My two 9 year olds have got to that really annoying nagging I want stage. My two are just two of the 50million+ kids currently into Moshi Monsters. And as much as most parents are probably fed up with the moshlings and the site, however, its business for me, and we have a range of toys in to go, including newly released 'Slap Watches' and the new 'Series Two' mini figures, but it is still a problem with two children into the figures and trading cards (and website membership - i.e. double the cost!)
My two are only allowed to spend money on toys if they have earned it themselves, and they both had birthdays in July, so went out and spent £50 on Moshling Toys at Toys R Us (we didn't have any MM toys in at that time) between them, including 4 packets of mini figures - each of which has a hidden 'rarer' figure (blind packed). As parents we were happy that they spent their money on toys they wanted...but they didn't get the hidden rarer figure they wanted, but they were'nt at the time that disappointed - because they got 20 figures to play with.
Now, I've been collecting toys myself for many years and know how and why these 'rarer' figures are issued, mainly, to encourage more purchases and trading with friends, hence the 'playground craze' elements (and to earn the manufacturer more cash). However, in the age of the Internet, my two have got wind of the fact that they can by-pass the collecting and go straight to the marketplace and buy the rarer figures at an inflated price. However they only have a limited amount of money and MUST save up to buy stuff, and as much as I appreciate that they can buy what they want and can afford, its that they are after this one Moshi Monster Moshling figure - Scamp, and rather than buying blind packs at £5 each with the thrill of the chase, they want to go on ebay and buy the figure straight away.
They have £20 currently saved up from pocket money, and are both badgering us as parents to allow them to buy a 'Scamp' Moshling from ebay.
Bearing in mind that they could buy 4 packets of moshlings - with 4 chances of getting a rare Scamp or something else, they are willing to forgo this experience to buy a Scamp at a range of £10-£18 based upon the most recent sales at ebay.
Again I have nothing wrong with people selling collectable figures at inflated prices, I've done that myself previously with Star Wars figures, but generally adults with disposable incomes were the main buyers of these. Its just that my two are willing to part with their hard earned money on 1 figure when they could get 20 or so for the same price, because they want to go to school and say that they have Scamp - to show off.
I also saw recently in Tesco's too, that they have security tagged their Moshi Monster Packs - asking them 'not to be opened' until purchased. Which, in this day and age I find astonishing that people are willing to rip open a box, and then re-place it if it doesn't contain the rarer figure that they want.
So we have been badgered recently, as parents for us to buy this one figure, and we have stood firm and stated, that we think that its silly to spend that amount of money on one figure, and that there are loads of other things out there. I acquired an entire bundle of toys on ebay including 20+ action figures and some vehicles in superb condition - for resale for £20 the other day. If my kids had done this they would have a lot more playability and enjoyment for the same amount of money.
I know its hard to negotiate with them on this but as parents we are standing firm on this one. Thing is their parents have a house full of toy boxes which they could buy at 'cost' because we run a toy store, but because we don't have this one thing, and our principles are firm we are not bowing down, just yet.
My reasoning on this is that back when we had playground crazes, mainly for me, panini football stickers, we bought the packets, blind, then opened them traded them with our friends and then if at the end of the season or run of figures could buy the missing ones from panini at 5p a sticker, up to a maximum of about 21.
Mind Candy, who i agree with on the not opening of blind packets, won't sell the rarer figures themselves at the end, and prices will still go up because of the short supply.
From what I understand about the Moshi Monsters website, is that you have to collect Moshlings through trading online, but only some characters can be acquired through subscriptions at a cost of £30+! And these are the virtual moshlings!
Still if we can get our kids back on track and save up for something more worthwhile we'll be happy, after all it is a craze, and this time next year, or even next month they may be onto something else... i know we're not alone on this, but its whether other parents give in and buy what their kids want for them regardless. Maybe i'm old fashioned but we're trying to teach our kids the value of collecting and the chase rather than the trend for have it NOW.
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