Interest
Eevee Tamagotchi Falls Victim to Merch Scalpers
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
There was a lot of excitement when Tamagotchi! announced it was finally collaborating with Pokémon for the first official virtual pet. The company unveiled its Eevee Tamagotchi! gadget in two styles for 2,300 yen (US$20) and a planned release set for January 26, 2019. Hopeful buyers are out of luck though; Eevee is already sold out and scalpers are setting a price four times that of retail.
Pre-orders opened on November 26 at major online retailers including Amazon, TOYS R US, Rakuten, Bic Camera, Yodobashi Camera, and Surugaya but each chain's supply completely sold out on the same day. Individual sellers on Amazon and Yahoo! Auctions are then re-selling the toy for upwards of 8,000 to 10,000 yen (US$71-88). Amazon currently has a listing as high as 14,980 yen (US$131).
Customers who still want an Eevee Tamagotchi! will save some cash by simply waiting it out. Retailers are expected to get more stock and once again open pre-orders several times before the toy's official release date.
The Tamagotchi! brand launched in Japan with its first mobile pet toy in 1996. The toy was an international success with 40 million sold worldwide in less than three years. Since its debut two decades ago, there were over 82 million units sold around the world.
Source: Afternoon News
