The Kodak Charmera digital camera has 1.6 megapixels. With technology comparable to phone cameras from the early 2000s, the pictures turn out horribly, with very low quality. One customer describes it this way, “It’s a crap camera, even under the most relaxed toy camera standards. But I’d buy it again.”

They’re not alone. Over 10,000 people bought the Kodak Charmera digital camera on Amazon last month, which amounts to $500,000 in sales (give or take) for a little keychain camera. 

So, what gives?

The Charmera isn’t selling good photos. It’s selling nostalgia, often to people who weren’t alive for that time period. (Perhaps it’s not unlike Moleskine in that way.) Reto production, the manufacturers of the Charmera, licensed Kodak’s brand to help make this happen.

My sister-in-law recently brought her Charmera to an event, and my wife and I really enjoyed the filters, and the nostalgic novelty of pushing a button. It’s also a very small, cute, device.

Nintendo describes its approach to its products as, “Lateral thinking with withered technology.” That’s the phrase that came to my mind when I was giving more thought to the Charmera; while Nintendo’s lateral thinking involves new ways of using withered technology, Reto bet on the Kodak brand, nostalgia, and bringing people together through its cute little gadget. They all happen to be things that are difficult to duplicate.