1. Introduction

The present blind box economy is characterized by a fusion of consumer culture and the inclination of customers to collect items, which significantly impacts the market for all firms. This trend is gaining popularity and holds great significance in the economy. Blind boxes are goods that are encased in plastic and contain a randomly selected item. Customers derive advantages from the element of surprise, as it piques their curiosity about the contents of the blind box, leading to addiction. This firm has had significant expansion across the market, transitioning from digital products to regularly found play things. One particular innovation that has revolutionized customer behavior worldwide is the introduction of blind boxes. There are several factors contributing to its popularity, including its ability to cater to customers' desire for novelty and the opportunity to accumulate items of interest simultaneously. These variables contribute to the formation of an expanding and limitless black-hole market. The blind box economy is increasingly utilized as a strategic tool by marketers to effectively engage customers, by consolidating numerous client communities and integrating them into a unified entity. The paper offers a concise overview of the blind box economy, including a brief discussion on product design and the purpose of this marketing strategy. Notably, market leaders like POP MART exemplify the seamless integration of many methods and designs.

2. Product Design and Blind Box Economy

Product design is very important in the blind box economy because it determines the market value and also the customer’s needs. The mystery of blind boxes is all based on the creative design that produces a theme or a special element of the product that the customer likes. A well-designed blind box can surprise, get customer attention or curiosity, and establish a healthy relationship with the customer—all of which will increase the value and attractiveness of the product [1]. Using themes and many different customer tastes and trends throughout the community, designers and companies work hard to create an unboxing experience that appeals to the intended customers. Surprise and series collectibility are often crucial design strategies for blind box products. In order to keep buyers interested in buying all of the products for the collection, the company ensures that every blind box delivers something new or different. Since the excitement of the product made the action for the customers to purchase the product, surprise would be the ultimate role. Finally, but just as importantly, series collectibility encourages ongoing engagement since customers want to complete a set, which typically leads to greater sales and brings brand recognition to the outer communities. Businesses need to find a balance between these elements with high quality and heart-stunning design if they want their customers to be actively engaged with them [2]. Companies usually use many strategies to maintain these elements throughout the year. This may be launching new series or editions frequently or collaborating with well-known companies or other famous artists. Consistency in unique design and brand quality gets customers to trust the product from the companies; this creates a positive connection between the business and its clients, and the designs keep things interesting and engaging for consumers [3].

Beyond only making a product stand out in a competitive market, design innovation involves creating products that can establish market trends throughout the whole economy. Companies like POP MART have proven this by using distinctive designs and collaborations with well-known artists to turn normal blind box products into items that customers desire. When they constantly release unique and great-designing products always attract a specific customer group in the community for the collection. Examining specific examples like POP MART and other notable industry leaders makes it evident that creative design, in-depth market knowledge, and a notice of what the customer likes are keys to success in the blind box economy. In summary, product design is critical to the blind box economy and can influence customer behavior, and most importantly, market trends. It needs a constant of unique design and originality in addition to a careful balancing act between surprise and diversity among other companies. Like POP MART continues to push the boundaries of blind box design, they not only contribute to the diversity but also what the customer really likes about their products. The future evolution of the blind box economy highlights the importance of design, customer favors, and good strategic planning in the future of this blind box market.

3. Marketing Strategy and Blind Box Economy

Within the blind box economy, organizations encounter distinctive prospects and obstacles that lay the groundwork for their triumph, with marketing strategy playing a paramount role. Given the enigmatic nature of blind boxes, it is necessary to occasionally modify or revamp marketing techniques in order to enhance long-term sales. The author identified three key strategies for achieving successful blind box marketing: creating a captivating narrative or event centered around the element of mystery, sustaining and enhancing consumer engagement, and leveraging the collector aspect of the products [4]. These ideas facilitate the formulation of plans by organizations to gather diverse facets of their audience and clients. Additionally, fostering communication within the community is crucial as it enables rapid dissemination among various groups. Various tactics are employed in the marketing of blind boxes with the aim of optimizing the enigma and astonishment of their merchandise. Collaborations with renowned businesses and acclaimed artists enhance the appeal of blind boxes, intensifying customers' enthusiasm for purchasing the product. The utilization of influencer connections and digital advertising expands the reach of the digital platform, drawing a larger audience and thus increasing customer acquisition in several domains. This phenomenon is further enhanced by these factors [5].

Blind boxes are highly advantageous for digital advertising and viral marketing due to their ease of dissemination among the community. "Drops," or limited edition releases, are a marketing tactic that introduces an additional element and generates a feeling of anticipation among consumers [6]. Businesses can create a secondary market where product values go up because there is only a limited amount of this specific product in the market. This tactic boosts first-time sales and builds a huge amount of fan base and collector base that would want those types of products in the future. Beyond just selling individual products, brands can possibly create entire ecosystems around their blind box offerings. This means developing a market where products can gain value after being purchased or become a part of a larger community of collectors. This ecosystem consists of trading sites or secondary marketplaces; each one raises the value of the blind boxes as time goes on since they become more and more rare in the marketplace. By interacting with the community via social media and events, collectors can bond even more by sharing experiences with each other, which ultimately strengthens the relationship between the company and its customers. Social media is a major component of blind box marketing; unboxing videos or even community discussions are all powerful tools for engagement for customers online. The excitement that comes from unwrapping a blind package makes good content that increases customer mood, hence generating conversation between each other. These common experiences not only help to promote the products but also create a sense of community gathering, which invites more participation around different communities. However, the effectiveness of these strategies can be very helpful, but again, blind box marketing still has its challenges. Businesses need to continuously develop and adapt to the changes to become successful in the market. They need to constantly release fresh, unique products to keep their customers interested. Making a balance between building excitement and satisfying client expectations is an extremely hard task that requires a good understanding of the customer trends in the market.

In the blind box economy, marketing is a highly intricate task that necessitates a well-thought-out strategy in order to differentiate oneself in the market. The tactics employed must be equally innovative as the blind boxes themselves. These strategies may involve crafting compelling narratives about the product, leveraging digital platforms, and fostering an online community centered on the merchandise. Strategies in the economy will evolve alongside market dynamics as organizations always seek novel methods to entice a greater customer base.

4. Impact and Prospects of Blind Box Economy

The blind box economy encompasses advantages and drawbacks when confronted with obstacles, as well as the various customer trends discussed by the author, which greatly influence customer behavior and brand strategy. Blind boxes encompass both the community's requirements and the essentiality of collecting, which significantly influences consumer buying patterns. Purchasing a blind box entails more than simply exchanging money; it is a highly emotional experience that merges the joy of collecting with the exhilaration of gambling, since the enigma and surprise of an item act as potent psychological stimuli [7]. Blind boxes create the desire for surprise, which also creates a loop of satisfaction for the customers, hence building a better bond between customers and companies. The blind box trend is a very important part of business and market conversion; it makes companies use new strategies for entering these new markets and building their brands. It has also given them new ways to attract attention from their customers. Each company is trying to get loyal clients and set themselves apart from competitors. Blind boxes are a fantastic way to build both brand recognition and customer satisfaction because they are unique and collectible. Blind boxes are an ideal tool for creating a very strong community around the business, promoting it through word-of-mouth, and maintaining interest in each other [8]. Although the blind box economy has some upper hand, it also faces a couple of issues that may have an impact on how it grows in the future. Growing market concerns arise from the increasing number of businesses utilizing the blind box technique. This is because a huge number of selections may confuse the customers and draw down the uniqueness of each product. Regulatory monitoring is another growing issue, especially considering the bad side of people promoting gambling-like behavior, especially in younger kids, which causes a big issue. It is expected that the blind box market will continue to grow in the future market. Technological advancements can bring new designs for digital blind boxes, and when the company changes customer taste, this will also lead to a change in the available products in the company. The marketing of blind boxes can be impacted by the negative consideration of the issues. To maintain and stand out the blind box experience in the comparative consumer market, the company needs to add more customized solutions, such as data analysis, to improve the experience based on the individual interests of the customers. All things considered, the blind box economy has presented many opportunities as well as unique challenges, which would easily impact the customer market and behavior of the economy.

5. Case study of POP MART

Observing the product design and marketing methods employed by POP MART and its participation in the blind box economy yields certain conclusions. POP MART has undoubtedly emerged as an industry leader by effectively addressing the problems posed by this vast market through innovative product design and strategic marketing tactics. One of the key factors contributing to its success is POP MART's consistent ability to manufacture and deliver collector toys that consistently satisfy their customers. The company's strong community further enables them to sustain customer engagement by continuously generating excitement through the introduction of novel and unpredictable products. POP MART faces the ongoing task of preserving its market position and staying ahead of competitors. Adapting to market changes is crucial for the company's success. However, it should also remember to incorporate the element of surprise and delight when embracing new economic developments. POP MART is already taking significant strides towards the next transformation, demonstrating to the community how distinctive selling characteristics can pave the way for success. POP MART's actions offer valuable insights for other businesses seeking to enter the blind box economy. These encompass cultivating a devoted consumer base, achieving effectiveness in digital marketing tactics, and striking a harmonious equilibrium between the brand identity and the artistic expression of each product. The blind boxes offered by POP MART consistently attract new customers on a daily basis, highlighting the need of recognizing and adjusting to evolving consumer preferences. POP MART and the blind box economy are anticipated to undergo future advancements, such as increased internationalization, technical enhancements, and potential ecologically conscious initiatives. Nevertheless, the emergence of shifting customer behaviors poses challenges. POP MART's ability to effectively address these changes will determine their positioning in the market. Nevertheless, POP MART's expertise in the blind box economy demonstrates how distinctive product design may result in a profitable enterprise catering to a diverse consumer base.

6. Conclusion

The paper talks about the blind box economy and shows the importance of product design and marketing strategies in the economy, especially when it comes to a big company like POP MART. To conclude, the attraction of blind boxes comes from the fact that they are wanted to collect and the surprise that they can provide to the customers. This results in a unique customer experience that holds up the industry. A successful company like Pop Mart is a pure example. The study does acknowledge many issues through the research, such as the lack of actual research and narrow information gathering in the blind box market. For a more thorough understanding of customer behavior and market trends, future research can include some customer surveys or a wider variety of case studies in the economy. This method would provide a stronger foundation for understanding the complexity of the blind-box economy. There are many opportunities for this topic of study in the future; it can entail looking into the psychological factors that contribute to the attraction of blind boxes or studying how technology can make customers different. These fields will become more and more important as the market develops since they provide a deep understanding of customer behavior and the marketing tactics used by all the companies out there. In conclusion, there is a clear possibility for more research, even though this study offers an informational side about the blind box economy and its effects on purchasing habits and market developments. Future research on this unique economy can be improved by digging deeper into the topic, which will help to improve company strategies and the market as a whole.