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The first time I saw it happen, I couldn't believe it. A new exclusive Labubu dropped on the Pop Mart site. I had my payment info ready, my finger hovering over the button. The clock hit the hour. I clicked. "Sold Out." The whole process took maybe four seconds.
That's the reality of chasing a limited edition Labubu right now. It's a mix of adrenaline, frustration, and, if you're lucky, pure joy. As someone who runs PopNya and handles these little monsters every single day, I get asked the same questions constantly: "What's the real secret labubu price?" "Is it even possible to find a secret labubu blind box?" "Why is that one labubu with eyes closed so expensive?"
So, let's just talk about it. No fluff. This is the playbook I wish I had when I first started collecting.
What "Limited" and "Secret" Actually Mean
First things first, not all rare Labubus are created equal. The terms "limited," "exclusive," and "secret" get thrown around a lot, but they mean very different things. Understanding this is the key to not getting ripped off.
Tier 1: The Blind Box Secret (The 1/144 Gamble)
This is the most common type of rarity. You buy a blind box from a standard series like the Labubu Animals Series or the recent Macarons.The official odds are usually 1:144, meaning you'd theoretically have to buy 144 individual boxes (or 12 full cases) to guarantee finding one.
This is your classic secret la boo boo. Sometimes there's even a "super secret" with odds of 1:720. These are often the figures people go nuts for, like the famous pink and green labubu (Soymilk Matcha) from the Macaron series. The thrill of opening a random box and finding one is unreal. But gambling on single boxes is a fast way to go broke.
Tier 2: The Event Exclusive (The "You Had to Be There" Labubu)**
These are the true limited editions. They are only sold at a specific physical event, like DesignerCon, Shanghai Toy Show, or a special Pop Mart anniversary event. They are produced in a fixed, often numbered, quantity. Once they're gone, they're gone. Pop Mart doesn't restock them.
These figures hit the secondary market at insane prices almost immediately because the supply is genuinely tiny. If you weren't at the event, your only option is to pay the premium.
Tier 3: The Brand Collab (The Crossover Cash-In)
Think The Monsters x One Piece or other pop culture crossovers. These are "limited" in the sense that the production run is tied to a licensing agreement. They might make a ton of them, but they usually won't re-run the series once the contract is up. The Monsters Labubu Secret from these series can be particularly sought-after because it combines two fanbases. I wrote a whole guide on the One Piece Labubu crossover hype because the market for it was so specific.
Tier 4: The Regional/Store Exclusive (The Manufactured Scarcity)
Sometimes Pop Mart will release a figure only in a certain country or through a specific retail partner. This creates artificial scarcity everywhere else. A Labubu that's sitting on shelves in Beijing might be a four-hundred-dollar grail in the US. It's frustrating, but it's a common marketing tactic.
The Price of Secrets: A Brutal Reality Check
Okay, let's talk numbers. The secret labubu price is not a stable thing. It's a volatile, hype-driven rollercoaster.
Let me give you a real, concrete example I witnessed firsthand with the Have a Seat V2 series. * Retail Price: About $15 for a single blind box. * The Secret: A gorgeous translucent blue have a seat labubu with glitter inside. * Day of Release: People who pulled it were immediately listing it on eBay and collector groups for $120-$150. * One Week Later: The FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) had fully kicked in. The price jumped to $250. I saw sales at $280. * One Month Later: The price stabilized a bit, hovering around $200-$220, as more cases were opened and the initial hype cooled.
This pattern repeats with almost every popular secret. The secret rare Labubu Big into Energy figure, the Pop Mart Happiness Labubu secret, the Macarons... They all follow this curve. The price you see today is not the price it was yesterday, and it won't be the price tomorrow. It's driven purely by what the most desperate collector is willing to pay. And honestly, it's why I wrote a whole seller's guide to the Have a Seat V2 hype, because the demand was just that intense.
Real Talk: My Honest Verdict as a Seller
Look, I sell these toys. It's my business. But I need to be 100% honest with you: chasing every single secret labubu is a terrible idea. It's a financially and emotionally draining trap. The high of finding one is amazing, but the low of spending hundreds on blind boxes with nothing to show for it is crushing.
My advice? Stop chasing the price tag and start chasing the art.
Don't buy a secret just because it's expensive. Buy it because you genuinely love the design. I've seen people pay $300 for a secret they think is just "okay" because they feel like they have to complete the set. That's not collecting; that's a compulsion.
Some of my favorite Labubu figures are common ones that cost $15. Some of the most expensive secrets, in my opinion, are kinda ugly. The grey labubu with rainbow eyes from the Weather series is a perfect example. It's a super secret and commands a high price, but personally, I prefer the regular "Cloudy" design from that same set.
Focus on the figures that make you happy to look at. If that happens to be an expensive secret, fine. But if you can't afford it, don't let it ruin the hobby for you. There are hundreds of other amazing designs to collect.
A Seller's Playbook for Hunting Secrets (and Not Going Broke)
If you've decided you absolutely must have a specific secret, you need a strategy. Going in blind is how you end up overpaying.
Strategy 1: The Pre-Order Is Your Best Friend The single best way to get a secret is to buy a sealed case of 12. This doesn't guarantee a secret, but it's your best statistical shot. The problem is, cases sell out instantly. The solution? Find a trusted independent retailer (like, ahem, PopNya) and get on their pre-order list. We sellers often have better access to stock. You might pay a small premium over Pop Mart's direct price, but it's infinitely cheaper than paying aftermarket prices for a single secret.
Strategy 2: The Community Is Your Secret Weapon Join collector communities on Reddit (r/PopMartCollectors), Discord, or Facebook. This is the best place for two things: 1. Legit Trades: You might pull a secret from a series you don't care about, but someone else desperately wants it. You can trade it for the secret you do want. 2. Fair-Priced Sales: Most collectors in these groups aren't trying to get rich. They sell their doubles or unwanted pulls for reasonable prices. You'll find much better deals here than on eBay. Just always, always use PayPal Goods & Services for payment protection.
Strategy 3: The "Weight Trick" Is a Lie I have to address this because I see it on TikTok all the time. People claim you can weigh blind boxes to find the secret. Let me be clear: This does not work on modern Labubu series. I have personally weighed hundreds of boxes from the Macaron, Have a Seat, and other recent series. The weight variance between a regular figure and a secret is often less than a gram. The weight of the box, the little card, and the plastic wrap can vary by more than that. Pop Mart got smart. They make the secrets weigh about the same as a common figure. Don't stand in a store with a pocket scale. You'll just look silly and you won't find anything.
Strategy 4: Know Your Fakes The more expensive a secret gets, the more fakes appear. The Exciting Macaron Labubu secrets were faked almost instantly. If you're buying a pricey secret from a reseller, you need to be paranoid. * Check the Box: Fakes often have blurry printing, off-colors, or use slightly different fonts. * Examine the Paint: Authentic Labubus have clean, crisp paint lines. Fakes are often messy, with smudges, uneven application, and a weirdly glossy finish. * Feel the Vinyl: This is a pro tip. Real Labubu vinyl has a specific density and a slightly matte feel. Fakes often feel lighter, harder, and more like cheap plastic. * Look at the Feet: The copyright information on the bottom of the feet should be sharp and clear. On fakes, it's often soft, blurry, or missing entirely.
I go into way more detail on this in my honest Macaron buyer's guide, because the fakes for that series are everywhere.
Beyond the Hype: Which Secrets Are Actually Cool?
So, which secret editions are worth the chase? It's all subjective, but here are a few categories I've noticed collectors gravitate towards.
* The "Fuzzy" Ones: Any Labubu with flocking or a fuzzy Labubu texture is an instant hit. The Labubu Plush Series took this to another level, but even the standard vinyl figures with flocked details (like some of the secrets) are incredibly popular. They just have a great tactile feel. * The "Minimalist" Ones: This is the classic labubu with eyes closed. It's a simple change, but it gives the figure a serene, peaceful vibe that people love. The secret from the first Flower Elves series is a perfect example. It's just a simple, elegant design. * The "Gimmick" Ones: These are secrets with special features, glow-in-the-dark paint, translucent parts filled with glitter (like the blue have a seat labubu), or color-change vinyl. They offer something more than just a different color scheme. * The "Green" Ones: I don't know what it is, but green Labubus seem to have a special place in collectors' hearts. From the sought-after Grape in the Fruits series to the Matcha Macaron, green designs consistently perform well. I even wrote a Green Labubu Survival Guide to help people navigate that specific obsession.
Ultimately, the best way to figure out what you like is to just look at them. Spend some time browsing a full LABUBU collection and see which designs speak to you, regardless of their rarity.
The world of limited edition Labubu is chaotic and exciting. It can be an incredibly rewarding part of the hobby, but it can also be a source of major stress. My final piece of advice is simple: set a budget, know what you're looking for, and remember that it's supposed to be fun. Don't let the hunt for a secret rob you of the joy of collecting.
Disclosure: PopNya may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page.
