Warning! No Toys for You this Christmas! (2009 Edition)
It’s that time of year again, guys. It’s time for the media to frighten us into buying toys today, because they just might be there tomorrow. MSN Money writes:
“If toys are on your Christmas shopping list, you might want to hit the stores now as many of the season’s hottest items are already in short supply, The Associated Press reports.”
Okay, but we’ve heard this before. In 2006 MSN Money posted:
“Will Santa run out of toys this Christmas? Some industry Grinches are worried that the elves might come up a bit short this holiday season.”
And don’t miss CNN Money post from 2007 that reported:
“Some of the year’s hottest toys could be sold out weeks before Christmas, industry watchers warned.”
Fortunately, in a move that impressed me, MSN Money’s report went well beyond the AP report by very honestly stating:
“Could this just be hype from manufacturers and retailers to promote products and get shoppers into stores? News stories about toy shortages are an annual tradition — every season has its unexpected big hits. (The first three links in a quick search are to news stories about shortages from 2006, 2007 and 2008.)”
But, just to make sure the “BUY NOW!” message got through to anyone reading the article, they finished out the previous paragraph with:
“But if the analysts and the AP’s anecdotal evidence are correct, now’s the time to buy — not after Thanksgiving.”
Sigh. If this annual “we’re running out of toys!” wasn’t become so predictable then we could almost start to pay attention. As it is, though, this is starting to become a regular Christmas story that the various news outlets bring out in October and November. Each year there are one or two hot toys, yes, but entire articles devoted to generalizations and telling people that there will be “shortages of up to 100 toys this year” (MSN Money article quoting Jim Silver) doesn’t strike me as balanced reporting. This feels like sensationalism. Again.
Sure, there are some specific toys that are tough to find (DC Universe Classics Wave 10, for example) — but that has more to do with exclusive deals, collector mentality, and ways in which action figures are shipped — but articles like we’ve been seeing each Christmas aren’t intended for collectors. No, these articles are targeted at the average mom and dad who need to buy a few gifts for the kids.
So parents of the world, DON’T PANIC! You don’t need to run out today and shop. You can wait until the Black Friday sales. You can wait until December. Hell, you can wait until Christmas Eve. There will be a variety of toys on store shelves. Maybe not a specific “HOT” toy, but there will not be a lack of toy choices.
And prices are only going to get lower as we get closer to Christmas.
Source: This post at Infinite Hollywood alerted me that the annual toy scare is one.
Or just do what my mom always did and don’t buy your kid the hot name brand toy. Instead of buying your son that GI Joe, get him an “Army Corps” figure. Instead of that licensed Barbie Ferrari, get the Odd Lots Audi.
Just don’t expect your kids to NOT notice the difference. They will.
One thing that has been hard to swallow as I’ve grown up is watching the “hot toy” being an excuse for parents to show each other up. Does your kid really want that “hot toy?” Maybe not. Whatever happened to selling toys to kids? Or is that a lost art?
Never underestimate the power of guilt. The parent works 60 hours a week so they can have that big McMansion, drive a Lexus, and go on vacation to Aruba. So when it comes time for Christmas, parentswillingly fork over any amounts of money to give their kid whatever they want.
I vaguely remember the Cabbage Patch doll hype in the ’80s. I remember my aunt paid over $100 each to get one for her daughter and niece. Then of course Tickle Me Elmo happened. We should start creating false hype for DCUC Captain Cold and Cyborg… maybe some of ’em will sell!
Mainstream media crap like this will no doubt start the fire up under parents butts. The whole holiday season is about commercialism, basically manipulating people into going out and plopping money all in the name of getting some one the “perfect” gift.