An article in the New York Times ( November 20, 2012) describes the increased media buys by candidates this election and thus delays in advertising toys. The focus on detecting hits by manufacturers and retailers is thus claimed to require pre-orders and layaways as predictors of holiday trends. But an attempt to sway pre-orders pushed promotions back to May of this year. Given the short season post-election, and the danger of too much inventory, how should the supply chain manage inventory this holiday season? Will a move to e-commerce lower retailer risk by consolidating stocks ? Or will customers face stockouts as trends emerge or higher prices for air shipments from manufacturers ?