Huge Toy Shortage this Year Means the Good Stuff May Already Be Out of Stock

Empty toy shelves like these will become an increasingly common sight this Christmas season.

Toy inventories in the United States haven't been as low as they are now since 2003. On top of parents already struggling to afford Christmas this year in light of the economic situation in this country, finding toys to give their children this holiday season may also prove more difficult with the nationwide toy shortage.

Due to the still troubled economy, many stores have ordered far less inventory than usual. Many parents are finding it difficult to find even the most common "must-have" gifts on their children's Christmas wish lists.

With lower inventories, this means that parents need to shop earlier. Popular items will sell out more quickly. There will also be fewer mark downs and discounts on toys because there won't be as much of a surplus as there is most years.

Retailers will be relying heavily on proven products that they know they can still sell after December, so consumers can also expect there to be less variety this year. This is especially true if you wait til Christmas Eve to do your shopping - you may go home empty handed or have to settle on something else.

Retailers have learned their lesson after last year, and won't be making the same mistake this year. Last year the slow shopping season caught everyone off-guard, and retailers were stuck marking down so many things after the holidays were over.

In the U.S. more than 2 billion toys are sold annually. Most of these are purchased between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year, many of the favorites are already sold out.

This year's top sellers are anything "Star Wars" related, a dump truck named Rocky, and small electric hamsters called Zhu Zhu Pets.