Page 271 - AmericasMart: Market Magazine July 2018

GENERAL GIFT/CHILDREN’S WORLD
Grown-ups want to play too
Focusing on the category’s fun factor
is the key, says Steve Starobinsky, vice president Marketing & Product Discovery, Diverse Marketing. Many retailers think the category is limited to children, an attitude he says is outdated.
“You’re not selling just to kids, but also to kids-at-heart,” explains Starobinsky.
“The toys Millennials grew up with were so much richer in content. It’s still really cool to like Mario and Zelda and Etch A Sketch. You’re not alienated as a 35-year-old if
you like video games. That’s a big shift in our society.”
Starobinsky also points to the surging popularity of games targeted to adults. NPD released another report last
year showing Games & Puzzles as
the fastest growing toy category from 2016 to 2017 (24 percent). Within games, adult games grew at the fastest rate,
267 percent.
“Both party games and adult strategy games are on trend right now,” says Starobinsky. “Most Millennials aren’t going out as much as the previous generations did.”
Parents and grandparents hold the key
Sandy Ruben of Sandy Ruben & Associates also sees adults driving
a big part of the toy market, but from a different angle—one that’s prime territory for retailers.
“Parents are trying to find as much as they can for 1 and 2-year-olds,” he says.
“But the grandparents are really driving sales because they’re willing to invest more than parents might.”
Sales trends in toddler toys focus on both nostalgia and quality. Grandparents want a keepsake that will last, which explains why Ruben says he sees growth in children’s books. In fact, he says that’s a great way for a retailer to get into the toy business.
“As long as you have a nice assortment of books geared to 1- to 3-year-olds, it’s almost like a guaranteed sale,” he says.
“The safest way to start is to focus in on board books. A $75 investment would get you started in the category, and you can find out how customers react to it.” >
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