Several children have been left disappointed after their Hatchimals, arguably the most coveted toy of the 2016 holiday season, failed to hatch.
Since Christmas morning, reports of defective Hatchimals have flooded social media, with dozens of comments popping up on the Facebook page of the Canadian company that makes the interactive toy, Spin Master.
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“So disappointed in our daughters Hatchimal that wouldn’t work properly, eye colours flashing from one colour to another so quickly that couldn’t follow instruction care sheet then rainbow coloured eyes but no pecking. Several hours of caring for the egg and still nothing,” one Facebook user commented on a Spin Master thread with over 2,000 other comments complaining of broken or malfunctioning toys.
Each Hatchimal comes inside an egg-shaped capsule that is supposed to be rubbed and patted for anywhere between 10 and 40 minutes before the toy gradually begins to hatch. The toy inside responds to tapping gestures by tapping back with its beak while making a variety of noises.
Once the Hatchimal hatches, kids can feed the creature and teach it how to walk and talk. As the weeks go on, the Hatchimal will grow from a child to an adult, at which point it’s able to have more sophisticated interactions.
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Adding to many parents’ frustration is the fact that the toys became so in-demand before Christmas, they were nearly impossible to purchase. In fact, the $59.99 toy surfaced on eBay Canada for as much as $10,000 at the height of the demand.
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In a statement to Global News, Spin Master said they have added extra resources to help customers in the wake of a spike in calls.
“While the vast majority of children have had a magical experience with Hatchimals, we have also heard from consumers who have encountered challenges. We are 100% committed to bringing the magic of Hatchimals to all of our consumers,” said a company spokesperson.
“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.”
Spin Master added it has increased the number of customer service representatives available to take calls, extended its hours and increased the capacity of callers in its queue in order to meet the extra demand for customers calls.
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But dozens of complaints regarding poor customer service continued to flood Spin Master’s Facebook page Wednesday, with some customers reporting being on hold for as long as three hours before having their call disconnected.
“So far I have sent 3 messages (1 email, 2 DM) to this company regarding my daughters dysfunctional Hatchimal and have not received a response except for their automated message that says someone will be getting back to me shortly. No one has,” another added.
Spin Master is also referring customers to a YouTube video titled, “Top 5 Things To Know About Hatchimals,” which provides tips on hatching the creatures.
Over 100 customers have since commented on the YouTube video complaining about defective Hatchimals and allegations of poor customer service from Spin Master.
A Facebook group titled “Dead Hatchimal Owners United” had also garnered over 1,800 members at time of publishing.
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