The most searched items on eBay this week are iPods and Zhu Zhu Pets—the latter solidifying its status as the season’s must-have, can’t-find toy. The robot Zhu Zhu hamsters are sold out at toy stores around the country, allowing sellers on eBay to demand a premium from parents who don’t want to hear their kids crying on Christmas morning.
While many eBay sellers are hawking Zhu Zhu hamsters for $40 or $50 at the “Buy Now” rate, the wildest price listed is a whopping $7,000 for 25 sets, each of which includes four hamsters and eight activity accessories like a skateboard and an adventure ball. That breaks down to $280 per set for what Jimmy Kimmel describes as a “Matchbox car with hair on it.”
FYI: A single Zhu Zhu hamster, if you could find one available at a toy store, sells for $9 or $10. And a kit with a cage, exercise wheel, and food for a real hamster can be had for $29.99 at PetCo, with the actual hamster going for $5 or $15 more.