Neatorama Mystery Sale Update

Last week, Neatorama had a Mystery Sale - and like the first, it was a big hit (which means we're still packing and shipping orders! Lots of em ... If you haven't received your shipment, don't worry!) I'd like to thank everyone who bought a Mystery Box.

Though this sale is over, you can still get great T-shirts on the Neatorama Online Store. Thanks, everyone!


Okay. I bought two mystery packages and a t-shirt. I'm a bit puzzled, to be honest. I got the t-shirt and an awesome laser/flashlight pen/stylus [sweet!] and...a true mystery item. I have no idea what it is!

Alex, you've got my email address and such, is there anyway you could...well...tell me what I got? Pretty please?! :D

Congrats to the lucky fellow/lady who received the Wii!
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Ordered my two mystery packages early last week and still haven't gotten them in!
THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING ME!
How much longer do I have to wait?!
Also, congrats to all the other mystery package recipients!
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I can't wait to find out what I got, dangit, now that I now it's been sent I'll think about nothing else at work till I see if it's arrived or not everyday O_O
*crosses fingers*
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Hi guys! Please be patient - we're still send out stuff. The warehouse is jammed with orders and we're trying our best to ship them out soon!

We're very happy with the response and a little scared with the amount of shipping that still have to be done!

And to everyone who bought a Mystery Box: THANK YOU!!!
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Got mine. A little let down, but I know they can't all be EXTRA super fantastic. It was worth it for the anticipation, though. I felt like a kid again waiting for it to arrive.
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Woo! I'm so exited (I just can't hide it) I feel like waiting for the mailman, but I kinda have to go to Uni.... Damn!
And maybe I'm an idiot for asking, but what the frack is the bean sprout thingie?
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i got a copy of mental_floss and a mental_floss instant knowledge book, which is quite cool as they don't publish over here (England) as far as i know and i've always wondered what the magazine was like
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I received mine and... well... was pretty disappointed. While the royal straight flush belt buckle is nice, it's not something I'd wear and I've no one to give it to. The anticipation was fun, though. Maybe next time.
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Tht's the point of the mystery sale. Sometimes you get something awesome, sometimes you get something - interesting.

I didn't do it, but maybe next time.
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Yeah, I ordered a mystery package, and I'm looking forward to seeing what I get. No matter what, it's been fun so far, and even if I get something weird and uncanny, it'll make for a fun gift for someone (and an interesting story!)
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I received mine last week...what a bunch of crap!! A magazine and a stoopid little book with useless information...why bother!....
You could have at least given me a subscription to the magazine.
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I agree with Andrew! What a bunch of Crap! This is my first and last time I buy a Neatorama mystery package! Definately not worth the $15.00 I spent. A word to the wise, guys, this was a bad PR move to send a magazine and a little book in a Mystery Package. The word is "Mystery", not "Surprise", as in "Surprise, you just got ripped off" Not only will I not purchase Mental Floss (or their products in the future but I will not patronize any of Neatorama Advertizers as I feel I cannot truth them either.
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@SenorMysterioso: Thx. Tried to google it, but all I could find were actual bean sprouts :D

@Andrew V. and Richard: What's with the complaining? If you read the conditions of the mystery sale you would know that it could be anything... As in ANY thing... You got your money's worth, you got a mystery box with something worth more than 9.99 which is all you were promised.
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Still waiting for my mystery item to arrive here in Spain. Can't wait for it to arrive though!

maybe next time neatorama could tell people when their item has shipped?
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Wow, Andrew V. & Richard...if you read Neatorama with any regularity the Mental Floss items would be right up your alley! This isn't Woot, it's a way to support a site we love.

Personally, I sat down and read my Mental Floss magazine last night and found it incredibly interesting! The little 'instant knowledge' book is perfect to just pick up and read a random page :)

Thanks again Neatorama, don't listen to the haters!
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I am incredibly excited to see what I will receive in my "Mystery Box"! It's actually a Christmas gift from my mom, so I will have to wait a while to open it! It's being shipped to my apartment (I had to do the ordering), so I promised that it would get to her unopened... O_O;
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I'm really looking forward to getting mine.

I'm in the UK though so may have to wait a bit longer if things have to be checked by customs.

I hope whatever I get is worth the wait.
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I am anxiously awaiting mine too... just walked thru snow to the mailbox and got nothing but junk mail. :( I promise not to complain no matter what it is - this is so much fun! I am really curious how many mystery boxes were sold altogether...
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I was bummed to see I was too late for this mystery sale. For the people who are complaining, I'll take your items. Those Mental Floss books are perfect bathroom reading! ;)
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I too received the skull and crossbones belt of doom. It asked me what size T shirt I wore and I entered XL, only to receive a belt sized for a small child. I was exited, now I am just sad. I could've at least worn a t shirt. Regifting here I come. Truly disappointing.
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Not sure why people are complaining, I got an issue of mental_floss and the book, and it's awesome. even better because I found Neatorama in the first place from mental_floss! :D
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I got an Apelad shirt last time and LOVE it... actually, my shirt is the little "don't be hatin'" guy in the comment box :) I am, of course, hoping for one of the rare gifts, but I'll be happy with anything - I gave my money to Neatorama, a site I read and enjoy every single day. Win-win!
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I'm a newbie to Neatorama (about 5 months), and it is the first site I go to when I dont feel like working.

I didnt participate in the last sale, but I couldnt resist this time... the curiosity and now anticipation are killing me. I got 2 packages coming (this is my wife and mine's XMas to each other - we're cheap) and I checked the mail 3 times today!

Congrats to whoever gets the Wii and I hope I don't get an XSmall belt.
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I absolutely love what I received - a beautiful pen that is also a pointer, laser pointer and flashlight. It not only came with batteries, but *extra* batteries - all in a nice metal case.

THANKS NEATORAMA!
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My package came in the regular mail, I love my mental floss magazine and the little book. Never seen them here in Canada. If they sold them here I might get a subscription, it's full of interesting stuff. :D
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Got mine today! It's a cool pen/stylus/flashlight/laser pointer thing. Not as exciting as a Wii or a Tokyoflash watch of course, but cool anyway! I will definitely jump on the next mystery sale that comes up! Thanks Neatorama!
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I'm in IL and haven't received mine yet. I hope it comes tomorrow because I have to go back down to school Sunday. If not I'll have to wait until I'm home for Christmas!
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Pola from Italy here! Just received my package this morning (11/29/2008): a mental floss magazine and "instant knowledge" book. I love the definition of "knowledge junkies", it fits me so well!

Thanks!
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I'm sad.
Neatorama sent a tiara sized for someone with a giant head... so I can't even give this to a little girl.

Maybe it's retailing for 9.99 somewhere but this is a major let down. I was hoping for at least a magazine/book combo pack.
Bummer.
No more mystery sales for me.
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I'm with you Leah; I wasn't sure if it was a tiara or a headband but I was immediately bummed out and disappointed with such a tacky, cheap un-neat item.
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I just got my package and it's this tiara crystal thing. I'm not sure if that's really what it is since it's such a weird large size. I buy lots of jewlery and know from experience that this isn't worth close to 9.99. I was really disappointed and probably wouldn't try this again or suggest it to anyone else
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Does anyone else's still say in progress under their account info? I hope I can get it soon so I can give my xmas gift to my friend... I'm a college student and only have a couple week of classes left...
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I was downright pissed when I opened my package. I order a ladies t-shirt, so therefore I'd like a freaking tiara? Uncool. I bet the guys got something less shitty. I don't even know what to do with this piece of trash. Neatorama, you have disappointed me.
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I see other people have gotten the headband/tiara thing too and none of them are happy. Is there anyone from Neatorama who could explain this choice or anything?
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I would love to know when my packages will get here, or if my order has even been shipped. I know that some people in Europe got there packages, so it had to go through customs and everything, but domestic packages takes longer??? So it is just a little strange! And has anyone got the Wii, Bean Sprout or the Digital Photo Frame yet?!
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Hello! Wow - quite a bit of comments. OK, let me see if I can get through 'em all.

We're going to be sending the last batches in the next few days (including the big winners). I do apologize to everyone for the delay, we've been working overtime trying to get stuff out (we even worked through the Thanskgiving holidays). If you haven't gotten yours, it's on its way.

Frankly, I was caught off-guard. We prepared for this Mystery Sale quite ahead of time, but we didn't expect to get that many orders (with the economy being slow and all). So thank you again to everyone who participated! You've helped the blog tremendously in so many ways.

The belt size is supposed to be XL for XL orders - the buckle does add another couple of inches to the reach of the belt. For those whose belt is too large, it's quite easy to make additional holes ;)

The tiaras we got are very good quality, and actually retail for about $10 to $15 (there are a couple of different kinds). I don't know where Lindsey got her jewelry from, but wherever it is, I'm sure she got a deal if she buys 'em retail. If she buys jewelry wholesale, then of course they're going to cost less than $10.

We did a variety of things this time (about 5 major items at a few hundred each). We've gotten predominantly positive feedback on the mental_floss book/magazine combo, but someone actually cursed us out for sending them "books" (how dare we sent them things to read! That sucks!)

We've also gotten quite a positive feedback on the tiara (a few of them told me that these are a hoot and they wouldn't in a million years expect something like it or treat themselves to one), yet as the comments above, some are vehemently against them.

It's probably the nature of the Mystery Sale that it's difficult to satisfy everyone's idealized image of what constitute a good item. ;)
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I still haven't gotten mine, but I kind of like the added mystery of not knowing exactly when it will arrive. Plus, if the big winners haven't been mailed yet, there's still a chance I could be a big winner.

Fun stuff.
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a wonderful idea.

i am a little confused though. i ordered two items. in the mail i got three. a lil' mental floss book, a laser pen, and a LED pig keychain light (which is awesome but don't work)

i guess im a tad disappointed, as the stipulation was that each item would be at least $9.95 and i don't think these guys quite make the cut (the book actually has a lower price printed on it)

that being said, the fun of the game, and the knowledge that i am supporting one of my favorite sites makes the difference.
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I'm with the rest of you who received the tiara...completely displeased and as someone else said, it's huge and can't even be given to a little girl for her enjoyment. Oh well though, mystery sale means mystery product. Better luck next time I guess. :)
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Also got the headband/tiara. Not impressed. Was hoping for something much cooler than an item I could get from the cheap prom section at Claire's Boutique. (Junk jewelry worth $10-15 is not really what I would consider "very good quality".)
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@timothy - the little pig keychain is to make up for the mental_floss book's value. There is a little tab on the belly of the pig that you have to pull out before it'll work. We do try to get items that have retail values of $9.95 or higher.

@groovy: Hm, those have been very reliable (we shipped out hundreds with no problem). I'll email you to find out what's up.

@crankycat: The value of the item is targeted at $9.95 - if you get a $15 tiara, then you're already $5 ahead of the game ;).
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Just got mine today - a leather belt with a Got Beef? buckle, and a sparkly tiara. The belt will be too small for me (ironic, given that I gave my t-shirt size, heh) but my 10-yr-old nephew may like it...

As for the tiara - I suppose a girl can't have too many of those, eh?
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@crankycat (and some of the other tiara receivers) - note on the tiara: it is actually a better quality one than many of the "toy" ones you find to buy, though not as good (obviously) as the Swarovski ones that cost a bundle.

I'm only slightly disappointed because I already have a tiara, not because this one's a bad one. :D But as others have said - it's a mystery, you know that going in.
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My box is still on its way: that can only mean good news. Anyway, I consider it money well-spent anyway. For people complaining about something they received: If you don't like surprises, do not enter a surprise sale. Are you also sending complaints every time you do not win in a lottery?
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Still waiting... Worried a little since I never got a confirmation e-mail of the order (and apparently my account never got setup/logged in during ordering), but my card did get debited! lol
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I got a confirmation email, but haven't gotten my 3 mystery boxes yet (California.) Seems that the store didn't register me, however. Here's hoping they arrive this week.
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Hi guys, we've just finished sending everything (including the specials) out yesterday. Thank you for participating in the Mystery Sale!

We're updating the online database (your order may still say "in progress" instead of "shipped"). It's kind of a long and arduous manual process. Sigh.

I do listen to feedback, and will try to adjust product selection for the next Mystery Sale as to maximize everyone's satisfaction :)
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Yay! It came last night!

I got a tiara, which is indeed a nice tiara (one of the welds is broken, though, but that can be fixed), and the other half got a belt with a star belt buckle. Oh! And a little piggy LED flashlight that oinks. Awesome, especially since we were looking at those things in a store the other weekend and couldn't bring ourselves to drop $5.99 on a little piggy.
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I'm disappointed to say the least. I figured this would be like the Woot! Bag of Crap. One awesome item and two crapolas.

Instead, I got three crapolas for 34.80.

I think the topper was the giant universal remote. What a worthless item.

Thank you for ripping me off. I think I'll stick with Woot and leave the Neatorama store alone.
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You can throw my hat into the "never going to participate in this thing again".

I paid $70 for 5 mystery items and am not very impressed with how it was handled.

1. I was expecting to get 5 different boxes but instead, I found one small box, smaller than a shoebox even. So how am I supposed to distribute this to the 5 different people I bought these for? They're not even wrapped individually.

2. The customs form lists every single item in the box prior to opening. There goes the suprise.

3. The customs form total cost of all items inside was only listed at $20!!! WTF? I thought all items were supposed to be at LEAST $10 each. I bought 5.

I will not be buying another mystery item. I would have preferred 5 t-shirts. In fact, I wish that's what I bought instead of this. That's probably what I'll do next year. But you can bet your ass it won't be from the Neatorama store.

Now what the hell am I supposed to do with this tiara?
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Well, I'm somewhat disappointed to have received a tiara after waiting all this time, but I suppose that's part of the fun of the mystery box.

It's not a complete loss. My office is participating in Toys for Tots this year, so I'll donate it along with the other items I was planning to contribute.

Though I didn't particularly enjoy my item, I had fun waiting for it. Thanks Neatorama.
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I agree the tiara sucks! I'm pretty sure I could have gotten one at the dollar store for a dollar or at Claire's for 5 bucks. I don't think I will pay for any mystery boxes. The idea that the money is going to the site is small comfort when I'm out two christmas gifts for people. *sigh*
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Got mine today, 1 star belt, one tiara and a mental floss magazine. I doubt any of them are worth $9.95. The mental floss magazine even has the price on it: $4.99 It was a mystery for sure, but quite a disappointment as well. I probably would have preferred 3 t-shirts.
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Got my package on Tuesday and I'm finally getting around to posting since I've been too busy playing my new Wii! The last couple weeks, I've just been holding my breath waiting for someone else to post that they had gotten it instead. Thanks to everyone at Neatorama for the fun sale. This is a great way to end the year.
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Thank you, I received the package today... it's totally neat! Unexpected (but of course it's suppose to be a "mystery"!) and completely cool to get a giant remote control; I laughed out loud when I got it. It's great. Thank you Neatorama!
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Opened my pen/pointer/light/stylus today. I'm sure Alex appreciates feedback both positive and negative, but it was a MYSTERY sale so you shouldn't complain too much if you don't like what you got. Maybe you'll get a Tesla roadster next year! I'll take any color. No Segways, please.
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Hello everyone - I've been meaning to post an update about the Mystery Sale but got swamped with work.

This is Neatorama's second Mystery Sale, and I have to acknowledge that we've made some mistakes. Though I think most of the mystery boxes have been neat, a lot of you don't like the tiaras. Point taken - we'll do better next time.

For the record, which I have stated earlier, the tiaras aren't the kind that you get at discount prom stores (for one, the quality is much, much higher and therefore the price is higher too). Still, it's not the type of thing that seems to go over well with many Neatorama readers.

Some of the things have retail price less than $9.95. Yes, but if you're careful you'd notice that you get TWO things that if the prices are combined, are worth more than $9.95.

@aelam: We have to list the products shipped on the customs form. It's da law! If you order 5 things giftwrapped, then of course they'll show up in 5 boxes. If not, then they'll all show up in one box.

It's probably the nature of the Mystery Sale that most people are disappointed that they don't get the good stuff, but we'll try harder next time to source better stuff ;)

Lastly, I'd like to point out that good or bad, your comments are shown here without being censored. I do hope that all of you will consider participating in future Mystery Sales. I promise they'll be much better!
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Finally got in on the mystery sale and can't wait to see what I get! Told a friend about it and he also got in on the MS and placed an order. This is neat. I hope I get a watch...
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