Black market offers for Hello Kitty set before official launch

SINGAPORE — Black market offers for the Hello Kitty Bubbly World Collector’s set have popped up online, days before they officially go on sale.

McDonald’s Singapore is taking pre-orders on Wednesday (April 23) from 11am for the world debut of the round Hello Kitty plushies.

The collection, a special release to mark the 40th birthday of Hello Kitty, sees the feline dressed as six of its other famous Sanrio friends, such as Kerokerokeroppi and My Melody.

A check on eBay showed a set of kitties already up for sale for as much as S$199.90, more than double the price of a pre-ordered set of kitties, which go for S$80.

The pre-order deal is inclusive of S$30 worth of Extra Value Meal vouchers, a Hello Kitty 40th anniversary certificate, and Speedpost courier service.

Starting bids on Chinese auction site Taobao are comparatively lower, ranging from just S$20 to around S$90.

The toys will also be sold in McDonald’s outlets, from 11am on April 28. Each kitty is priced at S$4.95 with the purchase of an Extra Value Meal.

Previous releases of Hello Kitty toys have attracted long lines of Kitty fans and customers, eager to make a quick buck from reselling them.

Last June, pictures of people braving the thick haze to queue overnight for the Hello Kitty Fairy Tales collectibles went viral online.

A member of the public sent Channel NewsAsia a video of some men arguing with a McDonald’s outlet manager at Singapore Post Centre, over the number of toys they were allowed to buy.