Real Littles Shopkins

Shopkins were a range of tiny, collectable toys manufactured by Moose Toys. Based on grocery store items, each plastic Shopkin figure has a recognizable face and unique name. They also have special finishes like translucent, glitter, or squishy. The collectable toys (which are designated as common, rare, ultra-rare, special edition, limited edition, and exclusive) also had expanded into lines of clothing, trading cards, and other related merchandise.

The toy line began in 2014. As of 2023, there are seventeen seasons of the toys. There are also series that represent holidays such as Halloween, Easter, and Christmas. There are also spin-offs, with the current being the ongoing “Kindi Kids” line of dolls, released in August 2019.

History
Shopkins were designed and developed by Moose Toys in Melbourne in April 2013. Co-chief Paul Solomon credits his mother Jacqui Tobias, director of girls’ products, for the idea of Shopkins. Moose Toys had success with their line of Trash Pack collectible figurines targeted towards boys but lacked a market for girls. Shopkins was produced initially as a similar product for girls — however, it appeals to children in general.

Figures
Shopkins figurines are roughly 1 inch in height and 1/2 inch in width, roughly the size of a United States Quarter. Each figurine has a face, name, and its own personality. They are distributed in bright coloured packaging with bubble letters. Shopkins are based on grocery items such as a sweet apple named Apple Blossom, a chocolate bar named Cheeky Chocolate, a lipstick named Lippy Lips, and a chocolate chip cookie named Kooky Cookie. There are hundreds of Shopkins in the Shopkins World. Shopkins are organized into categories such as Fruit & Veg or Bakery. They can be found in a variety of packs; 2, 5, 12, and Mega (20) packs are the most well known, however for a limited time 10 packs were sold during Season One. Season Nine would retire the 5 packs indefinitely in place for Shoppet packs. With the debut of Mini Packs in Season Ten, the 2, 12, and Mega packs were reconfigured into 1 packs (consisting of 1 Shopkin and 1 Mini Pack for one complete figure), 8 packs (consisting of 8 Shopkins and 8 Mini Packs for eight complete figures), and Variety (12) packs (consisting of 12 Shopkins and 12 Mini Packs for twelve complete figures), respectively. In Season Eleven, the variety packs would be replaced by the “Family Fun Packs” (consisting of a family of 5 Shopkins for one large Mini Pack and 8 other Shopkins and Mini Packs for 22 items total). For the Real Littles line, the 2 packs (consisting of 2 Shopkins and 2 Mini Packs for two complete figures) would return alongside the 8 packs introduced in Season Ten. After being introduced in Season Twelve, these packs would remain for Season Thirteen. In Season Fourteen, the series would reintroduce the Mega packs (now consisting of 13 Shopkins and 13 Mini Packs for thirteen complete figures). These packs would remain for Seasons Fifteen, Sixteen, and Seventeen.

Rarities
Shopkins are collected and valued based on their rarity. Moose classifies the Shopkins degrees of rarity as “Common” (White (Purple in Seasons 12 onwards)), “Exclusive” (Turquoise), “Limited Edition” (Gold), “Rare” (Green), “Special Edition” (Blue), and “Ultra Rare” (Pink). The “Special Edition” Shopkins can only be found in 8 or 12 packs of Shopkins.

Materials
Materials used for Shopkins were rubbery-plastic, brought from China, and from Season 10 onwards, the plastic is from Vietnam.

Shopkins Shoppies
Shopkins Shoppies, the first spin-off of Shopkins being released in October 2015, is a line of 5-inch dolls, featuring teenage girls with brushable, colourful hair, accessories, exclusive Shopkins entitled “Shopkins B.F.F.S.” and are themed after stuff such as food, flowers, and fashion. The dolls also come with VIP codes (which are cards or mini magazines, or secret diaries (Lil’ Secrets only) depending on the line), which can be used for the Shopkins World app. The original line consisted of three dolls, “Jessicake” “Bubbleisha” and “Popette” respectively, later add 2 new Shoppies, “Peppa-Mint” and “Donatina” in December 2015. Separate lines of the dolls were also produced, including Core Shoppies and Style Shoppies. Some were also found in various seasons. Special Edition dolls were also made, with the first being “Gemma Stone”, named after the audition Shopkin of the same name, was released as a Walmart exclusive in November 2016 for a Black Friday sale. Beginning in 2018, with 2nd Special Edition Shoppie “Chandelia”, Special Edition Shoppies were released every year, starting in October, and as Target exclusives. Starting in 2016, Limited Edition Shoppies were also available during events in San Diego Comic-Con, until 2018. Following the release of Kindi Kids, the series would be silently discontinued, with their final Shoppie, Wynter Frost, being released in late 2020.

Cutie Cars
The third spin-off, “Cutie Cars” was released in August 2017. The line featured cars with Shopkins faces on them, also themed after stuff like food, fashion and accessories. along with mini Shopkins to ride on. There were also Limited Editions produced prior to Season 3, as well as an exclusive set from San Diego Comic Con which were 2 Golden Cutie Cars in 2018. Starting in Season 3 onwards, Moose developed “Color Changing Cutie Cars” and "Color Change Fantasy Cutie Cars" in season 4. The slogan is “I Heart QT CARS”. With only 4 seasons produced, the line was also discontinued in 2020.

Happy Places
Another spin-off of Shopkins, “Happy Places” was released in August 2016. The line features many playsets such as houses and other buildings, and can de decorated with petkins furniture. The furniture sets in the line featured shopkin faces on them, and are themed after various animals. Smaller Shoppies were also made, entitled “Lil Shoppies”. A Disney version for the series was also produced. The series also has store-exclusive playsets, including the “Sparkle Hill” playsets (Walmart exclusive) and the “Movie Night Besties” pack with exclusive Jessicake and Popette Lil’ Shoppies (Big W exclusive). The slogan was “Decorate your Place with a Cute Lil’ Face!” later changed to “Turn Any Space into a Cute Place!” With only 7 seasons produced, the line was discontinued in 2020.

Lil' Secrets
The fourth spin-off, “Lil’ Secrets” was released in August 2018. The line is similar to Polly Pocket, in which it features lockets, which were playsets, that came with “Tenny Shoppies” and “Tenny Shopkins”. Regular-sized Shoppies were also produced. Starting in Season 3, mini stores and houses were released, under the name “Secret Shops”. The theme for Season 2 is “Party Pop-ups” and for Season 3, “Shop-key-pers”. With only 4 seasons produced, the line was also discontinued in 2020.

Kindi Kids
Kindi Kids is the fifth spin-off of Shopkins released in August 2019, featuring the Shoppies dolls as toddlers, with the slogan being “Yay! Let’s Play!”. The line featured ten-inch dolls of the Shoppies dolls as toddlers, featuring a bobble-head, glittery eyes as well two exclusive Shopkins that magically function by playing with them. Various Playsets were also released under the “Kindi Fun” name tag. Unlike the rest of the franchise, the Kindi Kids line of dolls are meant for preschoolers. This is the only line of the “Shopkins” series to currently be ongoing.

Web series
In August 2014, Moose Toys built brand awareness with their Shopkins short cartoon videos on their YouTube channel “Shopkins World” (Now known as “MooseTube Squad” to promote other toys by Moose), but it was the YouTube videos of consumers unwrapping and playing with the toys that helped bring the line to mainstream prominence. Canadian-based WildBrain distributes the webisodes on the WildBrain - Cutie Cartoons channel. The series would end after 85 episodes during the release of Season Ten.

Movies
An animated film called “Shopkins: Chef Club” was released on DVD October 25, 2016 by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment to promote the sixth season of Shopkins toys. The movie had mostly positive reviews, although some reviewers had concerns at the overt consumerism.

A sequel, “Shopkins: World Vacation” was released on October 11, 2017, to promote the toys for Season 8, and also the first to feature a guest star, YouTuber CookieSwirlC. Another sequel, “Shopkins: Wild”, was released on March 1, 2018, on theaters in Australia and April 17, 2018, on DVD to promote the toys for Season 9.

McDonald's Happy Meal Toys
In December 2015, Moose Toys partnered up with McDonald's to release Happy Meal-exclusive Shopkins, mainly based on items found from the fashion department. The same toys were released in France in 2017, and later Mexico in 2018.

In January 2018, McDonald's released “Happy Places” themed furniture Shopkins toys based on one of their spin-off lines of the toys. The toys were later released in Southeast Asia.

Another spin-off line, Cutie Cars Happy Meal toys were released in 2019.

Shopkins Direct
From May 2017 to March 2018, Moose Toys partnered up with subscription box licensee, CultureFly, to promote "Shopkins Direct" which was a subscription box with Shopkins accessories and merchandise.