Cheap Pet Insurance

November 20th, 2009 by Harold Peterson

There’s not much doubt that Zhu Zhu Pets – the family of five robotic hamsters which feature artificial intelligence which allows them to interact with children and their environment – are the must have toy for Christmas 2009. They are in such high demand that Toys R Us have not listed them in their Christmas 2009 catalog in order to avoid disappointing prospective buyers.

The Zhu Zhu hamsters are Mr. Squiggles, Num Nums, Chunk, Pipsqueak and Patches. In addition to the hamsters themselves there is a wide range of toys and accessories available which can be use in different ways and which allows the children to use their imagination.

Children, both boys and girls, between the ages of 4 and 10 are the target group for these toys. As they contain moving parts and batteries, they are not suitable for very small children.

Cepia, the manufacturers, are St. Louis based, and were established in 2004. They launched the Zhu Zhu Pets in August 2009 and have shipped six million units since then. A further six million sales are expected between now and Christmas. Currently, the shelf life of a Zhu Zhu hamster is – on average – less than three minutes.

Demand is outstripping supply right now and prices are beginning to creep upwards – for both the hamsters and their accessories. Sellers on eBay are already cashing in and you can expect to see more of this the closer we get to Christmas.

Cepia expect to sell between $ 300 and $ 400 million of toys over the next twelve months. They intend to extend their range to include hedgehogs, rabbits, chipmunks and squirrels – all of which should have a similar appeal to children as the Zhu Zhu hamsters.

Check out the Zhu Zhu Pets at Harold Peterson’s site – Zhu Zhu Hamsters.