The business of selling "blind bags" is booming.

From a trend of tearing open blind bags and boxes of Baby Three toys, many industries have adopted this method to boost sales.

According to data from YouNet Media, in the second half of 2024, art toy lines such as Labubu and Baby Three recorded over 3.12 million discussions and attracted the participation of 1.5 million people on social media in Vietnam.

Beyond being a social media phenomenon, the art toy trend has also recorded incredibly impressive sales figures. According to YouNet ECI's EcomHeat platform, in the last six months of 2024, 293,000 products related to Labubu and Baby Three were sold from the top 30 shops on Shopee and TikTok. On average, nearly 49,000 Labubu and Baby Three-related products were sold each month.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Xuyen, owner of the TikTok channel Chanh Beauty – one of the prominent channels featuring Baby Three blindfold tearing videos – is also a businesswoman selling this very "hot" product. Ms. Xuyen said she only entered the market before Tet (Lunar New Year) and noticed its immense popularity. Many parents come to her store in Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City, to buy the product and hope their children will appear in the videos. Since Tet, all Baby Three models have increased in price, with the budget models increasing by 5,000 - 15,000 VND per box, and the premium models increasing by 150,000 - 200,000 VND per box. The demand is expected to remain high until Valentine's Day on February 14th.

According to Mr. Nguyen Phuong Lam, Market Analysis Director of YouNet ECI, based on the above forecasts, the blind bag-tearing and unboxing trends will certainly continue and grow this year thanks to the combination of entertainment and shopping.

The trend of hunting for Baby Three blind boxes is still very popular these days. (Photo: Duy Phu)

Not only is the Baby Three blind unboxing trend getting hotter, but this business model is also spreading to other industries. According to Mr. Do Duy Thanh, Director of FnB Director Consulting Company and Horeca Business School, the "blind bag" trend is being strongly embraced by young people and modern customers, especially in the food and beverage sector. This is not just a fleeting trend but also has the potential to become an effective business tool if implemented correctly. This trend works best in models with young customers who like new experiences, especially fast food, bubble tea, snacks, or brands with a youthful and dynamic style.

One of the most significant benefits of blind bags is that they stimulate customer curiosity and willingness to spend. The element of surprise makes consumers more likely to spend extra money to discover the products inside, thereby helping brands increase the average order value.

Recently, several bubble tea brands such as Gong Cha and The Alley have adopted a blind bag giveaway model, offering a surprise gift with combo purchases. This allows businesses to boost sales effectively without discounts, as customers feel they are getting more value for their money. Cheese Coffee also launched a "Limited Edition Blind Bag" campaign, where customers could purchase a random bag containing one of three collectible cups from the brand. This campaign generated strong media buzz, leading many customers to seek it out and share their experiences on social media. The Katinat chain also recently launched a blind bag giveaway program with drinks, prompting customers to return multiple times to try their luck and collect the complete set of products. "Although blind bags offer many benefits, businesses need to be aware of several factors to avoid negative customer reactions. First, the value of the product inside the blind bag must be commensurate with the amount of money the customer spends. If customers feel they receive an unattractive product, they may lose trust in the brand. Businesses also need to ensure transparency regarding the proportion of products appearing to avoid creating a feeling of being deceived," Mr. Thanh noted.

Disappointed with the blind box.

Ms. Tran Thi Lan (residing in Tan Phu District, Ho Chi Minh City) said that during Tet (Lunar New Year), she bought two boxes of fashion blinds out of curiosity. The supermarket sold the blinds with vague information and promised that customers who bought them together would save more compared to buying each item individually. Specifically, for only 199,000 VND per box, customers could receive products worth from 200,000 VND to 2 million VND. "When I bought them, I was very excited. The whole family shook the boxes, chose items, lifted them up and put them down, and filmed a video when we opened them. It felt as exciting as receiving a gift," Ms. Lan recounted. However, both times she opened the boxes, she received items she didn't want, and she had to find someone else to resell them to because the products couldn't be exchanged or returned.

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