Mattel removes thousands of "Wicked" dolls from stores due to packaging containing an adult website link.

• Mattel is pulling its "Wicked"-branded fashion dolls from retail shelves.
• Universal's movie site was mistakenly linked to an adult website on packages of Glinda, Elphaba and other character dolls.
• As of midday Monday, "Wicked" dolls were removed from the online storefronts of Target, Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, and Macy's.

Not due to consumer demand, thousands of "Wicked"-branded fashion dolls are rapidly selling out.

The company has had to withdraw its collection of character dolls due to a printing error. Instead of promoting the "Wicked" film on the packaging, it contained a link to a pornographic website belonging to Wicked Pictures.

"Mattel acknowledged a misprint on the packaging of the Mattel Wicked collection dolls, which directed consumers to an incorrect website. The company regrets the error and is taking immediate action to fix it. Parents are advised to discard the misprinted packaging or obscure the link, and consumers who already have the product can contact Mattel Customer Service for further information."

As of midday Monday, both Amazon and Barnes & Noble had removed the "Wicked" dolls from their online storefronts. The products were also being sold at other retailers such as Target and DSW. Some sites were still taking action on the listings throughout the day Monday.

Mattel has not specified whether it will reprint the packages or provide retailers with stickers to cover the incorrect website domain, and did not respond to CNBC's request for further comment.

"James Zahn, editor in chief of The Toy Book, stated that mistakes can occur in the toy business, just like in any other business. It is likely that this was an unintentional error that slipped through the usual procedures. Most people, including kids and adults, do not read the fine print on packaging and, ultimately, the packaging is meant to be discarded. The chances of a child reading the back of a doll box and visiting the website are low."

The flood of "Wicked"-related products on retail shelves ahead of the film's Nov. 22 release is expected to boost the retail industry during the crucial holiday period.

The removal of the dolls could negatively affect Mattel's revenue.

According to Jaime Katz, an analyst at Morningstar, the impact is uncertain because the resolution is not yet known.

Resellers are the big winners in the short term due to the snafu, as this incident triggered a flipper frenzy this weekend, with opportunists quickly emptying retail shelves to make a quick profit by selling on eBay or Facebook Marketplace, according to Zahn.

Numerous Mattel misprinted dolls are currently being sold on eBay for prices ranging from $40 to $2,100. These dolls originally retailed for between $20 and $40, depending on the character and attire.

NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast, is the distributor of "Wicked."