I stumbled across The Something Store today and was surprised to find that it’s core purpose is to leverage the joy of surprise.
The way the site works is simple: send them $10 and they’ll send you something. What that something is a complete mystery. You’re only promised that it’ll at least be worth the money you sent.
Although the site experience is pretty poor, I think the idea behind this brand is interesting as it clearly leverages the power of mystery to drive it’s success.
Here’s the problem: it doesn’t look like The Something Store has had much. On their site, they reveal they’ve had about 60k sales since 2007. That’s not a lot. Still, the idea has led them to some great exposure with media companies like CNNMoney, Inc, Business Week and NPR.
Maybe the $10 commitment is too high for most people to commit. Maybe it’s not enough. Or maybe people just don’t want more things in an economy that’s shined a spotlight on our overconsumption. Regardless, I appreciate the brand has built mystery into it’s experience.
