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Hatchimals: Spin Master Makes Announcement Regarding 2016’s Most Sought After Toy

By Lindsay McCane
Published on: 15:43 PST, Nov 29, 2016

We have good news and bad news. The good news is a whole new batch of Hatchimals is coming soon. The bad news… they won’t be here in time for Christmas.

Spin Master, the creator of 2016’s most sought after toy, made an announcement on their website earlier this week, revealing that they are frantically working to meet the Hatchimals demand.

“The consumer response to Hatchimals has been extraordinary, exceeding all expectations. Some of our first shipments have already sold out. While additional product will hit retail shelves in November, we anticipate this inventory will also sell out quickly,” the announcement reads.

“We have increased production and a whole new batch of Hatchimals will be ready to hatch in early 2017. This is a special season and we don’t want anyone to be disappointed, nor do we support inflated prices from non-authorized resellers,” Spin Master continued. “We are working on creative solutions to help kids and their parents withstand the wait. In the interim, some retailers are developing pre-sale and/or rain-check programs for redemption in January. We will continue to update with program details as they become available.”

Currently, the Hatchimals are sold out all over the United States and in the U.K. However, there are those who caught on to the trend early and stocked up on the toys to resell them for a heightened price. According to Time Money, Mike and Stan Zappa, of Glendale, Arizona, are brothers who were tipped off by Mike’s 10-year-old daughter about the Hatchimals craze. In October, the brothers purchased 100 Hatchimals to resell during the Holiday season.

“I had a hunch it would be a big hit for the holidays,” Mike said.

Because the Hatchimals are sold out at all major retailers, parents are willing to pay upwards of $250 (they retail for $50-$60) to have the toy by Christmas. Mike and Stan are cashing in on their dilemma, and as of Black Friday, the pair had broken even on their $5,000 investment, and still had 60 more Hatchimals to sell.

“Three weeks ago there wasn’t one person we knew who thought this was a great idea,” Stan explained. “Even our father called us idiots. Now they can’t believe it.”

The brothers are racking in the cash on eBay, but they are also being met with harsh criticism for their tactics.

“We were expecting this,” Mike said. “But we also took a risk. We didn’t break any laws. And we aren’t dictating how the market is pricing the toys on eBay. What we are doing is capitalism at its best.”

So, what is a Hatchimal? The latest fad is similar to the Furby in that a child has to teach it to walk, talk, and play. The main difference, however, is that the child gets to help the animal hatch from an egg first — hence the name Hatchimals. The toy comes in five different types (Pengualas, Draggles, Owlicorns, Burtles, and Bearakeets) and has two phases: first, the child cares for the egg and encourages it to hatch. Once the egg hatches, the child has to nurture the bird and teach it how to move, dance, speak, and play games.

According to the Daily Herald, toy crazes are common, but this one is a bit different and is measured alongside the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls in 1983-84 and the Tickle Me Elmo plush toy in 1996.

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Were you able to get your hands on a Hatchimal? Leave your comments below.

[Featured Image by Prostock-studio/Shutterstock]

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