Fingerlings are the Hatchimals of this holiday shopping season. Demand for the robotic toy animals (mostly monkeys) that grip kids’ fingers, babble, and fart has soared past supply as stores and online retailers struggle to keep them in stock. Why? Part of the reason is a strong social media marketing push. Aware of the unboxing trend, WowWee (the company behind the toy) focused on YouTube, where both paid and unpaid influencers showed off Fingerlings to their subscribers. WowWee has sped up supply of the popular toys, but is already thinking about shoppers’ 2018 wish lists because their “lives are at the whim of 5- to 9-year olds.” (NYTimes)
