Why are trendy blind boxes on TikTok so popular? You can also learn these "tricks"!

Recently, trendy blind boxes have become popular on TikTok!

These trendy toys, which used to be seen only in the domestic Chinese market, are now not only popular in China but have also achieved amazing results in markets such as Europe, America, and Southeast Asia.

According to statistics from the data platform FastMoss,trendy toy brand Pop Martexperienced a sales explosion on TikTok Thailand in July,with a 7-day GMV of 476 million Thai Baht, equivalent to about 96.2 million RMB or 13.266 million USD.

What makes these blind box products so popular?

How has TikTok become their “traffic secret”?

Today, let’s talk about how trendy blind boxes use social platforms to go global and seize the opportunity for explosive sales.

Image source: FastMoss

01

The Overseas Journey of the Trendy Toy Market

Trendy blind boxes first became popular in China, with many brands attracting a large number of young consumers through the excitement of “unboxing” and the “collect + share” gameplay.

According to data,the market size of China’s trendy toy industry has jumped from 6.3 billion RMB in 2015 to 47.8 billion RMB in 2022, with an average annual growth of over 30%. The trendy blind box market has thus formed a huge consumer ecosystem in China.

From the initial “sense of surprise” to the integration of IP, co-branding, and limited editions, blind boxes are no longer just simple products, but have gradually become a new cultural and social phenomenon.

For the younger generation of consumers, blind boxes are not just material purchases, but a way to obtain “emotional value” and “social currency.” This has gradually extended the blind box market from single product purchases to experiences, interactions, and emotional resonance.

This characteristic of the market is also one of the reasons why trendy toy brands quickly became popular in China.

Consumers are not only interested in the innovative design of products, but also form brand loyalty through interaction with the brand, further consolidating the brand’s position in the market.

33-year-old Pop Mart founder and chairman Wang Ning

However, this craze is not limited to the domestic market. With the globalization of social platforms, especially the rise of TikTok, trendy toy brands have gradually stepped into overseas markets. Pop Mart, mentioned earlier, is one of the most successful brands.

TikTok itself is a very suitable marketing platform for trendy blind boxes, because its short video content format allows products to quickly capture consumers’ attention, especially those products that focus on “surprise” or “unboxing.” More importantly, TikTok’s precise algorithm can recommend relevant content based on user interests, so brands only need to leverage the platform’s traffic to achieve large-scale exposure.

At the same time, TikTok’s interactivity and fun make blind boxes able to cross cultural and language barriers and resonate with global users, allowing trendy toy brands to break geographical limitations and successfully introduce local trendy culture into the global market through social platforms.

It is predicted that by 2032, the global toy market size will reach $326 billion, which is a huge business opportunity for trendy toy brands. With the help of social platforms like TikTok, brands can expand their market globally, attract more consumers, and create cross-border cultural phenomena.

Milo Shop, an online blind bag store on TikTok

02

How Does TikTok Help Trendy Toy Brands Go from Niche to Global?

Take Finding Unicorn as an example. This trendy toy brand from Shenzhen Xunlin Cultural Entertainment Co., Ltd. has achieved significant market results on platforms like TikTok and Instagram thanks to its unique IP design and high-quality products.

Finding Unicorn has successfully attracted a large number of young consumers with its carefully designed blind box series, especially on TikTok, where the brand has quickly gathered a large fan base through the platform’s short video dissemination mechanism.

Image source: TikTok

The TikTok hashtag #findingunicorn has 13.6K posts, almost covering all consumers who are passionate about trendy toys and blind boxes. Under this hashtag, many users share their blind box unboxing experiences, with the product’s visual appeal and sense of surprise becoming the core selling points of the video content.

Through spontaneous user sharing, Finding Unicorn has not only gained high exposure on social platforms but also strengthened interaction with consumers, making the brand image more distinctive.

Image source: TikTok

In addition to user-generated content (UGC), Finding Unicorn also promotes its brand by collaborating with overseas influencers. For example, TikTok bloggers like @tinycatunboxing and @kira.kabuki have attracted a large number of likes and comments by showcasing Finding Unicorn’s blind box unboxing videos. Through these highly interactive video contents, the brand can effectively enhance consumers’ desire to purchase and drive sales growth.

Image source: TikTok

Moreover, while leveraging social platform traffic, Finding Unicorn also recognizes the importance of independent websites. By building its own overseas e-commerce platform, Finding Unicorn can interact directly with consumers, enhancing brand control and user experience.

According to third-party data platform analysis, the Finding Unicorn brand website has achieved good global traffic, with organic search accounting for over 47% and direct visits close to 33%. This shows that the brand has not only successfully increased its exposure through SEO optimization but also effectively converted traffic into sales, breaking the single reliance on social platforms and enhancing its independence and long-term competitiveness in overseas markets.

In fact, many successful trendy toy brands regard independent websites as an important pillar for long-term brand development. By building independent sites, brands can not only communicate directly with consumers but also optimize marketing strategies through data analysis, improving user conversion rates and brand loyalty.

Image source: Finding Unicorn independent site

There are many similar success stories. The educational toy Talking Flash Cards is another product that has successfully broken out on TikTok. Its performance on TikTok is outstanding, with one video reaching over 8 million views and monthly sales exceeding one million USD. All this success is inseparable from the brand’s precise positioning and content marketing on TikTok.

Comments on Talking Flash Cards videos   Image source: TikTok

Similarly, products like 3D Dragon Egg Blind Boxes and Loop Lasso have also attracted a large number of consumers through collaborations with bloggers and showcasing product uniqueness. These trendy toy brands not only rely on social platform traffic guidance but also win consumers’ favor through precise market positioning and content creation.

3D Dragon Egg Blind Box on TikTok Image source: TikTok

03

How Can Trendy Toy Brands Seize TikTok’s Traffic Dividend?

For trendy toy brands looking to go overseas, TikTok is not just a short-term promotion platform, but also a channel to continuously build emotional resonance with global consumers. From the successful experiences of the brands above, trendy toy brands need the following elements to stand out in overseas markets:

1.Unique and high-quality product design

Consumers buy blind boxes not only for the product itself but also for personalized and emotional satisfaction. Innovative design and co-branded IPs can provide consumers with a richer purchasing experience.

2.Effective social media operation

Precise content creation and influencer collaboration on platforms like TikTok can quickly gather a large number of fans and stimulate users’ desire to buy. Unboxing videos and product showcases are especially effective in arousing consumer curiosity and driving social sharing.

3.Mutual empowerment of independent sites and social platforms

Although social platforms provide a lot of traffic, independent sites are the foundation for long-term brand development. Through SEO and data analysis, brands can achieve more refined operations and enhance long-term control over customers.

4.Emotional connection between brand and consumers

Brands should not only sell products but also build emotional resonance with consumers. By interacting with consumers on social platforms and understanding their needs and feedback, brands can further optimize products and maintain continuous appeal.

KIMMON blind boxes going overseas to Southeast Asia Image source: Internet

04

New Opportunities for Overseas Trendy Toys—Are You Ready?

TikTok provides trendy toy brands with an unprecedented opportunity, especially for Chinese brands looking to go global—this is an excellent platform. If your brand is looking for overseas opportunities, you might as well leverage TikTok’s traffic advantage and try to attract global consumers with creative short videos.

In short, TikTok is not just a social platform, but a “traffic engine” for the global market. As long as trendy toy brands master creative marketing skills, accurately target their audience, and combine appropriate social interaction, they can succeed in the global market. So, are you ready to start your overseas journey?