SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: What Makes a Must-Have Christmas Toy? | STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW

[bell]. Happy holidays everybody. This is Chuck. here with uh one of our episodes for our. stuff you should know 12 days of. Christmas toys playlist. We decided to. put this together. Thought it'd be a fun. little holiday idea to kind of gather up. some of our [music] toy ccentric. episodes and release them this December. all packaged up. So, uh here we are with. I think this is the [music] first one, either the first or the second one on. the list and the episode title is what. makes a must [music] have Christmas toy. If you want to know, listen in and find.

out. Happy holidays, everybody. [music] Welcome to Stuff You Should. Know, a production of iHeart Radio's How. Stuff Works. [music]. >> Hey, and welcome to the podcast. I'm. Josh Clark and there's Charles W. Chuck. Bryan over there. There's Jerry over. there. And this is W. Nope. >> Early Christmas editionish. Yeah, we're kicking it off early [music].

>> like the rest of re the retail world. >> Do you uh Yeah, man. This year you could. find Halloween, Thanksgiving, and. Christmas stuff in stores at the same. time. >> Like it was just the most normal thing. in the world. >> Yeah. >> But um you don't follow me on Twitter, and you should. >> I'm not on Twitter. >> Well, that's I'm saying you should get. on Twitter to follow me. >> No, thank you. But at 7:30 in the. morning on November 1st, the day after. Halloween, I tweeted, "Merry Christmas.".

>> I got a lot of hate back for it. >> Oh, [laughter] yeah. >> Yeah. >> What do you do on Twitter? Do you just. poke people like that? >> Yeah, pretty much. Just troll. >> I got you. >> Yeah. Uh, well, that was my plug for Twitter. [laughter]. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Here we go. So, uh, let's see. Back in 1983, Chuck, you were. >> 12. Okay. I was seven. [clears throat]. >> Mhm. >> Um, you didn't have a Cabbage Patch Kid, did you? >> Well, there's a story there if you.

really want to know. >> I think you've told it before, but let's. have it. >> Well, we bought uh my sister one of the. very first uh Little People is what they. were called. >> before they were Cabbage Patch Kids. >> That's right. in uh Helen, Georgia when. they were handmade by Xavier Roberts, who I recently learned stole that idea. from a woman. >> And uh took it as his own and made. millions of dollars off of her idea. >> Yeah. >> I mean, I wanted to maybe we'll do a.

short stuff about that. I wanted to do a. full length episode, >> but we I mean, we definitely talked. about that because I think we have. talked about like must have toys of the. past in in maybe last year's or the year. before's Christmas edition. >> Yeah. And we had she got this doll. Uh. it name was Chuck. Um which was [snorts]. kind of funny cuz that's my name. >> That's so funny. >> And uh it was a big deal. I think it was. like the number 70 something or 80. something made. And now it's worth a lot. of money. >> Does she still have it? >> Uh-huh. >> Oh, that's great. >> Um and we'll finish with Cabbage Patch.

Kids and then I'll take issue with you. So go ahead. >> Okay. I know what you're going to take. issue with. >> Oh, I don't know if you do know, but go. ahead. >> But let me So let me let me let me. start. >> All right. So, back in 1983, >> Cabbage Patch Kids were like the. must-have toy of the Christmas season. >> for sure. >> And from what I can tell, they were the. first must-have Christmas toy ever. Now, that's not to say there weren't. extraordinarily popular toys at around.

Christmas time before 1983. Star Wars. very famously offered their early bird. certificate package. Mhm. >> which was basically an empty box that. said at some point in the future you. will get Star Wars figures instead of. this empty box. >> One of the great great marketing gems of. all time. >> Yeah. So that was a thing all the way. back in 1952. Mr. Potato Head was a hot. toy that year. Robert the Robot was a.

hot toy in 1954. And when you say hot. toys, it's tough to to overstate that. Like Robert the robot had t-shirts in. the 50s. I didn't even know people wore. t-shirts in the 50s. Yeah, >> he was in a movie. Um like there was. these were big deal toys. But my premise. is this. This is my thesis. Okay, this. is my own. So I'll take the hit if it's. wrong. >> Sure. But that in just the same way that. there were hit movies like The Godfather.

or like Ben Hur before Jaws came along, there wasn't such a thing as the summer. blockbuster until Jaws came along and. made the summer blockbuster a thing. >> Mhm. >> There wasn't such a thing as the. must-have toy of Christmas until the. Cabbage Patch Kid came along and made. that a thing. >> Okay. So, what issue are you going to. take? I can't take it any longer. You're. driving me crazy. >> Well, I don't think it was I don't think. it was Cabbage Patch Kids that was the.

must uh have toy. The The first must. have toy. That's what I take issue with. >> What was the first? >> Well, I don't know. I mean, I'm just. speaking for my own lifespan and I. definitely think Star Wars counts. because if you can sell an empty box to. a kid for Christmas. >> Uhhuh. >> then that that's pretty strong position. as a mustave thing. And by the way, if. you're listening, the reason they sold. empty boxes is because. >> they didn't know Star Wars was going to. be a big thing. So Ker didn't have as.

many of these made uh in the run-up to. the film release pre Christmas. Uh so. they got caught with their pants down. and they realized that there was a big. demand, a huge demand. >> Okay. >> They sold like 40 million of these. >> No, >> 40 million boxes. >> I'm trying to Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. >> I don't know. 40 million Star Wars toys. Okay. At. >> that in inside of a year. >> So, okay. Yeah, I'm not surprised to. hear that. >> And did you know that you can even buy. these.

uh empty box kits on eBay now? >> Oh, yeah. I'm sure. >> I saw one listed for 1500 bucks. >> I'm not at all surprised. >> Uh and then just very quickly, I also. want to point out that the biggest, most. in- demand toy of my young life. >> was the Atari Pac-Man cartridge. >> Oh boy. >> That was a 1982. >> Okay. Okay, >> that sold 7 million cartridges. >> Okay, great. Great. The numbers don't. lie. That's a big big number. 7 million, 40 million. You can toss big numbers out. all day long. But let me ask you this,

>> okay? >> For that empty box of Star Wars, for. that Atari Pac-Man cartridge, did a. woman have her leg broken because a. crowd trying to get their hands on those. things turned violent? Or before you. answer, in addition to that, did a. department store manager in Charleston, West Virginia, have to arm himself with. a baseball bat to defend himself from. his very customers who are trying to get. to the Star Wars empty box or the Atari. cartridge? I would guess that the answer. is no. >> Well, I think human behaviors have.

changed over the years. >> I don't know. from 1982 to 1983. >> Well, I I I bet I I guarantee I could. find one violent incident about the. Atari cartridge. >> I'll bet you couldn't. [laughter]. >> Well, you know, there wasn't then. because there was they they met the. demand. >> Okay. So, that's a big part of it, too, right? So, there have been Well, let's. just move on from this. The Cabbage. Patch [laughter] Cabbage Patch Kids, if. not were the first, which they were. >> Did you have one? >> Yeah. Yeah. Weber Dino. >> You had a Cabbage Patch Kid?

>> Yeah. I ended up taking his head off and. giving him a mohawk as I grew older. But. >> because not to be too like gender binary. here, but I I didn't know a lot of boys. that wanted the Cabbage Patch Kid. >> What? [laughter]. >> I've I've always uh broken the mold, Chuck. >> Well, sure. No, I mean, there's nothing. wrong with it. I I grew up with William. wants a doll on Free to Be You and me, so I get it. >> But that's why I just don't know. I. think a must-have uh Christmas toy would.

be one that everybody wants. >> Yeah. I as far as I knew, everybody. wanted a Cabbage Patch kid. >> All right, we'll just put this one to. bed. >> Okay. [laughter] Like a Cabbage Patch. Kid with a mohawk. >> that you adopted. >> Yep. So, um Right. Uh well, that was a. big thing. Like there was there were. some hallmarks to the idea of a mustave. toy that were surrounding Cabbage Patch. Kids. Violence is one, >> right? Um there [clears throat] was a. lot of buzz that was picked up by the. media and one of the ways that that was. generated was by um I think Kico who.

owned Cabbage Patch Kids at the time. sent these dolls directly to reporters. That was a big one. Um and the fact that. there was not enough supply to meet the. demand. These things kind of came. together to make Cabbage Patch Kids a. must have Christmas toy. And this has. been carried on as a tradition ever. since then. Ever since that very very. first time in 1983 with Cabbage Patch. Kids, uh there were Nintendos that. dominated back in 1988, uh 1989 and.

1990. Three years in a row, Nintendo had. three different products that were like. the must have Christmas toy. >> Oh yeah. >> Um. >> that first game console, huge. >> Oh dude. >> The Game Boy huger. It felt like. >> Mhm. Uh, and then of course in 1990, possibly the best game gaming system of. all time, if you look at just relative. to the time, uh, the Super Nintendo. console. >> I don't know, man. N64 was pretty great. with Golden Eye. >> Oh god, N64 was great. >> Yeah, with Golden Eye, I mean, like it.

would have been, you know, fine on its. own, but the fact that Golden Eye. existed was the thing that made N64 to. me. >> That game blew my mind. >> Um, yeah, it was great. Especially the. battle royale where you could play your. friends. Oh man, that was fun. >> Yeah, we called it hunt and chase. [laughter]. >> Yeah, >> I I used to get so mad. >> Yeah, >> in those. Like that's the only time I. ever got mad playing video games cuz I. don't do that thing where you play. online and you can, you know, you can. exact revenge on people. So I I did not. take it well when my friend snuck up. behind me and shot me in the head.

>> Right. Yeah, that was always a bummer. Uh what about Tickle Memo? That was a. big one. Thanks to Rosie O'Donnell. >> I was a little old for that. Oh, really? I was in my mid20s. >> Oh, I had one. >> Oh, yeah. Well, you were in late high. school. [laughter]. >> Not really. This was 1996. This was post. high school even. But the this was such. a craze that there was that um. characteristic violence where a Walmart. employee was trampled while he was. trying to restock the um display um late.

at night, I believe. But he had a pulled. hamstring, injuries to his back, his. jaw, his knee, a broken rib, a. concussion. Um, and it continues on. Like I haven't read about any violence. from Hatchimals, but from 2016 to 2018, they were the, if not one of the top um, must have toys of the year. >> I hate those things. >> Hatchimals. >> Mhm. >> How come? >> Because you have to put it in a in a. dish or a bowl that you eat out of and.

you have to leave it there and leave it. there and leave it there and then it. hatches into a garbage toy. [laughter]. Real. Oh, so my experience is that it's. they're pretty they're good. >> Oh, yeah. >> Yeah. >> So, you like your Hatchimal? >> Yeah. Are you talking is it like. animatronic? >> Huh? >> Is it animatronic? >> I'm talking about Hatchimals. Yeah. >> It's a So, okay. So, I don't know. anything about the dish. I just My. experience is from my niece and I don't. remember any dish.

>> Oh, wait. This isn't the Are we talking. about two different things? This is the. thing you put in water. >> No, no, no. you put in water, you'll. electrocute yourself when you touch it. >> Okay, maybe I'm thinking of something. else. >> This is like an animatronic thing that. hatches from an egg, but like it you. have to like teach it and train it and. raise it and like give it attention and. everything. It's a bit like the. Tamagotchi, but like an animatronic pet. >> Oh, I got you. No, I'm thinking of the. thing that you It's an egg that you put. in water and after a few days it hatches. into a garbage toy. >> Yeah. No, that's that's not this.

>> Gotcha. >> Hatchimals are much different. Okay. So, so there's this tradition of a must-have. Christmas toy. Um, and you can find all. you want about them every year because. they're everywhere all the time and the. media reports on this kind of stuff and. they're on TV and there's ads and. there's like social media stuff now. But. there's like a really big question that. doesn't have a lot of press associated. with it and certainly no studies or. anything that I could find, but. [clears throat] there's a question, Chuck, like how does a toy become a. must-have Christmas toy?

Well, let's take a break and we'll get. to the bottom of it right after this. [music and bell]. [music]. That was quite a setup, huh?

>> I think so. >> So, back in the day when you were. shopping for Christmas, if you were a. kid or a parent, it didn't matter, right? You knew exactly what to do. >> You knew exactly how to do it. There was. no no frrills, no nothing. It was all. just holiday joy and the the goodness of. the the Christmas holiday season. >> That's right. >> That is correct. And you learned what. you wanted if you were a kid from two. things. Saturday morning cartoon. commercials. >> Mhm.

>> And uh whatever your catalog was. The. Sears Wishbook is certainly one. >> Yeah. >> Service merchandise catalog was another. big one for us. >> Yeah. There's a Montgomery Wards. catalog. >> Yeah. Of course. And um you put this. together and you introduced me to a. website called Wishbook Web. >> Mhm. That might as well be called um. timesuck.com. >> Yeah, it's pretty great, isn't it? >> Because someone has gone through and. scanned.

uh is it just Sears wishbooks? >> No, no, it's Sears, J C Penney, and. Montgomery Ward. And then I think. there's the occasional What store is. that here or there? >> Right. They have scanned these entire. wish books up to 1996, >> which everyone knows is the cutoff date. for nostalgia. That's right. Uh, from. the earliest days of 1933. And boy, let. me tell you, dude, >> and I know you know this because you've. done it. If you go through and spend a. few minutes clicking through these.

things in [snorts] the years where you. were like 6 to 12. >> Mhm. >> waves of nostal nostalgia wash over you. like like John Hodgejman would succumb. to these waves. >> Yeah, I know. >> It's amazing. I remember some specific. pictures. I remembered the I mean the. NFL section alone brought tears to my. eyes and I forgot how much they hyped. football back then. >> You just can't stop crying. >> It was crazy. The the clothes, the uh.

alarm clocks, the clock radios, the the. tech section. Um it was just it was off. the charts for me looking through this. I almost did nothing else today. >> Yeah, I know it is. Wishbook web is. pretty awesome. Like somebody went. through and scanned every single page of. these several hundred page each. catalogues for decades worth of. cataloges. It is it is God's work. >> And just to get laughs by like seeing. the the the two four-year-olds posing in. bathroes [laughter] like it's really.

really funny, >> right? One of them's got like a pipe. that blows bubbles. >> Oh my god, this is just amazing. What a. great website. So, so Wishbook Web has. kind of preserved how you used to figure. out what you wanted for Christmas, which. was you go through these wishbooks or. these cataloges or whatever, and then. you tell your parents, you doggeear. them, maybe drop some hints. It was the. correct way. The 21st century has a kind. of an updated version of that, but it. still kind of follows the same general.

contours, right? where there are lists. still and like cataloges, but now it's. not just department stores that have. like the market cornered on them. Like. that's actually kind of gone away. It's. very tough to find a department store. catalog. I believe Meyers still does. that. I think they're kind of like a. Midwestern Target. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah. And they have a toy catalog that. they put out still, I believe, to this. year. >> Well, now you get the Restoration. Hardware [laughter] Christmas catalog,

>> right? or IKEA. >> Yeah. >> But they but there's lists everywhere. and it seems like every retailer has one. or all the major retailers have one and. depending on where it's coming from, it's some are more trustworthy or above. the boards or or objective than others. when saying like these are the must-have. toys, right? Like on on one end of the. spectrum, you have um like. third-party websites and publications. and organizations like the Spruce or Toy.

Insider or Toys, Tots, Pets, and More, and they actually evaluate the toys when. they make their lists. >> Yeah. I mean, these it's just different. now. And I don't think it's nostalgia. like thinking things were better back. then, but. >> it was it seemed easier and better to. let a kid sift through a a catalog and. pick out stuff than I guess what are you. supposed to do today? Like sit down with. your kid at one of these websites and at. look at the top 20 hot toys and say,

"What do you want?" Like I don't I don't. know how it works these days. >> I don't know. Maybe instead of like. dogearing the pages, you send your. parents links. [laughter]. >> I'm sure you do, actually. you know. >> Yeah. But I mean, if your kids are too. young to be on the internet, I'm not. sure how to do it. Cuz I could hand my. four-year-old a catalog and say, "Pick. out some stuff." It'd be great, >> right? >> But I'm not going to say, "Hey, just log. on to the spruce and go uh [laughter]. scroll down until you find something you. like, >> right? Stay out of their parents. section. [laughter].

>> What I mean, what do you do? You have a. You literally have a kid, Chuck. What do. you do?". >> I I don't know. I mean, we buy we just. buy things that we think she might like. Um, >> so there's like a whole world out there. of like lists and websites that show. toys and stuff that she's unaware of. >> Oh, sure. >> Oh, wow. She's got a big surprise ahead. of her, >> I guess. So, >> that's great. I'm excited for her, actually. >> Yeah. But, I mean, you definitely feel. like you're sort of stabbing in the dark.

as to like I mean, a parent can go. through and look at those lists. >> Mhm. But, you know, kill me. [laughter]. >> Well, a lot of people are excited about. that kind of thing. They're like, "Good. This is Yeah, I don't have to like go to. the store and stand there and be like, what are we getting here?" You could go. to some website or USA Today or the. Today Show or whoever is partnering with. some of these trusted sites like Toys to. Tots, Pets, and More or Toy Insider. And. like they kind of take a lot of the.

guesswork out of you. They're basically. saying these are what experts are saying. your kid is going to want. If you go buy. this, you will score a home run with. your kid. >> Yeah. I think my problem is I don't know. what is bought and what is real reviews. because as you have dug up and I didn't. even know this. Of course they do this. Um if you go on Amazon they, you know, you can spend 2 million bucks as a. retailer to be on their you know on. their top list or whatever. >> So okay. Yes. And I what I saw though.

was that they you spend that money to. nominate them to nominate your toy for. their consideration to include on the. list. >> just for a nomination. >> I don't know how the process works, but. yeah, I saw I saw like the headlines say. you pay 2 million for a slot, but if you. read the finer print, it's saying you. pay 2 million for them to even consider. it. And then I guess I don't know how. they curate it. They actually kind of. keep a a closed lid on it, but it. generated like $120 million in revenue. for Amazon just to be on their list of.

hot toys for the year. >> Walmart, they charge 10 grand a month. per toy to be on their buyer picks toy. list. >> Mhm. >> And uh like you point out here, they. Walmart starts their list in August. And. you've got to wonder, is that because. they're making 10 grand a pop, [laughter]. >> right, >> off of the stuff. >> per month? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. They released theirs in late. August before Labor Day even. And like. this isn't like a hey, we think these.

toys are going to be hot this year. It's. here's the hot list of holiday toys. >> and Target released theirs at the. beginning of September. Um, I think. Bullseye is the name of their mascot, dog mascot. It's Buzz McKenzie. basically. >> Yeah, Bully Bullseye. Um, and I couldn't. see if they charge for placement or how. they compile it or anything like that, which actually makes me suspect that. they don't because there's plenty of ink. about Amazon and Walmart's lists and how. they charge for them. And the fact that. there's not one for Target makes me.

think. >> either they're really keeping a lid on. it or else um they actually don't charge. for that. But so there's there's kind of. two lists where if you're a parent, you. need to ask Yeah. You need to ask dogs. and dog people and cat people. That's. right. you you need to ask where is this. list coming from? And if it's coming. from a third-party site, go look up the. third party site and they will tell you. in their like about us section how they. determine what toys are what. And if you. really want to get that information, that's fine. But even if Amazon or. Walmart or even if Target charges for.

placement on their lists, just the very. fact that those things are on their. lists is going to make them among the. hot toys of the season. So, it's like a. self-fulfilling or self-paying prophecy. >> Yeah. I mean, I guess anytime you look. up something on a major retailer. website, those first few things are. sponsored and they say sponsored in. little letters. >> Oh, sometimes they don't. >> Oh, really? >> Mhm. >> Yeah. I mean, sometimes it's kind of. hard to discern uh whether or not you're.

looking at the the real top thing or the. sponsored thing, >> right? And I think like with the gift. list in particular, I don't believe that. they say that these are sponsored. I. think it's just like here's the hot list. according to Amazon. >> Well, let's talk a bit about marketing. in general around the holidays. >> Mhm. >> Um that you know it's a it's a science. in a way and they have found out through. science that um happy people buy more. Uh you are not everyone's happy around. the holidays but they definitely as.

marketers play on the idea that you are. happier around the holidays and so you. should be in the buying spirit. Uh. definitely when you're talking about. kids that is the case they pummel. children with ads. Uh there was one. study here uh University of. Hertfordshire counted 100 ads in a. threehour Saturday morning kids uh slot. Christmas. >> 100 in a three-hour slot. >> That's a lot of ads. >> It is. Um and then of course you know.

children are on more than one screen. these days. So, they're also getting ads. on, you know, when they're watching. YouTube or whatever. Um, or just on kids. websites. There's ads everywhere. I. can't remember what episode we really. kind of dove into that advertising to. children. >> Oh, man. I think it was about. advertising for children. Like, >> must have. >> that was the sole, you know, goal. >> So, so the the idea is that just just. the holiday season itself puts most of. us in a pretty good mood. and.

advertisers say, "Oh, well, if we. release ads that are holiday themed, we'll be able to kind of tap into that. goodwill and good mood and um make you. nostalgic or or feel good about things.". And so um by doing that, we'll be able. to kind of tie our b our brand or our. product to that holiday um that holiday. sensation, and you'll say, "Oh, I do. want to go buy that because it makes me. think of uh being a kid at Christmas. time." That's really basic stuff. Um I I.

mean like that's everywhere. You can't. get away from that in the holiday. season. And there's not even necessarily. anything wrong with it. It's just that's. just basic marketing and advertising 101. when it comes to holiday advertising. >> Yeah. And the other thing we mentioned. earlier uh in terms of marketing and. this is also marketing 101 is about. scarcity. Uh if you have a toy that there's a. limited amount of, that is when you're. going to find people trampling each. other uh to get there because people are.

motivated by fear. And if you know that. a toy is a mustave and there aren't many. of them and they're going on sale at a. certain time, it is frightening what a. parent, some parents might do to secure. that toy. >> Yes. So this is finally we've reached. the key ingredient, right? You've got. lists of toys that are promoted and. advertised and maybe even show up with. their own articles in the media. Then. you have the fact that we're already. kind of primed to to buy because it's. the holiday season. We're in a good.

mood. But when you add that scarcity. marketing, it ramps it up to a totally. different level. And when you have a. must-have toy that is hard to find, like. you said, people will do very crazy, violent, mean stuff to get it. And. there's a lot of reasons why. Even if. you're not willing to like throw an. elbow to get a toy, you might still be. willing to camp out at 4:00 a.m. waiting. for, you know, a 24-hour retailer to. restock um their their supply of this so.

you can buy it. That's unusual behavior. And the reason why it all comes down to. scarcity marketing and the idea that we. have a fear of missing out, a fear of. social embarrassment, a fear of our kids. not loving us as much as they could had. we gotten them this toy. And that all of. these things, the scarcity marketing is. the real driver that kind of. hypercharges must have toy frenzy. >> Yeah. And it's not, you know, just toys. You've seen everything from um you make.

a great point about Papy Van Winkle. whiskey. >> Oh, I should say that's from uh. Marketing Land. A guy named Jacob. Bodsgard. >> Oh, yeah. >> Wrote an article on Marketing Land where. he cited that and the Disney Vault is. really good examples. >> Yeah, Disney Vault is another great one. Um they were very famous for not. >> just saying like here's all the movies. we've ever made. >> that you can buy on VHS all in one big. package. uh they would release them. every every now and then and you know. you had a limited time to get them and.

uh I wasn't really hipped all this but. uh my dad uh and his wife were way into. the Disney stuff. >> and you know they were adamant about. making sure they filled out the entire. collection and really kept up with when. they were going to be released and what. a big deal that was. Yeah, that was a. big one. And um Bodsgard makes the point. like by making them limited and. available also only for a limited time. with years sometimes a decade in between. times when you can buy these things. It. creates this like frenzy to go buy them.

and it also makes them like a treasured. part of that person's home. You know. what I mean? >> Yeah. And you can also fake out the. public a little bit and uh mislead them. on the scarcity. like you might have a. lot of this stuff and just kind of lead. the public to believe like no, you. better go get one right now. >> because they may not be around next. week. >> Yeah. The people who made Hatchimals, Spin Master, >> um Hatchimals were really hard to find. in I think 2016, 17 and 18. Um and Spin.

Master was basically accused of. purposefully using scarcity marketing. And for their part, they said, "Hey, we. were totally caught off guard three. years in a row by the the um you know, the the popularity of Hatchimals." Other. people were like, "That's that's BS. You. can totally ramp up production pretty. fast." Um, another must-have toy was. fingerlings. Remember them from like. last year, the year before? >> Yeah. They were like little monkeys or. sloths or dragons or whatever that.

[clears throat] would hang on to your. finger and they were little finger-. sized robots that would like blink and. blow kisses and do all sorts of cute. stuff. >> Terrifying. >> They weren't they were cute instead of. uncanny cuz they weren't kind of. >> the words finger- sized robots together. sound, >> right? [laughter]. They would cut your throat while you. slept. Um, but they they were they were. caught unaware. Even though they really. tried hard to make them hit through. social media, they were still surprised. when it actually happened. But they. ramped up production. They brought a.

third factory in China online. They went. from shipping via cargo boat to air. transport to get supplies here faster. And they were able to ramp up and and. meet demand pretty quickly. So the idea. that Hatchimals just couldn't possibly. do that really smelled to a lot of. people like they were purposefully using. scarcity marketing. >> Yeah, scarcity. I mean, it's an. interesting concept because you see it. everywhere. You know, they they have. restaurants that, you know, here in. Atlanta, H Homeman and Finch had the. Holman and Finch burger that.

>> Right. >> like one day a week like we'll sell a. hundred of them starting at 10 p.m. on. this night. >> Yeah. >> And then everyone's like, "Oh my god, what is in that burger?". >> People would line up on the block. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Or uh this is a nice little tidbit here. that you dug up about uh supermarket. experiments. >> Yeah. That's from a a article from. Market Watch by Mark Elwood. He found. that one. >> It's amazing. Even putting up a sign for. soup that says limit 12 per person will. make people to be like, "Oh, I should I.

should probably buy 12 of these, >> right?". >> For whatever reason, Campbell might they. might stop making their chicken noodle. soup, [clears throat]. >> right? Or in this case, it was soup that. was on sale. So, who knows what the. price is going to go back to, you know? >> Well, that's true. So um one of the. other things that scarcity produces is. this idea that there are halves and have. nots, right? >> So if the idea that you're fearful of. missing out or fearful of your kid not. loving you is isn't enough, there's a. whole other um cognitive bias of of.

being a have not of being left out in. the co which I guess is a fear of. missing out. But there's also the. benefit of being a have where if you're. talking about like a fingerling which is. a $15 toy but people were crazy for. those things either last year or the. year before any like just about anybody. can afford this $15 toy. So, even if. you're like a have not throughout the. year, you're down on your luck, maybe. you're unemployed or you're.

undermployed, um things just aren't. going your way, you could still camp out. and wait for that late night restocking. of fingerlings and get your kid that. toy. That's right. And for that time, you are a have Yeah. And maybe even. somebody with a much higher social. status than you couldn't get that. fingerling, which makes it all the more. sweet. And then let's also not forget, like we said, this is during the holiday. season. So emotions like count extra. So. to be a have when you're normally not.

during the holiday season because you. got a must have toy is exponentially uh. increased. >> Yeah, it's a big deal. Um because it's. it even if it's just uh emotionally. equal for a brief period of time, >> it's it can be a big deal. >> for somebody. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um, I say we take our final break here. >> Same here. >> And then we come back and talk about uh. the worst people, toy flippers, right. after this. [laughter]. [bell].

[music]. >> [music]. >> All right. So, I set up the worst people. are toy flippers. Obviously, there's a. lot of really, really bad people in the. world, and I'm being somewhat.

hyperbolic, but I do think. >> somewhat. >> the idea of. buying uh targeting and buying a lot of. must-have toys to sell later for profit. on eBay. >> makes you a pretty rotten person. >> Yeah, >> I'm going to go ahead and lay that. judgment down. >> Some people do. I reserve judgment for. the ones who do it professionally. I. think if you are a person who is just. trying to augment your um your own like. holiday expenses.

and uh you are foreseeing a lack of. supply ahead of time, I say more power. to you. >> Yeah, I'm not into it. I I I feel the. same way about ticket scalpers. >> Yeah, >> it's exact I mean it's the same thing. basically. >> Yeah, it's it's buying up a bunch of. things. Uh sometimes, and this is. completely gross and awful, uh using. bots. >> Yeah, that's the pits. >> to uh especially for concert tickets.

Like when bots buy up all the best. concert tickets, >> especially our tickets. >> Yeah, exactly. That's. >> I don't think anybody uses bots on ours. >> Well, probably not. But [snorts] um. actually, stuff you should know is is. we've seen very few bad uh examples of. people trying to overcharge for a. soldout show. More times than not, it's. a fellow listener that's like, "Hey, just come along. You can sit next to me. for face value or I'll even give it to. you.". >> Yeah, that happens quite a bit. And. yeah, I mean, there's only been a couple.

where somebody's like, you know, a. million dollars and of course they. didn't sell it. >> No. >> Um, but yeah, we haven't run into that. Mostly the problem is from um ticket. outlets just charging ridiculous fees on. top of our ticket price. Well, that. makes us mad and you all should know we. don't have control over that. >> No. >> Um, we're we're the Eddie veter of. podcasting, [laughter]. >> right? >> But, uh, if you ever find yourself in a. situation where you got shut out of a. stuff you should know show and your. option is to not go or to pay like a. ridiculous amount, just send us an. email. We'll put you on the list.

>> Oh god, Chuck. Wow. You just opened some. floodgates. >> I mean, there's very few list spots, so. it's not like, you know, >> right now you just started a must have. toy frenzy for the list. [laughter] Look. at what you've done. >> Oh, let's get back to bots. Um, these. bots are so savvy uh that they can. >> they can buy out they can have hundreds. of credit card numbers. >> on file because sometimes they'll have. like a limit to how many things you can.

buy. >> They are all these shortcuts and ways to. bypass all of these safeguards put into. effect, including captions. They will. hire foreign workers to sit around and. type in the captions to get through. security, >> which I mean, if there is anything that. says holiday spirit more than that, I. can't think of it. >> But these bots can uh can sometimes buy. out something in the the second that it. goes up online for a regular human being.

to say, "Oh, like, all right, they've. released the tickets or the the doll.". >> Mhm. >> Gone. >> Right. because they they'll so what. they'll do is they'll go on to like. retail websites and figure out what the. unique ID is for the product that. they're looking for. >> That's the real. >> it'll start right it'll start monitoring. that page because people who build these. pages will put them out and just won't. you know kind of rel open the curtain. for hours ahead of time. So the bot will. have the page targeted and just keep. refreshing it hundreds of times a. second. >> Yeah. until that sale goes live. And.

they will have ordered scores of these. things or dozens or hundreds, whatever, however many it can before you can even. if you're sitting there refreshing your. browser. Between the time it takes to. refresh your page, they will have wiped. the place out using these bots. And then. if you're truly sophisticated, you. probably have another set of bots who. take your inventory and then put it up. for sale at some exorbitant price on. Amazon or eBay or Craigslist or.

something like that. >> Yeah. The worst people. >> So like you don't even have to do. anything. You just stick your bots on. it. >> Yeah. And I stand by it even for the uh. the enterprising person who I I just I. don't know. I don't I have I have a big. problem with someone making money off of. someone else's misfortune to not have. been able to get that themselves. I. don't think it makes someone scrappy or. enterprising at all. >> Hey man, that's that's fine. >> Yeah, I I'll die on this hill. >> Okay, that's fine. So, if you are one of.

those people that Chuck hates and you. want to be enterprising, there is a. article written by Lisa Smith. It's on. Investipedia and it's called the guide. to reselling toys at Christmas for extra. money. >> Oh god. >> Which is very innocuous. Um then there's. some tips actually that make a lot of. sense if you want to do this. Do you. want to go over them or you going to. remain mute? >> You can go over them. >> So you could talk to parents if you. wanted to. Right, Chuck? Yeah, that's. right Josh. Good idea. Um there because. they know what kids want. You could talk. to kids themselves which makes sense. I.

mean just go right to the horse's mouth. I've already said the same thing, Josh. Um, you can talk to Santa. I thought. this was pretty enterprising. Like, imagine if you are trying, so what. you're trying to do here is to identify. what toy you want to buy as early ahead. of time as possible. >> so that um, you can have identified the. hot season, the hot toy of the season, and bought them before the demand really. struck. So, you talk to mall sas, hang. out in stores, you can talk to cashiers,

stock people, all that stuff because not. only will they know what toy you need to. look out for, they'll know when these. new supplies are coming in. Maybe slip. them a Starbucks card or something like. that with 10 bucks on it as a thank you, >> but be sure to deduct that from your. bottom line. >> Sure. Bribery. Deduct that bribery. >> Right. [clears throat] And then, um, you. can actually hang out in chat rooms. There's entire websites that are. dedicated to this kind of stuff that are. um you know that that say like here's. the toys we're looking for. I I spotted.

some at this you know Walmart or. whatever there this this stock guy said. that Walmart re replenishes them on. Thursdays at 10. Um there's a lot of. stuff you can do if you really wanted to. put the leg work in. >> Great. Or you could put all that energy. into doing something worthwhile. >> Right. I I know what you're talking. about. This is the like the Michael. Larson approach to the holidays. The the. man who got no whammies on Press Your. Luck. >> Oh, I had no problem with him.

>> Okay. This is virtually the same thing. >> No, it's not. >> It's somebody gave. >> Michael Larson wasn't uh there wasn't. some uh father who didn't have much. money that you know overpaid for a doll. to make his little girl happy at. Christmas time. Mhm. >> Michael Larson didn't do that, >> right? Uh he would have though. I'm sure. of it. [laughter]. [gasps]. >> Oh goodness. >> So that's what you can do if you want to.

flip toys and ruin the holidays as far. as Chuck's concerned. >> That's right. >> Um and that is that is a big part of the. competition are people who will go buy. out stocks. Like you're not really. facing them nationwide unless you're. talking about people who release bots. onto websites or whatever. they are out. there and they do they do actually. create competition and help drive that. frenzy even further because remember. what's behind must have toys is scarcity. marketing and if there are people out. there actively contributing to the. scarcity that's a big deal.

>> here's what I want to hear from I want. to hear from uh some women listeners who. let's say you go on a on a on a date. from a dating app and you sit down. across from your date and you're like. what do you do and he goes I'm a toy. flipper And she's like, "What's that?". He goes, "Well, you know, around. Christmas time, I go out and I buy like. tons of toys that I know little kids. really really want and then I mark them. up so I can make a lot of money off. their parents who may not be able to. afford it, >> right?". >> And just tell me how that date goes from.

there. [laughter]. >> Yeah. Well, can it does it have to be a. man and a woman? Can it just be anybody? >> It can be anybody, but you know, I think. the guy that does this is the guy that I. just did that voice for. >> who's apparently from Jersey. >> Sure. They're all from New Jersey. >> Okay. [laughter]. >> And I love New Jersey. >> So, um I feel like we've learned a lot. here. >> Yeah. >> We've talked about, you know, how a toy. becomes a musth have toy of a season. Usually, it has to do with some sort. some combination of of advertising and.

buzz marketing as long or as well as um. scarcity. The flippers get involved. Um, I think, and I want to back this up, Chuck, there's not a lot of stuff out. there on this. This all had to be. brought together. This is kind of one of. those rare stuff you should know thesis. >> Yeah. >> About what makes a must have toy a must. have toy. But I think it's I think it. holds up. >> Should we talk about some of the the big. toys of this year? >> Yes. So, those lists that are out there, >> this helps me actually.

>> We put a bunch of Well, that's the. point. That's We're trying to help you. and all of the toy flippers out there. >> [laughter]. >> So, actually this is for all the. parents. This will help you get a drop. on the toy flippers because I guarantee. there are very few toy flippers. listening to stuff you should know. [clears throat]. >> No, cuz we have good people in our. audience. >> So, the all those lists that are out. there now, we kind of compiled and. crossreerenced them. >> Uh, a number of them. Lists from Target, Toys, Tots, Pets, and More. That's just. one. Amazon, The Today Show, Toy.

Insider, The Spruce, Crazy Coupon Lady, who had a post about toy flipping, Walmart, and New York Magazine. All of. those lists we looked at, and we found. ones that appeared on at least a couple, if not more. And one of them, the first. one, appeared on basically every single. list that we saw. Yeah, this one, the. Bloom doll, B L U M E. >> Uh, nothing to do with arrested. development, but it is this is something that that my.

daughter might like. Apparently, this is. another another thing you add water to. uh and it blooms, but this is I don't. think it hatches from an egg. I think. this doll just like grows like a Chia. Petet might. >> kind of. And like their hair that grows. is I can't tell. It looks like some sort. of foam or styrofoam or something, but. it takes different shapes like. pineapples or cakes or something like. that. >> So cute. >> And there's I think 22 different. versions. Yeah. >> Okay. >> 10,000 of them at Walk It Up. [laughter].

>> Yeah. But they're also Yeah. They're. super affordable, too. So, they're. they're probably going to be the hot. must-have Christmas toy of the year is. Bloom Dolls. >> Hatchimals are still around. >> Yeah. And there's one that's um from How. to Train Your Dragon, Toothless Dragon. >> Yeah, >> the baby dragon. >> They have a Hatchimal version of him. >> What else? Surely Barbie's on the list. >> Yeah, Barbie has a dream plane. >> Whoa. >> Which I saw in a couple of lists where. um Yeah, it's a plane for Barbie.

There's like a snack cart and. everything. >> Okay. >> Comes with a dog that I guess lives on. the plane. >> Great. >> There's also LOL Surprise. Have you. heard of that? >> No. I hadn't heard of it either until we. started researching this, but they're. like a whole brand. Um, and a lot of. these, including Bloom Dolls and LOL. Surprise, they tap into like this whole. trend of unboxing. Do you remember when. we talked about unboxing on YouTube. where like people open toys? >> Yeah. Because our good friend uh Joe.

Randazzo did his Lego Man unboxing. videos that were still to me one of the. funniest things I've ever seen. >> Yes. Great plug, by the way. But they. they still do that. Like they're still. unboxing. It's a huge trend and that's. worked its way into toys. So LOL. Surprise is kind of based on that. And. there's like a whole line of dolls, but. they're like into like DJ stuff and. fashion and all that, but they also have. Surprise. And there's also a kid named. Ryan's World. I don't think that's his.

last name, but that's his his YouTube. channel. And guarantee we talked about. Ryan's world in that unboxing toys. episode, but um he's got all sorts of. toys that are um out where like you just. don't know what you're getting when you. open the thing. It's just surprise. unboxing. >> The weird subg genre on YouTube of. unboxing or I remember we talked about. the one where the lady's hands would. just play with things. >> Yeah, it was the Yeah, remember she was. like Peppa Pig. >> Yeah, it's so interesting. Uh, I'll tell.

you the one on the list though that I. like that um I usually look at the toys. that I'm like, would I like to play this. with my daughter because that's. important. >> I can't be bored out of my mind, you. know. >> Oh, yeah. Good point. >> Uh, and this Lego make your own movie. kit looks pretty cool to me. >> Yeah, I was kind of heartened to see. that on on a couple of lists, you know, because it's like this is. >> stopotion movies you can make. >> Yeah. It's thoughtful. It's inventive. >> I love it. >> Yeah. Where it's it's Yeah. There's They.

have a bunch of different stages and. backgrounds and props, including a. banana. [laughter]. It's great. So, you learn how to make. Are you going to get get her that? >> I might. >> I think you should. >> You want to come over and make a movie? >> Anytime, buddy. >> All right. >> Can we make a um a flaming hoop out of a. coat hanger and do things with that, too? >> Sure. >> Okay. Um and then the other one was the. FisherPrice links, which are super cute, including the smooth move sloth. Hey, I'm down with Fisher Price. >> Yeah, sloths are huge. Huge right now.

Yeah. Do you remember Playmobil? >> Playmobil. >> Remember they they were like the vaguely. European kind of um action people, but. there was nothing like violent or. military about them. They would explore. or um. >> I probably recognize him. I definitely. know that name. >> You you've seen it a million times right. when you see it. Yeah. I'll I'll I'll. I'll look it up and show it to you. later, but it's You'll see it and be. like, "Yeah, of course.". >> Oh, wait. I see him right there. Sure.

>> Yeah, there you go. >> Yeah. I was kind of a FisherPrice kid, but um you know, we still have some of. that stuff that our daughter plays with. that we had when we were kids, like the. barn and the. >> uh the boat. >> And you know, it holds up. >> Definitely does hold up. You got. anything else? >> Got nothing else. >> You going to go buy a bunch of toys and. flip them? I got nothing else except for. 20,000 Hatchimals in my garage. >> Man, here's the other thing though, Chuck. Like, you're taking a risk. because you got to predict what the must. have to. And if you if you guess wrong,

you got 20,000 Hatchimals that nobody. wants. >> Boy, I'd love to see that happen in real. life. >> I guarantee it happens. So, just keep an. ear out. >> All right. >> Uh, if you want to know more about the. must have toys, there's basically. nothing you can't know that we haven't. already told you. So, just I guess go. get your your kids some Christmas toys. >> That's right. >> Is that a good way to sign off? >> That's great. >> Okay, since I said uh is this a good way. to sign off, it's time for listener.

mail. >> Uh I'm going to call this from a. teacher. We always like to shout out our. teachers and their their students. >> Mhm. >> Uh hey guys, just sending one of what. I'm sure is among infinite thank yous. that you receive. As a teacher who. regularly references knowledge I gain. from listening to your show in my class, my students unwittingly [music]. uh and I are eternally grateful for your. work. They give a hearty laugh whenever. I steal your characters tuk tuk uh the. wise protohomo sapien and Urg, the.

[music] folly prone genetic defect to. elucidate points about the evolution of. early humans. Uh I knew you wouldn't. mind my poaching that. >> That's what you think, John. You'll be. hearing from our lawyers, John. >> You're the toy flipper of teachers. [laughter]. Just kidding. Uh, the reason I'm writing. is to say I think you should not be. discouraged by any listener mail you. receive telling you to keep your. opinions to yourself. My favorite. episodes are the ones where either or. both of you have such strong feelings.

about the subject that you can't help. but go on a rant. Maybe it's just. because I agree with every rant, but I. feel like it is important to take a. stand on issues [music] that matter to. you and admit that you're human beings. with a real stake in the game. Thanks. again. I'll keep listening [music] as. long as you keep podcasting. That is. from John Labushkin. So, thank you, Mr. Labushkin. And hello to uh your. students, Mr. Labushkin's class. >> Yeah. Hi, guys. >> You got a cool teacher. >> Yeah, he does something pretty cool.

He's doing God's work, teaching the next. generation. >> That's right. >> I hope he doesn't work in a public. school cuz he's going to be like, "Can't. say God's work." [laughter]. >> Uh, if you want to get in touch with us. like Mr. Leushkin did, or if you're a. toy flipper who has an argument against. Chuck's argument, we want to hear from. you. >> You can go on to stuff you should. know.com and check out our social links. And you can also send us an email to. stuffpodcast@iheartradio.com.

Stuff You Should [music] Know is a. production of iHeart Radio's How Stuff. Works. For more podcasts from iHeart. Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple. Podcasts, or wherever you listen [music]. to your favorite shows.