There seems to be an all new trend in the field of online shopping and that is the purchase of virtual items, that decorate your social network profiles, e-mail inbox, IM chat windows etc., instead of beautifying your living room. That’s right, nowadays users are more than willing to buy wines, e-cards, toys and other weapons (only for online gaming purposes) among a million other virtual goods, that help them in giving a boost to their online presence. Also, these small inexpensive committees are also fast becoming tools for getting ahead in online games, and social interaction, as users are sending them to their family and friends on a regular basis.

As per the estimates given by analysts, the virtual commodities business in flourishing and if it retains its current pace, then it would bag about a billion in the United States alone and on a global scale, the virtual goods could fetch close to $5 billion for the year 2009. According to Jeremy Liew (Lightspeed Venture Partners),

“It’s a fantastic business. Because it’s digital, the marginal cost for every one you sell is zero, so you have 100 percent margins.”

Some of the most prominent virtual gifts and good developers such as Zynga, Playfish and Playdom are extremely pleased with the user response to their gaming applications and the virtual add ons and have posted significant profits and good amount of revenue. The advent of the mobile gaming arenas and application supporting big hitters such as Apple iPhone has added an immense strength to the business of virtual commodities.

Via New York Times.