NEWS: I don't ever want to hear about Go Go Hamsters ever again

By MARK McLAUGHLIN and VICTORIA RAIMES
Edinburgh Evening News
10 December 2009

I don't get it....but then again I'm not 3-years-old

IT'S the must-have toy this Christmas, but you're Go-Going to have to get your skates on to get one.

Jenners has announced it is due to release what is likely to be its final pre-Christmas batch of Go Go Hamsters – the £9.99 surprise hit of the winter – at 9am on Saturday.

With the new stock limited to around two dozen, staff are bracing themselves for chaos and will be operating a strict one-per-person, first-come first-served ticketing system outside the Princes Street store before opening.

A similar system caused arguments at Toys R Us last weekend, with staff reporting abusive complaints from irate customers looking for more than one toy.

Alan Thomlinson, depute store manager at Jenners, said: "We've never had this kind of demand before so we've had to put a ticketing system in place for the first time in the store's history.

"My advice would be to get here early. I wouldn't like to put a time on it, it will be up to the customers to use their judgement as to how early they're willing to queue for these toys.

"There won't be any other fanfare going on that morning. The idea is to get the customers in and out the door as quickly and safely as possible."

With some Edinburgh-based eBay sellers receiving bids upwards of £100 for their hamsters, there is the potential for an early morning bidding war for a place in the queue on Saturday.

Jenners' rival John Lewis has confirmed there will be no more deliveries before Christmas.

Toys R Us in Kinnaird Park had a delivery last Friday and said it may be getting another delivery tomorrow.

A store source said: "This Go Go Hamster business is crazy – it's straight out of the film Jingle All the Way.

"We have people lining up outside the store from 6am and they set out camp with deck chairs and all sorts. We've been handing out tea and coffee to keep them warm.

"As there is such a rush for the hamsters, we are operating a ticket system to make sure everybody is treated fairly. We are only selling one hamster plus one accessory to each person to try and ensure that everybody gets one, although some people are left disappointed.

"A few people become abusive because they want to buy more than one, but most understand."

Parents have clearly not been deterred by a recent health scare sparked by US consumer group Good Guide, which claimed that the fur on one of the rodents contained traces of an arsenic-like chemical beyond permitted levels.

The hamster in question – Mr Squiggles – was cleared by European and US regulators.

Jenners manager George Bell said: "We are aware of the claims that one of the hamsters may be toxic, but the manufacturers said there was no need for a recall as they have passed all the safety standards. We've been assured by the manufacturers that the toys we have for sale are absolutely fine."

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Jenners-gears-up-to-sell.5900138.jp