Have mystery boxes peaked?

[Monkeypaws]

I remember no so long ago when Discmainia released their popular Mystery Boxes, they'd get snapped up so fast it was hard to get one.

This year, they are still available almost 2 weeks later. Customers are limited to 5 (pretty sure that used to be 2). They even got the Crush boys to do a promotional video, yet still they sit. And the Discmania box is one of the better ones.

Have people gotten wise to what mystery boxes really are, mainly unsellable inventory?

Or would people rather buy discs they actually want?

 

[ray1970]

Have people gotten wise to what mystery boxes really are, mainly unsellable inventory?

What are you saying? Discmania is stuffing boxes full of active line discs just to get rid of them? No way.

 

[ElementZ]

Years ago, I used to love them and get really excited about them. I ordered a Mystery Box from Latitude 64 last year and it was disappointing, so now I'm just going to order discs I know I want.

 

[@CD-]

Combination of

• market saturation at the high end due to increase in supply/availability for stock (throwers) and LE discs (in unique plastics) from all manufacturers. Artificial 'limited' runs even when they make 5k+ mystery boxes.
• not so much a mystery when you are told there will be a certain selection of discs & plastic
• general economy - too high a price point or too many discs for most individuals
• more manufacturers & sales might mean consumers want to try/throw from many manufacturers

For DM specifically, a portion of throwers may have stuck with Innova molded discs (Innova Factory Store Tour series F2/double stamp Mystery boxes at $60(?) seemed to have sold well)

 

[ray1970]

not so much a mystery when you are told there will be a certain selection of discs & plastic

Yeah. Not much mystery in the mystery boxes these days.

While the boxes have generally always been about moving excess stock, it was generally a mystery what you might end up with and if you ordered two boxes you likely wouldn't end up with duplicates.

Take Discmania for example. Before they started with the active and evolution lines you could get cool stuff like misprint glow MD3s, g-line P2's, c-line PX3's with cool stamps, metal flake DD2's, etc. they weren't all winners and you'd always end up with a stock MD5 or FD or PD but there were always some unique gems in your box.

 

[Hampstead]

If I want a mystery box, I'll go down to the basement, grab one of over a dozen boxes and open it up. Because it's a mystery to me how I organize my collection. It can be a challenge looking for a specific disc.

 

[Moose33]

I've had several of them from different companies over the years and I would say the infinite ones are still worth what you pay, but no where near as unique as the were 3-4 years ago.

Prodigy does a decent assortment if you don't mind just getting their discs and the gyropalooza box is still pretty good but not as much of a mystery.

 

[air show]

Came accross this video of Simon and Eagle opening 2 mystery boxes and throwing all the discs inside. Really enjoyed this video not because of the mystrey box but watching Simon and Eagle hanging out one afternoon.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=8EnexVIuECE&usg=AOvVaw3pc-3yOopt8KUUZyyTqwMm

 

[wproct]

When I first started playing I would go to sporting goods stores and buy whatever was there, and I wound up with a lot of discs I never used. Anymore I just order exactly what I might need, in the color and weight I need, and there isn't much that I need. I don't order surprise packs.

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

Yeah I think it's peaked... it's getting overdone and giant boxes with a bunch of discs you won't want is kinda overdone.

I like the partial "non mystery" part of it, I went crazy for two gyropalooza boxes last year to get two uplinks... I was not as fired up this year so got one and plenty happy to go outside my comfort mold zone.

Part of that was last year was the first year I could get one in Canada for a "reasonable" amount of money

 

[Monkeypaws]

If I want a mystery box, I'll go down to the basement, grab one of over a dozen boxes and open it up. Because it's a mystery to me how I organize my collection. It can be a challenge looking for a specific disc.

Stay out of my basement

 

[@CD-]

I've had several of them from different companies over the years and I would say the infinite ones are still worth what you pay, but no where near as unique as the were 3-4 years ago.

Prodigy does a decent assortment if you don't mind just getting their discs and the gyropalooza box is still pretty good but not as much of a mystery.

Yeah. Not much mystery in the mystery boxes these days.

While the boxes have generally always been about moving excess stock, it was generally a mystery what you might end up with and if you ordered two boxes you likely wouldn't end up with duplicates.

Take Discmania for example. Before they started with the active and evolution lines you could get cool stuff like misprint glow MD3s, g-line P2's, c-line PX3's with cool stamps, metal flake DD2's, etc. they weren't all winners and you'd always end up with a stock MD5 or FD or PD but there were always some unique gems in your box.

Came accross this video of Simon and Eagle opening 2 mystery boxes and throwing all the discs inside. Really enjoyed this video not because of the mystrey box but watching Simon and Eagle hanging out one afternoon.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...=8EnexVIuECE&usg=AOvVaw3pc-3yOopt8KUUZyyTqwMm

I think there is still some appeal for a retailer that carries many brands to put out a true mystery box for these types of 'challenges', similar to the used disc challenge that Ezra and other pros have done the past couple years https://youtu.be/CKJRfBE3Lqs. Could be cool to show up to a fun league or casual friends round where people have to try and draft a basic bags worth of discs from multiple mystery boxes/used racks.

Discmania has tried a few different price points ($60-$120) and multiple different 'themed' Nov-Dec mystery boxes in the past which may have spread the 'known' mystery box contents around and appealed to more people. They moved to this single box type released around Thanksgiving a year or two ago which has become more predictable what you will receive as they advertise the '150% value' (maybe some EU/country laws around advertising 'value' of products for sale??)

 

[wolfhaley]

I've never bought one. Well, an "official" one at least.

I have had many occasions where I was excited to get my new Stags or something in. The box finally comes and there they are!!!

Along with a Wraith I really didn't need, some weird mid I've read about on here that sounded mildly interesting and some discs I know I can't throw, but damn if they don't have some sweet stamps on them. Usually one disc that I have no idea what it is. Like a Lone Star Armadillo?

 

[Smigles]

15 years ago when i started, we didnt have mystery boxes. I would have bought a few for sure.

Now that i tried 100s of discs, set up my bag and know exactly what i throw and need, i pretty much give away any disc that is not in the bag at the moment. CTP prices, tournament prices, anything i did not order exactly in the weight and color i want, gets given away. So the idea of ordering unknown discs in unknown colors just for the fun of it could not be further from me.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

Have threads about things that have peaked, peaked?

 

[acrosley]

The big appeal for me was they were good value until recently. Other than infinite and innova you end up paying close full price for the amount of discs you get and at that price I'd rather just pick my own.

I know trash panda does a secret Santa thing maybe if enough people were interested we could arrange something similar if you want a real mystery. It'd probably be like herding cats though

 

[TheOtherBill]

Time for a mystery box unwanted disc exchange thread?

 

[seedlings]

Time for a mystery box unwanted disc exchange thread?

^ I'd participate in a DM version!

IDK if any manufacturer's followings are in decline… there are enough discs readily available on the shelves compared to 2020/2021, and with manufacturers bringing new plastics and special runs, many players are recently cash poor and disc rich. I suspect there is a temporary weariness to mystery boxes?

I would prefer mystery disc releases: manufacturer has a (few) new mold(s) set to release on a given day. No one knows what the molds are. When release day arrives, buyers can now buy the molds individually OR a special box with "multiples of each new mold" for a discount. On that day also deeply discount the other molds that aren't selling as an incentive, rather than use them as expensive packaging for the two discs we actually wanted.

I bought two Discmania mystery boxes for the full $99 price. It was, of course, an easy Christmas gift for my wife… but I did want the new release disc, which would be like $25. So I'm paying $74 for 8 premium plastic discs with free shipping. That's an extraordinary value. So now I will have new molds to play with, cheap Christmas gifts for dsc golf buddies, and give-always to new players. Oh, and since there are some glow discs, I add them to the glow bag, which only has a D Model S (infinite mystery box), Reactor, and a Ballista.

I don't have a degree in marketing, so …

 

[elmexdela]

my favorite mystery box is walkin into pias and lookin thru the used discs

 

[ThrowaEnvy]

Yeah the gifts and loaners from the mystery boxes is handy... I think out of my gyropalooza box I was satisfied/ curious with half of it. Nothing uber valuable but some throwing gems for sure that I probably wouldn't have tried since I'm stuck in my ways. Dumped a couple on auction, traded a crave/reactor for a relay/entropy.

I think with them meeting a higher demand they are running out of primo prizes and there's a lot more run of the mill stuff. This year the highs were lower and the lows were mediocre..

Overall not disappointed.... Yet...