NEW YORK, Nov. 12, 2009
Holiday Season's Hottest Toys
Toy Expert Shares Her Predictions for This Year's Hottest Items and Tells How to Get Hardest-to-Find Ones
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Play CBS Video Video Holiday Toy Trends Thetoyinsider.com's Laurie Schacht showed Harry Smith the hottest toys for this holiday season from fake hamsters to Guitar Hero.
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Liv Dolls (CBS)
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Special Section Holiday Gift Guide High-tech? Cozy? Goofy? Or Green? Gift ideas for everyone on your shopping list.
Toy expert Laurie Schacht, of TheToyInsider.com, discussed on "The Early Show" the toys that are already selling out this year, her predictions of which ones will be the hottest this holiday season, and how to score them all -- even the ones that are hardest-to-find.
Schacht's List of this Season's Hot Toys:
She said, "It's six weeks from Christmas and two weeks from Black Friday, and some of these toys are already almost impossible to find. We had a hard time getting them. Stores are out of stock, there are no rain checks and online stores are charging inflated prices."
Schacht added, "So what's hard to find will be even harder this year."
Schacht said Zhu Zhu Pets have been impossible to find. Schact explained the toys have been huge since the summer and people have already been lining up in front of stores at midnight to get these little artificial intelligence hamsters.
"They're allergy-free, maintenance-free. I mean, they're adorable," she said. "They are the perfect recession gift. They are cheap, and they are so much fun. Moms love them because they are a pet without the mess. And kids are going crazy about them."
Another hot item for boy is an Air Hog. "These are so cool for boys," Schacht said, "They go on the floors, walls and ceiling following this anti-gravity laser."
Toys from the "Twilight" movie franchise are also cool this year, Schacht said. However, so far, the Barbie Bella Twilight doll is the one flying off shelves.
But if these toys are so hard to find, how can people get them?
Schacht said you have to shop early this year.
"We spoke to manufacturers and learned that stock is really low this year because stores were afraid consumers wouldn't spend as much because of the recession. We saw this last year," she said. "So you have to get in touch with stores and ask about estimates of shipments. These toys continue to arrive in stores, but they sell all within a day."
Schacht also shared her predictions of what will sell out in the coming months.
Liv dolls, she said, are still available, but they're going to be "incredibly difficult" to find as Christmas approaches.
"Liv dolls," she explained, "are four teenagers with movable hips and ankles. They are gorgeous and you can follow their daily dairies online and live in their world. She's fabulous."
Battle Strikers Turbo Tops will also be hot this year, Schacht said. Schacht said there are six different tops for each different kind of battle.
She said the new toy allows children more control over the tops.
"Love this," she said.
And for the Wii lovers, Schacht predicted, the Band Hero bundle with a guitar, microphone and drum set will be the next item flying out of stores this season.
She said, "It's got the new music that the kids love, like Taylor Swift, and of course, it's got the old classics that everyone gets in on."
TIPS FOR GETTING SOLD OUT HOLIDAY TOYS:
Schacht spoke to manufacturers and learned that stocks are really low this year because stores were afraid consumers wouldn't spend as much because of the recession. She said they just didn’t order enough. So if you have a hard time finding your toy, Schacht suggests you try the these methods:
- CALL STORES: Get in touch with stores and ask about estimates of shipments. These toys will continue to arrive in stores but they sell all within a day.
- GOOGLE ALERT: Set up a Google alert so you are informed about special sales. Some stores stock up popular item to promote a special sale.
- CALL THE MANUFACTURERS: Go to thetoyinsider.com for a list of manufacturer’s contact numbers. You can call them to find more information on shipments to your area.
- RECRUIT THE FAMILY: Share your toy list with family and friends and ask them to buy these for you if they see it in stores.
- BUY IT NOW: If you see the toys you want, buy it right away. Do not wait until the last minute.
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