In the 1994 film Forres t Gump, there's a famous saying, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never how what you're gonna get. "The surprise is part of the fun. Now blind box toys are bringing the magic of surprise to online shopping.
A blind box toy is hidden inside similar boxes but invisible from the outside. You don't know what will be inside, although the toys typically come from pop culture, ranging from movies to comics and cartoons(动漫).
Blind boxes have become popular since they were first introduced from Japan to China in 2014. According to a 2019 Tmall report, the mini-series of Labubu blind box, designed by Hong Kong-born Kasing Lung, was named Champion of Unit Sales with 55, 000 sold in just 9 seconds during the Singles Day shopping event. Most customers for blind boxes are young people aged 18 to 35.
According to The Paper, blind box toys are popular in part because of their cute looks. The typically cute cartoon figures come in very small sizes, making them suitable for display almost anywhere. Even if blind boxes are not their top choice for decorations, the mystery and uncertainty of the process also attracts people . It's the main reason why people buy blind boxes one after another.
"Expecting the unknown is always a part of the box-opening process(过程), "said Miss Cao, 24, who lives and works in Shenyang, speaking to Sina News. She said:"Until you open all the boxes, you cannot know what it is inside. "
Opening a blind box is a happy little surprise for our boring daily lives, something small but fun to wait for each day, week or month. When people open this simple little box, they may be disappointed, but the uncertainty is part of the fun. People will open more blind boxes and hope for a better result. When someone remakes Forrest Gump, don't be surprised if he says, "Life is like a blind box. "
