"Dunkin Folding Boxes Are Sold Out Even for Money"…South Korea Deeply Obsessed with Limited Edition Goods

Nordisk Folding Box Pre-Orders Sold Out on First Day
Offline Promotion on 31st... Will 'Ready Bag' Dawn Rush Reappear?

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Saeng-hye] Following Starbucks and Hollys Coffee, another limited edition goods frenzy has begun at Dunkin. The MZ generation (born between the 1980s and 2000s), who seek fun in consumption, flaunt and share limited edition products that are not easily accessible on social networking services (SNS), and this frenzy is expected to continue for some time.

According to Dunkin on the 28th, the 'Nordisk' pre-order event that started the day before sold out within half a day, proving its hot popularity. Dunkin held an event from that day until the 30th where customers could purchase the Nordisk folding box through pre-orders, but due to the rush of orders, the stock was depleted early and pre-orders were closed. The event allowed customers to purchase it at a discounted price of 16,900 KRW using a 18,900 KRW coupon on the Happy App, receiving a 10,000 KRW exchange voucher and a Nordisk folding box.

Nordisk is a Danish outdoor brand loved for over 100 years. It produces and sells camping gear such as tents, sleeping bags, and mats using eco-friendly materials. The products are popular among campers for their design and convenience. The folding box is ivory-colored with a wood-feel top panel attached, making it a versatile box. When not in use, it can be folded for storage, offering excellent space efficiency.

Pre-orders surged from the morning, causing even the Happy Order app to experience connection issues. A Dunkin official stated, "Pre-orders are closed today due to sold-out stock, but we plan to offer another chance to purchase the folding box through an offline store promotion starting on the 31st."

Recalling the limited edition goods sales cases of Starbucks and Hollys, Dunkin's offline event is also expected to see a dawn rush. Starbucks Korea's limited edition 'Summer Ready Bag,' introduced through the e-frequency event since May, caused early sell-outs nationwide. One consumer made headlines by ordering a total of 300 drinks (worth about 1.3 million KRW) and receiving 17 Summer Ready Bags. It was a spectacle with dozens lining up before opening hours to receive the Ready Bag, and many cases of the Ready Bag being resold at several times the price on secondhand sites were reported.

Hollys Coffee's 'Multi Folding Cart,' launched last month as a summer promotion product, also sold out within hours on the first day of the event. On social networking services (SNS), posts expressing frustration about not being able to get the folding cart despite lining up from dawn are continuously appearing. On a mom cafe, a post said, "I lined up from 6:45 AM, but people ahead took two each, so I couldn't get the Multi Folding Cart," adding, "What is Hollys... Hollys frenzy."

Experts cite consumers' desire to collect and show off 'goods that cannot be bought with money' as the background of the limited edition goods frenzy. Professor Seo Yong-gu of the Department of Business Administration at Sookmyung Women's University explained, "Among millennials and younger generations, uncertainty about the future is increasing and anxiety about reality is growing, leading to a strong preference for limited editions that can be immediately grasped."

In the case of Starbucks, its 'MD strategy' is regarded as a successful example of the management philosophy of 'selling culture.' Starbucks started gift marketing in 2003 with the release of planners. From 2007, it began giving planners when purchasing 15 drinks including three Christmas drinks, which became the origin of the current 'frequency' event. Starbucks gifts have all experienced sell-out frenzies, with all prepared quantities being sold out, showing great popularity.

The reason this marketing has never failed lies ultimately in brand value. According to Starbucks' management philosophy of 'selling culture, not coffee,' consumers are enthusiastic about various products bearing the Starbucks logo, meaning they are purchasing Starbucks culture.