Pay in advance and know only after what has been bought. It is the phenomenon, in great growth, of the “mystery boxes”, boxes that propose savings. With the thrill of the unexpected.
More than the economy, the psychology has to do with the success of the “mystery box” very much, the boxes with a mysterious content that can be ordered online. It is a phenomenon that seems to have come out of the lexicon of a television quiz and instead tells a real, expanding, transversal tendency: it goes from clothing to food, widens up to technology.
The logic is to let the surprise effect triumph: pay first and discover later for what their money has spent. The French start-up King Colis built a business around us: recovering from logistics platforms and sells by weight-starting from 80 euros for three kilos-the parcels of e-commerce, those never delivered for trivial reasons such as the incorrect address, the perpetually absent recipient, the damaged shipping label.
They would go to the groundty, because the giants of the network consider too expensive to collect them, inspect them and return the individual products in stock. With this mode they are not wasted: they become the protagonists of a treasure hunt for all ages, of a lottery with a guaranteed minimum prize, sometimes in value (someone has also grabbed a Rolex), others of consolation.
King Colis’s attraction is that the value of what has been purchased can be higher than its investment. In the boxes there are a pair of earphones such as slippers, a pot or cigarette lighter, but the beauty lies right here: in uncertainty. Mal that goes there is a gift to be recycled, however the thrill of the discovery remains priceless.
The start-up, as well as on the web, sells in provisional stores as a rule inside shopping centers (the next will be open until 1 June in Cagliari). The files that are formed are often absurd and this has further fueled the turnover: adding 15 euros the tail you jump and you present yourself at the chosen time, at least until the shortcuts of the shortcut.
Tasting Box does something similar to King Colis, but with food. 16 euros per month are spent and drinks, biscuits, pasta, tuna and edible surroundings are obtained for a value greater than 24 euros. The reviews are very positive because nothing is thrown away: each family has its greedy omnivorous that brushes a possible snack with too bold ingredients.
A plan must be subscribed, as for Netflix or Disney+, but it can be canceled at any time. That of the “Subscription Box”, of the boxes on subscription, is a worldwide market already flourishing and close to the boom: in 2024 it was worth 37.5 billion dollars and, according to an analysis of the IMARC Group research company, it is destined to triple, exceeding 116 billion in 2033.
Other examples are the Italian Subbyx in technology (read the deepening on the left) or the Spanish look in women’s fashion. Instead of spending time to scroll through the infinite tunnels of blouses and pants, a personal shopper is involved: it sends a box with five items consistent with the budget, size and above all the chosen style to each user, determined through an online questionnaire. Consulting costs ten euros, you only pay what you decide to keep.
«It is almost magical to receive something from those who show that they have taken time to get to know us. In an era of great solitude, it is nice to be considered unique “reflects Grazia Attili, emeritus professor of social psychology at the Sapienza University of Rome.
In addition to the products, the phenomenon also enters the territory of services, in particular travel. Waynabox has already convinced 250 thousand people to book a dark adventure: just select where you want to start (in Italy from Bologna, Milan, Naples, Rome and Venice), if you want to go to Europe, America or on an island. Then you indicate the dates, the places where you have already been or that do not attract, the category of favorite hotel, from three to five stars, which accessory services it is necessary to add (breakfast, insurance), finally wait for the moment of truth. It will be discovered its destination only 48 hours before departure: at the airport it would be a little too late, because you have to know whether to pack a swimsuit or a sweater.
Seduction of the unexpected separately, the platform will book flights and accommodation at convenient prices, often a reason for stress for the overabundance of the offer. “It is like a great mother who cares about it, takes care of us, takes us away the burden of deciding” observes Attili, author of the wise attachment and love and the brain in love (both for the mill). There is too much complexity in the newspaper and at least for certain things we prefer to trust, rely on it: “So you satisfy a deep need. That of feeling important, pampered and loved ». A bit like returning children, closing on Christmas day, treat yourself to the charm of the unknown: the irresistible one of a surprise package. To buy, literally, in a closed box.
