Ty is going to retire ALL existing beanie babies on 12/31/99.

Anyone think this is so that people will run like mad and buy as much as possible before Y2k so that Ty can make their money now rather than see it all fall apart after Y2k rolls over.

This was very sudden from the Ty people, seems like nobody saw it coming but its odd it came on 9/1/99. Maybe someone at Ty is wary that if Y2k is bad the last thing people will need is a stupid beanie baby. This way they can sell as many as possible now.

-- not a beanie (notabeanie@nobeans.com), September 01, 1999

Answers

Ever think that maybe TY won't be compliant (or perhaprs its overseas suppliers?), ans will go out of business at rollover?

This would be a great ploy to clear out the last of the inventory, and make BUCKS while doing it...

Just a thought.

-- Dennis (djolson@pressenter.com), September 01, 1999.

I've got a beenie on my comp. monitor(don't laugh, it came with the happy meal). They are made in china, even the TY tag is printed in China. If any one has an inside scoop, lets spill the beans(no pun intended). I think it's POSSIBLE that the plant that makes them in China might not be ready, so it might be more cost productive to close the beanies as opposed to upgrading. Vendor's and third party suppliers are the lifeblood. Empty K-Mart shelves coming to stores everywhere two weeks into Jan.

-- CygnusXI (noburnt@toast.net), September 01, 1999.

I can't believe this made it to the forum.

I also can't believe I'm responding.

Morning talk show posited that it was to sell the remaining inventory so that they could come out with a new product in the new year.

How about Meanie Babies?

-- nothere nothere (notherethere@hotmail.com), September 01, 1999.

Did you know that the pineapple flavor of lifesavers is not y2k compliant? Really!

www.lifesavers2000.com

How far is too far?

-- Johnny (JLJTM@BELLSOUTH.NET), September 01, 1999.

Not there,

I heard the story on a morning news show (national), also, but that station indicated that there was no information as to whether or not TY would be starting a new line of beanies. And no info about why the decision to retire the beanies.

I just happened to be walking through the living room when the story was on. If they had picked any retirement date other than 12/31/99 or 1/1/2000, I probably wouldn't have given the story a second thought. But because of the retire date, I can say it did cause me to think of the earlier thread(s) along the lines of "okay to stockpile beanies but not beans..." As I headed back upstairs, thinking about the possible y2k connection to beannies, I did consider the possibility that I've been reading too much here. ;-)

Regardless, I imagine we'll be seeing lines in stores very soon-- for beanie babies. I'm surprised the media was allowed to report this; given some of the beanie collectors-- no, wait, beanie _investors_-- I've encountered, this story is likely to cause {shudder} panic....

-- winter wondering (winterwondering@yahoo.com), September 01, 1999.

If you are collecting those overpriced things, sell now, because you might end up ripping them open to eat some unpalatable beans within.

-- Mumsie (Shezdremn@aol.com), September 01, 1999.

I asked a Beanie Baby vendor at the flea market, and found out that the Beanies contain little plastic pellets. That's even less palatable than stale beans.

-- Pearlie Sweetcake (storestuff@home.now), September 01, 1999.

Use 'em for soil amendment in the garden. We've got lots of clay locally and I imagine those little plastic "beanies" might help break it up somewhat. 8-}]

-- Mac (sneak@lurk.hid), September 01, 1999.

Ty was going down the tubes anyway. This just gives them the opportunity to go out with a bang instead of a wimper. Good riddance I say!

-- Gia (laureltree7@hotmail.com), September 01, 1999.

I would love to "go down the tubes" with the guy (yes 1 person) who owns TY! My guess is he is worth in excess of $500 million. Forbes should look into this private fortune. Heres is the math: 2000 BBs per store per month (max allotment) over 20,000 stores at a wholesale price of $2.50 per unit that's $100 million in gross sales per month! Figure they make $1. per unit net thats $40 million a month! Give me a six year run with those kind of numbers, forget the rice and beans, I'd be eating filets and lobster tails for the rest of my life on a desert island in the South Pacific! He is laughing all the way to the bank.

-- Bill (y2khippo@yahoo.com), September 01, 1999.

oH gOOd GoD iN HEavENs!!!!!!! oOOOOOoooohhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHH nnnnnnnnNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNooooooooo!!!!!! dEAr gOD WhY HasT THoU FOrSAKeN DieTER?????? wHAT hAS DIEtER DoNE To DESerVE sUCH eTERNaL toRMeNT??????? dO YoU No lONGeR LoVE diETEr??????? hAS nOT DietER PLeaSEd yOu???????????? plEAsE GoD, oH PleASE SWeeT GoD In heAVEn tELL dieTeR THaT THiS CAnnOT Be sO!!!!!!!!!

oH THe HoRRoR, oH dEaR GOd, tHE HUmaNITy!!!!!!!

-- Dieter (questions@toask.com), September 01, 1999.

Just saw an article about this in SF Chronicle.

The web site states that all Beanie Babies will be retired "as of 11:59 PM 12/31/1999."

The reporter seemd to think it was "cryptically worded."

Clearly, Ty Gets It.

-- R (riversoma@aol.com), September 02, 1999.

Hi Dieter. Hi Idiots. Why is Ty retiring the current line after Christmas and not before. Hmmmm.. Call me paranoid but this reeks of conspiracy.

-- Jimmy Bagga Doughnuts (jim1bets@worldnet.att.net), September 02, 1999.