Lucky bags, or fukubukuro, are bags of random goods sold in Japan at a discount at the beginning of each new year. Traditionally, customers did not know the contents of the bag before purchasing. However, fukubukuro are now changing as some retailers allow customers to reserve specific items or choose what goes in their bag. Younger customers now prefer the certainty of internet reservations over the surprise and thrill of not knowing what they may get in the bag. While some excitement remains for in-person fukubukuro shopping, many expect the practice will continue shifting more online in the future.

1. Lucky Bags in Japan Daiki Yoshikura Takahiko Yagashiwa Genki Shirai BT169 International Consumer Management

2. Fukubukuro (lucky bag) Many goods in a bag On sale at beginning of the year Cannot see what are in it -> judge lucky or not

3. Japanese do severe battle for getting Fukubukuro ・・・

4. Why do they do that?

5. The first ○○ of the year is a very big event for Japanese First writing 書初め First praying 初詣 First dream 初夢

6. These are because ・・・ New Year’s day is the key of the new year

7. The logic behind these Wish to pass the entrance exam effort + luck = success The luck’s unit is one year e.x. There is yakudoshi (mean unlucky year)

8. So ・・・ First shopping of the year -> the beginning ○○ is most important Cannot see what are in it -> judge the luck of the year Japanese buy Fukubukuro

13. http://blog.goo.ne.jp/meiten5/e/0dac3ae130eb6693154eefb6520b06ec 2008/12/17 Sankei Fukubukuro that customer knows what it is in is being so popular. Customer don’t want what they don’t need. Even its cheap.

14. Fukubukuro is changing http://www.supotant.com/research/r101215.html Takashimaya’s Fukubukuro You can choose which product you want before buying it

15. Changes in Fukubukuro Before -Have to go to the store to buy. -Going out as some kind of event. -Cheap and many items (some times not good). New Trend -Buy on Internet -Know what is inside before you buy -Product used for fukubukuro is not leftovers. -Reserved Fukubukuro

16. New way to buy Fukubukuro? Internet related technologies being more evolved -> younger age people getting use to internet. Customers prefer “certainty” than having the thrill of what they can get. Internet Reserved Know what’s inside

18. In the future… People might need to wait for getting reservation for Fukubukuro… Like taking the reservation for a seminar of a company.