Neatorama Mystery Sale Update - 3/16/09

1. Susano
   March 16th, 2009 at 8:04 am

   I received a kit for making crazy drinking straws. I gave it to my mom to pass along to one of my nephews.

2. romreader
   March 16th, 2009 at 8:08 am

   My 9 & 5 year old boys were pretty delighted with the crazy drinking straws. I don't think the racing grannies would have gone over nearly as well!

3. hhrvt
   March 16th, 2009 at 8:15 am

   I wasn't impressed with the straws, they're going to the 8 yr old.

4. Jake
   March 16th, 2009 at 8:29 am

   i had mine shipped to my parents house as i don't trust my reception to actually tell me when i have parcels, so hopefully it'll be there when i get back next weekend, and hopefully it's something good

5. Andrew Wang
   March 16th, 2009 at 9:58 am

   I'm still patiently waiting for mine Even though this waiting has been a long experience, I think I will still participate in the next mystery sales. I just hope I get a tshirt and not a crazy straw kit...

6. Coachmo
   March 16th, 2009 at 10:04 am

   99% of all people will receive the fabulous crazy straw kit.

7. Jen Diggity
   March 16th, 2009 at 10:16 am

   I got the crazy straw kit AND a bacon wallet (I ordered two packages). Bacon's icky, so I'll be passing that along to someone who hates health (and pigs), but the straw kit is pretty nifty! As a girl with all guy friends and a husband who is allergic to shopping it is awfully fun to get a real, bona fide surprise, even if I have to pay for it. Thanks, Neatorama!

8. kate
   March 16th, 2009 at 12:01 pm

   Yep, got the strawz kit.

   Lame, lame, lame.

   That's the risk you take...(which I won't take again). I have a hard time believing that this is worth $10...Plus it sounds like almost everyone got the same thing.

9. Corican
   March 16th, 2009 at 12:23 pm

   Haven't got mine yet.
   I truly hope I don't end up with the straw kit, or the racing grannies!

10. Jaycatt
    March 16th, 2009 at 12:28 pm

    I got the straw kit, too... I'll save it for the next time I need to donate a white elephant gift. Or I'll make a sculpture out of it, not sure! Still, I had fun with the mystery sale, even if I didn't get something I could use. Heck, I've spent more than that in 30 minutes at a slot machine at a Casino, how can I complain when with this I actually leave with something?

11. lissypants
    March 16th, 2009 at 12:51 pm

    i'm extremely disappointed with the lame straw kit. this totally can't be worth $10. i will never ever do this again. this really affected my overall impression of neatorama. they're not so neato afterall.

12. just a guy
    March 16th, 2009 at 12:53 pm

    odd that everyone here got the straw kit yet it's the only one not pictured/mentioned.

13. Paul in Boca
    March 16th, 2009 at 1:01 pm

    I also got the gift of straw. If you visit the web site of the company that made the things, http://www.nuopinc.com, you will learn that the "retail" value of this made in China package is $13.00. Have to agree with Kate, however, we all knew up front that there was a risk of some sort involved. Of course, I don't think I'll participate in the next sale.

14. SenorMysterioso
    March 16th, 2009 at 2:17 pm

    re: Just a guy

    Alex was only showing us the bigger items that shipped, not trying to cover up the Strawz or any of the small items. Do you really think he is pretending he shipped out hundreds of playstations and tokyo flash watches for $10 a piece?

    Congrats to whoever got the watch and the PS3!

    Last sale I got a nifty LED flashlight, which I still use. I saw the same one at a dollar village for $4 but it didnt bother me.

15. Pond Girl
    March 16th, 2009 at 2:26 pm

    I received the straw kit. Although I did give it to my 9 year old, I probably would participate in the Mystery Sale again. Living in a VERY rural area, it is cool to get an item that would be hard to find in stores here.

    SenorMysterioso has it right - can we really be disappointed in not getting one of the big items? Sending everyone a game system or the racing grannies would probably bankrupt Neatorama.

    Thanks Alex for a neat gismo for my kids to experiment with.

16. mojo
    March 16th, 2009 at 3:09 pm

    I got the straw kit too. This is SO LAME! How is this worth $15 (shipping doesn't cost $5 for a straw kit). I want my money back.

17. mojo
    March 16th, 2009 at 3:11 pm

    The most disappointing thing about the straw kit is that I used to think this is the coolest website. This has really tainted my impression of you.

18. Oomi
    March 16th, 2009 at 3:39 pm

    Apparently the mystery has gone from the Mystery sale.

19. Becca
    March 16th, 2009 at 3:43 pm

    I got the straw kit too. I actually thought it was pretty cool until I found out everyone else got one too. I was going to give it to my friend for his birthday, but maybe i'll keep it around and have a fun time with my boyfriend or something. Oh well.

20. lucky
    March 16th, 2009 at 3:46 pm

    haven't gotten my two items yet...but i'm gonna be kinda sad if one of them isn't a straw kit now...it looks so fun...granted i have the mentality of a 5 year old sometimes, but come on...can't you imagine nesquick going through 15 or more pieces of straw!

21. iolaus2563
    March 16th, 2009 at 3:55 pm

    My perfect gifts would be either the watch or a shirt!
    Ps3 would obviously be nice too!

    Prob get the straw kit though...

22. su.wei
    March 16th, 2009 at 4:00 pm

    i'm interested to know how many mystery packages were actually ordered, how many were straws, and how many were the special items.
    oh yeah, how do you decide who gets what? is it random?
    

23. SenorMysterioso
    March 16th, 2009 at 4:48 pm

    Three, were the special items, one of each

24. Shane
    March 16th, 2009 at 5:21 pm

    Maybe I'm as lame as the straws but I'm looking forward to fooling with mine. When I order from the mystery sales I think of it as a bet. If I lost with the straws it wasn't that bad of a loss to be bitter. I will say however that next go around there should probably be a better mix of stuff so that it's more of a fair bet.

25. Hammerhead
    March 16th, 2009 at 5:38 pm

    I got the straws as well. While my girls are having fun with them. The "amazing response" just shows that Neatorama had little mystery in mind when they made this sale. Humbug. Won't be doing that again.

26. oc stomias
    March 16th, 2009 at 6:05 pm

    My first mystery sale, and I too got the Straws.
    Not that great, but not that bad. They'll go in the Xmas Stocking Stuffers pile.

    I paid with my earnings from Predictify, so it was like getting them for free.

27. jonnyq
    March 16th, 2009 at 6:28 pm

    ordered two mystery packages got two straws... was a bit disappointed two get two sets of straws thought it would be more random. next year i think i will be better served just buying one mystery pack and spending my other 15 bucks on a t-shirt from the store.

28. Kevin
    March 16th, 2009 at 6:35 pm

    Haven't got mine yet, but I checked out those Crazy Straws, they def seem like something for young kids. Maybe next time you should have an age option because i certainly have no use for em.

29. emailejunk
    March 16th, 2009 at 6:41 pm

    Still waiting for my package... I ordered it as a gift for my husband's birthday (we like to keep it cheap and fun). Too bad his birthday is tomorrow so I guess I'll be shopping for something else tonight. Thanks but I won't buy from the mystery sale again...

30. Frau
    March 16th, 2009 at 6:50 pm

    I think I was first to mention that I got the strawz.

    I am having a dilema though. Open them and use them at the bar or give them to my nephew.
    I really wanna keep them for myself. But at the same time, I know how much fun they would be for my nephew.

    I love the mystery sale. I knew what I might or might not be getting. And that was why I was willing to give up the ten smackaroos for funsies.
    It's a gamble. And certainly a better gamble than the "Mystery Bag" offered at the dollar store.

    I can't wait for the next mystery sale.

31. SenorMysterioso
    March 16th, 2009 at 7:06 pm

    Frau, open them and use them at the bar with your nephew

32. Allimar
    March 16th, 2009 at 8:01 pm

    Bummer. I'm still waiting for my mystery gifts, cept the mystery is kinda gone now.

33. medmisfit
    March 16th, 2009 at 8:54 pm

    These Strawz are GOLD!!! My curtain climbers have been quietly content for over a half-hour! Wife thinks it was money well spent. Thanks!

34. Kwinnie
    March 16th, 2009 at 8:57 pm

    The only thing I'm disappointed in is the attitude of all these people. It's dispicable.

35. quinnnchick
    March 16th, 2009 at 9:19 pm

    I love my straws (and kind of expected them because everyone else had gotten them), however I didn't like how my package didn't have my last name on it for some reason and was thrown on my porch to allow for a neighbor to get it and open it. luckily she didn't want the straws

    her loss

36. SenorMysterioso
    March 16th, 2009 at 9:23 pm

    Your neighbour opened your mail? I would really angry.

37. kate
    March 16th, 2009 at 9:45 pm

    Straw liquidation sale!

    Must not have been very popular in the online store...

    Did anyone get a T-shirt, because they made a pretty big deal about choosing your size, even though you couldn't differentiate your gender...

    I bought one mystery for myself and one for a friend. I told him about the strawz, and asked him to text me when he got home to tell me what he got... I got a photo text of a watch! I asked if he was serious, he said no, he got strawz. Waka waka!

38. katzebot
    March 16th, 2009 at 10:23 pm

    You people are so ridiculous!
    Mysteryyy salllleee. I'm sure you've read comments from people who've been disappointed in the past, and yet you chose to participate. Seriously, what you got could have been anything, and yet you still went for it, so what makes you feel as though you were entitled to something spectacular?

    Anyway, somebody out there got a frigging PS3. I don't know of a lot of websites who would just toss one of those to somebody without strings attached.

    Where's your loyalty? If receiving a mystery item from a fantastic website, an item that you well know could be incredibly lame, completely turns you off from it, you need to just get the heck over it. How often to you people blow at least ten dollars on brilliantly worthless stuff every day?

    Ugggghhh. Spoiled!

39. su.wei
    March 17th, 2009 at 12:48 am

    i totally agree! just because you're disappointed you didn't get the elusive "special items" doesn't mean you have to take it out on Neatorama!
    I'm still anxiously awaiting mine! I can't wait, even if i get straws

40. noran
    March 17th, 2009 at 1:19 am

    That straw kit sucked! rather had a t-shirt! or a pen!

41. quinnnchick
    March 17th, 2009 at 6:20 am

    neighbor has the same first name as me. the return address gave no clue where it was from and we both frequently get packages. It was an honest mistake but one that could have been avoided if my last name had been on the package.

    and as for being "gyped" ... I've gotten so many free things (something like 5 books) in the past from Neatorama, I couldn't complain even if they had sent me a box of tissues. I'm still WAY above the curve in cost of items they have sent me and money I have sent them.

42. just a guy
    March 17th, 2009 at 1:08 pm

    @ SenorMysterioso - No. I would imagine shipping Tons of Racing Grannies as plausable, however.

    I was just commenting on a trend I noticed. Almost everyone was talking about straws, but there was no pic of them.

    As for what 'Alex was trying to do', unless he told you that, you don't know his intention. Personally, I don't believe he was being deceptive. Again, I was just curious why there was no straws pic when that's all people were talking about.

43. Frau
    March 17th, 2009 at 1:59 pm

    Mystery Sale = Grab Bag

    Some people should stop complaining.
    As the kindergartners say
    "You get what you get. And you dont throw a fit."

44. SB
    March 17th, 2009 at 3:14 pm

    I got the straws, I thought they were pretty neat : ) Very random and a good surprise (much better than last time Alex!)

45. kate
    March 17th, 2009 at 3:26 pm

    Sheesh!

    People are complaining that people are complaining.

    Thank God that this is America and we can all complain as much as we want!

    Straws are lame!
    It's lame that you think straws are lame!

    Amen!

    I feel like straws are my biggest inside joke right now, too bad the only people I share it with are in cyber space.

    This is hilarious people! 90% of neat-o-rama readers own STRAWZ (and most of them hate it)!

46. kate
    March 17th, 2009 at 3:29 pm

    p.s. this is what strawz look like:
    http://www.lazyboneuk.com/product_images/uploaded_images/S/strawzb.gif

47. The Manticore
    March 17th, 2009 at 6:33 pm

    I would have liked the straw kit if it actually functioned as a straw...but it doesn't seal right. or mine didn't at least

48. SenorMysterioso
    March 17th, 2009 at 7:36 pm

    lol kate

    I see a t-shirt "I went to Neatorama and all I got were these lousy Strawz"

49. The Slapster
    March 17th, 2009 at 8:31 pm

    Haven't received ours yet, I'll hold out hope that we get one straw & one not-a-straw.

50. iolaus2563
    March 18th, 2009 at 7:45 am

    The really annoying thing is that the straws are one of the lamest items from the store they came from. Someone linked to the sites products earlier, and there were tons of cooler and cheaper products!
    
    Yeah, I got the straws too.

51. gotgreen210
    March 18th, 2009 at 11:59 am

    strawz < tacky tiara from previous sale lol

52. noran
    March 20th, 2009 at 3:34 pm

    I thought it was stuff sent to you guys as promo's and now spreading the wealth with us. Not buying a crate a of junk and sending it out to us. That is no fun.

53. burninglily
    March 20th, 2009 at 3:51 pm

    I just got my boxes in yesterday (3 of em, all in the same box though) AWESOME! I got Strawz, Bacon Wallet, and RACIN' GRANNIES!!!!! HAHAHAHA! They are silly...but my 14 yr. old had a blast snatching all my cool stuff from me. I settled on letting her have the bacon wallet, she said her friends were way jealous. My twin brother got a big kick out of the strawz too. THANKS NEATORAMA! This is my first Mystery Sale and I will be doing it again in the future...what a blast.

54. ash-hole
    March 20th, 2009 at 8:40 pm

    the straws are cool.
    i tried something too complex with them and coudln't get my juice through it all fast enough though. but still way cool. i'm impressed. i was looking foward to getting it even more after i found out about the straws.
    best day ever.

55. dan k.
    March 26th, 2009 at 4:06 pm

    I got the straws the other day as well, and was definitely dissapointed by the straws. I think the majority of neatorama readers are a little old for this, it reminded me of something you'd get in a Happy Meal at McDonalds.

    I know its a mystery sale and you get what you get, but for next time i'd hope a little more thought would go into the prizes.

56. Alex
    March 29th, 2009 at 1:51 am

    Love it or hate it, I want to point out that all your comments are welcome and published on Neatorama without any censorship.

    I do listen to feedback to improve the next Mystery Sale - this was the third ever such sale, and there has been hiccups and a steep learning curve along the way.

    To everyone who participated, I'd like to give you my thanks - you've helped support the blog (and I hope have a little fun along the way).

    There's a thread on the Mystery Sale on the Forum (which I check quite regularly) that may explain some of the reasonings behind the sale and shipping process.

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