If Hatchimals are on your child’s holiday list this year and you haven’t already snagged one of these hotter-than-hot holiday toys, you may be out of luck until after the holidays.
Spin Master, the Chinese manufacturer of these hard-to-get toys, says it has run out of stock until at least early next year, according to a statement on the company’s website.
“The consumer response to Hatchimals has been extraordinary, exceeding all expectations,” the company wrote. “This is a special season and we don’t want anyone to be disappointed, nor do we support inflated prices from non-authorized resellers. While additional product will hit retail shelves in December, we anticipate this inventory will also sell out quickly.
“We have increased production and a whole new batch of Hatchimals will be ready to hatch in early 2017. In the meantime, we have created an online resource center at Hatchimals.com/NorthPole to help kids and their parents during the wait. We are also partnering with some of our retailers to develop pre-sale and/or rain-check programs for redemption in January. We will continue to update with program details as they become available.”
This Year’s Hottest Toy
If you aren’t already familiar with them, Hatchimals are basically oversized plastic eggs that contain assorted types of furry cartoonish animals that pop out to the delight of children. Some parents have complained that it can take up to 20 or 30 minutes for the eggs to hatch, and once they do their children quickly lose interest.
Still, Hatchimals are bound to join Cabbage Patch Dolls, Tickle Me Elmo, Furby, and Zhu Zhu Pets on the list of historic Christmas gift parents want but can’t get.
Anxious shoppers have reported lined up outside stores that have posted messages on Facebook and elsewhere when they get a supply of the hard to get toys in stock.
Some of those lucky enough to get their hands on one of the $50 Hatchimals have turned around and sold them on Craigslist, Ebay and other sites for more than double what they paid for them. In some cases, sellers are asking thousands of dollars.
And, as you might expect, fake versions have been popping up on Amazon and Ebay.
Some Hatchimals Still Available
There are still a few Hatchimals making their way to store shelves. Amazon, Walmart, and Target have even teamed with a company called BrickSeek that sends customers emails the moment new shipments arrive.
Every year, it seems like there is one toy that taps into people’s propensity for mania. This year, it’s Hatchimals.