Apple Lucky Bag Promotion Returns To Japan For 2015

Apple’s “Lucky Bag” deal will return in Japan shortly after the country rings in the New Year. The promotion, which is set to start Jan. 2, was spotted on Apple Japan’s website following an update on Friday.

The lucky bag tradition, or fukubukuro in Japanese, is a yearly custom in the country, in which retailers offer blind grab bags, which are filled with a random selection of items. While purchasers of the bags can’t see their contents prior to purchase, the contents often are valued more than their original purchase price.

Apple offered a similar deal last January, with grab bags priced at 36,000 yen ($345). Some of their contents included MacBook Airs, iPods, T-shirts and iPads, while others contained a variety of third-party accessories, according to MacRumors. The company has yet to disclose pricing for the 2015 Lucky Bag event.

Purchases of the Lucky Bag can only be made in-person at physical Apple Stores in Japan. In addition to not being able to see the bags’ contents before purchase, customers are limited to one purchase per day and contents of the bag will not be accepted for return or exchange, except for manufacturer defects. But non-Apple products will be only sold “as-is,” according to the promotional terms and conditions.

Large lines have often formed out of Apple Stores in Japan prior to the launch of the promotion, and this year is likely to attract similar crowds.

Analysts tracking Apple’s sales in its first fiscal quarter for 2015 expect the company to post record earnings due to surging iPhone 6 and 6 Plus sales worldwide, according to Apple Insider.

Despite previous troubles with keeping its latest smartphones in stock, the company saw drastically improved shipping times in the lead-up to Christmas, with many of its stores offering in-store pickup.