Okay, let's talk about the plushie that has absolutely flooded my DMs, my social feeds, and every designer toy group I'm in. The flip with me labubu. You've seen the unboxing videos, the aesthetic shelf displays, the pure chaos of the online drops. And now you want one. I get it. I really do.
As the owner of PopNya, I handle these little monsters every day. I see the demand, I track the market, and I've held both the real deal and some… less-than-authentic versions. So, I want to give you the real scoop, the kind of advice a friend would give you before you drop a serious amount of cash on a plush doll. This isn't a generic review; this is a buyer's playbook from someone on the inside.
First, what exactly is this thing that's causing so much commotion? The official name is THE MONSTERS Flip With Me Vinyl Plush Doll. It's a hybrid, which is part of its charm. You get the hard, beautifully painted vinyl face of a classic LABUBU, but it's attached to a soft, cuddly plush body. It's a big labubu flip with me plush, standing around 17cm tall, making it a substantial display piece, not a little keychain. It feels premium in your hands. The weight of the vinyl head gives it a nice balance, and the plush material is surprisingly high-quality.
The "flip" part of the name? Honestly, it's a bit of a gimmick, but a cute one. It's essentially a hood with the iconic monster ears attached. You can "flip" it up to cover LABUBU's face, making it look like a little furry creature, or flip it down to reveal that mischievous, toothy grin. It's a simple feature, but it adds a level of interactivity that people have gone wild for.
Now for the part you're really here for: the price and the hype. This is where things get a little crazy.
The retail price for the pop mart labubu flip with me vinyl plush doll is around $58 USD. If you can get it for that, you've won. You've beaten the game. But the reality for 99% of people is that you will not get it for retail. The moment these drop on the Pop Mart site or in physical stores, they are gone. We're talking sold out in under ten seconds.
This scarcity immediately created a feeding frenzy on the secondary market. In the first week after its release, I watched prices on platforms like StockX and eBay jump from retail to $120, then $150, and I saw a few desperate buyers pay nearly $200. It was madness. Why? A perfect storm of genuine fan love, influencer effect (the Blackpink association with LABUBU has been a massive driver), and a powerful TikTok trend.
My honest advice as a seller: Do not pay $200 for this plush. I know the FOMO is real. But the market is already starting to cool slightly. As of writing this, prices are hovering more in the $110-$140 range. That's still double the retail price, but it shows that the initial peak insanity is passing. Patience is your single greatest weapon in the collecting game. This isn't a limited, numbered release like some of the ZIMOMO figures that broke the internet; Pop Mart will almost certainly restock or release new colorways, which will help stabilize the market.
So, how do you actually get one without getting totally ripped off? You have a few paths.
Path 1: The Official Drop. This is high-stakes, high-reward. Follow Pop Mart's official social media, know the exact time of the drop, have your account logged in, and your payment information pre-saved. Use Apple Pay or Shop Pay for the fastest checkout. Even then, your chances are slim. It's a lottery. If you're trying to find one in a physical store, your best bet is to learn about local stock levels, which can be a whole other challenge.
Path 2: Reputable Online Stores (Like Us!). This is where we come in. Specialized stores like PopNya work hard to secure stock. Yes, our price will be higher than retail, we have to account for our own costs to acquire these high-demand items, but we offer a safe, reliable way to get a guaranteed authentic product without battling bots. When you're looking at stores, check their reviews, see how they package their items, and make sure they're transparent. While you're waiting for a Flip With Me restock, you can always browse our current LABUBU collection to see what other amazing monsters are available.
Path 3: The Wild West of Secondary Markets. This means eBay, Mercari, StockX, and Facebook groups. You can sometimes find a deal here, but the risk is significantly higher. This is where you need to be able to spot a fake.
And that brings me to the most important part of this playbook.
Real Talk: How to Spot a Fake Flip With Me LABUBU
The fakes are getting good. Scary good. But as someone who has seen them up close, there are details they just can't replicate perfectly.
The Box is Your First Clue. Don't throw it away! The authentic box is made of sturdy, matte-finish cardboard. The printing is sharp and the colors are specific, a sort of muted, creamy beige. Fakes often use flimsier, glossier cardboard, and the colors can look washed out or overly saturated. Look for the official Pop Mart holographic sticker. While even this can be faked, the quality of the real sticker's hologram is much more detailed.
Examine the Vinyl Face. This is the money-maker and the hardest part to get right. On an authentic flip with me vinyl plush doll, the vinyl has a specific, slightly soft-touch matte finish. It's not shiny. The paint application, especially on the teeth and inside the ears, is razor-sharp. On fakes, I've noticed the vinyl is often a cheaper, shinier plastic, and the paint lines around the teeth can be a little blurry or thick. The color of the face itself might also be a shade too white or too yellow compared to the creamy off-white of the original.
Feel the Fur. The plush body on the real deal is dense and soft, with a specific texture. It feels substantial. Counterfeits often use cheaper, thinner fur that feels more like a standard arcade prize. It might be overly shiny or feel a bit greasy to the touch. The stitching, especially around the neck where the vinyl meets the plush, should be clean and tight.
Check the Tags. There are two tags you need to look at. The large, card-like tag and the small fabric tush tag. The card tag should have crisp printing and be made of thick cardstock. The fabric tush tag is key. It will have the Pop Mart logo, copyright information, and material details. The font on fakes is often slightly wrong, either too thick or too thin, and the stitching that attaches it to the body can be messy.
Our Take: Is The Flip With Me LABUBU Overhyped?
Okay, let's just be real for a second. Is it an incredible, must-have, life-changing collectible? No. Is it an exceptionally cute, well-made, and desirable designer plush? Absolutely.
Here's my brutally honest take as a collector: The Flip With Me LABUBU is fantastic, but the hype is overblown. The design is a 10/10. The execution is an A+. But the secondary market price is a C-. It's a victim of its own success. For the $140+ people are paying, you could buy an entire blind box case of another series like the recent Wacky Mart LABUBU set and have the thrill of opening twelve different figures.
The "flipping" hood is a novelty that's fun for a few photos but isn't a major play feature. You're buying this as a statement piece for your shelf. And it is a great statement piece. It has presence. It photographs beautifully. But don't go into it thinking it's some revolutionary toy.
My gut tells me that this is a piece that will be remembered as a classic, but the price will not hold at these inflated levels forever. Once the TikTok algorithm moves on to the next shiny object and Pop Mart satisfies some of the initial demand with restocks, you'll see prices settle into a more reasonable $80-$100 range. That, to me, feels like a fair value for what you're getting.
So, if you're thinking of buying one, my final advice is this: be patient. Set up alerts on reseller sites. Follow your favorite small shops (hi!) on social media for drop announcements. Don't let the fear of missing out drive you to make a bad purchase. The joy of collecting is in the hunt and the satisfaction of finally getting that piece you love at a price you feel good about. And if you're new to this whole world and still trying to figure out how to even pronounce the name (it's "La-boo-boo," by the way), don't worry, you're in the right place.
The flip with me labubu is a wonderful addition to the LABUBU family. It's a testament to Kasing Lung's brilliant design and Pop Mart's marketing power. Just be a smart collector. Know what you're looking for, know what it's worth, and don't be afraid to walk away from a bad deal. The right monster will find its way to your shelf eventually.
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