This led to a discussion about the thrill of toys that come hidden in packages, Spin Master's Mr. Hatchimals, however, were an in-house idea, the brainchild of Spin Master's Toronto-based advanced-concept team.Ī couple of years ago, team members were talking about the recent popularity of "unboxing" videos on YouTube, where people record themselves unwrapping gifts or reaching for the toy inside a Kinder Egg candy. Some of the company's past hits, such as the Bakugan line of toys or the Zoomer electronic animals, came from pitches by outsiders, inventors or designers who found more open minds at Spin Master than at other companies.
Once outside its shell, its skills evolve as it interacts with the player, mimicking a living being's growth from infant to toddler and beyond. Children have to cuddle and pat the egg for about half an hour before the creature inside hatches. The Hatchimals are furry, bird-like creatures that are each sold inside an eggshell that's about two-thirds the length of a football. The toy's success comes from the sense of anticipation it creates, Ms.
This is definitely different," she said, adding that the Hatchimals' popularity was on a scale similar to past runaway successes such as the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls in 1983-84 or the Tickle Me Elmo plush toy in 1996. Hatchimals are no longer among the top-selling items, but only because they are no longer on the shelves, said Juli Lennett, senior vice-president and U.S. Toy sales tracked by the NPD Group market-research firm showed that in late October, different versions of the Hatchimals were holding the first, second, sixth and ninth spots in a list of the top 10 items sold in the United States. The company had expected the toy would be a hit with girls between the ages of six and eight, but found it was also popular with boys and older kids. Spin Master had high hopes when it rolled out the Hatchimals in early October, but it didn't expect the ensuing response, said James Martin, the company's head of robotics. The Hatchimals' conception shows how the Toronto company, founded by three friends in 1994, has become a top player in the unpredictable, highly competitive world of toy-making, where success depends on the ever-shifting tastes of young kids.
And, inevitably, resellers appeared on eBay or Kijiji, asking for hundreds, even thousands, of dollars for a toy that retails for $69.99. As retailers struggled to restock their shelves, Spin Master is now flying Hatchimals from its factories in China rather than shipping them by sea.
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