Just a small moan about people buying and selling popular toys

[ALemonyPea]

Why do people buy the latest toys and sell them in for more, other than to make other people's lives a misery on the run up to Christmas

Several friends are struggling to find Hatchimals, a few today can't get a Nintendo minis.

Luckily I preordered mine, one yet to arrive, doesn't mean I'm not sitting on edge until it gets here.

Wish EBay would enforce a rule in November and December that the top 10 toys can only be sold for the market value, rather than for silly amounts.

[TeacherBob]

Is it greed or are you just trying to get your children what they want for Christmas.

Getting someone regardless of the costs is greed yes. There aren't only 10 toys for sale and the rest don't count.
Christmas isn't about 'I want'

Some of these comments are totally unhelpful to those trying to get certain toys.

That isn't what this thread is about. The thread is 'why do people do it' and that it what we are discussing.

People with children tend to want to fulfil their children's wishes at Christmas

Children want to be loved and cared for. If you really think Christmas is about having the 'must-have' then you are probably misunderstanding the value of Christmas.
I am not religious at all and I hate Christmas, not because of religion but because it has changed from being a family time to an 'I want' time and threads like this just confirm that

[MTWTFSS]

When did this thread become getting toys for children? I want the Nintendo for myself :P

[TeacherBob]

Matching- why on earth should people be allowed to do this.

Also it has to be said, what is the difference between this and people buying toys, keeping them wrapped and selling them on later?
Or people selling antique furniture because it is old?
It is exactly the same principle.
Buy something and sell it for more at a later date.

Is it just because it inconveniences you?

[MaryPoppinsPenguins]

The idea of banning people from doing this isn't so crazy... there are some restrictions on reselling tickets, it's no different really.

And saying parents are idiots etc is just plain being a dick actually. To want to make your child happy at Christmas is what everyone wants surely? Why be so rude about it?

[sparechange]

If you want to be cross at someone, be cross at the manufacturers who deliberately withhold stock to whip up the craze and make their item the must-have toy for that year...
They know full well it will mean shortages but the publicity is worth it

[NoNutsPlease]

I was just going to say it's no different to the restrictions on buying and reselling tickets.

Trying to give your child the one gift they've asked for at Christmas is not "greedy"

[TeacherBob]

To want to make your child happy at Christmas is what everyone wants surely?

And here we get to the crux of the problem, and of society in general.

Because on the face of it, it is a a no-brainer, or course we want to make our children happy.

But I ask you this...

Is your children going to be unhappy if you don't get them the top 10 toy they want, or spend lots of money on them?

Only you can answer that, and I am not asking you to answer the question. But the answer will tell you a lot about how you have raised your children and their expectations in life.

[NoNutsPlease]

I think any child would be disappointed at not finding the one gift they are hoping for on Christmas morning.

And I am well aware that this will be the case for many children, but anyone would want to spare them that if you can?

There's a balance to be found.

[MaryPoppinsPenguins]

TeacherBob - yes. My child will be unhappy if she doesn't get that particular toy, because she is 6 years old and believes that if she's good, and asks for one thing from Santa, she will get it. And she is the best, most well behaved child, who is polite and wonderful to everyone. And I think that says more about how I raised her than her being disappointed in Christmas Day.

[TeacherBob]

Only you can decide whether that is a good thing. That is a personal opinion that comes from within.

[Matchingbluesocks]

Oh course it's acceptable gizmo. It's the way things work. Buy it from a market stall, eBay, tesco, whatever, it's all been marked up along the way. This is how people make money. It's no different from the stock market or the housing market

[Whatdoesaturkeydo]

Teacher bob I agree with everything you have said.
The problem is the over hyping of Santa that is setting yourself up for failure
My kids get stocking presents from Santa so he can't let them down there is no disappointment of this mythical man letting them down and my kids know that I get the rest of their presents they know i will do my best and as we've done before with a 6 year old sorry we couldn't get xxxx for you but if it's OK we can get it in the next few weeks when the shops have it - here is a promise note - he's a normal 6 year old kid he was disappointed for two minutes moved on played with what he got and over the moon with toy xxxx in the new year which we got in 3rd January so extended the Christmas joy

It is about how you as a parent manage your kids

I cannot get over excited about people trying to make some money.

[BrianMolkoismyPlacebo]

I agree with teacher's last post, and whatdoes
It's the unnessessary hype that comes with santa and consumerism

[HRarehoundingme]

www.thetoyshop.com/dolls-soft-toys/electronic-pets/Hatchimals-Penguala-Teal-Egg/p/528190?awc=1736_1478948364_0cd87da71eac7ed83b2a6f9cd1cf662f

[Matchingbluesocks]

Those hatchimals look utter shit. £60

[AnaisB]

I agree with most of what teachers and what are saying. Although it's not a very nice way to make money, it's fuelled by people paying. If you object you need to manage your kids expectations. What happens when they ask for "a family of dogs and a real photocopier?!" (Or am I the only one?). If you set up your kids to believe that if they behave well then they'll get the things they want they're in for some big disappointments.

[ALemonyPea]

Wow, that escalated quickly.

I am not one of those parents who would pay over the odds for a toy. If I can't get it, I can't get it. However, i still think its greedy for people to sell well over the odds.

It's a bit like people buying the best tickets for a concer and selling for triple the price. Haven't EBay put a stop to that?

[ALemonyPea]

*concert

[TeacherBob]

Yeah I do see your point. And I do think it is wrong.

I just think it isn't greed. It is business, trying to make some money for their family. It generally isn't multimillionaires doing this, it is just people trying to get by in life.

And I can't be angry at that, especially as it would all stop if people just grew a backbone and refused to pay it

[ProfessorBranestawm]

It's not nice, but TBH I think the really sad thing is that advertising is so powerful that it makes such toys into the must-have thing of the year, that there is so much pressure to have this particular thing even though a lot of parents know in their hearts that the toys like the Hatchimal will probably be played with for a week and then left festering on a shelf. There are threads every year about it, but still it goes on.

[ProfessorBranestawm]

(I do agree it's greedy to buy and sell on BTW, just that I don't think people doing that to make money is the root of the issue IYSWIM)

[ProfessorBranestawm]

Totally agree about managing expectations too. Santa brings surprises in our house which gets round the whole thing really. Just don't have the money to waste on something that I know isn't the best thing for them. They always get a big 'wow' toy, but it's not something advertised on TV generally and they get played with for years

[monkeyfacegrace]

You can get Hatchimals from the German Amazon. They are 75 Euros delivered, which works out at about £65. They don't talk, so there is no language barrier.

Easy

You can thank me via wine.

[Celticlassie]

I always wanted a pony. Every year for years. We couldn't afford to keep a pony so it didn't happen. I always vaguely understood that I couldn't have a pony but that Santa would choose what I got instead. My parents always managed our expectations so we weren't disappointed when we did not get the 'must have' toy. I think, while I understand the desire to make your child happy, perhaps teaching them that, Santa or not, you can't always get what you want, would mean less disappointment on Christmas morning, and take the power away from these parasites who try to make money out of others' desperation.

[TeacherBob]

They aren't parasites, they are people earning a little extra money.

They aren't making money from other people's desperation, they are making money from other people believing they need the must-have toy at all costs because Darling wants it.