Tickle-me-all-over-again?
Written by Matt Pace (contact - e-mail) -- September 13th, 2006 | Recommend This
It’s that time of the year parents. You know the one…when your competition is already combing the malls of suburbia in search of the holiday must-have of 2006. 10 years ago an annoyingly giddy electronic doll named Elmo was all the rage among toddlers—fueling mass hysteria among Santa’s little helpers (a.k.a. parents). Well those toy wizards over at Fisher-Price are at it again and have dreamt up another beauty this year.
What better way to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of parents paying hundreds of dollars for a $29 stuffed toy, than to introduce a new and improved Elmo? If you haven’t heard about him, your children or the press will let you know all about TMX (Tickle Me Extreme, or Tickle Me Elmo Ten) soon enough.
The “Extreme” moniker would aptly describe the lengths Fisher-Price has gone to in order to keep the specifics about this doll from leaking prior to its September 19th unveiling. TMX has been available for pre-order by a new generation of parents for a few months now. The chart below shows the number of online shoppers the doll has attracted at the top retailers since they began taking pre-orders.
Walmart landed most of these shoppers in March, after heavily promoting its exclusive two-week rights to take the first pre-orders. The other toy retailers joined the pre-order party in April and led to a short-lived demand spike. Interest has grown steadily since May and is certain to explode in a matter of days as a result of the hoards of press and advertising this Elmo is sure to receive beginning with its debut next week.
Will there be enough Elmos to go around this time, or will parents once again be driven to extreme measures to secure one for their child? Beats me, but as the father of an Elmo adoring 2-year old, I’d probably be wise to make the obligatory pre-order on Amazon sooner rather than later.
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September 13th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
If All the Other Parents Bought Their Kids a Bridge, Would You Buy One Too?
…And in a very weird coincidence, an email from the folks at Compete arrived just a few minutes later, asking me to check out their latest blog entry:
It’s that time of the year parents. You know the one…when your competition is already combing the malls of suburbia in search of the holiday must-have of 2006. 10 years ago an annoyingly giddy electronic doll named Elmo was all the rage among toddlers—fueling mass hysteria among Santa’s little helpers (a.k.a. parents). Well those toy wizards over at Fisher-Price are at it again and have dreamt up another beauty this year….. Will there be enough Elmos to go around this time, or will parents once again be driven to extreme measures to secure one for their child? Beats me, but as the father of an Elmo adoring 2-year old, I’d probably be wise to make the obligatory pre-order on Amazon sooner rather than later.
So at first I totally laughed. Seriously? A big secret teaser campaign over another Tickle-Me-Elmo? An EXTREME Tickle-Me-Elmo? Whatever.
And yet…
I was in kindergarten when the Cabbage Patch Kids hit. My mother got up at the crack of dawn to wait in line outside of ToysRUs for the chance to clobber other parents over the head in order to buy me one. And she did. (Buy me one, that is. I don’t believe it ever came down to clobbering.)
Then it was the Care Bears. My parents looked everywhere in the weeks leading up to Christmas and couldn’t find one. So my mom went to the fabric store, bought a pattern and sewed me a Cheer Bear her own self.
As I read that entry on the Compete blog, I started to get this…itch…in my fingers…the overwhelming desire to click right back over to Amazon and pre-order an Elmo. God, maybe I should get two, for my nephew, just in case my sister hasn’t heard of this yet and then we won’t be able to find them by Christmas and we will just be the LAUGHINGSTOCKS of the playground because ALL THE OTHER BABIES HAVE T.M.X ELMO WAAAH….
September 20th, 2006 at 12:32 am
MY DAUGHTER IS WELL PASSED THE “ELMO” PHASE, BUT, MY GODSON AND NEICE ARE NOT. MY GODSON IS LITERALLY OBSESSED WITH “MOMO”. I PURCHASED 4 OF THESE. THEY ARE THE CUTEST THING EVER. WORTH THE MONEY. IT IS SO CUTE I COULDNT WAIT UNTIL XMAS TO GIVE IT TO MY GODSON. HE IS 18 AND HE ABSOLUTELY ADORES IT. HIS LAUGHTER IS PRICELESS. ON ANOTHER NOTE. THE OTHER TWO ELMO’S I PURCHASED WILL BE LISTED ON EMAIL AROUND BLACK FRIDAY. THEY WILL EASILY SELL FOR A $100 OR MORE(ONE SOLD FOR $255,THE REST ON EBAY ARE ATLEAST $100) THEY WILL NOT BE SHIPPING ANY MORE OUT UNTIL MAYBE AFTER XMAS, BUT FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THEY WILL NOT BE PRODUCING ALOT OF THESE. SO, IF YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT TRY AND GET IT NOW, MOST PLACES ARE SOLD OUT. I WOULD TRY TARGET, THEY HAVE A 2 DOLL MINIMUM. I BOUGHT 2 AND MY 5 YEAR OLD BOUGHT 2:)
September 20th, 2006 at 12:33 am
SORRY, I MEANT MY GODSON IS 18 MONTHS.
September 20th, 2006 at 8:13 am
TMX elmo is out.
get your elmo now before they are sold out
September 20th, 2006 at 11:53 am
Where can I purchase the new TMX Tickle Me Elmo in Virginia Beach or online?
September 20th, 2006 at 12:10 pm
Our Target did not set a limit. The lady in the checkout in front of me bought thirteen of them to sell on eBay. Unfortunatly, if you want one now, it will not be the forty dollars in the stores, but close to one hundred or more on sites like ebay. I feel bad for the parents who want to buy for their kids and could not get to stores at eight o’clock yesterday to buy one. (And the ones who did only to find people buying up greedy amounts only to resell them). I was able to get one for my kid who loves Elmo (and only one), but feel a bit strange for giving into the hype. Good luck to all the parents out there who really just want to make their child happy!!
September 20th, 2006 at 12:18 pm
Where can I find the new Tickle me Elmo TMX in Clearwater Florida or online?
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:49 am
I have a problem finding one myself. I would like know if they will have more since this is the first shipment to stores and how many of the TMX elmo was actually made or will make? And how many was made of the previous one? Please email me if you have the answers? Thank you so much, John.
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:50 am
Johny1@hotmail.com
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:51 am
My appology, the correct email is: Johny1_879@hotmail.com
September 22nd, 2006 at 1:11 pm
HEE!! I got one last night at Toys R Us! Not sure who is going to get it, but I too was crushed as a kid about the Care Bear rush, I did not get one until much later. My dad did get me a Cabbage Patch in a frenzy, he may have clobbered someone;)
Good luck to anyone who’s looking for one!
September 22nd, 2006 at 1:45 pm
Try going to KMart as soon as it opens. I went right when they opened at 8:00AM and asked if they had any. The clerk at the front of the store aid they were out. I went and asked another employee when the trucks arrive and she said they come in every morning. She took me to the back of the store where the truck was unloaded and they had two boxes full of TMX Elmos. The brown cardboard box had a yellow label on it marked something like, “Special Package.” Hope you find them.
September 26th, 2006 at 4:21 pm
OH PLEASE!!! “TMX” IS PROBABLY THE WORST TOY YOU COULD GET A KID (BESIDES A BRATZ DOLL).
IT’S NO WONDER KIDS ARE OUT OF CONTROL. WE OVER-INDULGETHEM WITH TOYS THAT JUST GET TOSSED IN THE CORNER AFTER A DAY OR TWO OR PARENTS GET SOOOOO ANNOYED WITH THE NOISE THEY CREATE THEY ACTUALLY REMOVE THE BATTERIES.
IS IT ANY WONDER KIDS FEEL SO ENTITLED AND HAVE BECOME SO DEMANDING? LOOK AT THE OVER THE TOP TOYS BEING OFFERED AND THE LENGTHS TO WHICH PARENTS WILL GO TO GET THEM FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
DO SOCIETY A FAVOR AND GET YOUR CHILDREN A NICE SET OF BUILDING BLOCKS & A FEW GOOD BOOKS, TURN OFF THE TV, COMPUTER AND YOUR CELL PHONE. PLAY WITH YOUR CHILD. DON’T BUY OVER STIMULATING TOYS TO DO A PARENTS JOB.
OUR FAMILY WILL NOT BE BUYING ANY TMX’S THIS YEAR OR EVER.
*stepping down from soapbox now*
September 27th, 2006 at 3:37 am
Theresa-
Over the top? More like over the hill. Times are a changing lady. If you don’t want to be part of the 21st Century, then don’t, but who are you to preach to and lecture others as to how they should raise their children? Get a grip and get with the program.
September 29th, 2006 at 6:50 pm
[quote]DON’T BUY OVER STIMULATING TOYS TO DO A PARENTS JOB.[/quote]
What if you don’t like being tickled?
[quote]IS IT ANY WONDER KIDS FEEL SO ENTITLED AND HAVE BECOME SO DEMANDING? LOOK AT THE OVER THE TOP TOYS BEING OFFERED AND THE LENGTHS TO WHICH PARENTS WILL GO TO GET THEM FOR THEIR CHILDREN.[/quote]
My grandfather was a fairly wealthy man, and he could never understand why my parents would do the whole santa thing and “waste all that money on those toys” until grandma died and he was up in his age and he said to my mom “you know what, you were right. Its not about the money…its about making your family happy…because in the end what good is the money?”
If you want your children to appreciate things more, you have to appreciate things more. “Grown-ups” go out and buy things on the whim, or whatever they “want” not necessarily need, so why would their children need to act any different?
Back to the topic at hand, tmx is a really neat toy. I managed to order 2 and can’t wait for them to come. Its impossible not to laugh while watching him roll around on the floor. =D
October 2nd, 2006 at 8:52 pm
I went to my local Wal-Mart at 11:30pm for the Elmo that wouldn’t be available til 12:01 am, and got in the front of the line. There was only nine total and a one per family limit. I got one and my friend got one. I plan on giving it to my 18 month old niece. She already has the Elmo that knows her name and has a schedule programmed in to wake up and other stuff. My friend hasnt decided to give hers as a gift or resale. We heard the ones we have with the “Warning” label on the front of the box, versus the “Top Secret”, was more rare and thus more valuable. Does anyone know just how many they are making and can validate the rumors over the rare label issue?
October 10th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
I would say that the TOP SECRET box is the Rare box! Because of the fact that they were in the first shipment only, on the 19th of Sept and are selling for $10-$20 more on E-bay!
October 17th, 2006 at 1:34 am
Hi I am joe I have a tickle me elmo 10 extreme brand new in the box
I am from milwaukee wisconsin I am trying to sell it for at least 450 dollars
by this christmas hit me up if u wanna by it
October 19th, 2006 at 12:51 am
I think it is aweful how adults are buying this item and selling it for ungodly amount of money. Children love Elmo, and now most will not be able to have one. And if they do get one from a person who sold it to them for 450 dollars that will be their only present. I hope you can sleep at night
October 19th, 2006 at 11:01 am
This has gotten completely out of hand. People who hoard toys and then resell them at outrageous prices are manipulating the market in a totally unscrupulous way. What they have created amounts to a black market for toys in America.
It’s time for parents, grandparents and anyone else who believes in fairness for children to demand that something be done. I believe a new law is needed, which would make it illegal to resell toys in the first year of release for more than the manufacturer’s recommended retail price.
I urge anyone who wishes to see this practice stopped to write their congressman and ask for such a bill to drafted and put in place in time for next Christmas. Nothing will be done about this unless we ask for it to be done.
Parents and grandparents make up a huge portion of the voting public and our lawmakers know that. We can put a stop to this, or at least slow it down. However, if we don’t act this will only get worse year after year.
October 26th, 2006 at 2:50 pm
[quote]Good luck to all the parents out there who really just want to make their child happy!![quote]
I say, “Good luck to all the people who are selling them for a profit!!”
Its not the resellers fault the price is high. Its the producers. If they would release enough to meet demand (instead of creating this hyped-up shortage) then everyone could have one at a lower price.
October 27th, 2006 at 2:55 pm
[quote] “Good luck to all the people who are selling them for a profit”
There is something wrong with the moral fiber of the “resellers” who would rather make a buck and screw over mankind-in this case–children.
If the “resellers”(ebay sellers) would not buy up ungodly amounts and let consumers have a chance to buy one or two toys themselves, it would not be so bad. If the producers made more it would be nice, but when “resellers” are buying them up in ten, twenty, thirty, and so on, at a time, that does not allow the ‘average Joe’ a chance. Most parents work and can not stake out a toy store. When parents do get to a store, all the shelves are empty because some “reseller” bought 150 earlier that morning. I am not saying people should not resell, but this is getting way out of hand. Is this really the type of people we strive to become. The “resellers” are not hurting in their wallet to begin with. They had to fork over quite a bit of money to buy these toys in the first place. So wealthy buys up all the toys and then lines their pockets more at the expense of others.
Yes, if producers meet the demand, there would not be a reason to resell. But the shortage does not make it alright for people to take advantage of others. I hope more decent people sound off to those in positions to make a difference.
October 30th, 2006 at 2:54 pm
The laws of capitalism are: The proprietor of goods can set any price he or she sees fit and shall not be at the mercy of any moral or ethical issues. Sale away the Elmos!
October 31st, 2006 at 1:13 pm
We are a capitalist nation. The above stated exactly how capitalism works but this is sounding a bit like a black market. Prices will continue to rise for any product as long as there is a buyer willing to pay that price. An example of this is the recent housing bubble. Also, World Series tickets costing orginally one hundred fifty dollars face value( each–total price for the pair-three hundred dollars) were going for five thousand dollars on ebay, for the pair. If the buyer refuses to pay for an item that is priced to ‘high’, then the seller, or reseller in this case, will need to lower the price to eventually sell it.
The public that is eager for a product, (TMX Elmo), tends to ignore the price just to get the product. If we, the buyer, wish to keep price in check, then there are times that we must say we would rather do without the item than pay an outragous mark up price. This is truely the only way for capitalism to work. I personally do not plan on buying a forty dollar toy for one hundred dollars ever. There are people out there who do not have this problem and this is why products will continue to bought and resold for a profit. It is not only for the hottest new Elmo toy, but everywhere around us. I stated two other examles, but it includes anything that can be sold. We, the buyers, determine what the price will be by either paying the asking price or not. The power is truely in our hands!
November 2nd, 2006 at 5:58 pm
People are nuts! I can’t believe people would pay $200 for a TMX Elmo. I got mine for free from FreeElmos.com but then again I consider myself “Smarter than the average bear” All I did was sign up for a free trial and told some girlfriends, the next week Fedex left the tmx elmo on my doorstep. I would never have believed it if i didnt personally experience it myself.
November 11th, 2006 at 10:32 am
“There is something wrong with the moral fiber of the “resellers” who would rather make a buck and screw over mankind-in this case–children.”
I’m offended…I happened across two elmos and with the profit from them I will be able to afford nicer gifts for my kids. I see nothing wrong with offering them to someone who is willing and has the $$ to pay more.
November 13th, 2006 at 9:46 pm
Tori, instead of writing your congressman about:
” “resellers” are buying them up in ten, twenty, thirty, and so on, at a time, that does not allow the ‘average Joe’ a chance”
How about you stop and think for a minute. Why is the price so high? Supply and demand, that simple. If you have such a problem with the whole process complain about the makers of Elmo not making enough. What, they didn’t know from the last few times Elmo sold like nuts that this would happen? You want to make more ridiculous laws to stop what? Certainly not the source of the problem. You must be a politician, make more retarded laws that do nothing.
So you are complaining about little johnny who lives in the same town as the “reseller” not getting an Elmo, at least little johnny has a chance. What if little johnny lives in some remote area of Idaho? Without eBay the kid has ZERO chance, except for eBay.
And no, eBay isn’t the problem either, let’s take the 4gb apple ipod nano, it’s VERY popular, yet apple makes enough of them for everyone. At apple.com/store you find them for $199.99, yet on eBay, and the evil resellers, you find the very same exact brand new 4gb apple ipod nano for around $170. WHAT, A $30 SAVINGS OFF EBAY??? How can that be?
SUPPLY AND DEMAND, look it up, it’s simple to understand, it really is.
So if you want to be a retard go ahead and “write their congressman and ask for such a bill to drafted and put in place in time for next Christmas”
Or you can be intelligent and complain to Fisher-Price, the makers of Elmo who clearly knows how popular this doll is and what happened the last time they short changed the buyers. Complain to your congressman about Fisher-Price/Sony/Microsoft/Nintendo….. all the companies who KNOW how popular their product is yet make too few around Christmas.
November 14th, 2006 at 3:44 pm
I’m a grandma now so I.ve gone through the Cabbage Patch dolls, Care Bears, Beenie Babies. I see why Fisher Price is causing such a stir…so all the idots out there will pay a ridiculous amount of money (more money than brains) and if they actually do give it to the child, it won’t last so God forbid they actually play with it! I’m upset that they advertise this item for Christmas and all the children want one, yet they don’t make very many. That is doing nothing but torturing the child and teaching major disappointmet when Santa doesn’t produce and makes the parents feel so bad for their child. Shame on you Fisher-Price and shame on the people that will pay a $1000 for the toy! Leave the toys for the children. I hope all you idiots out there know somebody knows the stupidity of humans and takes advantage and believe me, they are making their fortune from your wallet.
November 18th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
The law of supply and demand rules the world. Why do you think that pro athletes command such outrageous salaries.
Before complaining about elmo, lock at the athletes and the money they get.
And it is all because the public supports that part of life.
Yep, folks, if we think elmo is too high priced, look at the new playstation.
And if you think the prices are too expensive, then buy something else for the kids. Buy the kids books, toys to play with outside for excercise, since our youth are on the average overweight.
November 21st, 2006 at 8:52 am
I searched every where and finally found tmx elmo through tmx elmo
I’m lucky both of my kids really wanted him!
November 24th, 2006 at 11:31 am
Nine Tickle Me Elmo TMX for sale! Will sell individually. Reasonable pricing an shipping. Accepts payment through “Pay Pal.” Can also pick up in person if desired. E-mail Rebecca@strattonexteriors.com or Willkiefar@aol.com.
December 9th, 2006 at 4:11 pm
I have 3 new in box 10th anniversary for sale. Only accept money orders. No paypal.
e-mail me at mickeytnyc@aol.com if interested. ebay going from betweem $85-150.00. Will be reasonable plus shipping or make offer.
December 9th, 2006 at 7:38 pm
I have one tmx elmo left for SALE $175.oo email me MONEY ORDERS ONLY
December 12th, 2006 at 1:27 am
Hello,
I have a few Tickle Me Elmos available at a reasonable price, for those who really want one for that special little child in their life. They are the Top Secret boxes, never opened. I live in a smaller town and they were still at the stores a few weeks after they came out, so i decided to buy a few and help some of you out that got left out by those greedy people out there looking to make a whole lotta money off them. So if you are interested please send me an Email at christinamarciszyn@hotmail.com
December 21st, 2006 at 4:35 pm
I have one brand new still in the top secret box tmx elmo get it now before christmas 150.00
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