Steering Wheel Buddy Videos Are a Sensation on TikTok, but What Are They?

Every once in a while, a product that doesn't seem to have a lot of practical value becomes a sensation on TikTok, and that product is then quickly sold out wherever it's available. It happened with a decorative ghost rug from T.J. Maxx, and now it's happening again with Steering Wheel Buddies. These new buddies are available at Target, and they've become a common subject on TikTok.

Steering Wheel Buddies are a type of Disney toy that can be worn on your wrists or tied around your steering wheel. They are plush versions of popular Disney characters, and they've taken off on TikTok. The trick is that, when you go to Target and look for the Steering Wheel Buddy version of your favorite character, you'll find that you don't know which character you get until you buy the toy and and unwrap it.

In the past few days, TikTok users have begun flaunting their Steering Wheel Buddies and have also been filming videos of themselves unwrapping them. Many users have been disappointed that they didn't the character they were hoping for. The Steering Wheel Buddies are being purchased at Target, and it seems that the trend is likely to lead them to sell out at some locations.

As of this writing, Steering Wheel Buddies aren't yet available via any online shopping platforms. For now, it seems they are only available at Target. TikTok has been known to cause products in specific products in the past. Whenever a product starts trending on the platform, it can lead to a rapid increase in sales, although that increase is likely to be temporary.

This also isn't the first time that a Disney product has been a sensation this year. Fans were also obsessed with the Figment Popcorn Bucket, which sold out hours after it first went on sale at Disney World. After standing in line for hours to obtain one, some turned around and began selling them for outrageous markups on sites like eBay. The collectible only cost $25 at Disney World, but was going for as much as $170 online.

Products like Steering Wheel Buddies are an ingenious creation on the part of Disney, as they create an innate desire to find a complete set, which can lead to buying duplicates of some plushes in an attempt to find ones you might not have yet. Steering Wheel Buddies may not be all that expensive, but Disney has ensured that its biggest fans will buy far more than just one.

Over its long history as an entertainment conglomerate, Disney has excelled at making its products feel both special and essential for die-hard fans. The world is filled with Disney fanatics now, and Disney knows how to get them to buy everything from a popcorn bucket to many, many Steering Wheel Buddies. Now, TikTok has made one of their products even more of a phenomenon.