Consumers pay emotional and time costs, but the money is made by the repeated banned scalpers and the officials who are always out of stock.
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▲The "2021 Duffy and Friends Christmas Series Dolls" released by Shanghai Disneyland. Photo: Shanghai Disney social media accounts
According to reports, on December 29, Disney released the remaining inventory items of their 2021 Christmas series - "Duffy and Friends" offline. At 3 a.m. that day, more than 5,000 visitors lined up in front of the Shanghai Disney Resort, during which people shouted that they were "holding back blood."
In this regard, Shanghai Disneyland has reminded consumers that they are not allowed to queue or gather at night before the start of the park's operating hours. On the evening of December 29, Shanghai Disney also issued an apology announcement, saying, "I am very sorry that it cannot meet the needs of all tourists, and will continue to improve and optimize, and strive to bring more joy and better experience to everyone." ”
But so many people lining up in the early hours of winter to buy dolls still gives us some thoughts.
▲At 8 p.m. on December 29, Shanghai Disney issued a statement of thanks and apology. Photo: Screenshot of Shanghai Disney's social media account
Behind this "crazy energy" may not be as simple as "I like". Objectively speaking, Disney did not inform the specific number of remaining inventory goods in advance, resulting in uncertainty in consumer expectations, making Disney doll fans have a "rush" psychology, and under the scarcity effect, a "spectacular" scene was formed in the early morning.
In fact, "Duffy and Friends" entered the public eye only this year. But their explosion is inseparable from the continuous creation of social platforms. After the appearance of "Shanghai Disney Limited Female Star" Ling Na Belle, the Internet can be seen everywhere to record their reception of tourists, float performances of short videos, and netizens frequently post photos of their purchase of limited dolls. The memes made from these doll images have also become network MEMes (a fast-spreading Internet phenomenon).
Some self-media bloggers, in order to use these cartoon characters to drain themselves, even ran to Ling Na Belle to stage a marriage proposal scene: "Ling Na Belle, don't do business, I will raise you!" Many fans do not hesitate to queue up to take videos to rub the "heat", reflecting that the dolls have become a new type of "traffic outlet" after mature commercial operations.
Admittedly, entering Disneyland to spend happy hours with them is certainly a means of pleasure. Buying dolls is also to keep the magic around, hoping that the fairy tale will stay forever.
▲ Internet celebrity Lingna Belle. Figure/IC photo
But their image and character are, after all, elaborate scripts, and their actors are only performing according to the given requirements. Are they really worth waiting in line all night and taking them home?
Consumers pay emotional and time costs, but the money is made by the repeated banned scalpers and the officials who are always out of stock. "Duffy and Friends" are still commodities in nature, and they exist to create considerable monetary gains.
The trading page of a second-hand platform shows that the price of the Christmas version of "Disney Six Treasures" has risen to 200 to 500 yuan, and the "top stream" has even broken through the thousand yuan mark. There are also sellers who resell in the form of auctions, adding layers of code. In addition, the early admission card representing the early admission qualification was not spared, and the 149 yuan was almost 10 times higher. And under the various behaviors of scalpers, the value of dolls will only rise more and more.
Therefore, staying up late in line in the cold wind, breaking through the physiological limits to buy a "dream lover", is really not friendly to yourself, and not rational enough. At the same time, it also affects people who want to enter the park normally. Moreover, we must also be wary of the love for dolls that has changed its taste and made itself a tool person who constantly pays the bill.