Changsha Evening News all-media reporter Liu Pan and intern Jia Dingwen
"Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what flavor you'll get next." That's what it's like to open a blind box.
The so-called blind box is to place different products in the box. Consumers cannot open the box when purchasing, and the products are selected by luck.
In recent years, blind box consumption has been sought after by many consumers because of the unknownness of "winning", which brings surprise, fun and temptation to consumers.
However, problems such as excessive consumption addiction and counterfeit sales caused by "overheated" blind boxes have gradually surfaced, becoming the focus of many consumer complaints, which need to be regulated and resolved urgently.
There are also many marketing routines behind blind box consumption. Is it a blind box economy or a "blind" economy?
This reporter recently conducted an investigation.
Crazy Growth Blind Box Infiltrates Minor Field
Blind boxes are blooming everywhere, and the imagination of merchants about blind box consumption is constantly breaking through the upper limit.
During the school season, the reporter visited many stationery stores in Changsha for the past few days and found that some stationery stores placed blind boxes in conspicuous places in the store, printed with words such as "joint brand", "limited sale" and "hidden surprise", which became the A new favorite for students to start school.
The price of the stationery blind box ranges from 8 to 30 yuan, and the number of products increases as the price increases.
In this regard, the reporter randomly purchased two best-selling stationery blind boxes: the 6-yuan blind box has several postcards and star stickers, 6 magnetic cartoon bookmarks, and a set of writable class schedules; in the 15-yuan blind box There are 2 small notebooks, 1 glue stick, 1 key chain and a sticky note in the blind stationery box.
It can be seen from the two blind boxes of stationery that the products produced are not of high practical value. Although they contain a variety of stationery, a large quantity is not a necessity.
A student who bought stationery told reporters that he likes the blind box of stationery because it is full of surprises.
"If one of my classmates found a hidden model, it would be great." He told reporters that he and his classmates had both purchased blind boxes for stationery, and would also exchange their unnecessary stationery with each other.
In contrast to the obsession of young children, parents are concerned about the attitude of the blind box.
"They buy the blind box for stationery not for use, but for play. They spend a lot of money to buy a lot of stationery that is not practical." The parents who were waiting on the side told reporters, "Children have poor self-control and blind boxes. This form is too tempting for them. Sometimes when a classmate draws a style that they don't have, they must buy another set instead of coming back. What's more important is that their focus on using stationery is all on those styles, so that It will delay classroom learning.”
Last weekend, Ms. Wang took her children to the mall, which was full of machines selling blind boxes.
The child "can't walk" when he sees it, and chooses 2 models at once.
"When I checked out, I found that 2 small blind boxes cost 138 yuan. There is no slap-sized doll that sells for 69 yuan, which is not worth the price at all." Ms. Wang was very helpless, "I really hope someone will take care of these blind boxes. Sellers."
Buying addiction just loves how it feels when you take it apart
Everything is a blind box.
In addition to the blind box professional Bubble Mart, in recent years, many businesses including KFC, Starbucks, IKEA, MINISO, etc. have introduced this concept in their marketing.
It is also a commodity, why is it better to sell it in the form of a blind box?
reporters visited.
In a trendy toy and figure shop called "Blind Box Figure Control Paradise" in Spring Department Store, all kinds of blind boxes occupy the area of two floors, doll blind boxes, classic character figure blind boxes, and building blocks blind boxes. Boxes, various series of flash card blind boxes are readily available... Many consumers are addicted to it.
Zhao Hanyi, a "post-95" blind box "fanatic" who was shopping in the store, told reporters, "What I want is the feeling of the unknown, and I especially like the feeling when I open the blind box."
Blind boxes in the store are usually sold in series, 10 to 12 in a series, and a single price is 50 to 80 yuan, and there are also products over 100 yuan.
Collecting a series, excluding rare and hidden models, will cost nearly a thousand yuan.
"According to the lowest price of the blind box, it costs five or six hundred yuan to buy a set every month, which can only be regarded as the entry level. If you especially like to collect blind boxes, you will definitely burn money every month." Zhao Hanyi Tell the reporter that most of the blind box series have hidden models, and the probability of winning the hidden models is very low. Therefore, for fans who want to collect all series of dolls, it takes more money and energy.
For this reason, some enthusiasts buy "second-hand blind boxes" directly online.
At present, some hidden blind boxes sold at high prices on some second-hand platforms have been sold from a single tens of yuan to more than 1,000 yuan.
Don't be fooled by bad merchants in consumer traps
After some savage growth, there are not a few consumers who find that the products in the blind box are not worth the money and have a poor experience.
Previously, the blind box package jointly launched by KFC and Bubble Mart also sparked widespread discussion because of inducing consumption.
In this regard, the China Consumers Association once called KFC by name: "Blind boxes" are used to induce excessive food consumption, and it should be boycotted!
In early 2022, the China Consumers Association released the "2021 Analysis of Complaints Accepted by the National Consumers Association".
In response to the repeated controversy over the consumption of blind boxes, the China Consumers Association suggested strengthening legislative regulations, delineating red lines for blind box operations, and prohibiting blind box marketing for young children, special commodities, and special fields.
The reporter searched for "blind box" on the black cat complaint platform and found that there were about 15,000 complaints, most of which consumers put forward "false propaganda and deceptive advertisements", "product quality problems", "inducing consumption, it is impossible to draw the things in the propaganda". " and other opinions.
Ms. Huang bought a beauty blind box at a physical store last weekend for 199 yuan.
"When I bought it, the clerk said it very well. The value ranged from 300 to 2,000 yuan. I thought it would not lose money at least." Ms. Huang told reporters that after opening it, she found that there were some unsellable masks and samples, and a bottle. Makeup water that expires after half a year.
"It's completely deceiving consumers by cleaning up inventory in the name of a blind box."
lawyer reminder
Blind box consumption calls for regulation and rationality
Yuan Xiao, Director of Hunan Yuanduan Law Firm
Blind box opening is a marketing method that has emerged in recent years. Legally speaking, it forms a "shooting contract", so it must be regulated and restricted by law.
A typical "shooting contract" is a lottery ticket, which is characterized by the fact that the object of the purchase is a chance with probability.
At present, although the blind box is not a lottery ticket, in terms of mode design, it is only the form of expression is different, and its essence is the same.
At present, the management of blind boxes in my country is not particularly perfect. Before there are more detailed management specifications, the healthy development of the market needs to be achieved through industry management, enterprise self-regulation, consumer self-discipline and judicial intervention.
Although the blind box itself is "opaque", the product and marketing model must be transparent.
In this regard, relevant departments should formulate and improve regulatory rules in a timely manner to maintain market order and consumer rights.
At the same time, strengthen supervision and fully protect consumers' right to know. From blind box product quality to sales methods to extraction probability, all should be open and transparent.
For consumers, in the face of ever-changing blind boxes, it is necessary to recognize the uncertain nature of blind boxes, recognize and prevent excessive marketing routines by merchants, establish a correct consumption concept, and combine their own economic capabilities, consumption needs and interests. Wait, do what you can, consume rationally, and don’t blindly follow suit.
When encountering obvious wrong goods and fraudulent consumption behaviors, consumers should also take up legal weapons in time to protect their legitimate rights and interests.