Gumtree helps Stickeez fans

Head of Gumtree Marketing Claire Cobbledick says they were not surprised to see the little characters pop up online. "As a parent, I know first-hand that children are begging to go to the shops just to complete their collections before the promotion ends. Classifieds is a great way to quickly get your hands on that missing toy, without spending the R150 and ending up with duplicates."

Gumtree's parent company eBay has also seen increased traffic from South Africa. Social media was abuzz with links to the online auction site selling bulk amounts of Stickeez (at about $11.50 for 50 units) last week, while on Gumtree the prices fluctuate.

While no one is exactly sure what impact Stickeez has had on Pick 'n Pay's revenue, marketer Jon Cherry of Cherryflava has said that according to some sources the craze has been responsible for an estimated 12% increase in the retailer's profit.