Beyblade battles drive up sales at Hong Kong malls, but how long will the trend last?

Struggling to attract patrons, shopping centres are embracing resurgent popularity of Japanese toy, drawing fans who stay and spend – at least for now

The sharp clatter of spinning metal tops, cheers, sighs of frustration and shouts of “three, two, one … Go shoot!” echo across a shopping centre in Hong Kong’s New Territories on a weekday.

In shops across Tuen Mun Town Plaza, children, teens and young adults hunch over small plastic battle arenas, unleashing their tops into the “Beystadiums” in head-to-head competitions where the top that remains spinning the longest wins.

The toy popularised by Japanese anime in the early 2000s made a comeback in Hong Kong and elsewhere in Asia early this year, and gatherings are attracting crowds of local players eager to put their models to the test.

Spotting the economic potential behind the hobby, shopping centre operators across Hong Kong are converting open spaces into free battle zones to drive up foot traffic and sales.

Tuen Mun Town Plaza went a step further by scaling up the concept into a mall-wide strategy ahead of a major Beyblade tournament in August, encouraging shop operators to take part in the game and offer discounts to shoppers who present their tops.

“The strategy is about how a tenant can engage with customers through a shared interest, instead of directly selling to them,” said Bella Chhoa Peck-lim, chief commercial officer of Sino Group, which owns the plaza.

“It’s a soft-selling approach that allows staff and shoppers to start a conversation, drawing people into the store before making a sales pitch.”