Lifting the lid on Thailand’s ‘mystery box’ trend

[snoop1130]

Photo from Facebook Pimrypie

 

“Mystery boxes” have become a hot trend in recent months, as COVID-19 spurs a switch to online shopping in Thailand. One influencer, Pimrypie, even managed to sell Bt100 million worth of mystery boxes in less than 10 minutes. But not everyone was happy with the boxes’ mystery contents. Less than a month later, many buyers are seeking a refund.

 

What happened?

 

YouTube influencer and livestream seller Pimradaporn “Pimrypie” Benchawatthapat struck gold late last month when she began offering mystery boxes at Bt100,000 each. Most were snapped up almost immediately. The excitement intensified when a customer – her body as heavily tattooed as Pimrypie’s – announced on Facebook that her mystery box contained a brand new car and lots of other expensive items.

 

On December 5, Pimrypie ratcheted up the hype by offering “cut-price” mystery boxes for Bt10,000 apiece. The response was overwhelming. All 10,000 boxes were snapped up in five minutes as buyers ignored repeated warnings that the contents could be just about anything.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/lifting-the-lid-on-thailands-mystery-box-trend/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-12-28

 

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[ThailandRyan]

More and more believers that they will reap a huge reward just like the promised 10 percent interest on special investments etc.....a sucker born every minute.  I wonder if an investigation was done whether or not the mystery box winner of the car etc... was not in cahoots with the Influencer selling the boxes.

[Pouatchee]

I can't believe people succumb to influencers and actually listen to what they say... 

 

Gullibility is an inherent trait that should be deleted from the DNA genome... 

 

[tomacht8]

This is a lottery with no government or legal supervision. That scammers make money with stupid people is clear. I am surprised that the authorities do not act against such illegal lottery games. 

[kotsak]

Fool and his money are soon parted

[hotchilli]

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

On December 5, Pimrypie ratcheted up the hype by offering “cut-price” mystery boxes for Bt10,000 apiece. The response was overwhelming. All 10,000 boxes were snapped up in five minutes as buyers ignored repeated warnings that the contents could be just about anything.

Suckers will always be sucked in.

[djayz]

There are none so blind as those who don't want to see. 

[mtls2005]

"Listing the lid"? Ouch. Flush first.

 

 

When I first heard about this woman, who did build a decent (ok as decent as a Ron Popeil can be) business from nearly nothing, stepping up her game with these mystery boxes I assumed it would end badly, for her. Even my remoteness, and lack of thai language skills marked her, from her videos/streams, as a charlatan.

 

 

She primed interest by providing huge prize boxes early on - or had others claim huge value boxes (hundreds of thousands of baht).

 

I think a certain portion of any population is eager for above average returns, just look at those rubes in Pattaya who got scammed at the bank.

 

 

 

[rwill]

lol, hard to feel sorry for suckers.  Nice bit adding the most likely fake story about getting a car.  That must have been a big box.

[RandiRona]

I have a bridge to sell with toll for B100000.

[mtls2005]

1 minute ago, RandiRona said:

I have a bridge to sell with toll for B100000.

Always with the "bridge"?

 

Who did you buy it from? And how much did you pay for it?

 

https://www.bridgesforsale.co.uk/

 

[Orinoco]

I used to enjoy a mystery box once a week down soi 6.

[BritManToo]

I've purchased a few 'mystery boxes' from ladies with tattoos.

And was never disappointed.

[RandiRona]

Just now, mtls2005 said:

Always with the "bridge"?

 

Who did you buy it from? And how much did you pay for it?

 

https://www.bridgesforsale.co.uk/

 

I made it myself .....I am sure I will able to sell it in Thailand. Ms. Pymripye gave me the hope.

[mikebell]

9 minutes ago, Orinoco said:

I used to enjoy a mystery box once a week down soi 6.

A mystery pox?

[worgeordie]

Mystery boxes .......they used to be called a" Pig in a poke "

Thailand is a scammers paradise , so many gullible people .

regards worgeordie

[ThailandRyan]

13 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

Always with the "bridge"?

 

Who did you buy it from? And how much did you pay for it?

 

https://www.bridgesforsale.co.uk/

 

He bought it from the 3 Billy goats gruff...no there is not a troll under the bridge....honest.

[Pedrogaz]

How can she have such a large head compared to her shoulders???? PhotoShopee?

[Crossy]

A story from my youth, I can't find an on-line reference so my aging memory may be faulty.

 

Many moons ago an ad appeared in a US paper "Send me 1$ and I will send you absolutely nothing". There were apparently a not insignificant number of takers.

 

 

 

[khunjeff]

"Merchants traditionally offer Fukubukuro in the run-up to New Year, filling them with random items and selling at a discount of 50 percent or more. The mystery bags are usually launched as a promotional gimmick to attract customers to stores, but are also a way of clearing end-of-year stock." 

 

When I've bought these overseas, the concept was always that the contents would be worth at least as much as you paid, with a small percentage containing something really good - the "mystery" aspect is that you don't know what you'll get, or whether it's something you have any desire for. Some of what I got was cool or fun and some was useless to me, but the "value" (in terms of regular sales price) was always more than I had paid. This seems to be the part that's absent from the Thai mystery boxes, which do sound a lot more like a lottery or raffle in concept.

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, RandiRona said:

I have a bridge to sell with toll for B100000.

Me, too! It's stored in my garage till someone buys it...

[RandiRona]

9 minutes ago, StayinThailand2much said:

Me, too! It's stored in my garage till someone buys it...

I moved it to cloud...now selling BAAS....Bridge as a Service!!

[bendejo]

announced on Facebook that her mystery box contained a brand new car and lots of other expensive items.

 

Just how big are these boxes?

 

Does she take bitcoin?

 

 

[tonray]

In Japan, they have vending machines which are quite popular selling these mystery boxes. Anywhere from $10 to $50 US dollar price. The big reason is most people believe they will get the Iphone that's pictured as a 'possible' prize for the $50 variant. It really is a racket

[ronster]

Wife showed me a video of them putting stuff in these boxes the other day. She said they had sold 30000 at 1000bht each. 
I pointed out that there might be 10 or so new iPads and phones , some with money and maybe 1 with a car . All the rest were full of creams, perfume etc which I told her was probably really bad quality or fake name brands.

Done the maths and even if those selling the boxes spent 5 million bht on the items inside , then they make 25 million bht profit for practically doing nothing apart from waffling on for 20 minutes on Facebook !

[Harveyboy]

4 hours ago, Orinoco said:

I used to enjoy a mystery box once a week down soi 6.

I've probably enjoyed one of those boxes

[PETERTHEEATER]

4 hours ago, ronster said:

Wife showed me a video of them putting stuff in these boxes the other day. She said they had sold 30000 at 1000bht each. 
I pointed out that there might be 10 or so new iPads and phones , some with money and maybe 1 with a car . All the rest were full of creams, perfume etc which I told her was probably really bad quality or fake name brands.

Done the maths and even if those selling the boxes spent 5 million bht on the items inside , then they make 25 million bht profit for practically doing nothing apart from waffling on for 20 minutes on Facebook !

Look at it this way. If you buy and then receive a box the size of a car you might get excited before you open it.

[Myran]

Amazing. Might as well try to return your lottery ticket because you didn't win anything.

[Freddy42OZ]

23 hours ago, tonray said:

In Japan, they have vending machines which are quite popular selling these mystery boxes. Anywhere from $10 to $50 US dollar price. The big reason is most people believe they will get the Iphone that's pictured as a 'possible' prize for the $50 variant. It really is a racket

 

They have those here too.  

[RubbaJohnny]

22 hours ago, Harveyboy said:

I've probably enjoyed one of those boxes

I heard some have of the mystery boxes  have front and rear flaps if you keep tabs