The Economy of Lucky Numbers: When Old Superstition meets new media

1
The Economy of Lucky Numbers When Old
Superstition meets new media

• Dan Su,
• Center for Mobile Communication Studies
• Rutgers University

2
Framework of the study

• Happiness seeking through consumption as a major
  organizing norm for modern society
• Relationship between traditional Chinese
  numerology and mobile technology
• Mobile number consumption situated in the
  concepts of old and new, change and continuity,
  innovation and conformity

3
The origins of lucky mobile phone numbers

• In China, the origins of lucky or unlucky numbers
  can be traced back to the superstitious belief
  that certain numbers bring magical power that
  generate wealth, good health, and friction-free
  life (e.g. 8, 6, 7, 9), while other numbers may
  spell disaster or ill fate (e.g. 4, 3 and 1).
• In the Chinese mobile phone market, the prices of
  lucky numbers soar to hundreds of thousands of
  dollars. In contrast, the unlucky numbers face
  a tough sell even after considerable markdown.

4
The introduction of the number selection fee
User
Government
Standard price random numbers
Numbers allocated as state-owned resources
Number selection fee
Subcontracting
Mobile services operator
Retailer
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Pricing scale Case 1
Source Jinghua Daily, a Beijing-based newspaper
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Pricing scale Case 2
Source Anqing Unicom, a local mobile retailer in
Southeastern China
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Characteristics of the market

• Centrally regulated policy framework
• Regulations of Telecommunication Code Resources
• Standards of Charges for Telecommunication Code
  Resources
• Introduction of number selection fee
• Cross-subsidization between lucky and unlucky
  numbers

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Findings

• Conspicuous consumption
• Invidious comparison
• Pecuniary emulation
• The signaling of status and power
• The mobile as an individual technology
• Actor/observer paradox among mobile users