By George Anderson
Shoppers who wait until Christmas draws closer may find they get better deals on some goods but, as many others are discovering, they may also be faced with the reality that the item they are looking to purchase is no longer in stock. This is especially true of the hottest toys and games on the market.
According to a report by The Associated Press, toys sellers are running short on hot items such as Amazing Amanda, Dora's Talking Kitchen, I-Dog, ChatNow and Shell Shocker. And Xbox 360 as they say in parts of the New York metropolitan area: "Fahgetaboutit."
The season, overall, has been pretty good for toy sellers, said Sean McGowan, an analyst at Harris Nesbitt. He estimates that holiday toy sales will be flat to up to two percent. While those may not sound like glowing numbers, toy sellers will take them, considering past years where sales have declined.
While the season may bring a moderate increase for traditional toy retailers, it is proving a boon for eBay. The online auction and sales site is selling 85 toys a minute, according to Jim Migdal, a senior category manager for toys for the company. Last week, 2,350 units of I-Dog were sold (a 68 percent from the week before) and 1,600 units of ChatNow (+45 percent from the previous week) were purchased on eBay.
Moderator's Comment: What is your assessment of what is going on in the toys and games category? What does the growing presence of eBay mean for traditional sellers of games and toys? - George Anderson - Moderator