I still remember the feeling of my first cry baby blind box. It was from the Lonely Christmas series a few years back. My hands were literally shaking a little. It's just a small cardboard box, right? But it feels like so much more. It's a lottery ticket, a present you bought for yourself, a tiny mystery waiting to be solved. I pulled the "Reindeer Baby," and I was instantly hooked. The weight of the vinyl, the perfect matte finish, those giant, glistening tears.
That's the magic of this hobby. And if you're reading this, you're probably feeling that pull, too.
As the owner of PopNya, I handle these little guys every single day. I pack them, ship them, and talk to fellow collectors about them constantly. And I see a lot of the same questions and misconceptions pop up, especially for people just getting into the world of this unique crybaby toy. So, let's talk. No marketing fluff. Just the real, honest experience of collecting.
It's Not Just a "Cry Baby Doll"
First things first, let's clear something up. When you search for these, you might get results for actual baby dolls that cry. That's a whole different universe. The CRYBABY we love is a character created by artist Molly Yip. It's a statement about vulnerability, about finding strength in sadness, and embracing all our emotions. It's art. Each crybaby series is a collection of stories told through these expressive little crybaby figures. If you've ever felt a bit lost or confused about what you're actually looking for, I wrote a whole piece on the Cry Baby doll confusion and what makes Molly's art so special.
The whole cry baby pop phenomenon is built on this emotional core. It's why we connect with them so deeply. It's not just a cute face; it's a mood.
Your First Pull: A Collector's Playbook
So, you're ready to buy one. You walk into a store or browse a site like ours, and you're hit with a wall of options. Where do you even begin?
Single Box or Full Case?
This is the first big decision.
A single crybaby blind box is pure chance. It's a small, affordable thrill. For about $15-$18, you get that jolt of excitement. The downside? Duplicates. Oh, the duplicates.I have three "Morning" figures from the Sad Club series sitting on my desk right now to prove it.
A full case (usually 12 boxes) is a bigger investment. You're looking at close to $200. The massive advantage is that a factory-sealed case guarantees you a complete crybaby set of the regular designs for that series, with no duplicates. Plus, one of those 12 boxes could be a secret "chaser" figure. It's not guaranteed, but your odds go way up.
My advice? If you're just dipping your toes in, buy one or two single boxes from a series that catches your eye. See if you love the figure in person as much as you do online. If you're a completionist or you've fallen hard for a specific series, save up and go for the full case. You'll save yourself the headache and cost of trading or buying your missing figures on the secondary market later.
The Elephant in the Room: The CRYBABY Crying for Love Series
Let's talk about the one you've probably seen everywhere. The crybaby crying for love series. It's iconic. It's beautiful. And it's a bit of a monster.
This is the series that, in my opinion, truly launched CRYBABY into the stratosphere. The designs are simple, elegant, and heartbreakingly relatable. "A Broken Heart," "In a Gilded Cage," "Long-distance Relationship", each one is a tiny, perfect sculpture of a specific flavor of heartache. The crybaby crying for love series figures are probably the most sought-after regular figures in the entire brand.
Because of this, the crybaby love series is a tough one for beginners. It's often sold out. When you do find it, the price can be slightly inflated. And the secondary market for the individual figures is wild. The "A Broken Heart" secret figure from this series? I've seen it sell for over $200. The retail box costs less than $20. That's the power of hype.
Is it worth it? Aesthetically, 100%. The quality and design are top-tier. But if you're just starting, be prepared. Chasing this specific series can be an expensive and frustrating endeavor. Don't be afraid to explore other series first. The "Sad Club" series, for example, has a similar emotional depth but is generally more available.
The Unboxing: Tricks, Truths, and Disappointments
Okay, you have the box. The moment of truth. Before you rip it open, let's talk about a few things.
The "Shake and Weigh" Myth
You'll see videos online of people claiming they can tell which figure is inside by shaking the box or even weighing it.
Let me be blunt: This is almost entirely useless for modern CRYBABY releases.
POP MART has gotten incredibly good at standardizing their packaging. Each figure is nestled in a plastic tray, and they often add small, weighted inserts to make the boxes feel more uniform. The weight difference between, say, the "Hug-Me" figure and the "Tears of Elves" figure is often less than a gram. Your kitchen scale isn't that precise, and neither is your sense of touch.
I've tried it myself with dozens of cases here at the shop. I weighed every single box in a case of the "Encounter" series. The weights were all over the place with no discernible pattern. The box that felt heaviest ended up being one of the smaller figures. The box that had a slight rattle? A duplicate of one I already had.
Don't waste your time. It ruins the fun and it doesn't work. The only "trick" is buying a full case to guarantee the set. Everything else is just superstition.
A Word on Quality Control
You've opened the foil bag, and there it is! Your brand new crybaby figurine. But wait… is that a tiny speck of dust in the paint? Is the line on the cheek a little fuzzy?
Welcome to the world of mass-produced art toys.
Look, the quality on CRYBABY is generally excellent. The vinyl is hefty, the paint is mostly crisp, and the designs are executed beautifully. But these are not hand-painted, one-of-a-kind statues. They are produced in the tens of thousands. You will occasionally get a figure with a minor imperfection. A tiny bit of paint slop, a faint seam line, a speck of dust sealed under the clear coat on the tears.
My rule of thumb: If you can only see it when you hold it two inches from your face under a bright light, it's normal. It's part of the character of the toy.Most reputable sellers (including us!) and POP MART themselves will help you with major issues. But chasing perfection on every single blind box figure is a recipe for madness.
Our Take: The Real Talk Section
So, what's my honest-to-goodness verdict as a seller and collector?
I think the CRYBABY blind box experience is one of the best in the designer toy world. Molly Yip's artistry is consistently brilliant. But the hype is a double-edged sword. It brings more people into the hobby, which is great! But it also creates scarcity and drives up prices, making it harder for new collectors to get started.
Here's my hot take: The cry baby crying for love series is amazing, but it's not the best series. I honestly believe the Cheer Up, Baby! series is a more creative and technically impressive collection. The use of different textures, the intricate accessories (like the tiny duck), and the more optimistic, nuanced emotional range show a huge evolution in the design. It just doesn't have the same viral TikTok fame as Crying for Love. So it gets overlooked. Don't be the collector who only chases the most popular thing. Some of the best gems are in the less-hyped series.
The Aftermath: Now You Own a Crying Child Figure
You've opened the box. What now?
If you got the one you wanted, congrats! Put it on your desk, your shelf, your dashboard. Enjoy it.
If you got a secret/chaser, you have a choice. Keep your rare treasure, or flip it? No judgment here. Selling a secret can fund your hobby for months. Just be aware of market rates. Check eBay sold listings, join a Facebook group, and see what it's actually selling for, not what people are asking.
If you got a duplicate… welcome to the club. This is the true collector experience. Your options: 1. Trade it: Find a local or online collector group. Duplicates are the currency of the community. 2. Sell it: You probably won't make a profit on a regular duplicate, but you can usually get back most of what you paid, which you can then put toward the next box. 3. Customize it: Get some acrylic paints and make it your own! Some of the most creative things in the community come from customized duplicates.
Collecting these crybaby figures is a journey. It's the thrill of the hunt, the joy of the unboxing, and the community you build along the way. It's about finding a little piece of art that says something about how you feel.
So go ahead, take the plunge. Whether you're hoping to complete the entire crybaby crying for love series or just want one cute crybaby toy for your desk, the experience is worth it. If you're ready to see what's available, you can always browse CRYBABY figures we have in stock and start your own story. Just be warned... It's hard to stop at one.
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