Swap meets, auctions, charity shops and even raffle tickets — people are going to extreme lengths to get their hands on one of the most desirable collectibles to hit the retail market in a long time.
These are not rare coins, high-end antiques or precious pieces of jewellery.
In fact, supermarket chain Checkers is giving these tiny chunks of plastic away for free with groceries purchased.
But it seems people are willing to trade, pay top dollar or even fight with cashiers to add the elusive pink Discovery Vitality trolley to their latest Checkers Little Shop collection.
There are also those who have taken the initiative to turn the hunt for the trolley into a charity fundraiser, selling the collectible online to raise money for organisations such as the Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL).
“People are going crazy. Some people get angry with me about these Checkers Minis, fighting with me when they don’t get what they want,” a Gqeberha Checkers cashier said.
“I’ve even had people try to bribe me to get their hands on this pink trolley.”
Back by popular demand, the latest range of Checkers Little Shop collectibles came onto the market in September, and features 44 plastic miniatures made of 100% recycled material.
Shoppers receive a sealed packet containing a random collectible for every R200 they spend.
Little Shop is a collaborative promotion between Checkers and some of its key suppliers, including some of the country’s most iconic brands, such as Oros, Sunlight, All Gold, KitKat, Vaseline and Tastic.
Some also offer fun new features, such as scratch and sniff, glow-in-the-dark and sparkles.
The supermarket said the campaign had exceeded their expectations and they were overwhelmed by the positive response.
“The pink Discovery Vitality trolley is a highly sought-after item in the collection, much like the elusive golden trolley in the previous Little Shop.
“Given the random distribution of the minis, customers are getting creative to complete their sets, and some have resorted to buying and selling minis via third-party marketplaces,” Checkers said in a statement.
Vitality members with the pink trolley stand a chance to win their share of more than one-million Discovery Miles.
In recent weeks, online advertisers, particularly on Facebook Marketplace, have attached price tags ranging between R200 and R2,000 for a single item.
Some have launched informal auctions, while others are selling raffle tickets for lucky draws.
Nelson Mandela Bay estate agent Sandi Harrison, who works closely with the Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL) saw it as an opportunity to raise funds for the organisation.
“I bought my groceries at Checkers a while back and got some of these Checkers Minis.
“I opened them at home and one contained the little pink trolley.
“I just tossed it in a drawer with all the others.
“Then I saw people advertising them online for crazy prices and that’s how the idea to raise funds for the AACL came about.”
Harrison said the thought to turn a profit for her own pocket never crossed her mind.
She placed an ad on Facebook on Monday, asking R250 for the elusive pink trolley.
“Within two minutes my phone rang.
“A lady was looking to buy one for her granddaughter who needed it to complete her collection.
“And before I could change the advert to say it was sold, I got another message from someone looking to buy it.”
The following day the buyer collected the trolley from Harrison at the Bargain Box, the AACL’s charity shop in Walmer, and she put the money straight into the till.
She said the money would in all likelihood go towards a spayathon.
Since then, two more trolleys have been donated to the cause.
One came from nine-year-old Emma Kimberley, whose drama teacher, Linda-Louise Swain, is a long-time advocate for the AACL.
“At the end of the day the pink trolley is just a piece of plastic, and if it can help raise funds for animals in need then I am happy that I decided to donate it,” the grade 4 Clarendon Park Primary School pupil said.
“I always see how my drama teacher, auntie Linda, does so much for the animals, so I asked my dad to take me to the charity shop to donate the trolley after he showed me online how much money people were offering for it.”
However, according to a cashier at one of the Bay’s supermarket stores, not all people had such a positive approach to the mini collectibles.
“Some of these people are wild. They want to fight with us when they get doubles or minis they already have, like it’s our fault.
“They tear them open in the store and then want to exchange them for sealed packets.
“Some spend ages touching the packets to try to feel what is inside.”
She said many stores recently ran out of stock and they had to explain to furious shoppers that they would not be receiving minis with their shopping.
“I’ve even had people try to bribe me.
“They said I must tell people there is no stock, then they will come around later and pay me for every mini I keep for them.
“It’s really becoming ridiculous,” the cashier said.
HeraldLIVE
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