A Chinese internet celebrity sold toys produced in world's largest wholesale market for daily commodities Yiwu, East China's Zhejiang Province, using just a few simple English words, turning them into a best-seller. Photo: The Paper

A Chinese influencer on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, mastered just five words to sell toys produced in China Yiwu International Trade City in Yiwu, East China's Zhejiang Province, at Times Square in New York, and became an unexpected internet sensation. Some overseas merchants placed orders for 100,000 to 200,000 products at once, making him one of the top offline sales influencers in the US.

Recently, an online influencer known as "Dollar Guy" has taken the internet by storm. His nickname stems from his simple yet highly effective sales technique, which involves using a few simple English words like "two dollars," "very good" and "beautiful"— to market the creative toy from Yiwu called the "Exploding Eyeball Dragon."

His heavily accented English, combined with the quirky yet funny toys in his hand, creates a uniquely comical and dramatic spectacle. Whenever someone made a purchase, he would sincerely say, "thank you, sir."

Despite the language barrier, Dollar Guy's toys have surprisingly become best-sellers. Whether on the street or in the subway, he consistently succeeds in selling his toys.

The original manufacturer of the "Exploding Eyeball Dragon" toy in Yiwu has also experienced the craze. 

They mentioned that the toy was initially designed for the Year of the Dragon, but they did not anticipate it becoming a hit again at the end of the year. Overseas orders are flooding in, with orders requesting 100,000 or 200,000 items in a single purchase, leaving the factory struggling to meet soaring demand.

A man surnamed Liu from a trading company in Yiwu said that his company is now able to produce 30,000-40,000 products a day but remains out of stock. "Even if we managed to produce 100,000 a day it would not be adequate. There are too many people asking for this toy, and the production speed simply cannot keep up with demand," Liu said.

Global Times