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As Holiday Shopping Officially Begins, Zhu Zhu Hamsters Rule

Time, Wednesday, November 25, 2009 10:24 AM

Fuzzy, electronic toy hamsters with names like Mr. Squiggles, Pipsqueak and Num Nums that coo, drive cars and ride skateboards are emerging as the hit, must-have toys of the holiday shopping season, Sean Gregory reports. Zhu Zhu Pets are only $8 a pop at Walmart if you can find one, but are going for as much as $60 on secondary-market sites like Amazon.com and eBay.com.

"This is the hottest toy of the year," says Gerald Storch, chairman and CEO of Toys "R" Us. "There's absolutely no doubt about it." Needham & Co. analyst Sean McGowan thinks they'll be the biggest toy craze since Tickle Me Elmo in 1996.

The rodents are made by Cepia, a seven-year-old, 16-employee company in St. Louis started by Russell Hornsby, a former Mattel employee. In a brainstorming session about creating a robotic toy, Cepia execs last year narrowed the list of candidates to a fish, a dog and a hamster. "Out of these, [a live] hamster is the one parents least like getting," says Natalie Hornsby, the company's marketing director, and Russell Hornsby's daughter. "So we figured a toy substitute would have some value."

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holiday, retail

1 comment about "As Holiday Shopping Officially Begins, Zhu Zhu Hamsters Rule ".

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Sue Canes, November 26, 2009 at 10:48 a.m.
Can't find a Zhu Zhu?
TickleMe Plant seem to be the Green Alternative. No batteries required - yet it moves when you Tickle It!
It may teach kids the responsibility of
taking care of a living pet like plant.
The TickleMe Plant is the real house plant that MOVES when you Tickle It! I first saw this in the Botanical Gardens and got the greenhouse to grow it in their gift shop. If you haven't grown a TickleMe Plant, you are in for a treat. The leaves suddenly fold up and the branches droop when you Tickle It! If you don't live near the a Botanical Gardens you can search the net or find then at http://www.ticklemeplant.com If you still don't believe this is real - see the video. It is more like a pet then a plant. If you are having a party This is one gift no one forgets.
http://www.ticklemeplant.com
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