Chinese Labubu doll sparks global shopping frenzy fueling billions of dollars
They're scary, but cute – and taking the internet by storm as customers race to get their hands on Labubus.
Distributed exclusively by Chinese-based retailer Pop Mart, it's become near impossible to buy one of the plush pendant toy collectibles as they sell out online almost nightly, and people wait in hours-long lines to purchase them in-person.
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But what is a Labubu? And why do people care so much about it?
Labubu was founded by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, who became inspired by Nordic supernatural folklore and children's imaginative abilities to create Labubu and the larger 'Monsters' figurine series.
Despite the first Labubu hitting the market in 2015, demand still outpaces supply in 2025.
They quickly gained popularity after being sported on the designer bags of celebrities like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, BLACKPINK's Lisa, David Beckham, Emma Roberts, Hillary Duff, Kim Kardashian and countless others.
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Labubus cost anywhere between $21.99 and $39.99, and its most popular form comes as a fluffy, plush pendant with an attachable clip. They're sold in 'blind boxes,' which means customers won't know what variety of Labubu they got until it's opened.
However, Labubu products are regularly out of stock in Pop Mart's online store and app.
In-person restockings happen at their stores once a week at 10 a.m. every Friday, and social media users have posted long lines that tend to be hundreds of people deep.
3 Shoppers have been waiting in hours-long lines to purchase a Labubu.
AFP via Getty Images
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3 Labubu gained popularity when celebrities featured the toy on their designer bags.
AP
In the United Kingdom, Pop Mart announced it would stop selling Labubu products in their stores for safety reasons following reported brawls that had broken out among customers.
To make the supply-demand imbalance worse, so-called reseller 'bots' allegedly sweep Pop Mart's website and app for new drops, and buy Labubus in mass quantities.
On resale platforms like StockX, rare editions have asking prices of up to $450.
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Labubu has even sparked counterfeit admiration, with some customers opting for a knock-off version dubbed 'Lafufu,' often with a much cheaper price tag and manufacturing differences.
3 Labubu is distributed exclusively by Chinese-based retailer Pop Mart.
AFP via Getty Images
Pop Mart did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment, or clarification on whether US-China trade tensions could bump up Labubu's regular retail prices even higher.
Some social media users have started sharing what they call 'Labubu-nomics,' or buying methods that seem to be effective in beating out bots.
There's a supposed URL-editing trick, a rapid thumb-clicking method and regularly checking Pop Mart's third-party stores via Amazon and TikTok shop livestreams.
Last month, Pop Mart CEO and Chairman Wang Ning became $1.6 billion richer in a single day due to American buyers lining up for their own Labubu, Forbes reported.
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