Find HS Code and trade information for tricky toys

Tricky Toys

Tricky toys, also known as novelty toys or gag toys, are items designed for amusement through deception, surprise, or playful manipulation. They generally prioritize entertainment value over practical function or durability.

Material

The materials used in tricky toys are highly variable, depending on the specific toy and its intended effect. Common materials include:

• Plastics: Widely used for their moldability, low cost, and ability to create realistic appearances (e.g., plastic snakes, insects).
• Rubber: Employed for flexibility and bounce (e.g., bouncy balls with unexpected behavior, fake spiders).
• Metal: Can be found in toys designed for visual illusions or mechanical trickery (e.g., puzzle boxes, collapsing structures).
• Paper/Cardboard: Used for simple illusions and pranks (e.g., vanishing cards, trick money).
• Electronic Components: Increasingly common for toys involving lights, sounds, and remote control (e.g., shock pens, remote-controlled cockroaches).

Purpose

The primary purpose of tricky toys is entertainment, specifically:

• Pranks: To playfully deceive or startle others.
• Amusement: To provide lighthearted enjoyment through unexpected actions or appearances.
• Novelty: To offer a unique and unusual play experience.
• Stress Relief: Some toys can provide a momentary distraction or amusement.

Function

The function of tricky toys is diverse, relying on a range of mechanisms:

• Optical Illusions: Toys that exploit how the eye perceives shapes, colors, and movement.
• Mechanical Tricks: Toys with hidden mechanisms that create surprising actions (e.g., self-folding structures, moving objects).
• Chemical Reactions: Some toys use simple chemical reactions to create visual effects (e.g., color-changing slime).
• Remote Control: Toys operated remotely to simulate independent movement (e.g., fake insects, remote-controlled novelties).
• Sensory Deception: Toys that play on tactile or auditory senses to create unexpected experiences (e.g., shock pens, fake gum).

Usage Scenarios

Tricky toys are used in a variety of settings:

• Home: For personal amusement and pranks on family and friends.
• Parties: As icebreakers or entertainment for guests.
• Office: As lighthearted pranks among coworkers (though caution is advised regarding workplace appropriateness).
• Retail: Sold as novelty items in toy stores, gift shops, and online marketplaces.
• Gag Gifts: Presented as humorous presents.

Common Types

• Fake Insects/Animals: Realistic-looking plastic or rubber creatures used to startle or prank.
• Shock Pens: Pens that deliver a mild electric shock when activated.
• Magic Tricks: Small-scale illusions and puzzles.
• Puzzle Boxes: Boxes with hidden mechanisms that require solving to open.
• Vanishing/Appearing Items: Toys that create the illusion of objects disappearing or appearing.
• Remote Control Novelties: Toys controlled remotely, such as fake cockroaches or spiders.
• Squeeze Toys: Toys that produce unexpected sounds or actions when squeezed.
• Optical Illusion Toys: Toys that exploit visual perception to create deceptive effects.
• Whoopee Cushions: Toys that produce a flatulent sound when sat upon.
• Trick Money: Realistic-looking fake currency.
• Self-Folding Structures: Toys that appear to fold themselves.
• Color-Changing Slime: Slime that changes color in response to temperature or manipulation.

Based on the provided information, “tricky toys” fall under the classification of festive, carnival or other entertainment articles, including magic tricks and practical joke articles.

Here are the relevant HS codes:

• 9505902000: This HS code covers festive, carnival or other entertainment articles, including magic tricks and practical joke articles; parts and accessories thereof. Specifically, it refers to magic tricks and practical joke articles; parts and accessories thereof.

  • 95: Chapter 95 – Toys, games and sports equipment; miscellaneous recreational, sports and outdoor recreation equipment.
  • 05: Heading 95.05 – Festive, carnival or other entertainment articles, including magic tricks and practical joke articles.
  • 902000: Subheading 9505.90.20 – Magic tricks and practical joke articles; parts and accessories thereof.

• 9505906000: This HS code also covers festive, carnival or other entertainment articles, including magic tricks and practical joke articles; parts and accessories thereof, but is categorized as "Other".

  • 95: Chapter 95 – Toys, games and sports equipment; miscellaneous recreational, sports and outdoor recreation equipment.
  • 05: Heading 95.05 – Festive, carnival or other entertainment articles, including magic tricks and practical joke articles.
  • 906000: Subheading 9505.90.60 – Other.

Regarding HS codes 9505902000 and 9505906000, the applicable tax rate is 30.0% as of April 2, 2025. This includes a base tariff of 0.0%, a surcharge tariff of 0.0%, and an additional tariff of 30.0% after April 2, 2025.