So, we know that one of the hottest toys for Christmas 2005 was the Tyco Radio Controlled toy called "Shell Shocker". There are 2 toy stores that sell this item, ToysRUs and Wallmart. Here is my story:
I have a 5 year-old grandson who believes in Santa and this year what he asked Santa for was the Shell Shocker. Being the good granparent that we all want to be (not to mention he had been such a good boy!)... We made up our minds this is what we would get for him from Santa. We looked for weeks for this item. The week before Christmas we found it at our local Wallmart, they only had 4 of these left on their shelf. So naturally we took it from the shelf and purchased it. We paid $59.99 for it, not a problem.
My grandbabe lives out of state and so he and his parents arrived Christmas Eve. As we are preparing to go to sleep, I asked him to tell me again what he had asked Santa for. He told me he only wants Shell Shocker and a race track. I went to sleep feeling good and knowing he was going to be so excited and get what he's asked for (cause that is what Santa "is" to a small child, right?)
Christmas day comes, he gets his Shell Shocker and he is just dying to open it and play with it. It is then that we see the item is sold WITHOUT a battery-pack to run the toy. We can not believe it, so I jump on the trusty old internet and find TycoRc website and this is what I find: The Shell Shocker is sold 2 ways, in the exact same type box and packaging. It is sold without the battery-pack for what we paid for it, and it is also sold WITH the battery-pack for $79.99 (a twenty dollar difference), money is not the issue.in our case, we would have to purchase the battery pack seperate for $29.99! Which, by the way, Wallmart and ToysRUs is backordered on! So here it is 3 days after Christmas and this child can NOT play with the one thing he was so wanting msot to have!
Now I realize people are going to come at me and say, "you should have looked at the box." To that I must reiterate the fact that this item was one of the hottest toys this year. Your child/grandchild believes in Santa, you see the store only has 4 left on the shelf... So you buy it. You don't look at the box, because your whole issue is getting what they ask for! The only reason I feel they sell the item like this is that they can make at extra 30 bucks to buy the battery-pack seperate, than it being included!!! Hell of a marketing scheme, eh? Why would an item be sold without the most important item to run the toy if it weren't a money issue? It would be like selling those motorized Little Tykes Jeeps and stuff without their battery! I can see items being sold "batteries not included" such is the 9volts and the other AA batteries, etc... But I think it is a freakin ripoff to sell an item without a battery pack to run the toy!
Of course, then I write to Tyco and get an email from them telling me I have to contact TycRc.com and there is no way to contact them. They have no "contact us" or "customer service" link to state my complaint. So here I am! I think it is wrong that this item is sold this way. I think it is a terrible thing to do to a child that wants it so bad! I think it is misleading, because the TV commercials make no mention of "battery-pack" sold seperately. And at this point I will never purchase another Tyco item! It is just plain dishonest!
I would love for someone from TycoRc to explain the reasoning behind selling it two ways. Even though I can figure out for myself what that reason is. I would like them to tell my grandson why it is he can not play with his toy and when will the BACKORDERED BATTERY-PACKS BE AVAILABLE???!!
Bunch of BULL*!!!
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