Hatchimals are the hottest toy this holiday season. The furry friends who hatch from eggs and grow when children cuddle and play with them hit stores Oct. 7 and promptly sold out. By late November, it was almost impossible to get a Hatchimal .
Now, parents who are still hunting for a Hatchimal may be able to score one at Toys "R" Us this weekend. The toy retailer announced Thursday that all stores nationwide will have a new shipment of Hatchimals available in-store on Sunday, Dec. 4. There was no indication of how large the stock would be in each store.
The limited supply of Hatchimals set off a shopping frenzy on Black Friday as shoppers descended on Wal-Mart, the only retailer that had in-store stock of the $60 toy that some have described as a cross between a Furby and a Tamagotchi:
Last month, Spin Master, makers of the Hatchimal, posted a notice to consumers on the official website:
"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. 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."
Some retailers issued rainchecks to consumers or were taking pre-orders, but they were not offering any guarantee that the toy would be available before Christmas.
Hatchimals soon began popping up on eBay. One enterprising duo in Arizona spent $5,000 to purchase 100 of the toys and set up an eBay resale shop. They have sold 30 from their stash and have recouped their initial investment, according to reports from CNN. They price the toy at the $60 msrp and watch as consumers bid the cost up to $190 or $200.
Some parents, convinced they would not get a Hatchimal for their kids before Christmas, began composing letters from Santa to their children explaining that there weren't enough Hatchimal eggs laid and that a Hatchimal would be on the way just as soon as there were more eggs. It didn't take long for someone to begin selling Hatchimal Letters from Santa online for $1 per letter.
Hatchimals will only be available at Toys "R" Us stores (not online) and they are likely to disappear fast. Their arrival coincides with the Toys "R" Us Great Big Christmas Sale which runs from Sunday, Dec. 4 through Saturday, Dec. 10.
Other deals include savings on the Sky Viper Drone (was $129.99, now $99.99,) the Hot Wheels Ai (was $99.99, now $84.99) and a buy one get one 40 percent off on all Nerf items regularly priced $99.99 or less.
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