AppleInsider Staff
Apple on Friday announced its "Lucky Bags" promotion for Japan, a New Year's retail tradition that consistently nets customers visiting brick-and-mortar Apple Stores hundreds of dollars' worth of savings.
Terms and conditions for this year's Lucky Bags promo were posted to Apple Japan's retail website, revealing festivities will kick off on Jan. 2, 2015, with many Japanese Apple Store locations open two hours early to accommodate a usual throng of customers. The change was spotted by Japanese blog Kodawarisan.
Called Fukubukuro in Japanese, roughly translated to "Lucky Bags," the yearly custom sees major retailers and department stores sell sealed grab bags filled with popular and sometimes expensive items. Customers take a slight risk in buying Fukubukuro as they are not privy to the bags' contents, but the combined value of included goods is almost always worth more than the price paid.
Last year, Apple sold four different Fukubukuro packages, each priced at 36,000 yen (about $343 at the time), with some bags stuffed with special gifts like an 11-inch MacBook Air, iPad Air or first-generation iPad mini. The company has yet to reveal Fukubukuro pricing for 2015.
As with past years, Apple Store Lucky Bags can only be purchased at brick-and-mortar Apple Stores, while customers are limited to one bag per day and the items within can only be returned if defective.
Apple's Lucky Bags promo is set to kick off at 8 a.m. on Jan. 2, 2015.
Christine McKee
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38 Comments
Also, Apple's "red envelope" day will be coming up in February for China and much of Asia.
I've said this before, but Apple should have this for the USA!
What happened to diversity?
Why shouldn't Apple offer something similar in the states?
It would be fun to buy one of those bags, test your luck, and see if there was a Macbook inside or something else that's cool.
I've said this before, but Apple should have this for the USA!
What happened to diversity?
Why shouldn't Apple offer something similar in the states?
It would be fun to buy one of those bags, test your luck, and see if there was a Macbook inside or something else that's cool.
My guess is that it's simply not the tradition here in the US as it is in Japan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukubukuro
I too would like to see something like this in the US but I don't think it'll happen.
My guess is that it's simply not the tradition here in the US as it is in Japan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukubukuro
I understand that, but Apple can make it a tradition by simply choosing to implement it. It would be very popular I bet, and people would be lining up at Apple stores to get those lucky bags.
It's not like there aren't already plenty of lame holidays and traditions that are celebrated here, so one more wouldn't harm anybody. And this one actually sounds like fun.
I can imagine posts on this site and one other from ppl who didn't think they got their money's worth. Every year A has produced the UK based iTunes Festival, totally free admission for tons of talent, on this site...U.S. Residents not even going , complain about bands A is presenting. So reminds me of my old maid aunt who managed to find fault and throw cold water on every family event, every year...