and apparently the most common) offer comes with a 16 GB fifth-generation iPod touch, an iTunes gift card, and the same additional goodies, as the other bags: Apple TV, Incase bag, Powerstation, and Powerbeats2.

The contents of each bag is worth much more than the price tag, so no matter which version customers end up with, they’ve scored some pretty cool gear at a fraction of the regular cost."

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Hmmm...$300 for a chance to win a Macbook or iPad, otherwise you get a consolation bag of stuff I might find an item or two I could actually use but could really do without or are a color I would not choose for myself? While the bag value may be >$300, I'd wind up selling off the majority of the stuff.

Reminds me of Let's Make A Deal show...you wind up getting (winning) something that you really don't want or need, except for the rare case of winning the "big deal".

 

[minus.toes]

Why can't we have this in the U.S.?

You can't have it for many reasons.

One, look at what happens when Walmart, Toys R' Us or some other stores have anything close to a once a year sale - it's fist fights, shootings, and robberies.

Two, people will end up selling them on eBay or some other site, which is not what the purpose of the sale is (Apple Japan even fine prints they won't sell to anyone they suspect is trying to do this).

Three, god forbid a buyer does not get their exact $300 value after sitting at the kitchen table and calculating all current pricing online. They'll be back at the store the next day complaining about fraud.

Four, lawsuits.

Of course there are scammers in Japan, and cheap people and all types of other rude, obnoxious people living here. But the Japanese society as a whole is one that cares about the whole, not the individual. So you won't see people fighting over the same sweater in a store, or stepping over someone to get the last bottle of water.

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

You know what I didn't get?

About 99.999999999% of what is in the world.

If I bought a bag and didn't get what I hoped would be inside (a Retina iMac with 1TB SSD, 32GB RAM, or a maxed out Mac Pro), and I got $301 of retail stuff, you know what?

I'd be glad, and realize that the seeds of disappointment are rooted in expectations.

As for selling it on Ebay, really, who cares? I bought it. It's mine. Telling me post-facto that I cannot do what I wish with my property is a bit controlling, as long as I don't hurt others with it. If that condition is made prior to the sale as a condition to the deal, I understand (i.e. In order for me to sell this to you, you cannot sell the contents on Ebay is fine. I am bound by that deal, so I cannot sell it without breaking my word.).

 

[drewyboy]

Well, Thanksgiving IS catching on in the UK, as well as American football. Globalisation...

For all that is good in this world, please stop that. I don't want this crappy sport of spoiled little boys who have no idea how to behave on and off the field and being paid millions to spread. Here I am in the states wanting america to finally understand the worlds sport and it's finally starting to grow. Don't watch NFL or pay attention to it. The sooner it becomes 2nd the better.

 

[Marzzz]

Why can't we have this in the U.S.?

Because you hate Hello Kitty, and all she is trying to do is be cute and nice.

 

[ebouwman]

At Apple's Cost is any bag over $300?

I'd say the MacBook Air one is for sure. Apples cost for the Air alone can't be 300.

 

[KdParker]

Because it's a lottery. Only the government can have those here.

How is this a lottery? It's not like you don't recieve anything if you purchase the bag.

 

[GangstaGehard]

Actually, the US does have lucky bags here.
Woot used to sell BAC's (Bag of crap) before they were acquired by Amazon. JLab Audio has a lucky bag sale every year (and I've gotten some decent headphones that made nice gifts). And there are endless Loot Crate knock offs.

Apple doesn't do this here in the States or EU because, of course, there would be a complete uproar about it.
It would be a mess of upset citizens across the land at every Apple store because they missed out on a bag, they didn't get what they wanted out of the bag, they bags are too high priced, there would be fights, violence etc etc.

This isn't because we are particularly violent or anything. Its just not a normal thing here, yet.

 

[Squilly]

Because you sell them.

Already started: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Japanese-Apple-Store-Fukubukuro-Lucky-Bag-/221650691964

 

[iMerik]

Makes me wonder what the perception of Beats is in foreign markets. Apple takes a lot of heat here for the Beats acquisition, but maybe the brand is even more powerful for Apple outside of the US.

 

[Cayden]

Although it's unlikely, I'd still love to see this in the US

 

[kingofwale]

let's understand this better.

I assume MOST people will be getting the standard basic feature. For someone who is buying it for its VALUE, there isn't much to be had

* Apple TV, ($ 99 dollars retail, but considering it's so out-of-date compare to other offering, I am not surprised Apple is "giving" them away)

*4000 mAh Mophie Powerstation external battery pack, (completely useless unless you want one originally, picked up a much smaller one at Bestbuy for 10 dollars during boxing week)

*an Incase Icon backpack, (Apple value it at 150, I found it ugly)

* an iTunes gift card, (for most people who don't use iTune gift card, I guess you can sell it for 70-80% of its value)

*and Beats by Dre Powerbeats2 wireless earbuds: only remotely value item here, obscenely overpriced at the MSRP front



So.. does it worth HOURS of waiting and 300 dollars?? Well, it depends on how big of an Apple Fanboy/gamble addict you are.

 

[Michael Goff]

let's understand this better.

I assume MOST people will be getting the standard basic feature. For someone who is buying it for its VALUE, there isn't much to be had

* Apple TV, ($ 99 dollars retail, but considering it's so out-of-date compare to other offering, I am not surprised Apple is "giving" them away)

*4000 mAh Mophie Powerstation external battery pack, (completely useless unless you want one originally, picked up a much smaller one at Bestbuy for 10 dollars during boxing week)

*an Incase Icon backpack, (Apple value it at 150, I found it ugly)

* an iTunes gift card, (for most people who don't use iTune gift card, I guess you can sell it for 70-80% of its value)

*and Beats by Dre Powerbeats2 wireless earbuds: only remotely value item here, obscenely overpriced at the MSRP front



So.. does it worth HOURS of waiting and 300 dollars?? Well, it depends on how big of an Apple Fanboy/gamble addict you are.

Well over 300$ worth of stuff, and you have this type of response?

 

[Kavier]

Would be fun to have in the US too!

 

[Gizmotoy]

But a $1 Bag of Crap from Woot! is OK? Is there a cap on these trade laws?

Maybe, but they certainly don't apply. As others have mentioned, there are tons of cases where exactly this occurs that are not illegal. Places in the US even sometimes do exactly what Apple is doing in Japan: we call them "grab bags," or somewhat less commonly "lucky bags."

 

[macaron95]

many bags spotted yesterday on ebay

 

[Baxter Weiss]

Happens here in Hawaii every year:
http://alamoanacenter.com/App_Content/SharedDocuments/115431_2015_Fukubukuro_Flyer-f-lowres.pdf

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For those that prefer text and video over PDF:
http://khon2.com/2014/12/26/shopping-frenzy-continues-as-malls-offer-fukubukuro-2/

 

[Max(IT)]

let's understand this better.

I assume MOST people will be getting the standard basic feature. For someone who is buying it for its VALUE, there isn't much to be had

* Apple TV, ($ 99 dollars retail, but considering it's so out-of-date compare to other offering, I am not surprised Apple is "giving" them away)

*4000 mAh Mophie Powerstation external battery pack, (completely useless unless you want one originally, picked up a much smaller one at Bestbuy for 10 dollars during boxing week)

*an Incase Icon backpack, (Apple value it at 150, I found it ugly)

* an iTunes gift card, (for most people who don't use iTune gift card, I guess you can sell it for 70-80% of its value)

*and Beats by Dre Powerbeats2 wireless earbuds: only remotely value item here, obscenely overpriced at the MSRP front



So.. does it worth HOURS of waiting and 300 dollars?? Well, it depends on how big of an Apple Fanboy/gamble addict you are.

From your comments, I really don't know if you could find something good in an Apple Store........

 

[Archer1440]

when I walked by this promotion at the apple store in Ginza last year, it looked like ~70% of the shoppers in line were Chinese, not Japanese. Most of these will end up in China.