Beyonce Accused by Fans of a 'Disgusting Display of Greed' Over $948 'Empty' Pine Wood Box

Beyoncé has faced backlash from some fans after listing a limited-edition 'Bey Keeper' collector's box for $948.01 as part of the 20th-anniversary celebration of her 2006 album B'Day. The solid-pine box, limited to 500 numbered units, is designed to house and display Beyoncé vinyl records, but the records are not included.

The product launched on Friday, 4 September, which was also Beyoncé's 45th birthday. The $948.01 price appears to reference the US rendering of her birth date, 9/4/81.

The release quickly drew criticism on social media, with some commenters questioning the price of a storage box sold without vinyl. One commenter wrote, 'For that price I need you to pop out the box and perform,' while another described the price as a 'disgusting display of greed.'

The rollout coincided with the 20th anniversary of B'Day, the album that became one of the defining releases of her early solo career. Parkwood Entertainment had already unveiled a 31-track digital deluxe and a four-LP vinyl set pressed on 'Bayou Blue' with a 60-page booklet and art prints, priced at $149.98.

The wooden box, described as inspired by traditional beekeeper crates, was marketed as a display case for a Beyoncé vinyl collection, not a bundle containing records.

Fans Revolt Over 'Empty' Beyoncé Box Pricing and Pine Wood Choice

Reaction spread quickly across Instagram and X, where users posted screenshots of the Parkwood Entertainment store page alongside their own reactions.

Several commenters said the near-four-figure price felt excessive for a pine crate, even if it is a limited run with custom engraving. Others mocked the choice of materials, with some describing pine as a cheap wood for the price, though that assessment is subjective.

Not everyone joined the criticism. Defenders framed the item as memorabilia, noting only 500 units exist and each is numbered, which could drive future value.

'It's called memorabilia, which will be worth way more when she's no longer here,' one supporter wrote, adding that it was 'obviously not for people who can't afford it.'

Still, the product quickly drew criticism online, with some questioning why a billionaire would sell a storage crate at this level.

The price, $948.01, was set to mirror her birth date of 4 September 1981, yet critics argued the figure still felt excessive for a pine crate. Some suggested $94.81 would have been more in keeping with the date homage without the four-figure sting.

Others mocked the craftsmanship economics, with one X user claiming the box could be made for around $30 and another comparing it to a 'coffin for a hamster.'

What the B'Day 20th Anniversary Release Includes

The Bey Keeper box is separate from the music releases accompanying the 20th anniversary of B'Day. Beyoncé's anniversary rollout includes a 31-track digital deluxe edition, while the physical deluxe edition is a four-LP set pressed on 180-gram 'Bayou Blue' vinyl.

The four-LP package includes a 60-page commemorative booklet and two double-sided art prints and is priced at $149.98.

The expanded release includes previously unreleased material such as 'My First Time', 'Can I Watch You', 'Lost Yo Mind', 'Creole and Back Up', as well as Spanish-language recordings and other B'Day-era material.

The anniversary edition also features 'Irreemplazable (Como La Flor)', a collaboration with the late Selena made possible with the support of her estate.

B'Day was originally released in 2006 and went on to sell more than 8 million copies worldwide, according to figures cited in previous industry coverage.

The album produced singles including 'Déjà Vu', 'Ring the Alarm', 'Irreplaceable', 'Get Me Bodied' and 'Green Light'. It won Best Contemporary R&B Album at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in 2007.

According to the anniversary booklet shared online, Beyoncé wrote: 'This album gave me permission to be free...to sang, scream, dominate, sweat, kick, break guitars, cry, experiment, spit my bars, and speak my mind. B'DAY walked so now I can fly.'

There was no publicly available sell-through figure for the 500-unit box as of publication. IBTimes UK could not independently verify the individual social-media comments cited above.

Parkwood Entertainment did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the backlash.