Fingerlings, the hottest holiday toy, fall victim to counterfeits and ‘Grinch bots’

There’s one every year: that sold-out toy every kid wants for Christmas. This holiday season, it’s the Fingerling.

These 5-inch, colorful robotic monkeys grip your finger with their legs and arms. They babble, blow kisses and blink. You can make a Fingerling go to sleep or even pass gas, if you’re so inclined. A Fingerling can snore and say hello. If one Fingerling starts singing, it triggers nearby Fingerlings to join in.

Shoppers rushing to find Fingerlings are finding shelves empty, and they say they’ve been fooled into buying fakes through outside sellers on Amazon and Walmart.com.

They usually cost about $15 but are sold out at many stores and websites, joining Cabbage Patch Kids, Beanie Babies, and the Tickle Me Elmo doll in the annals of elusive, hot holiday toys.

Fingerlings were sold out last week on Toys R Us, Walmart, and Target’s websites. They were available from third-party sellers on Amazon and eBay for up to $1,000, a 6,660 percent increase on their listed retail price. A search on Sunday morning on Amazon found marked-up offerings from third-party vendors.

Blame the bots.

According to U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, “cyber scalpers” have been buying large quantities of in-demand products with computer programs before consumers have the chance to do so — then selling them for large markups.

“Grinch bots cannot be allowed to steal Christmas, or dollars, from the wallets of New Yorkers,” Schumer said in a Business Insider report.

“When it comes to purchasing products online, major retailers should put forth policies that will help prevent future Grinch bots from stealing the season’s hottest toys.”

WowWee, the Canadian company that makes authentic Fingerlings, says it is aware of the counterfeit problem. The company sued 165 counterfeiters in October, and CEO Richard Yanofsky says the company has notified customs officials around the world to try to stop fakes coming from China, where the authentic ones are also made. WowWee’s website warns visitors about buying from third-party sellers, and “strongly” advises them to only make purchases labeled “sold & shipped” by Amazon.com or Walmart.com.

“We know Fingerlings is a high-demand toy, and we’re working very closely with our retail partners to ensure stores are stocked this holiday season,” WowWee says.

This past week, Fingerlings were out of stock on Walmart’s website, reports The New York Times. While the monkeys are the core of the Fingerlings brand, WowWee also sells sloth and unicorn versions — one of which was listed on eBay for $5,000.

WowWee says it did not intentionally create the shortage. But whether by design or happenstance, there is no question that scarcity fuels a toy’s mystique.

Shoppers say they don’t realize they bought knockoffs until they receive toys that don’t move or are poorly made. Counterfeit toys may also present safety issues, one expert says. And some people say they’ve had a hard time getting refunds from the sellers.

“I can’t give this to my grandkid,” says Amy Stepp, who paid $17 on Amazon for what she thought was a real Fingerlings toy.

What she got was a bright pink monkey that didn’t move at all. Instead, it lit up, which the real one doesn’t do. Stepp, who lives in Holden, Louisiana, says the box looked like it had been opened and taped back together again. When she told the seller she wanted to return it, she was told it may a take long time and was offered $10 back. Amazon gave Stepp a full refund after The Associated Press asked about her order, and the company says it will refund those who bought counterfeits if they contact Amazon customer support. Typically, refunds and returns are handled by the seller.

“Amazon does not tolerate fraud and counterfeit,” the company says, adding that it works to improve the way it detects and prevents fakes “from reaching our marketplace.”

Stepp is still looking to buy authentic ones online for her 2- and 4-year-old granddaughters for Christmas. “I am reading fine print from now on,” she says.

How the Fingerling reached this tipping point — when suddenly millions of children cannot do without a $15 farting monkey — is the story of a promising idea’s going viral on social media, a large retailer’s savvy pricing strategy and the science of managing scarcity.

This story was originally published December 10, 2017 at 9:07 AM with the headline "Fingerlings, the hottest holiday toy, fall victim to counterfeits and ‘Grinch bots’."