The Paradise Revolution goes beyond just stores.

The transformation of MINISO LAND is by no means a simple store upgrade—it’s a systematic reimagining of the value of offline retail.

The core function of traditional brick-and-mortar stores is to facilitate product transactions. In contrast, “theme park-style” stores transform the shopping experience into a “social sharing” and “content-creation” journey through exaggerated check-in backdrops and thematically designed spatial narratives. As a result, consumers’ primary motivation for entering these stores has shifted from “buying things” to “browsing and taking photos,” with consumption naturally becoming an organic outcome of the experience itself.

Designers have transformed shelves into pirate ships and Ferris wheels, and reimagined spaces as “plushy universes” and “two-dimensional neighborhoods.” In doing so, they’re essentially using space itself to tell IP stories. Products are no longer isolated entities; instead, they’ve become “props” integral to the larger narrative. As a result, the act of purchasing is imbued with emotional projection and value alignment.

After the single-store model of the Shanghai store—characterized by high investment, high space efficiency, and a high proportion of IP-driven traffic—proved successful, it was swiftly replicated in cities of varying development levels, such as Guangzhou and Xi'an, achieving similar success. This demonstrated that the formula “Super IP + Super Scene = Super Traffic” is indeed replicable. This success has provided both data and confidence to support the “replacing old with new” initiative involving nearly 6,000 stores.

The real test lies beyond the paradise.

Despite a dazzling start, Miniso’s “Paradise Experiment” still faces serious challenges.

First is the “battle of models” between MINISO and Pop Mart. MINISO adopts a “channel-driven IP” strategy, leveraging its existing store network to rapidly expand product availability, reduce costs, and reach a broad audience. In contrast, Pop Mart follows an “IP-driven channel” approach, using the strong appeal of blockbuster IPs—such as LABUBU—to drive both channels and user engagement. In the long run, the real test will be which company can create IPs with greater longevity and cultural value. MINISO needs to demonstrate that it can consistently develop IPs that are truly “soulful,” rather than merely producing products with “appealing visuals.”

Next is the challenging task of reshaping brand perception. The deeply ingrained impression of Miniso as a “ten-yuan store” continues to weigh heavily, limiting the premium pricing power of its IP products—especially those featuring its own proprietary IPs. How to convince consumers to willingly pay a higher premium for IP stories “produced by Miniso” is a long-term battle for reshaping consumer mindsets.

Next is the pressure of sustainable innovation. The “Paradise” model relies on continuous, large-scale spatial innovation and regular updates to IP content. Once innovation slows down and consumers’ sense of novelty wears off, the substantial investment in these immersive environments may no longer yield commensurate returns. This places extremely high demands on both IP creation capabilities and spatial design expertise.

Finally, there’s the leap from retail amusement parks to a “cultural universe.” True IP giants like Disney have built their business empires on the “flywheel effect”—a virtuous cycle in which film and television, theme parks, and merchandise are intricately interconnected. Currently, MINISO still relies primarily on merchandise and physical store spaces. The ceiling for its future growth will hinge on whether it can infuse “Youyou Sauce” and other similar characters with richer stories and deeper emotional resonance, and expand into broader content formats such as anime, short films, and even offline themed entertainment—thereby truly constructing an “IP universe.”

Miniso’s “Paradise Experiment” is, at its core, a powerful upward surge of China’s supply-chain efficiency advantages into the upstream realm of brand and IP value. It has successfully transformed cold retail outlets into emotionally engaging and story-rich spaces of experiential consumption, reclaiming the unique value of physical stores in an increasingly saturated e-commerce landscape.

However, the success of sales figures represents only the first half of the game. The second half has already begun, and the heart of the competition will no longer be how dazzling the stores are, but rather how compelling the IP itself is. From creating “check-in hotspots” to fostering “faith-based destinations,” from managing “stores” to cultivating “culture”—this is the ultimate question that Miniso’s grand experiment must ultimately answer.

Today, MINISO has expanded into 112 countries and regions worldwide, with over 8,000 stores. And its “Paradise” experiment is just beginning—a new commercial story that’s being written on a global scale. The dazzling lights of Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Bangkok are only the start; the real journey lies in capturing the hearts and minds of consumers around the globe—vast and boundless like the stars and the sea.

(This article expresses only the author’s views and does not reflect the platform’s stance. Feel free to leave a comment and engage in discussion with the author.) )

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