‘Faulty’ Hatchimals leave hundreds of children disappointed as must-have Christmas toy fails to hatch
The must-have Christmas toy costs £60 but children were left disappointed when it failed to work
HUNDREDS of children were ‘completely devastated’ when ‘faulty’ Hatchimals failed to work on Christmas day.
The eagerly anticipated toy is supposed to ‘hatch’ itself from an egg when activated and owners are instructed to encourage it by tapping, tilting and rubbing it.
Thousands of parents vented their anger on the Spin Master Facebook page on Christmas day demanding a refund or a replacement for the must-have toy.
Money blogger Holly Smith and her husband Callum were just one of the families affected by a ‘faulty’ hatchimal.
The couple bought two eggs for their daughters Bella-Marie, 4 and Mollie-Rose, 5 but were left disappointed on Christmas morning when one didn't work.
The 31-year-old, who runs the , and her 27-year-old husband tried everything they could to start the hatching process but they had no luck.
Holly told The Sun Online: “Despite the expensive price tag my daughters had their hearts set on Hatchimals, so I wished to give them something they really wanted.
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“When they opened them they were extremely excited but that excitement didn’t last long when one of the eggs was unresponsive.”
“After several hours the egg wasn’t showing any signs of hatching so I went on the Spin Masters Facebook page. Only to see people commenting with the same problem.”
User shared their frustrations on the Spin Masters Facebook. One said: “Have had a very upset six year old over Christmas due to her Hatchimal not working. Followed all the instructions with no luck”.
Another said: “Well, looks like the big toy of the season was a HUGE rip off. Ours wouldn’t hatch like so many others.”
A group called Dead Hatchimal Owners Unite on Facebook has been set up for owners of broken Hatchimals, with already over a thousand members they are demanding justice from the toy firm.
Some users said they’d paid double the £60 retail price in a bid to secure the toy as a Christmas present for their children.
While many parents from around the world also took to Twitter to complain of problems with the toy.
One user said: “My daughters #hatchimal won't hatch. Started making noises then stopped. One disappointed 5 year old today.”
Another said: “Super sad little girl this afternoon. Her big surprise present won't hatch! @SpinMaster any suggestions on a Hatchimal that will not work?”
A spokesperson from Spin Master said: “Spin Master is committed to making life more fun for children around the world with all of our products.
“While the vast majority of children have had a magical experience with Hatchimals, we have also heard from consumers who have encountered challenges.”
“We are committed to doing everything possible to resolve any consumer issues. We sincerely apologise and thank everyone who is experiencing an issue for their patience.”
The toy firm has also increased the number of customer care representatives and extended working hours.
Mum and dad Kirsty and Stephen Coates from Chopwell in Gateshead bought a Penguala Pink and an Owlicorn Hatchimal for their daughters Jaiden aged six and five-year-old Kaci.
Kirsty, 34, said: “They cost £120 altogether which is not cheap but they wanted them and I chose these over a Furby Connect. They were their main presents so we said they were from Santa.
“We actually got them in October. They were popular even back then and when everyone was rushing round trying to buy them approaching Christmas I was relieved I’d already got them wrapped up and in the cupboard.
“Christmas Day came and both girls were over the moon, ecstatic that they would be hatching and they could look after them.
“What happened was Kaci’s hatched after 45 minutes and stopped half way and needed help. Jaiden looked after hers all day, slept with it that night and woke up crying as hers still hadn’t hatched.
“It was making a whirring noise and was flashing its eyes then going to sleep and taking ages to wake up - in the end she had to break it open but was really upset that her sisters pecked out and hers didn’t.
“And as it was from Santa it made it made it worse. She asked it the elf didn’t make it properly so I said it must have got bumped on Santa’s sleigh.”
Kirsty has contacted makers Spin Master but has had no response so far.
What to do if you have a faulty Hatchimal
Hatching is supposed to occur within 25 minutes of activation and it can take up to 40 minutes for hatching to complete once started, according to guidelines from the manufacturer.
In order to ensure it hatches properly owners must keep playing with the egg.
about what you can do if your Hatchimal isn’t working.
You can also email the Spin Master customer care team on [email protected].
If you bought a toy from a retailer in the UK and have your receipt then you can return the itek and asked for a full refund or exchange (if they have the item in stock).
If you bought from a third party seller through Amazon or eBay then you’ll need to message the seller to inform them of the problem. They will need to agree to exchange the toy or refund you.
If they refuse then you can contact eBay or Amazon for assistance in getting a refund.
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