It has been suggested that the Dinomatron shortage was a conspiracy
to drive up prices, but I disagree. First of all, no one could have
predicted the immense popularity of this toy. Just last year, a very
similar dinosaur-building kit was ignored by shoppers. Second, severe
winter weather all along the East Coast led to shipping delays,
contributing to the shortage. Could someone have conspired to create
bad weather? I don't think so. The Dinomatron price increase was the
natural result of supply and demand economics. During the busy
holiday shopping season, weather prevented toy stores from receiving
enough toys to fill demand. Therefore, they became more valuable.