Enron, Wal-Mart, and Fisher-Price

If you're a parent of a child under 5, then I won't have to explain. Several months ago, Fisher Price started sending out teasers about the 10th anniversary Tickle Me Elmo. Except they didn't call him that - they just put ads with a shadowy image with "TMX Elmo" across the body. "What will TMX Elmo do? Find out September 19th!"

Weezie loves Elmo, so in August I considered pre-ordering the TMX Elmo (retail price $39.99) to make sure I had one for Christmas. Even though I didn't have a child at the time, I remember the huge demand for the Tickle Me Elmo when they came out 10 years ago. J said I was being silly, so I decided not to pre-order.

Well, when they were released Sept. 19, they sold out of the stores immediately, and people started selling them on ebay for $200-$300. I consoled myself with the fact that Weeze is too young to not know that she's "the only kid that doesn't have one" and that daddy ruined Christmas, but when she started squealing with delight when she saw a commercial for TMX Elmo, my heart broke! I know, I know, I'm being suckered in just like "they" planned!

So last week, my girlfriend showed me a flyer from Wal-Mart - TMX Elmo's advertised for 34.98 beginning October 1. She said they also had signs all over the stores - TMX Elmo's coming October 1! My girlfriend spoke to a lady in the toy department, and she said they'd be putting them out at 7AM today with a limit of 2 per person.

Now I hate Wal-Mart and avoid going there. For my baby, however, I'm willing to trek to Wal-Mart at 6 in the morning. When we arrive, we find out that they had put them out at midnight! And get this - they had only 5 for the whole store! If we had gotten there at midnight, we probably wouldn't have gotten one anyway. They said that Wal-Marts all over town were getting just a few, and some didn't even get any.

I'm not really mad about not getting Elmo - was just taking a chance that we'd get one, but I think it's terrible that they would advertise so much about having them when in reality they only had a few for each store, and some stores didn't even get any!

So, I'm boycotting Wal-Mart. Predatory pricing didn't move me. Unfair treatment of workers? Eh, not my problem. But playing on a momma's need to get her baby the "It" toy of the year? I'm never stepping foot in Wal-Mart again!

Yes, I realize Fisher-Price is playing games with us well. My guess is that they're purposely only releasing limited quantities and will flood the market right before Christmas. Unfortunately, Fisher-Price is a little more difficult to boycott when you have a 2-year old.