As thousands of retailers launch competitive prices during the global Black Friday sales it can be daunting for shoppers to know which deals are worth going for. This year mystery boxes are proving to be popular, with brands including Discount Experts and Wowcher offering shoppers surprise bundle deals.
It makes gifting simple, shoppers pick a bundle tier (each with various prizes and prices) and wait to see what turns up at their doorstep, it could be anything from a PlayStation 5 to a portable charger. The only thing for certain is there's nothing to guarantee what you get.
Discount Experts are one retailer to add a deal bundle to its sale page, launching its 'mega mystery electronic deal' for £12.99 shoppers could be in the chance of bagging an iPad, Nintendo Switch, an Xbox One or even a Dyson Air Purifier. It also offers a £21.99 Gold Tier package, which supposedly gives shoppers a higher chance of bagging an expensive ticket item.
Having seen the growing interest surrounding the mystery boxes I decided to test it out, pushed by my inquisitiveness I wanted to see if shoppers really were getting a 'bargain of the century' or simply paying an extortionate price for a bit of tech you could get in the pound store.
I went for the gold tier bundle, as I thought this would increase my chances of getting what I really had my eyes on, an iPad. It's safe to say my tactic here didn't work because what came to my door was in fact worth a whole lot less.
One downside of the process were the questionable emails after purchasing the tier, instead of emailing to say 'your item is on the way' or 'thank you for your order' each email update was subjected with misleading deals. We know that this is a completley verfied product, and by no means a scam, but I couldn't help feel as though nothing would turn up.
What I got in the mystery deal
About a week later I got a thin parcel envelope through my letter box with my mystery Black Friday product discretley inside, it wasn't an iPad but an Apple dupe I was perfectly happy with. Inside the mystery envelope (NOT BOX) was a pair of Candi London i16 Wireless Earphones, which according to Discount Experts cost £99.
On first thoughts I was happy with the item I recieved, as this was the biggest speculation, but dissappointed with how it was presented, and in my opinion it let down the product as a whole. Considering its branded as an 'unwrappable mystery deal', the only thing to open was the envelope seel, no paper or peanuts to dive into.
Moving onto the earphones themselves... I must admit I've been pleasantly surprised, I've only had wireless headphones before and never gone for the in-ear alternatives. The i16 came neatly packaged in a white charging case, perfect to fit in your gym or work bag.
After trying the earphones out at the gym this past week, they fit comfortably and stay in the ears when running too. The only noticeable 'missing' detail is a L or R symbol to say which speaker is for which ear.
For any shoppers out there looking for that extra bit of surprise in the sales I think it's a fun product to consider. I also think it would be a great present for a couple or friends etc to do together. The whole time I was waiting for the delivery it became a running joke between me and my boyfriend what would turn up.
Shoppers should keep in mind that they might get a product worth a lot less for what they paid, but it is the risk you have to take (as stated on the box).
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