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[00:00.39] Most of us know what it's like to get presents from friends.

[00:05.18] Whether it's for a birthday or other celebration, it's hard to beat the excitement of opening a carefully wrapped box to find something that's both unexpected and suits you perfectly.

[00:18.99] Now, imagine if you could get the same feeling when you go shopping for yourself.

[00:24.84] That's the feeling that mystery boxes hope to replicate.

[00:29.62] Mystery boxes are not a new idea – they were a feature of department stores in Japan in the early 20th Century.

[00:37.05] They contain a range of different products, which are sold at a lower price than their combined value.

[00:44.49] The key thing is that customers don't know what's in the box before they buy.

[00:50.60] All kinds of mystery boxes are available: fashion boxes, food boxes, beauty boxes, even loot boxes, which are virtual items for video games.

[01:02.81] The pleasant surprise is not the only attraction of mystery boxes.

[01:07.86] They also allow people to try things that they otherwise wouldn't.

[01:13.18] Seasonal vegetable subscription boxes might lead people to learn to cook new meals.

[01:19.83] They can also potentially offer great savings – as the recommended retail price of the contents is often far higher than the purchase price.

[01:30.97] For retailers and suppliers the benefits are clear – it allows them to sell unwanted stock for a profit.

[01:39.48] British fashion mystery box entrepreneur Mario Maher highlights how mystery boxes can help reduce the amount of waste in the fashion industry.

[01:49.57] People might discover product ranges that would otherwise be thrown away.

[01:54.88] There is an obvious downside to mystery boxes – when you buy them, you don't know what you'll get!

[02:02.85] It may be that the goods inside are not to your taste, but there is also the potential for fraudsters to exploit the unpredictability of mystery boxes to send items that have a much lower value than the price of the box.

[02:17.99] So, are mystery boxes a fun way of reducing waste and making shopping more exciting, or more an opportunity for disappointment, or worse – deception?