Over the past few years, there’s been growing concern online over the popularity of collectable blind box figurines such as Labubus, which some may say feed right into consumerism. The trend of these plush keychains went from awe to collective hatred.
These trendy toys come in a blind box form, meaning you don’t know which one you’ll get until you open it. Problems arose with how this could result in people buying an abundance of boxes to try and get the variants they want. Alongside this, inflated reselling prices and bulk buying is becoming a recurring issue.
While trend-hopping can lead to overconsumption, plush keychains and blind boxes in general have been around. The mystery of having to “blind” buy a box can be completely avoided if you go on eBay instead.
When buying these keychains, people may want one because they represent a cute character they like or are a design they enjoy. There’s no doubt that the Labubu trend inspired many to clip plush keychains to their bags, and with the rising popularity of keychains and addictive blind boxes on TikTok shops, two collectible brands stick out the most.
MINISO made itself known a few years back by popping up rapidly in malls across the country, selling a variety of Asian products and investing in brand collaborations. POPMART made a name for itself within the last year following widespread interest in Labubus, as well as their blind boxes, which have appeared in many TikTok unboxing videos.
Labubu’s rise was faced with two opposing sides: some were obsessed with these monsters that hang from any hook, while others found them plain ugly. But with their sudden trending status, many people have been exposed to blind boxes galore and the art of decorating bags with keychains. So, let’s say you want to collect blind boxes of your own? Do you go with MINISO or POPMART?
MINISO can be found in many physical locations, such as malls here in North Carolina. They have more than 7700 global stores, an official Amazon storefront and their own website.
While MINISO is widely accessible, POPMART tends to be a tad more exclusive. Their physical stores have dwindled to only notable locations such as New York and London, for example..
Due to POPMART’s blindbox-heavy catalog, their website allows customers an exclusive experience to “shake a box” virtually, allowing them to see which two designs they won’t be. Customers can then choose to purchase the physical blind box, and it will tell them what they got — with the setback of no refunds.
MINISO and POPMART both have their fair share of intellectual properties and companies to use when selling products, however, MINISO has much more and capitalizes on them more often.
For example, on their website they list IP Collaboration with a brief list but their products span more than just these. Of recent, Harry Potter, BTS, Chikikawa, Peanuts and One Piece are notable shelf hitters, but MINISO has also been pumping out products for many Disney and Pixar projects such as Zootopia, Stitch, Toy Story and Winnie the Pooh.
Alongside these are We Bear Bears, Sanrio, Minions and The Powerpuff Girls. In contrast, POPMARTs IPs are limited to exclusive or heavily advertised drops. Recently the brand released a My Little Pony keychain line and have also collaborated with Teletubies and Mickey and Friends.
Where POPMART really makes itself known is with its original designs — it’s the company behind the Labubu craze. While they are licensed to The Monsters, they also produce Peach Riot, Skullpanda and Hirono. These cute and unique designs are always clean and polished and of exceptional quality. While MINISO is entirely dependent on brand collaborations, POPMART has made their own name through fully original content.
With POPMART doing strictly blind box series and mostly original designs, all of their products are roughly the same format. Expect an abundance of blind figures or plush keychains, all fall within a $30 price range. MINISO, on the other hand, finds itself to be much more versatile. Depending on the product, you could spend as low as $5 or as high as $70.
Apart from their blind box options similar to that of POPMART, MINISO also offers skincare, household products, snacks, toys and accessories. Large, cozy plushies and pillows even line the shelves at most locations.
So is there a true winner here? No, not really. The fact of the matter is that MINISO is highly accessible, carries a wide range of products and can fit a wide range of budgets. But POPMART holds itself true as a powerhouse to blind box connoisseurs and its unique designs and products have won the hearts of many.
MINISO works best for those who enjoy specific media icons on their bags, such as TV show characters. They also sell keychains that aren’t in blind boxes, for those who would rather not take a risk.
POPMART is more for those who aren’t seeking a brand but rather a cute design for their bag. Alongside this, POPMART has a fun way of allowing individuals to virtually shake boxes and capitalize on the blind box experience. Choosing which brand to buy from is dependent on who you are as a buyer.
