MINISO Creates Limited Release Plush Toy for Surprise Marriage Proposal

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Sep 22, 2020, 07:30 ET

GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Gnin had the perfect proposal in mind for his longtime girlfriend, Rachel. He had a date set, picked out the exact location, and had distinct elements in mind to make the experience memorable.

The final detail? A pink plush bunny — the only color missing from Rachel's collection of bunnies from MINISO – a stuffed animal for which they had been searching for three years, scouring stores throughout their home of Singapore and on their travels.

There was only one problem: the pink bunny was no longer available in MINISO stores. But that didn't stop Gnin. Determined to make this moment as special as possible for his bride-to-be, he sent an email to MINISO HQ customer service to see if there was any chance they could locate the toy for him to purchase.

Gnin wrote that the bunny collection, or 'bui buis' as the couple refers to them, grew to hold a strong significance for the pair. He described their three-year hunt to find the pink bunny and how he even made a 3D printed pink bunny engagement ring box – just in case he couldn't complete Rachel's collection. Gnin's was a captivating story that warmed the hearts of the MINISO customer service team, and they felt compelled to help.

The MINISO team quickly sprang into action to see if they could make the couple's plush toy dream come true. After no hits came up when searching for the plush bunny in MINISO stores and warehouses throughout their global markets, MINISO reached out to the supplier who originally produced the plush toys. The supplier was equally moved by the story and agreed to specially reproduce — not one, but two — bunnies for Gnin's proposal.

With a tight deadline to meet for the proposal, the supplier had just six days to speedily locate and prepare the necessary materials. They also decided to handmake each bunny to ensure efficiency and quality.

Days later at NEX mall MINISO store in Singapore, Rachel approached the cash register, and the clerk handed her a gift box – claiming the present was because she was the 1000^th customer of the day. But Rachel soon caught on to the 'real' meaning when she opened the box to find the handmade bunnies and a greeting card from the MINISO Team offering the couple well wishes.

The magical moment was just as Gnin had imagined.

"Three weeks before the proposal I emailed MINISO on the really small chance that they would still have [the bunny] somewhere in the world, and I was willing to get it at any cost," said Gnin. "To my surprise, MINISO replied and promised to get the bunny to me, and without asking, aimed to give it to me by the proposal."

While the delivery of the bunnies was one day late due to COVID-19 related supply chain and delivery disruptions, this gave the couple an extra moment to celebrate.

"While the bunny did not make the proposal in the end, it actually brought us another day to remember for life. It certainly felt like a second proposal to us," said Gnin.

Though this is the first case of a customized reproduction of a product, MINISO's above-and-beyond customer service is not uncommon. Its customer service team prides themselves in being available 24 hours a day to respond to customer questions and listen to feedback.

"For this specific case, the heartening request from Gnin was one the company simply could not pass up," said a representative of MINISO's customer service team. "To see Gnin's dedication and desire to fulfill his fiancée's dream proposal warmed the hearts of the MINISO team and prompted us to respond quickly and support in any way we could."

Watch a video of the surprise proposal – including live footage of the MINISO gift box moment! – click the real proposal moment video.

About MINISO:

MINISO is a lifestyle product retailer, offering high quality household goods, cosmetics and food at affordable prices. Since its first store opened in Guangzhou in 2013, MINISO has opened more than 4,200 stores in over 80 countries and regions in 7 years. With a focus on sleek design and fun trends, its mission is to assure through its products that a better life has nothing to do with the price.

SOURCE Miniso Group