According to the “2020 Cross-border Export Consumption Trend Report” released by CBNData, the market for blind boxes bought online is growing rapidly at a rate of over 400%.
Blind boxes, which offer a mystery gift inside, have taken off with Chinese consumers, especially post 90s and 00s. Many blind boxes offer the chance to receive a limited edition product or one-of-a-kind model and consumers enjoy the surprise and sense of delayed gratification.
Brands, such as Karl Lagerfeld x Tsingtao Beer, the Forbidden City and McDonald’s have released mystery gift boxes in China.
Toy brand POP MART, which recently listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, has become the most popular blind box brand in China. POP MART’s products can be purchased on Alibaba’s global e-commerce platform Aliexpress and can also be bought on Amazon and eBay. Along with POP MART, 52TOYS, Look for Unicorns, Block 12 export their blind boxes via Taobao to 118 overseas markets, including Singapore, America, Australia, Canada and Malaysia.
