Many parents waited weeks to buy a Hatchimal for their kids. And at Christmas some waited hours on the phone to get one that actually worked, because some of the coveted toys were dead on arrival, CNN reports.
This year’s hottest Christmas toy, the Hatchimal, has been described as a new and improved version of the Tamagotchi—it’s an interactive birdlike toy that hatches from a plastic egg and responds to children’s affection with flashing eyes and sounds. You can even teach it how to talk.
Priced around $50-60 but reportedly sold online for more than $250, Hatchimals were flying off the shelves so fast that some stores had to implement a one- or two-Hatchimal limit. Wal-Mart (WMT) had to quickly restock just before the holidays to meet the pressing demand.
All the hype just made it that much more disappointing when several children reportedly opened them on Christmas day and found them lifeless. Some parents say their kids waited hours for the toy to hatch, others say they’re still waiting. According to CNN, complaints surfaced that the battery life was too short, and the customer service waits too long.
My daughters Hatcnhimal won't hatch out of it's shell! It won't spin around to peck away at the egg and hatch out. Please advise pic.twitter.com/M9swedO1Ct
— Dustin Shammo (@dustinshammo) December 26, 2016
Parent company Spin Master has been fielding complaints on Twitter, but several customers have lost their patience.
@SpinMaster # hatchimal ruined my 6 yr olds Christmas. All the effort and it done nothing Christmas day #hatchimalmademydaughtercry
— James Gorringe (@85b255064f3e41d) December 26, 2016
@SpinMaster – our hatchimal didn't work getting out of the egg. Kid was in tears. Not worth the money. #disappointed#hatchimalfail
— mickeycivil (@_mickeycivil) December 28, 2016
@SpinMaster Hatchimal was a dud. I already emailed your company. No response. Very upset child.on Christmas morning.
— mary wallace (@tami3181996) December 28, 2016
https://twitter.com/Teacha98/status/813922564322033664
@SpinMaster still haven’t heard back about what do with the dead hatchimal. Do you have customer service?
— eh (@justbreecause85) December 28, 2016
For more on this year’s most popular holiday toys, watch Fortune’s video:
Spin Master tells Fortune the company is committed to resolving all customer disputes by increasing the number of customer service representatives and extending hours to deal with the high volume of calls. Troubleshooting tips and additional product info are available online, the company said.
“Spin Master is committed to making life more fun for children around the world with all of our products. While the vast majority of children have had a magical experience with Hatchimals, we have also heard from consumers who have encountered challenges,” a company representative told Fortune in a statement. “We are 100% committed to bringing the magic of Hatchimals to all of our consumers.”
“We are committed to doing everything possible to resolve any consumer issues. We sincerely apologize and thank everyone who is experiencing an issue for their patience,” the statement said.
