Hatchimals cause holiday headaches for Corner Brook mom, and lots of others
This year's hottest toy reselling for thousands online
'Tis the month before Christmas, and parents worldwide are already stressed out about finding this year's hottest holiday toy — Hatchimals.
The buzzworthy toy starts out as an egg and eventually hatches once it's been played with enough. Its final form is a fuzzy, colourful animal requiring love and attention from its child owner.
Trouble is — the coveted hatchimal is hard to find this holiday season. Just ask Traci Park, who lives in Corner Brook.
"I kinda brushed it off," said Park, who has come up empty in her search. "I just figured it was another toy, I could get it closer to Christmas. Joke's on me, I guess."
Park first heard of Hatchimals in early October when her five-year-old daughter, Karma, excitedly told her about it. She's now trying to get her hands on two of the toys.
According to the Hatchimal website the company is having a hard time meeting the demand and expects not to until early in the new year.
That's not helping parents much this Christmas.
Due to the popularity of the toy, and the small shipments that retailers are receiving, Park believes that store employees aren't allowed to tell the public when a shipment comes into the store.
She's been checking Walmart for weeks now.
"Seven o'clock, I'd get up and get the baby ready and walk up there every morning," she said. "[I've] kinda died down now. I only check like three times a week."
Reselling like golden eggs online
Where there's a hot ticket item, there's often a reseller trying to cash in and such is the case this season.
While the toy's retail price is listed at $79.97 at Walmart, Hatchimals are reselling on eBay for $199 on the low end, and as much as $73,686.24 — with an extra $49.97 for shipping.
As much Park would like to surprise her children with the toy, she won't give in and spend that kind of money.
Park is still hoping to get her hands on a pair of Hatchimals for Christmas, but she's already started to prepare her kids in the event she can't.
"I think they're going to be a little bit upset, but they'll be all right — I mean there's other toys out there."