The Allure of Mystery Bags: Why Collectors Keep Buying

The surprise bag—also known as the mystery bag—involves purchasing sealed packaging that contains an undisclosed toy. The appeal, and potential financial drawback, is the uncertainty of not knowing what lies inside until the bag is opened.

Much like many toddlers, my daughter became enamored with “KPop Demon Hunters.” Upon discovering a surprise collectible featuring one of seven characters from the movie, I purchased one, then another, and continued accumulating.

We ultimately obtained all seven characters at approximately $12 each. The complication, however, was duplicates. Let’s just say I now have an excess of Zoey figurines.

Honestly, purchasing individual figurines would have been far more cost-effective than opting for the surprise format.

What drives this trend? Human nature, largely. There is excitement in opening a package without knowing its contents, and the challenge of completing a collection transforms shopping into a game.

My parents joined as well, purchasing additional characters for my daughter’s collection. We turned it into a family activity, gathering to open each new addition together.

While my summer of surprise bags was not the wisest financial move, the experience held value. My daughter’s smile and her delighted reaction upon finally obtaining Mira made the extra cost worthwhile.

About the author

Courtney Neidel is an assigning editor for the core personal finance team at NerdWallet. She joined NerdWallet in 2014 and spent six years writing about shopping, budgeting and money-saving strategies before being promoted to editor. Courtney has been interviewed as a retail authority by “Good Morning America,” Cheddar and CBSN. Her prior experience includes freelance writing for California newspapers.

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