|
Have Yourself a Merry Little Holiday Sales Season With Christmas sales accounting for more than 50% of annual toy sales and analysts predicting that 2003 favorites will continue to be hot sellers in 2004, retailers can look for a profitable fourth quarter. “Electronics had a lot of momentum toward the end of 2003,” said Ellen Tolley, director of media relations at the National Retail Federation. “DVD and MP3 players and digital cameras are toys for kids. While they may not have been affordable 2 or 3 years ago, I think we’ll see dramatic price drops this holiday season that parents will find very appealing.” Senior industry analyst, Michael Redmond, at the NPD Group, a leading market
“Competition should be strong for the 2004 holiday season as manufacturers try to capitalize on the category while it’s still hot,” said Despite heavy competition, don’t count Barbie out just yet. Barbie is still the overwhelming choice of girls, According to Tolley. “Barbie continues to reinvent herself. She is still very strong as a brand and as a toy.”
Collectible card games, family games and licensed properties should also continue to be strong sellers this holiday season.
Dolls and Miniatures
Singin’ Surprise Strawberry Shortcake interactive plush doll (SRP $39.99) by Bandai (available fall 2004): With the wave of the magic wand over the storybook (both included), little girls will hear special phrases and songs. The doll also speaks 15 different phrases when her left hand is squeezed.
T*neez bendable, posable 3-inch figures (SRP $4.99) by Bandai have detailed painted-on fashions and fun hairstyles. Magnetic feet allow figures to be posed in a variety of interactive magnetic play environments, such as The Groove Mall (SRP $39.99), which includes a moving sidewalk and projected movie screen. A total of 24 different characters are available.
Electronics
TV Games Video Game System (SRP $20) by JAKKS Pacific is based on classic video games from Activision, Atari, CAPCOM, and Namco. The controller is compact, portable and plugs easily into any standard TV. Five original Spider-Man games will hit stores in the fourth quarter of 2004.
Action Figures
Collectible Card Games
Digimon and
Family Board and Card Games
With the huge success of Pirates Cove (SRP $49.95), Days of Wonder (ToyShow) expects the same response to Memoir ’44 (SRP $49.95), a historical 2-player board game that’s a fast paced strategic and tactical board game commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the D-Day Landing.
|
|