Santa's little helpers

US: Faith Corbin’s mother had some bad news: there was no money for expensive toys this Christmas. Seven-year-old Faith was disappointed, but not for long. The second-grader decided to sell some of her old toys online to raise money for a new doll.

Like many American families, the Corbins of Bowie, Maryland, are feeling the effects of the financial crisis. “I can’t really justify spending another $100 on a doll,” Barbara Corbin told The Wall Street Journal. At Faith’s suggestion, Corbin placed an ad on craigslist to sell doll clothes and other accessories.

Faith is not alone in selling old toys. Craigslist reports that the number of postings for dolls and toys has doubled compared to last year. Many of the listings include the words “My son is selling” or “My daughter is selling”.

The situation is similar at eBay, the online auction house. “Kids are smart, and when their parents are telling them ‘no’, they are looking for other ways to make it happen,” says eBay’s toy director Cat Schwartz.

"Kids are smart, and when parents say 'no', they find other ways to make it happen," says eBay's Cat Schwartz.

Reef Koch, an 11-year-old from Reston, Virginia, is selling a box full of hundreds of Power Ranger figures for $40 on craigslist. He originally wanted to sell the figures for $200, but his mother insisted on the lower amount. “He still thinks it’s worth a lot more,” says Kelly Koch.

Reef turned down an offer of $25 for the toys. “It was too cheap for all those Power Rangers,” he says. “It seemed like a rip-off.”