Usher in the New Year with Central's Fukubukuro bags
Tue, Jan 13, 2009
By Sharan Kaur, DivaAsia

Want to get more mileage for your money? For $68, you may get to go on a Bintan getaway, fly to Japan, a year's supply of haircuts, electronic goods, furnishings, diamond jewellery, gift vouchers, perfume botles, wine bottles and more. How? With Central's Fukubukuro "Lucky Bags."

What is a Fukubukuro "Lucky Bag", you ask? The Fukubukuro tradition originally hails from 19th century Japan, where merchants used to fill "lucky bags" with random contents and sell them for a substantial discount during New Year Day. These "lucky bags" help to entice shoppers into the store and it's so effective that sometimes shoppers even form queues outside before the store opens.

Central first brought this tradition to our sunny island last Chinese New Year and this year, the mall is upping the ante by giving two batches of 288 bags up for grabs. Each bag is guaranteed to contain items at least 3 times the purchase value while some of the more fortunate could walk away with bags containing items worth up to 10 times the purchase value.

To be eligible for your Fukubukoro bag at Central, all you have to do is spend $88 at both retail and F&B outlets to purchase a Fukubukuro Bag ticket for $68. Each shopper is entitled to purchase only 1 Fukubukuro bag and collection will be on a first-come-first-serve basis. Shoppers with Fukubukuro Bag tickets will be ushered into a collection area to select one bag.

Also when you spend a minimum of $88 at any shops in Central, you will be entitled to redeem a set of exquisite Central Red Packets or Mandarin Orange Carrier Bags that will definitely come in handy this festive season.

Getting your desired Fukubukuro bag involves quite a bit of guessing – but with guaranteed prizes, there's no harm in joining.