Draft:Mini figures
{{AFC comment|1=reads like an essay. Theroadislong (talk) 17:32, 20 June 2025 (UTC)}}
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A blind box, also known as a mystery box, is a type of commodity sold in sealed packaging, where consumers are unaware of the specific product style or contents until after purchase. This element of surprise and randomness is part of its appeal. The commodity may include Doll, book
Development history
According to Phoenix News, blind boxes originated in department stores in Japan, tracing back to Fukubukuro (lucky bags) sold in the early 20th century and the capsule toy trend of the 1980s. After gaining popularity in the Western world, the concept began to be known as the "Blind Box." Initially, the contents of blind boxes were limited to items related to ACG (Anime, Comics, and Games) culture. However, they later expanded into unrelated areas such as book
According to a 2019 report by The Beijing News, some consumers showed signs of addiction to buying blind boxes. One couple reportedly spent 200,000 RMB within four months, while a 60-year-old enthusiast spent over 700,000 RMB on blind boxes in a single year. Data from a secondhand shopping platform in mid-2019 showed that between 2018 and 2019, 300,000 blind box users traded on the platform, and the number of listed secondhand blind boxes increased by 320% compared to the previous year.{{Cite web |title=“盲盒经济”火爆，但年轻人消费别盲目 |trans-title=The “blind box economy” is booming, but young people should avoid impulsive spending. |url=http://www.xinhuanet.com//2019-09/17/c_1210282658.htm |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=新华网}}
opinion
= consumer motivation =
Blind box enthusiasts believe that blind box figurines are not only for collecting but also serve social functions. Many enthusiasts frequently visit forums filled with sharing, showing off, discussions, and trading, which encourages continuous collecting and repeat purchases. According to a survey by Economic Information Daily, current blind box products feature cute designs that are widely accepted by the public. In the 2021 market, prices for blind boxes ranged from 39 to 59 yuan, affordable for most people. A single blind box series may contain anywhere from a few to several dozen figurines. To increase interest, brands often produce hidden and rare editions with much lower probabilities of being drawn. These hidden editions have extremely low appearance rates, designed to capture consumers' psychology. As a result, blind box players, middlemen, and ticket resale scalpers have capitalized on enthusiasts’{{Interlanguage link|猎奇|zh}}, seeing business opportunities and joining the speculative trade in blind boxes.The Beijing News believes that addiction to purchasing blind boxes is caused by a gambler’s mentality.
= Consumer rights =
According to Economic Information Daily, complaints related to blind boxes on consumer complaint websites mainly focus on counterfeit consumer goods, false advertising, expired inventory, delayed delivery of hidden editions, and difficulties with returns.The Beijing News believes that compared to lottery sales, the blind box industry is highly opaque and suffers from extreme information asymmetry. The majority of blind box consumers are inexperienced minors with relatively low ability to recognize market risks, making them vulnerable to deception by unscrupulous merchants.
A mother of a fourth-grade student once complained that her child secretly used her phone to spend more than 2,000 yuan on blind boxes through online platforms such as Tmall and {{Interlanguage link|微信小程序|zh}}. The mother negotiated a refund with the store, but the merchant clearly stated that once a blind box is purchased, refunds are not supported. Yang Jianhua, president of the Zhejiang Sociological Association, believes that a coordinated effort between families and schools is needed to guide young people in establishing correct consumption values and understanding the risks of purchasing. He emphasizes the importance of reminding young people to control their spending and avoid addiction. At the same time, blind box sellers should prominently display relevant after-sales service policies and age restrictions on their products. On the other hand, internet operators should strengthen the review process for every blind box released online to prevent products containing inappropriate content from entering the market.
On January 26, 2021, the official website of the China Consumers Association issued a consumer warning stating that some operators use blind boxes to clear inventory, harming consumers’ legitimate rights and disrupting the market. The association reminded consumers not to make purchases blindly. The Shanghai Consumer Protection Committee believes that the low probability of obtaining hidden editions in blind boxes may affect consumers’ right to know. The scarcity of hidden editions may lead to irrational speculation. Furthermore, blind box companies’ involvement in the secondary market to manipulate prices not only undermines the price formation mechanism of blind box products in the secondary market but also disrupts unified pricing strategies. Currently, there is a lack of effective regulatory mechanisms and laws governing blind box products.{{Cite web |title=上海消保委：加强盲盒市场监管力度，严厉打击假冒伪劣、做市商行为_中国经济网——国家经济门户 |trans-title=Shanghai Consumer Protection Committee: Strengthen regulation of the blind box market and crack down severely on counterfeit goods and market-making activities. |url=http://finance.ce.cn/stock/gsgdbd/202101/28/t20210128_36269994.shtml |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=finance.ce.cn}}
= Chinese Legal Issues =
Lawyer Gan Haibin warned that blind boxes could develop into illegal activities such as gambling. If there is a significant value difference between the products inside the blind boxes—for example, some containing stones while others contain gold worth millions—then such behavior deviates from the basic scope of product sales and may involve illegal lottery issuance, illegal operation, or even constitute gambling-related crime.
Some media have criticized certain merchants for operating pet blind boxes, as long-distance transportation and inadequate packaging often make it difficult for animals inside the blind boxes to survive. Additionally, due to a lack of inspection and quarantine, live animal blind boxes may spread diseases and pose a threat to public health and safety. On May 8, the Chengdu Postal Administration of Sichuan Province issued an announcement stating that, due to the illegal acceptance and shipment of live animals without valid safety certificates from senders and the failure of higher-level management companies to implement unified oversight, administrative penalties were imposed on enterprises involved in the “pet blind box” business. ZTO Express has also made corresponding rectifications internally.{{Cite web |last=界面快报 |date=2021-05-08 |title=中通快递四川省管理中心、成都荷花池网点因“宠物盲盒”事件被行政处罚 |trans-title=The Sichuan Provincial Management Center and the Chengdu Hehuachi Branch of Tong Express were administratively penalized due to the "pet blind box" incident. |url=https://finance.sina.com.cn/chanjing/gsnews/2021-05-08/doc-ikmyaawc4148960.shtml |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=finance.sina.com.cn}}On May 3 and 11, 2021, several express delivery boxes containing live animals were found at ZTO Express outlets in Chengdu, Sichuan, and Suzhou, Jiangsu, respectively, with some animals inside already dead. Among the 32 pet blind boxes discovered in Suzhou, only seven of the surviving animals sent to veterinary hospitals were still alive as of the 13th. A reporter from Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation commented that while blind boxes are currently popular, illegal and non-compliant sales must not be conducted, nor should the public’s curiosity be exploited beyond legal boundaries.{{Cite web |title=中通快递苏州中转站宠物盲盒事件：苏州邮管局正调查 7只存活狗狗尚在治疗 - 川观新闻 |trans-title=ZTO Express Suzhou Transit Station Pet Blind Box Incident: Suzhou Postal Administration is Investigating; 7 Surviving Dogs Still Under Treatment – Chuanguan News |url=https://cbgc.scol.com.cn/news/1316775 |website=cbgc.scol.com.cn}}
= China's regulation =
On January 14, 2022, the Shanghai Municipal Market Regulation Bureau issued the Shanghai Blind Box Business Compliance Guidelines, proposing recommendations for blind box operations. The guidelines suggest that the price of a single blind box should not exceed 200 yuan. They prohibit the sale of special foods, medication, medical devices, toxic and hazardous items, flammable and explosive materials, live animals, and other such products in the form of blind boxes. Additionally, blind boxes must not be sold to minors under the age of eight.{{Cite news |title=上海：单个盲盒价格不得超过200元，不得销售活体动物 |trans-title=Shanghai: The price of a single blind box must not exceed 200 yuan, and the sale of live animals is prohibited. |url=https://news.sina.com.cn/c/2022-01-14/doc-ikyamrmz5157769.shtml}}This is also the first set of blind box business compliance guidelines issued at the provincial level in the People's Republic of China.{{Cite news |title=单个盲盒不超200元，鼓励设“保底机制”……沪发布盲盒经营活动合规指引 |trans-title=Single blind boxes priced under 200 yuan, with encouragement to establish a “minimum guarantee mechanism”… Shanghai releases compliance guidelines for blind box business activities. |url=http://shanghai.xinmin.cn/2022/01/14/32097651.html}}
On June 15, 2023, the State Administration for Market Regulation issued guidelines for blind box business conduct, stipulating that medications, medical devices, toxic and hazardous items, flammable and explosive materials, live animals, and similar products must not be sold in blind box form. Additionally, food and cosmetics should not be sold as blind boxes.{{Cite web |last= |title=市场监管总局发文：这些商品不得以盲盒形式销售 |trans-title=State Administration for Market Regulation Issues Notice: These Products Must Not Be Sold in Blind Box Form |url=https://www.cnfin.com/gs-lb/detail/20230615/3881316_1.html |access-date=2025-06-20 |website=新华财经-中国金融信息网}}
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