IOU one iPod, son Must-have gadgets in short supply
AT one time, the only gift shortages that troubled Santa were for children’s toys such as Tracy Island, Buzz Lightyear or the latest Barbie doll.
But this Christmas gadgets and gizmos enjoyed by teenagers and 20- somethings are causing all the problems. A third of shoppers say they have been unable to find all the key gifts they were looking for, while 11 per cent left the High Street empty handed.
Top of the sold- out items are Microsoft’s Xbox 360 games console, Apple’s stylish black iPod nano and the Sony PSP handheld console.
Many of the country’s demanding older ‘ children’ could well find an IOU in their Christmas stocking.
For the truth is that Apple, Microsoft and Sony have failed to produce enough of the expensive hardware to meet demand in Britain and around the world.
Such is the clamour that desperate partners and parents have been forced to pay inflated prices via auction websites such as eBay to avoid tears and tantrums.
Accountants KPMG said many shoppers have found the product they wanted, across a wide range, was not in stock.
Head of retail Helen Dickinson said: ‘ The number of survey respondents who claimed that they could find none, very few or only some of their desired gifts is significant enough to raise some real concerns.
‘ Either they have suffered as a result of stock- outs (goods being out of stock) or have simply been unable to find a product along the lines of what they were hoping for.’
The Xbox has been in short supply in the UK and U. S. since its launch at the beginning of the month. It is sold as the ultimate entertainment machine for the whole family because it plays DVDs and CDs as well as running computer games. The basic console is £ 209.99, while a console package including various extras and games is £279.99.
However, all the major stores – Dixons, John Lewis and the websites of Amazon and Tesco – are sold out. Those turning to eBay as a last resort are paying anything between £400 and £750.
The Sony PSP, generally priced at £179, was in similar short supply when it went into stores in August. The shortage has continued, despite a raft of massive shipments from the Far East. Limited stocks are held by the major chains and department stores, which means many people are having to trawl the High Street and the web to get a PSP.
Apple’s iPod, in all its various incarnations, has been a huge success for two years. Refinements to the design and variations on its classic white casing have fuelled the ‘must-have’ hype.
The iPod nano, a super- slim version of the original, has sold millions around the world. Now the black version is at the top of many a stylish student’s Christmas list.