By Rebekah Harding

Copyright dailydot

Shoppers say they’re disappointed with Le Creuset’s $300 mystery boxes from the Hartford, Conn., factory sale. The brand just issued an apology on social media.

Some loyal Le Creuset shoppers traveled out of state to experience the brand’s Factory-to-Table event. General admission to the event was $15, with VIP tickets costing $35. Some shoppers reported issues getting tickets to the event, which quickly sold out.

The sale included $300 valued mystery boxes, which shoppers could only purchase after spending an additional $150. Previously, shoppers have shared their mystery box unboxing online, scoring rare and expensive items from the cookware brand.

However, the Connecticut event left many shoppers disappointed.

Why are shoppers disappointed in Le Creuset mystery boxes?

One shopper who attended the event said she left feeling “scammed, disheartened, and ripped off.”

“You would think a factory-to-table sale would be a lot of rare items and hard-to-find items,” she said in a TikTok. She explained that when she arrived, she was told that many items on her list weren’t available at the sale.

Despite her initial disappointment, she said she purchased over $2000 worth of Le Creuset at the event.

@leela48333 ♬ Very Sad – Enchan

Another Le Creuset shopper unboxed her mystery box in her trunk after the show. She pulled out a soup ladle, a dog bowl, and one pan with a lid.

She reached into the box expecting more, but was shocked when she discovered that the rest of the box was empty.

“Oh, that’s it,” she said, looking disappointed.

@jayteeaintplayin Unboxing my Le Creuset Mystery Box from the Factory to Table Sale in Hartford, CT. Would you drive 3 hrs for this? #unboxing #lecreuset #ftt #mysterybox #factorytotablesale ♬ original sound – JT | Unboxed & Unfiltered

“A ladle, a dog bowl, and a pan? Is Le Cruset doing alright?? Because [expletive] is that box? How disappointing,” a viewer replied.

In the comments, other attendees discussed the event.

“They did a bait and switch on us. Making us think they would put a lot of goodies in the mystery boxes,” one said.

“Yeah. They really did a bait and switch. I was going to get my mom tickets to this event, but I’m glad I didn’t,” another agreed.

“I was so upset that I couldn’t get tickets, and now I’m thankful,” said another.

“As a non VIP attendee on Saturday, the inventory for our shopping session was honestly disappointing. No bread ovens, hardly any specialty items, poor color selection. Just overall a let down,” another wrote.

“These unboxings have definitely gone downhill. They built up the hype, and now they are skimping,” said one.

How did Le Creuset respond?

In a TikTok slideshow, Le Creuset issued an apology to the event’s attendees and offered a solution.

“We are a brand rooted in 100 years of hospitality, and we fell short when the ticketing platform and mystery boxes did not live up to expectations for all FTT guests,” the statement read. “We’re truly sorry for the disappointment.”

The brand also urged shoppers who received a mystery box valued under $300 or a damaged product to reach out so it could “make things right.”

Still, shoppers weren’t convinced that future events would experience meaningful change.

“I fear correcting boxes below the $300 threshold was already expected. It’s the fact that the box value itself overall was vastly different compared to other locations despite ticket prices increasing,” one wrote.

“That’s ridiculous!! You’ve set a precedent of overflowing boxes with values well above $300, now u want to stick to the $300 value! I hope people stop supporting to send a strong message. That’s absurd,” another said.

“TikTok basically gave you free promotions and increased sales because of how engaged everyone was with unboxing videos, and then you pull this 😬 This is the exact time to continue investing in your customers, not cheap out,” said another customer.

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