Toy, electronics retailers in on price watch
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U.S. consumers binged on toys and  electronics this Thanksgiving weekend, leaving retailers and  analysts to wonder if demand has already been satiated and  whether discounts that spurred the three-day spree will cut  into profits.
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Retailers expect the day after Boxing Day to be busier as bargain hunters continue the chase for cut-price items.
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It may be up to Pittsburgh shoppers to determine if consumer electronics retailer Circuit City continues its foray into the eBay drop-off business.
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(InfoWorld) - The 2006 holiday shopping period got off to a strong start over the weekend, according to several e-commerce operators. The Friday after the Thanksgiving holiday is typically seen as the start of the holiday sales season in the U.S. and retail outlets across the nation see some of the largest crowds of the year on that day. In recent years, online retailers also report strong traffic on the day. While consumers may be opening their wallets to online retailers like never before, there's also evidence they are after bargains like never before. Two online price comparison sites, which point consumers to the lowest prices for various items, reported surging traffic. Pricegrabber.com said it's seen a 45 percent increase year-over-year in referrals to merchants for November to date. In some categories, including toys, sporting goods and apparel, the amount of traffic sent to retailers by Pricegrabber has more than doubled, it said. Rival site Shopping.com reported a 40 percent jump in November-to-date referrals to online retailers and said hot categories include kids and family, home and garden, and clothing and accessories. Despite the strong traffic, Monday is likely to be busier, said Shopping.com. Last year visitors to the site peaked between noon and 2 p.m. on Monday. Two of the season's hottest holiday gift items, the recently-launched PlayStation 3 and Wii games consoles, have been selling fast on Ebay. In the week to Nov. 24, 14,675 PlayStation 3 and 26,708 Wii consoles were sold through the site. The average price of the PS3 was US$1,186.39 while the Wii fetched an average $412.53, according to eBay Marketplace Research. Both prices are well above their suggested retail prices. Other hot electronics items include the Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. BDP-1000 Blu-ray Disc player and Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod nano and iPod Shuffle, the company said.
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The electronics retailer has a tough quarter, as expected.
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Three U.S. consumer products makers  will give a peek into their strategies this week and while the  sector has been plagued by rising costs and stiff competition,  analysts are optimistic about their prospects.
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Toys R Us&#39; (TOY.N: Quote, Profile, Research) earnings report on Monday was nothing special, but some traders think the company&#39;s upcoming holiday sale season could be impressive.
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In the three-way struggle among Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo for year-end shoppers of next-generation video-game consoles, price is turning out to be a key weapon.
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In Japan, that is. The game player's surprising pricing there may indicate what the U.S. market can expect.
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Stocks to watch on Thursday: AMAZON.COM INC. :
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Stocks to watch on Tuesday:    AMAZON.COM INC. :
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Bargain hunters may want to keep an eye on this stock.
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With Black Friday in the rear-view  mirror -- complete with eye-popping bargains and frenzied  shoppers lining up overnight to buy that "must-have" 42-inch  plasma television -- Wall Street now looks to Thursday to find  out whether heavy markdowns took a toll on sales and profits.
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Electronics makers considering the strain on the U.S. economy are hoping consumers will cut other expenses first, but many see some worrying signs ahead.
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U.S. stocks to watch on Monday include  Family Dollar Stores Inc., Staples Inc., Microsoft Corp., and  General Electric Co.
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It may sound like carping coming from a big electronics company, but the price drops have surprised manufacturers and analysts alike.
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LOS ANGELES - Toy makers and major retailers are bracing for potentially weak Christmas sales this year amid concerns that consumers, many squeezed by skyrocketing gas prices or uneasiness over the economy, will spend less on holiday shopping.    On Monday, No...