Table of Contents
Introduction:What toys are popular in China in 2023
The dynamic landscape of China’s wholesale toy market in 2023 unfolds a narrative woven with creativity, innovation, and an array of playthings capturing the hearts of consumers. As we traverse through the trends defining the year, it is apparent that building blocks, stress relief toys, and internet-fueled sensations have emerged as the front-runners, steering the course of the industry. Join us on a journey through the bustling aisles of China’s toy stores, where each shelf tells a story of imaginative design, cultural resonance, and the ever-growing desire for moments of joy, relaxation, and the thriving realm of wholesale toys, including the sought-after wholesale fidget toys.
Building Blocks: Creative Design Boosts Soaring Sales
Building blocks have achieved remarkable sales success in the Chinese market, garnering high praise from distributors. Many retailers have expressed, “Brickco’s building blocks sell well,” “Without Brickco’s building blocks, ensuring business success this year would have been challenging,” “Qimeng company building blocks have performed quite well in sales,” and more. This clearly indicates the popularity of building blocks in the market. Behind this sales success, there are various reasons:
Leading with Innovative Design: The “Oot Heroes Building Blocks” from qimeng company building blocks break the traditional craftsmanship limitations of figurines by incorporating spherical joints for palm-sized figurines, enabling 360° articulation. This innovative design enriches the functionality of building blocks, attracting more consumer attention.
Compact Size and Affordable Prices: qimeng company building blocks range from 5-6cm in height, and Brickco building blocks are approximately 10cm tall, boasting a cute and compact appearance. The relatively lower prices make it easier for consumers to accept, thereby driving rapid sales growth.
Powerful Influence of IP Endorsement: Distributors generally believe that one of the reasons for the outstanding sales of building blocks is their collaboration with classic IPs such as “Ultraman,” “Transformers,” “Pokémon,” and more. These authorized products not only meet the diverse demands of the toy market but also imbue building blocks with profound cultural significance, further enhancing the product’s appeal.
Stress Relief Toys: Leisurely Rebound and Easy Pinching in Vogue
Due to the increasing demand for stress relief among young people, stress relief toys have gained popularity in the Chinese market. In 2023, the stress relief toy market is dominated by leisurely rebound and easy pinching, covering authorized and unauthorized categories.
Authorized stress relief toys draw inspiration from popular IPs such as “Egg Party,” “Pig Hero,” “Milk Dragon,” designing a series of unique and interesting stress relief products. These toys not only meet the stress relief needs of young people but also captivate consumers with their distinctive design styles. Unauthorized stress relief toys, on the other hand, feature diverse shapes such as chickens, rabbits, tofu balls, pumpkins, radishes, buns, eggs, green-headed fish, and more, providing consumers with a richer selection.
The rise of the stress relief toy market is closely related to young people’s pursuit of a relaxed lifestyle. Stress relief toys are not just simple tools; they are also a way to express individuality and find joy, becoming an indispensable part of modern life.
Trendy Toys: Electric Water Guns, Amusing Radish Knives, and Fidget Toys Lead the Way
Since the widespread popularity of mobile internet, the toy market sees the emergence of trendy toys each year, often popularized through short videos and platforms like Little Red Book. In 2023, three notable trendy toys are electric water guns, amusing radish knives, and fidget toys.
Firstly, electric water guns have consistently been a hot item in the market. Over the years, the sales of electric water guns have remained strong, and this year, new products with novel shapes, automatic water absorption, and continuous firing features have been introduced, driven by major players like Xiaomi, sparking a new wave of enthusiasm in the market.
Secondly, amusing radish knives have captured attention with their entertaining appearance and versatility. Successful promotion by influencers and short video marketing have played a significant role in their market success. With affordable prices suitable for consumers of all ages, from children to adults, this product category’s popularity has led to the emergence of related products like stress-relieving gravity radish hammers and radish knife erasers. However, due to safety and values considerations, this product category has been banned in some regions, and its popularity has gradually declined.
Lastly, fidget toys, specifically represented by squeeze toys, have rapidly gained traction in recent years. These toys provide a pleasant massage sensation through finger actions such as pressing and kneading, coupled with unique sounds, offering consumers a unique way to relax. The popularity of squeeze toys is also boosted by social media promotion, becoming a symbol of fashion trends.
Other Popular Toys and Trends
In addition to the highlighted toy categories, there are other popular toy categories and trends in the market:
- Seasonal Toys: Including outdoor toys, water play toys, beach toys, plush toys, etc., these see increased sales during specific seasons, meeting consumer demands in different seasons.
- IP-licensed Toys: “Ultraman,” “Pokémon,” “Transformers,” and other new and old IP-licensed toys dominate the mainstream market, receiving extensive consumer acclaim.
- Trendy Toys: While the popularity of blind boxes has slightly declined, some popular IP blind boxes still have substantial sales. Additionally, the sales of cotton dolls have seen an upward trend.
- DIY Toys: Gukka, digital oil painting, hand-drawn graffiti, and other DIY toys continue the popularity from the previous year, catering to consumers’ interests in hands-on creation.
This series of popular toy categories highlights the diversity and constant innovation in the Chinese toy market, satisfying the needs of consumers of different ages, interests, and seasonal preferences.
Conclusion
As we bid adieu to the toy aisles of 2023, the kaleidoscope of trends and favorites paints a vivid picture of an industry in perpetual motion. Building blocks, stress relief toys, and the ever-popular internet-driven novelties have not merely entertained; they’ve become cultural phenomena. In this dynamic space, where creativity knows no bounds, each toy is more than a plaything—it’s a storyteller, weaving narratives of joy, relaxation, and shared moments. The echoes of this year’s trends, spanning both retail and wholesale, will linger, setting the stage for what promises to be an even more exciting chapter in the ever-evolving tale of China’s wholesale toy market.