The idea to sell merchandise was born out of a poll conducted by Mastodon last year, which revealed that over 6,700 users would be willing to purchase merchandise if it was available. The company's initial test run of products, including mugs, tees, and PINs, sold out quickly, and the plushie is the latest addition to the merchandise line. The response has been overwhelming, with fans taking to social media to share their plushie purchases, using the hashtag #plushtodon.