A 9.9-yuan Ferrari toy car — can it cure the growth anxiety of retailers like Zhao Yiming (赵一鸣)?

The 9.9-yuan gambit

A tiny, 1:64 Ferrari blind-box selling for 9.9 yuan has become the newest growth experiment for Zhao Yiming (赵一鸣), a China-born snack-chain turned new‑retailer. It has been reported that the chain quietly introduced Maisto (美驰图) and Bimeigao (比美高) Ferrari models late last year and then repackaged the range in March to ride the Shanghai F1 buzz. The math is simple: at 9.9 yuan the single‑purchase risk is low, and trial rates soar. Short term, foot traffic rises. Longer term, can cheap collectibles steady an anxious growth story?

Strategy and rivals

Zhao Yiming is not alone. Haotemai (好特卖) and Haoxianglai (好想来) — two other mass‑market discount chains — have also moved toys from a side aisle to a strategic category, but with different logics. Haotemai leans into clearance and sharp markdowns, reportedly selling mainstream Pop Mart (泡泡玛特) boxes and other IP goods at half price or less; selection can be random and varies by store. Haoxianglai and its Wancheng Group (万辰集团) once scored with a low‑priced Nezha blind‑box made by contract maker Sanisendi (桑尼森迪), but failed to sustain the momentum across its broader estate. Zhao Yiming’s play is more deliberate: commission exclusive SKUs with factories and licensors, mirror Bandai (万代) food‑plus‑toy formats and price most items under 15 yuan to capture repeat, convenience‑store style buyers.

Why it matters — and the risks

For Western readers: these snack chains built dense physical networks from first‑tier cities to counties and historically were the distribution backbone for “food‑with‑toy” products. Now they want to upgrade from being merely a channel to being a branded destination. But the model has trade‑offs. Low prices cut margins and can create inventory headaches if a novelty fizzles; tight factory ties risk brand and IP friction; and attracting collectors versus casual snack buyers are different economics. It has been reported that some manufacturers see co‑branding with these chains as a route from “white‑label” to brand recognition — but is that enough to cure growth anxiety? Or is 9.9 yuan just another short‑lived traffic gimmick? The answer will shape how China’s low‑price retail landscape reinvents itself in a crowded, post‑boom toy market.