With the growing popularity of Sonny Angel, it’s no surprise that fake figures and knockoffs have started popping up too. If you’re after genuine Sonny Angel, always check the list of official stockists.
So how do you know if you’re getting the real deal? We’ve put together this guide to help you buy authentic Sonny Angel blind boxes and accessories and spot the signs of a fake if you need to.
How to know if a Sonny Angel is real
Shopping with an official Sonny Angel stockist in New Zealand is the safest way to make sure your blind boxes and accessories are authentic. If you want to skip ahead, we've written up the full list of official Sonny Angel stockists.
It’s best to trade, swap or sell with people you know. But if you’re buying or trading with strangers, it helps to know what the real packaging should look like. Most collectors keep their original blind box packaging as extra proof of authenticity.
Real vs fake Sonny Angel: spot the difference
Ready for a quick test? Take a look at the figure, box and packaging - can you tell which Sonny Angel is fake?
If the price doesn’t give it away, the series name might. There’s no such thing as a Sonny Angel Animal V3 Hipper, which is a pretty good clue that something’s off before you even get to the figure itself. Real Hippers should match an official Hippers series.
Not all fakes will be this obvious, so it’s always super simple to check if a series name is actually real. You can browse the current range of all the real Sonny Angel blind box series to double-check.
Five simple ways to spot a fake:
- Stamped base: All genuine figures are stamped on their feet or base, showing “Sonny Angel Dreams” with a printed year and “Made in China”.
- Funny-looking finishes:
Real: Part of the reason Sonny Angel figures are so popular with collectors is the high quality. While they're sturdy, they still feel kinda soft.
Fake: Fakes often look more plastic or overly shiny. You might also notice rough edges, slightly off colouring, splotchy paint or missing details, like wings that aren’t painted white. - Outer packaging:
Real: Usually comes with outer plastic, tightly wrapped around the blind box to prevent tampering.
Fake: Most aren't shrink wrapped, or the shrink wrap is loose. - Inner blind bag:
Real: Open any Sonny Angel blind box and you'll instantly spot a foil blind bag with the Sonny Angel logo and figure silhouette containing your figure. For regular and Hippers blind boxes, the colour usually matches the theme colour of the series or appears in white.
Fake: If they actually have one, it'll look and feel lower quality. The colour may be incorrect or poorly printed, with missing logo details. - Bargain prices: Price is usually a very easy giveaway - good quality design can't cut corners. If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is!
How do I know what my Sonny Angel figure should look like?
Each blind box lists the figures in that series, so if you’ve previously purchased from authorised retailers, you can check what their headgear should look like. You can also check the official Sonny Angel website, which documents the figures released across each series.
A quick note on older Sonny Angel series: Animal V1, V2, V3, V4, Fruit, Flower, Vegetable, Marine and Sweets received design updates from 2019 onwards. The official Sonny Angel website also shows this evolution - and it's super easy to visually compare the two.
Where to buy real Sonny Angel in New Zealand
We’ve made it a little easier to check the official list published on the Instagram account of the exclusive distributor of Sonny Angel in Australia and New Zealand. Buying from an official stockist is the only way to guarantee authentic Sonny Angel products.
You can view the official New Zealand stockist list on the Sonny Angel Australia and New Zealand Instagram.
If someone is selling Sonny Angel products and they’re not on this list, there’s no guarantee they’re authentic. You could be buying a fake product - and you may only find out once you open it.
Sonny Angel is made by Dreams Inc, the same brand behind other collectable figures loved by blind box collectors.
Official online Sonny Angel stockists shipping to New Zealand
- Blink Box - that's us! 🥳
- Leo & Bella
- Things Adorable
New Zealand Sonny Angel Stockists
If you prefer to browse in person, here's a list of authorised Sonny Angel stockists around New Zealand.
- Iko Iko
- Wellington - 118 Cuba St, Te Aro
- Pop Stop
- Christchurch - Westfield Riccarton
- Christchurch - Northlands Shopping Centre, Papanui
- Wellington - Queensgate
- Hamilton - The Base, Te Rapa
- Dunedin - Meridian
- Auckland - Sylvia Park
- Nelson - Richmond Mall
When in doubt, stick with an official stockist. At Blink Box, we only stock authentic Sonny Angel blind boxes and accessories, so you can enjoy the surprise of who’s inside - not the shock of what you bought.
