Short answer: the toys that sell in dollar and discount stores are small, bright, blister- or bag-packed items with an FOB cost low enough to retail at $1–$5: squishies and stress balls, bubble sets, pull-back cars, mini dolls and figures, bath toys, balloon and party items, water blasters in summer and light-up novelties in Q4. Chenghai supplies all of these, usually at 1–5 cartons per design, and the buying decision comes down to pieces per carton, CBM per carton and whether the item passes ASTM F963 / CPC (USA) or EN71 (EU) at that price.
| Category | Typical items | Why it works at $1–$5 retail | Watch-outs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Squishy & sensory | Slow-rise foods, stress balls, puffer balls, bead squeeze toys | Light, dense cartons; 12-piece display boxes sell themselves | Phthalate testing (CPSIA / EN71-3) |
| Summer & outdoor | Bubble wands, water blasters, beach sets, swim rings | Seasonal spikes, high sell-through | Order by Jan–Feb for May delivery |
| Vehicles | Pull-back cars, friction trucks, diecast 1:64 multi-packs | Boys’ impulse buy, small footprint | Small-parts labelling 3+ |
| Dolls & plush | Mini fashion dolls, 15–20 cm plush, keychain plush | Girls’ impulse buy, gift use | Plush MOQ higher (300–600 pcs) |
| Pretend play | Tea sets, tool sets, animal figure blisters | Wide age range, low complaint rate | Blister packaging cost |
| Baby & toddler | Rattles, bath squirters, stacking cups | Parents buy multiples | Under-3 testing, no small parts |
Dollar-store programs are won on landed cost per piece, not FOB alone. When you compare quotes, ask for three numbers on every line: pieces per carton, carton CBM and gross weight. A $0.35 item that ships 288 per carton at 0.05 m³ beats a $0.30 item that ships 96 per carton at 0.06 m³ once freight is added. As a rule of thumb, most items retailing at $1–$1.25 in the US need an FOB cost below roughly $0.30–0.45 and items retailing at $3–$5 sit around $0.90–1.80 FOB, depending on packaging and tariffs. Exact figures depend on the item, so treat these as a screening range and confirm on a quote.
Through a Chenghai trading company, most items start at 1–5 export cartons per design. Battery-operated items run about 120–360 pieces, blister novelties are packed by the gross, plush needs 300–600 pieces and inflatables 500–1,000 pieces. The usual dollar-store approach is a mixed 40HQ with 30–60 designs at a few cartons each, which spreads risk and lets you test sell-through before repeat orders. See real MOQ, CBM and lead-time data by category.
Low price does not lower the legal bar. For the USA every children’s product needs a Children’s Product Certificate backed by CPSC-accepted lab tests (ASTM F963, lead, phthalates, tracking label). For the EU you need EN71 parts 1–3, CE marking and a Declaration of Conformity. Testing costs the same for a $0.30 item as for a $30 item, so it makes sense to test fewer SKUs in larger quantities and to reuse reports on repeat orders. Ask the supplier which items already have current reports; those are the ones to lead with.
Per piece, blister novelties and bubble items; per cubic metre, squishies and pull-back cars, because they pack densely. Plush and inflatables are cheap per piece but bulkier.
Typically 30–60 designs at 2–6 cartons each. A 40HQ holds roughly 65–68 m³ of cartons, so divide each carton’s CBM into that space.
Yes. A CPC is a document the importer issues based on third-party test reports; Chenghai suppliers arrange the lab tests per SKU and the reports are reusable on repeat orders.
25–45 days production plus 20–40 days sea transit. For summer and Q4 programs, order four to five months before the shelf date.
Send us your target retail prices and destination and we will return a line-by-line list of items that fit, with pieces per carton, CBM and the tests each needs. Related: USA toy import guide, landed cost calculator.