Chapter 110: What Is Sold in a Blind Box Must Be What the People Love [Second Update]

If someone from the trend-conscious world of 2021 were to visit this blind box store, the first thing they would notice is the interior design and undoubtedly exclaim that even in 2021, there was no blind box shop this stylish—truly the epitome of fashion.

But once inside, they would be equally astonished, for they would never have imagined a blind box store that sells neither figurines nor trendy collectibles, but instead is filled entirely with everyday essentials like grains, oils, and condiments, all priced at just ten yuan per box. It would be a complete departure from the typical image of blind boxes, almost as if the very concept had been turned on its head.

Of course, it isn’t 2021 anymore, and few have ever truly encountered blind boxes before, so when customers see the contents, they aren’t put off. On the contrary, they find these blind boxes absolutely wonderful.

The design philosophy behind these blind boxes remains true to the original intent set by Mr. Huang He: every item inside, even the most common, must have a market value exceeding the blind box’s price.

For a ten-yuan box, the contents must be worth more than ten yuan in the marketplace. Moreover, there’s a chance to find items worth far more than that.

With the twelve new products this time, Mr. Huang introduced a fresh design concept: practicality. In plain terms, the blind boxes would no longer contain items favored only by trendy collectors—figurines and dolls that spend 99% of their time displayed on shelves.

Frankly, such items are less engaging than LEGO sets or model kits. Although these are also assembled and then placed on shelves, the process of building them is highly enjoyable and can last from an hour to several hours. The mental satisfaction rivals that of playing a game.

Take, for example, a certain enthusiast who has stopped gaming and now spends every day glued to model assembly, enjoying every moment.

In contrast, the typical blind box from a brand like Pop Mart only offers the thrill of opening the box. After that, the figurines merely sit on shelves, offering little further enjoyment. Interest often wanes quickly, leaving only the satisfaction of collecting.

Such products lack universal appeal and fail to capture the interest of most people.

Thus, Mr. Huang proposed this entirely new approach and launched twelve different categories of blind boxes. Whether they attract customers can be gauged by the reactions inside the store.

Among the first fifty customers, about half are gathered near the grain and oil blind boxes and the snack blind boxes. The grain and oil section, in particular, is bustling with nearly twenty elderly ladies and gentlemen clustered around it.

Why so many elders in the store? This is thanks to Grandma Wang, who strolls by the street at three o’clock, naturally accompanied by a group of old friends who share the same habit. Additionally, anyone appearing near the shop before 7 a.m. is almost always a retired senior, over sixty years old. These elders, having lived through hard times, are naturally drawn to any opportunity for bargains or discounts. When such a store opens, they come to watch the excitement unfold and line up.

Thus, of the first hundred in line, about half are elderly. Though the proportion decreases further back, there aren’t many young people either. Most waiting are over thirty, many longtime blind box fans who heard from previous vendors about the flagship store’s grand opening and flocked here to witness its innovation.

And indeed, the store is extraordinary. The variety of blind box merchandise has multiplied many times over, rekindling the enthusiasm even in those who were once wary of the leather goods.

Among these customers, the grain and oil blind boxes are the most popular.

Why? Because these are practical purchases—once bought, the items can be used at home, and there’s absolutely no loss involved. Not losing money means making a profit.

So when the elderly learned that the red blind boxes contained such items, they pounced, crowding tightly around the pile.

“I say, Chen’s girl, you’ve bought six boxes already, all ten-pound bags of rice. Your luck’s no good—let me have a go!” a lady blocked outside shouted loudly.

“No loss at all! These 60 pounds of rice cost seventy yuan at the grocery store. This is such a bargain, no matter how many I buy, I’m winning! There are seven mouths to feed at home; sixty pounds isn’t even enough. This is nothing!” Grandma Chen said excitedly, then handed over another ten yuan to the sweat-drenched clerk and pulled out another blind box.

Notably, at Mr. Huang’s suggestion, the blind boxes were improved to maintain a consistent packaging weight, preventing customers from guessing contents by heft.

This wasn’t necessary for the grain and oil boxes, however, because they never contain actual products. Instead, they hold supermarket vouchers redeemable for goods nearby, making all boxes identical in weight and packaging.

“Rice again!” Grandma Chen opened a box and frowned slightly—another ten pounds of rice. But deep down, she felt no hint of disappointment. Ten pounds of rice is never a loss; it’s real food. And since buying more never means losing, she might as well keep at it.

Suddenly, a lady burst into joyful dance upon drawing a voucher for ten pounds of peanut oil, which retails at about twenty yuan in the supermarket. That’s a clear profit!

“Look at you, so proud! I can pull oil too!” Grandma Chen’s eyes gleamed green as she decisively pulled a hundred-yuan bill from her pocket. “I want ten boxes, give me ten!”

She ended up with eleven boxes, thanks to a “buy ten, get one free” promotion, which made her wince. Had she known earlier, she would’ve bought in tens at a time.

Although she didn’t get the peanut oil she wanted, she did open a box with five pounds of mung beans—a small win. Though both the mung beans and peanut oil vouchers are worth roughly eight yuan, Mr. Huang still made a modest profit.

If the grain and oil section was the hottest spot in the store, the clothing blind boxes were a close second. Unlike the grain and oil boxes filled with vouchers, these contained actual garments.

These boxes weren’t weighted for guessing value, as clothing varies too much. Inside were shirts, casual wear, socks, underwear—everything. The quantity was impressive; even the socks came in packs of at least ten pairs. A casual shirt alone would cost around twenty yuan at a street stall.

No wonder clothing blind boxes sold like hotcakes. Ten yuan for a piece of clothing seemed like a steal.

The enthusiasm inside the store was palpable, with customers eagerly exploring these new blind boxes, their hearts rekindled with excitement and anticipation for a fresh kind of surprise.