Claw machine operators buy plush in bulk from Chenghai, Shantou, the district in China that makes most of the world’s low-cost plush and novelty toys. LeTin Toys supplies claw machine plush at roughly $0.50–$2.00 per piece FOB Shantou for the 15–35 cm sizes most cranes run, with a minimum of 1–5 cartons per design and mixed containers that carry 200+ SKUs. Arcade chains, family entertainment centers, route operators and prize distributors order direct instead of restocking second-hand through domestic wholesalers.
Most crane plush comes out of Chenghai. Operators reach it in three ways: through a domestic prize distributor (fastest, highest markup), from a single plush factory (lowest unit price, but one design family and high minimums), or through a trading company inside the cluster such as LeTin Toys, which mixes designs from many factories into one order with one invoice. A mid-size plush that costs $2–$6 through a US distributor typically runs $0.80–$2.50 FOB Shantou, so once you refill more than a few machines, buying a season’s stock direct usually pays for the freight.
Match the plush to the claw and the prize chute, not to the shelf. As a rule of thumb:
Measure the prize chute before ordering the largest tier, and ask for finished height and width for each design: a sitting animal is often wider than its listed height.
Claw machine plush order reference
| Machine / use | Plush size | Typical FOB price | Pieces per carton (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard crane | 15–20 cm | $0.50–$1.00 | 80–100 |
| Standard and large-claw crane | 25–35 cm | $1.00–$2.00 | 40–60 |
| Giant crane | 40–60 cm | $2.00–$3.50 | 15–30 |
| Display / top prize | 80 cm+ | Quoted per item | 4–10 |
| MOQ | 1–5 cartons per design; one mixed 20ft container can carry 200+ SKUs | ||
Prices are FOB Shantou before freight and duty, and are confirmed line by line on every quote with carton size, CBM and gross weight.
Split the order across the crane sizes you actually run, then rotate themes through the year. Seasonal plush lifts play around holidays: see Christmas plush, Halloween plush, dragon plush and farm animal plush. Redemption counters often add squishies, light-up toys and fidget toys to the same container.
Because plush takes space rather than weight, freight is the real cost driver. Two orders at the same unit price can land 15–20% apart on packing efficiency alone, which is why every line we quote carries carton dimensions and CBM. More on container planning in mixed container toy wholesale.
Prizes handed to the public need the toy standard of their market: ASTM F963 with CPSIA testing for the US (the importer issues the CPC from the lab report), EN 71 parts 1–3 and CE marking for the EU, UKCA and BS EN 71 for Great Britain, INMETRO for Brazil and NOM-015 for Mexico. Testing is arranged per design and per market through third-party labs. It adds 7–14 days when a design has no current report, and reports are reusable on repeat orders. Details by market: toy safety certification by country.
Ex-stock samples ship by courier in 3–7 days. Production runs 25–45 days after order confirmation, and sea freight adds roughly 15–20 days to the US West Coast or 30–35 days to the East Coast. From August to October, Chenghai plush lines fill with Christmas orders and lead times stretch, so book holiday crane stock by early summer. See the wholesale toy buying calendar.
Refilling a route or opening new locations? Get a claw machine plush quote in 1 business day, or WhatsApp +86 137 2926 5640.
Browse the full dolls and plush catalogue, or send a photo through search by image and we will match it.
1–5 cartons per design. Small 15–20 cm plush packs about 80–100 pieces per carton, so a single design starts at roughly a hundred pieces, and one mixed 20ft container can carry 200+ designs.
Roughly $0.50–$1.00 for 15–20 cm, $1.00–$2.00 for 25–35 cm and $2.00–$3.50 for 40–60 cm plush, FOB Shantou before freight and duty. Final prices depend on fabric, filling and packing and are confirmed on each quote.
Yes. Squishies, light-up toys and fidget toys ship in the same container and are common redemption-counter prizes.
Yes. Send a photo or listing link, or use our search-by-image tool. We find the closest equivalent in the Chenghai cluster and tell you if the spec differs instead of quoting a cheaper item as a match.
Yes. The 1–5 carton minimum exists so route operators and family entertainment centers can buy direct.
Related: carnival plush prizes · arcade redemption prize guide · plush toys wholesale. LeTin Toys (Shantou LeTin Toys Trading Co., Ltd.) is a toy trading company in Chenghai, Shantou, established 2018.