I worked in a toy store when Furbys were the “if I don’t buy this, my child will hate me forever!!!” toy of the season. We got a single shipment of them in December and the store circular announced the day the shipment was coming. Limited quantities, no rainchecks, no layaways, first come first served. Strict limit of 1 per customer.
There were 36 in the shipment. People were lined up around the block at 6 am. Some of them tried to strongarm their way into the store through the employee entrance when we tried to get in to work.
And when the store opened for business… holy fuck.
First, it was a total fucking mob scene as people shoved past each other trying to be right in front of the door. People were pounding on the door and windows so hard we were afraid they’d shatter and yelling to be allowed in. The owner was smart enough to bring in her husband and college-age son to man the front door which was opened just enough to let one person at a time in, locked right away, customer was escorted to the register by the manager, one employee (me) would go in the back, bring out a Furby, which would be rung up and bagged by another employee.
People tried every excuse in the book to buy more than one, including threatening to sue the owner for false advertising even though the ad said limit 1 per customer.
Whichever color Furby they got, they got, because whichever color Furby it was, it was the wrong one. We don’t care if you promised your daughter an all white one; the tiger-stripe one is just as creepy and annoying. Take it or GTFO.
There were a couple who flat-out admitted they were just buying them to make a killing on eBay. Whatever, just pay your $39.95 + tax and GTFO.
Outside was bedlam as people tried to trade the “wrong” Furby for the “right” one, and after we ran out, those who didn’t get them trying to beg, borrow, or steal from the enFurbied ones.
When we ran out, it might actually have been worse because in spite of the giant SORRY SOLD OUT OF FURBIES sign on the front door people were convinced that we were hiding hundreds of them in “the back,” that mystical realm where retail drones hide all the good stuff, even though the whole fucking point of a retail store is to sell shit to make money. Even personally walking these toolbags into “the back” and pointing out the empty Furby carton didn’t do it, because it just convinced them that we were hiding them all somewhere else for our own nefarious purposes.
The owner promised she’d never make the effort to bring in the “OMG Chrismas is ruined forever if I don’t get this!!!” toy of the year again because it wasn’t worth the hell on earth.
Of course, by June, we had Furbies out the wazoo and couldn’t sell them even on clearance, because parents found out how annoying they were, and the kids had all moved onto something else. No one’s Christmas was ruined, no one’s kids hated them forever. Kids are resilient; they’re upset for a little while but they get over it.
TLDR version: AngelSoft, thanks for being one of the sane parents. :D:D:D
They look pretty cool, I have to say. I may just have to keep my eye out. Can’t tell if they’ll be able to be purchased online–we don’t have a Target near.
