Yours,

Lihua

4 . Not long ago, “blind box economy” suddenly became popular, winning the heart of large numbers of faithful fans. People simply get interested in it. A couple spent 200 thousand yuan on them. Another sixty-year-old guy spent over 700 thousand yuan in buying blind boxes. Statistics showed that last year 300 thousand hobbyists made deals through a second-hand shopping platform.

The blind boxes usually contain peripheral (附带的) dolls of comics and animation, or film and television, or specially designed ones. A single blind box usually costs about thirty to fifty yuan. But there is no mark on the box, and only after opening it can the buyer see what he has bought. This is rather like buying lottery tickets, for the buyer has to bet on his luck.

However, addiction to blind box is much like that to gambling (赌博). It is highly nontransparent compared with lottery ticket. Nobody knows whether sellers of blind boxes exaggerated (夸大) the winning rate so as to attract people to buy them, thus digging a consumption trap. Besides, it is also unknown whether the objects in the blind boxes are genuine or not. The blind box economy promoted its second-hand trade. The price of some classic dolls or dolls of limited edition have skyrocketed in second-hand trade platforms, and some may reach thirty to forty times. But it is difficult for buyers to judge whether it is the result of real supply and demand, or the consequence of businessmen’s tricks.

The basis of the “blind box economy” is the cultural trend of collection. Many of the target consumers are young people who have scanty experience of life. They are thus attracted by deliberately exaggerated probability of “winning a prize” and constantly throw money to buy blind boxes in order to gain dolls that they desire. Or they may buy at second-hand trade platform high-priced blind box dolls, thinking they can keep value preservation and appreciation, thus falling into the fixed pattern of trap carefully designed by businessmen.

Therefore, it is necessary to remind young people to control their consumption in case they become addicted.

9 . Are you searching for the latest device as a gift? Here, we offer a guide that will help you take a closer look at four of tech’s hottest categories.

Virtual reality

Virtual reality (VR), the most exciting tech development of recent times, has arrived. The Sony VR doesn’t require expensive phone and there are some devices you can purchase to enhance the experience. But if you’ve already got a PS4, you can enter the world of VR for just $400 (2780 yuan).

Wireless headphones

Combining ease of use with the ability to move around without limit, wireless headphones just make sense. The Bose QuietComfort 35 wireless headphones are worth a test drive. The headphones feature active noise cancellation. They can be easily purchased for less than $400 online.

Digital cameras

While your phone has more functions, there’s no substitute（替代品）for a real camera. As small as your smartphone, the smooth design of the Fujifilm X70, $699 (4850 yuan), makes it the perfect companion. In China, Xiaomi’s mirrorless Yi M1 offers a more affordable option, available for just 2199 yuan.

Smartwatches

Watches, thanks to the mobile phone, were becoming unnecessary. Now the pursuit for fitness has helped the watch industry push forward. FitBit has been a leader in the sporty wearable field, and its new swim-proof Fitbit Flex 2 ($130) represents the best in the way of today’s fitness bands.

Sincerely,

Li Hua