Two twin sisters sparked curiosity on TikTok after sharing a video of their spontaneous decision to purchase a mystery “unclaimed” package from a shop in Barcelona, Spain.
Sisters Julia and Natalia Orda, 25-year-old Polish content creators and travel influencers based in Barcelona, posted the video on their joint TikTok account @ordatwins.
“We just randomly walked past it [the shop] and decided to go in,” the sisters told Newsweek, adding that the store is located on Carrer de Ferran 36, a street in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.
Mystery box sales have become an increasingly popular trend both online and in physical stores, offering customers the thrill of a surprise.
In the United States, a similar process occurs when dealing with undeliverable and unclaimed mail handled by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
The USPS explains that “undeliverable mail determined to be of value, meaning the content is worth more than $25.00 ($20.00 for mail pieces containing cash), will be held for 60 days if the mail piece is barcoded, or 30 days for non-barcoded mail pieces.” Items are scanned and opened in an attempt to identify a forwarding or return address.
When no recipient can be found, the USPS sends eligible items to its Mail Recovery Center (MRC)—the agency’s official “lost and found” for mail. The MRC “disposes of unclaimed merchandise and items not meeting retention guidelines” by donating them to charity, recycling them, or auctioning them to third-party companies, such as GovDeals.
Occasionally, the USPS holds public auctions of these items, where merchandise is sold in lots rather than individually. As the USPS explains, “auctions usually start at 10:00 a.m. with the viewing of the available merchandise beginning at 8:30 a.m.” Items not meeting retention guidelines are otherwise shredded, recycled or trashed.
‘This Is Insane’
The viral TikTok video shows the pair browsing inside a shop with a sign outside that says “Surprise,” with piles of taped packages stacked throughout the store.
Text overlaid on the video explains: “Buy surprise unclaimed packages in Barcelona. Prices based on weight.” Another line notes: “There are so many different packages…you can’t see what’s inside, so you are buying a surprise.”
According to the video, prices at the store start at $4.50 (€4), with a pricing system based on weight. “1kg [2.2 lbs] costs around 25 euros [$28.50],” the text notes.
The sisters ultimately selected a box costing around $46 (€41). “We chose a package that wasn’t covered in any additional tape. We saw the box and it convinced us to buy it,” they said. “However, we were still unsure if we will find in the box what was on the label—as someone might have just used the box to send other things.”
Their gamble paid off when they opened the package and found a leg massager inside. “In our opinion [it] was worth the money,” the twins told Newsweek. They said the activity is best enjoyed with company, noting in the video’s caption that is a “fun activity to do in Barcelona with friends!”
Viewers on TikTok were intrigued by the store selling mystery packages.
User @theneuronutritionist said: “THIS IS INSANE I LOVE IT.”
Lisa Hartman noted: “Woooo! Definitely coming here!!”
Melanie Kroll wrote: “So this is where our packages are landing.”
User marshallmallow wrote: “It’s an elevated blind boxes experience.”
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