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iPod plummets in Christmas gift popularity

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Dan Warne19 December 2008, 1:46 PM

MP3 players, including the Apple iPod, are out of favour as Christmas gifts this year, according to online auction site Oztion.

Australian-based eBay competitor OZtion has released stats on what people seem to be buying for Christmas presents this year.

One of the surprise revelations is that the iPod has dropped dramatically in popularity this year, with Nintendo DS taking over from MP3 players as the electronic Christmas present of choice.

Apparently in the current cash-strapped environment, there has been a spike in sales of comedy and boxed-set TV show DVDs at Oztion, displacing more expensive Christmas presents.

The fastest selling female item has been shoulder bags and handbags — no dramatic change there.

Surprisingly, the #1 most popular toy sold on Oztion this year hasn't been Pleo, the robot dinosaur, or Elmo Live, but rather the much lower-tech, but perennially popular Lego.

Philip Druce, co-founder of OZtion, said "There has been some subtle changes to what sold well in 2007. The Nintendo DS has replaced MP3 players as this Christmas's must have item, with other electronic items like Mobile phones and GPS Sat Nav devices also entering the top ten."

Druce added, "A large number of people have gone for gift vouchers this year, which will ensure people will be able to purchase what they really need after Christmas."

Most popular Christmas gifts for 2009:

Video Games (Electronic / Console)
Nintendo DS Console
Bags (Shoulder & Hand)
Mobile Phones
DVDs (TV Shows / Series)
Lego
Jewellery
Shopping / Gift Vouchers
GPS / Sat Nav Devices
Bratz Dolls

"In tough economic times, Australian's are definitely looking online for a bargain," Druce said, noting that he reckons one of the key reasons people like buying Christmas presents online these days is "avoiding the nightmare of [large shopping centre] parking lots."

OZtion's membership base recently increased to over 350,000, following a year of bad publicity for eBay, when it tried to ban all payment methods except its own quasi-bank PayPal, and was subsequently forced to back down.

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Truckasauras (User):

That's it, I'm selling all my shares in Apple and buying up big stocks in Bratz Dolls. Sound like a wise investment guys?

19 December 2008, 1:49 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Phil1 (User):

Given that the maker of Bratz Dolls, MGA Entertainment, was recently barred from selling Bratz dolls and using the Bratz name due to copyright infringement, not really :P

http://www.reuters.com/article/ousiv/idUSTRE4BB0E720081212

19 December 2008, 4:06 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

It's hardly an extensive set of results to draw too much analysis from. One vendor. I'm sure Apple store stats show almost zero take up of PC compatible equipment.

But despite this being a narrow sample to work on I'd be inclined to concur. Do all the MP3 player companies know what saturation is? They are about to. When every man and his Auntie has a iPod (and most have an old one or too in the drawer too) they are hardly that must have gift anymore.

19 December 2008, 4:44 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

SkateNY (New user):

Why don't we all do something novel and wait until the results come in? Just a thought.

19 December 2008, 6:10 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting SkateNY:
Why don't we all do something novel and wait until the results come in?

Oh, the intrigue. As if waiting for Christmas itself wasn't enough.

19 December 2008, 6:44 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Tin (Regular user):

Quoting SkateNY:
Why don't we all do something novel and wait until the results come in?

What? Results? I didn't know Christmas was an election or competition... Damn it! I'd better get out and vote or whatever it is I'm supposed to do.

20 December 2008, 6:00 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

AnthonyBrisbane (User):

People are starting to realise that iPods are very poor when compared with the Zen.

19 December 2008, 6:59 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting AnthonyBrisbane:
People are starting to realise that iPods are very poor when compared with the Zen.

Only for the troubled few can iPod be considered a religion. :>

19 December 2008, 7:01 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Halcon (Advanced member):

Quoting Raindog:
Only for the troubled few can iPod be considered a religion. :>

You are right my friend, here in this place, a lot of sick people worship Apple, every time they fiercely attack the IBM PC users, with whatever expletive they throw at.
It would have been wonderful if the competition were healthy, Apple lost many opportunities to grab the Number one spot.
IBM made the right decision to make the PC what is today, flexible upgrade of internal components, from cheap to expensive ones.
Its sad that this rivalry has become more harsher than a soccer team, where fans of two warring clubs try to hurt each other to the bitter end.

22 December 2008, 7:52 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting Halcon:
You are right my friend

I'm always right, but I work alone thanks all the same

Quoting Halcon:
a lot of sick people worship Apple, every time they fiercely attack the IBM PC users, with whatever expletive they throw at.

yeah and a lot of windows fan-boys throw muck back. I'm not in any fan boy camp. Never was, never will be.

Quoting Halcon:
It would have been wonderful if the competition were healthy, Apple lost many opportunities to grab the Number one spot.

In terms of the MP3 market, apple undoubtedly holds the number one spot.

Quoting Halcon:
IBM made the right decision to make the PC what is today

That's all very nice but what does it have to do with the topic?

Fanaticism for any one brand is a little Naff, whatever that brand may be.

22 December 2008, 9:53 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

SkateNY (New user):

Quoting AnthonyBrisbane:
People are starting to realise that iPods are very poor when compared with the Zen.

That's so funny, I almost threw up.

20 December 2008, 6:09 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Truckasauras (User):

Quoting AnthonyBrisbane:
People are starting to realise that iPods are very poor when compared with the Zen.

Does the Zen come in any capacity larger then 32gb? If not, then I'll stick to my 160gb iPod.

22 December 2008, 1:59 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Your Average Joe (Cornerstone member):

Quoting Truckasauras:
If not, then I'll stick to my 160gb iPod.

iPod Touch ................... Brilliant !
Never got into the fanboy thing. Whatever does its job well is my pick !

22 December 2008, 10:19 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

alhutchings (New user):

Lol and this my friends is market saturation lol.....Well according to Oztion anyway. Who the hell are these guys anyway? Lol

19 December 2008, 9:06 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

alhutchings (New user):

Oops apologies to raindog for already stating the obvious. My bad >_<

19 December 2008, 9:07 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

SkateNY (New user):

Yeah. The iPos is plummeting. So is laundry detergent.

20 December 2008, 9:43 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting SkateNY:
Yeah. The iPos is plummeting. So is laundry detergent.

the wha? And what does it have to do with laundry liquid?

It's alright, don't panic, even if iPod sales plummet you'll still be able to annoy others on public transport with one of these walkperson iThingys.

20 December 2008, 9:51 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

SkateNY (New user):

I will tell you this. I am paid, and very well, in the field of technology research. I will never again come back to this site. There are obviously so many of you here who carry anger issues, among much else, that spending time exchaning dialogue would be the the equivalent of taking out trash and then bringing it back in again. Some of you people need not only to get a life, but to get a life in which other beings in your species are not repulsed by you. Good luck with that.

20 December 2008, 9:49 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting SkateNY:
I will tell you this. I am paid, and very well, in the field of technology research. I will never again come back to this site.

Well my name is Elvis nice to meet you tech research guy.

Quoting SkateNY:
There are obviously so many of you here who carry anger issues

Yeah they would be the angry ones....

Quoting SkateNY:
among much else, that spending time exchaning dialogue would be the the equivalent of taking out trash and then bringing it back in again.

Even now we have crack teams of cypher experts trying to crack the code on that one. Where is the enigma machine when you need it?

Quoting SkateNY:
Some of you people need not only to get a life, but to get a life in which other beings in your species are not repulsed by you.

Yeah you did say there were angry souls about.. :>

Quoting SkateNY:
Good luck with that.

and a joyous and happy festival to you. May Santa bring you an iPod so new it hasn't even been invented yet. Peace on earth and all that..

20 December 2008, 9:58 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Tin (Regular user):

In reply to SkateNY's rant about being a technology researcher who won't come back to this site (and I notice he/she/it did anyway later):

Wow... You're well paid in technology research. Well here's some research for you to do as homework:
1) Determine the causes of "Apple love".
2) Try to show a cause behind "Apple lovers" immediately blaming "Apple haters" for anything negative about Apple products.
3) Grow up and learn to understand that your needs and wants are not the entire world's needs and wants. Just because an iProduct's feature set is for you doesn't mean it's for me.

21 December 2008, 9:58 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

SkateNY (New user):

iPod and Apple haters need to know only one thing: they own better than 70% of the market that you're arguing about. Do something different than you're complaining about. Kiss your wife. Spend time with your kids. Take a nap. Do something, anything. But please, stop wasting your time telling who love what they're doing to stope love what they're doing. Unless you are mentallya retarted, you have no other reason to be senselessly happy. Good night. I won't post here again. People who hate the iPhone/iPod have many issues, and I don't want to engage them. They need help in other places. Good luck with that.

20 December 2008, 10:25 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Truckasauras (User):

You're leaving?
QQ

22 December 2008, 8:39 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Halcon (Advanced member):

A couple of years ago, I was given an Ipod Nano, as a Christmas present, this has been the most ridiculous present I ever had.
Not better than any other MP3 players, I hate it! I wish I could toss away to where it should belong the garbage bin.
If I want to listening music outside home I can buy a much better product, I am very happy to listening music in my high powered sound system, I don't even pump up the volume to the max, because the house will tremble or I could became deaf.
And to the so called technology researcher, If you get paid by Apple to find a place of worship then go to hell, Apple is nothing more than miserable company doing hype of whatever they like to market to the world.
Apple itself has won the wrath of many for being an anarchist company thats it!

22 December 2008, 12:13 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

plutonium210 (Advanced member):

Quoting Halcon:
I was given an Ipod Nano, as a Christmas present, this has been the most ridiculous present I ever had.

A simple gracious "thank you" would have sufficed to the giver, I'm sure !

Quoting Halcon:
I hate it! I wish I could toss away to where it should belong the garbage bin.

Why didn't you ? ......... Or better still, give it to charity ? Someone more deserved and more thankful would have appreciated it more !
Or did you keep it so you can complain about it everyday ?

Quoting Halcon:
Apple itself has won the wrath of many for being an anarchist company thats it!

Seems just your wrath ! If you don't like it ! Don't use it !
It's not that hard to grasp really !

22 December 2008, 1:50 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Halcon (Advanced member):

Quoting plutonium210:
Seems just your wrath !

How confuse is the Radioactive man, not everyone loves Apple.
This company is an opportunistic manufacturer of broken dreams.
Wake up, buy yourself a happy meal at Mac Donald's, just don't expect a little toy in the shape of an Ipod with your order.

22 December 2008, 7:32 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

plutonium210 (Advanced member):

Quoting Halcon:
Wake up, buy yourself a happy meal at Mac Donald's, just don't expect a little toy in the shape of an Ipod with your order.

LOL ! WTF ! .......... I'd love to have what you're on !

22 December 2008, 10:05 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Your Average Joe (Cornerstone member):

Quoting Halcon:
This company is an opportunistic manufacturer of broken dreams.

Where are you getting this from ?
It's very poetic but hardly a valid and logical argument !

22 December 2008, 10:22 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

jenmac (New user):

Funny that - I have been looking everywhere to buy Ipods and they are sold out especially the Apple Ipod Touch

23 December 2008, 8:55 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

jenmac (New user):

Thats funny I have been trying to buy Apple Touch everywhere before christmas and they are sold out.

23 December 2008, 8:57 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

ur_point (New user):

Quoting jenmac:
Thats funny I have been trying to buy Apple Touch everywhere before christmas and they are sold out.
Go to the source apple.com.au and also refurbished plus free courier delivery, not sold out there at all!

23 December 2008, 10:41 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

ur_point (New user):

I`ve seen lots of kiddies Santa letters after games and an iPod/MP3 player, I know lots of parents buying DS but my boys had theirs years ago and I bought their iPods for birthdays refurbished off Apple, it was free delivery, less hassle and cheaper. It`s not really good stats to rely on little ole` Oztion.

23 December 2008, 10:36 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Annie--- (New user):

The Apple products are still popular. Yes there might be a slight change when people are buying Christmas presents but that's mainly because the apple products are too expensive, and what with the financial crisis still around people are little short on the green.

To anyone who doesn't know why the 'ipod' series is so popular its because of this: Apple invented an mp3 player that can hold so much and have so many features, following the original ipod came the 'nano' but no one likes them. So I'll go on to the 'ipod touch', the ipod touch was a major breakthrough when it comes to portable computers, just the way a person can listen to a piece of music with a touch of a finger is what makes it so special. The iphone is just the same, with the iphone you can look up tourist attractions, restaurants, play games, send files and it has the internet. I mean every single mobile phone company wants to make something like the iphone!

I don't own an apple product, this is mainly because I don't have enough money and my parents don't want me to have one, but I can see why the ipod series has become so popular over a short time. To the user Raindog, I agree with you that the sample is too narrow. But I have to disagree with your rebuttals to other users, I mean you should probably disagree with them maturely instead of making snide remarks to make them sound stupid.

23 December 2008, 11:54 AM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting Annie---:
To anyone who doesn't know why the 'ipod' series is so popular its because of this: Apple invented an mp3 player that can hold so much and have so many features,

There are plenty of MP3 player that hold as much if not more than any iPod, there are plenty of MP3 players that have as many if not more feature than any iPod. What apple have marketed is a phenomena. iPod is not without merit, but a good part of it's popularity is a marketing as a must have appliance.

Quoting Annie---:
just the way a person can listen to a piece of music with a touch of a finger

How revolutionary! Everyone know that those old and cumbersome cassette recorder from days of yore required the striking of flints an funneling in of quantities of saltpeter to listen to the music within. Control by finger, who'd have thought?

Quoting Annie---:
To the user Raindog, I agree with you that the sample is too narrow. But I have to disagree with your rebuttals to other users, I mean you should probably disagree with them maturely instead of making snide remarks to make them sound stupid.

They were sounding stupid long before any intervention on my behalf, I just offered them the opportunity to perfect their craft.

23 December 2008, 6:45 PM (1 year ago)report abuse Send to a friend