Hatchimals, Barbie disappoint parents, kids on Christmas
The hottest toy of the holidays may not be all it's cracked up to be.
Spin Master's Hatchimals, an interactive toy that hatches from a plastic egg, is facing major criticism from parents who had difficulties hatching the product in the days after Christmas.
Customers complained that the Hatchimal took hours to hatch, if it hatched at all, and, for some, the batteries didn't last long after hatching.
"While the majority of people have had a magical hatching experience, we have also heard from consumers who have encountered challenges," Spin Master told CNBC. "Our goal is to provide positive product experiences for all consumers and we are working diligently, as we always have, to do just that."
Spin Master urged customers on Twitter to direct message the company for assistance or to contact its customer service number.
However, it seems that a lot of parents reached out to the company. Consumers complained that they spent upward of two hours waiting on the phone for a representative before hanging up or being disconnected.
The company said that it has increased the number of representatives available via phone, extended its hours and boosted the capacity of its dial-in queue.
"Unfortunately, with toys that incorporate a high level of technology, there are also some cases where the product may not perform as expected," Spin Master said. "We are committed to doing everything possible to resolve these issues."
The toy, which retails for about $50, has sold for upward of $250 on eBay prior to the holidays.
Spin Master wasn't the only company inundated with complaints. Mattel's Barbie Hello Dreamhouse, an app- and voice-controlled version of the classic Barbie Dreamhouse, also faced backlash from consumers.
A number of parents reported receiving an "error code 18" message when trying to use the toy. The error message refers to a wireless network issue. Another prominent error reported by consumers is an "error code 11," which prevents the front door of the house from opening.
Mattel and ToyTalk, the company behind the tech for the Hello Dreamhouse, did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment.
The Hello Dreamhouse retails for about $300.
(Update: This story was updated with a comment from Spin Master.)