Toy making follows the markets as closely as any industry. Lasting and educational value and a dropping price point mark key touchstones in the 2010 holiday season.
“You can”™t really ignore any market that applies to the business,” said Michael Levins, CEO of Innovative Kids, a children”™s toy and book creator in Norwalk with a focus on enrichment. “Products that provide value to the consumer always have a place; it”™s about making that value readily visible.”
Innovative Kids products are sold at independent book stores, Barnes and Noble locations, Learning Express and Hobby Town Stores, Whole Foods and Pottery Barn Kids.
According to Shari Kaufman, president of Innovative Kids, the company”™s in house developers and inventors are always keeping an eye on the market.
“Everything that we do is perennial,” said Kaufman. “It”™s not about following a fad or a hot trend that”™s happening right now, we”™re interested in developing a product that”™s good for kids, will always be good for kids, and they”™ll use it forever and pass it down.”
The Toy Industry Association has said the theme trends of this year are items that are active, accessible, affordable and aspirational.
“There”™s more than alliteration behind our selection of these four overarching themes,” said Reyne Rice, toy trend specialist at the Toy Industry Association. “Each of these trends is supported by toys intended for multiple age groups and play patterns, from multiple manufacturers and entertainment studios, and across all categories of products.”
Price point is dropping
Levins, who also is a board member of the American Specialty Toy Retailers Association, said the shift in price points for toy makers has been notable over the last few years.
“We”™re seeing price points for us drop,” said Levins. “More people are looking to buy the $14.99 item rather than the $19.99 of a few years ago.” He said that changes what is made, how it”™s sold as well as the challenge of putting the equivalent value into the new high volume price frame.
“There”™s been a shift,” said Levins. “Rarely do consumers forgo buying something for kids because of a few dollars in price. Today the reality is there are only so many dollars to spend.”
Levins said a change in price point affects the process of toy making from its conception.
“It changes what the product is going to be and what it”™s going to do,” said Levins. “That causes you to get creative in how to create the value; it could be smaller size or fewer pieces.”
Amy Coe, owner of Amy Coe, a children”™s store brand in Westport and a designer of children”™s clothing for Babies“R”Us stores, said having different price points has become more important in the world of toy selection as well.
“There are all different types of reasons to buy for children,” said Coe. “You need to have things that are $5 and $200. You want to give the customer the opportunity to see a full breathe of products.”
A shift toward learning products
Coe said there is a major shift in popularity of kid”™s toys that have no plastics in lieu of the toxin issues associated with China-made products in recent years. She also said the shift toward educational and tactile components has continued.
“There has always been an advantage to having a learning component, but now people want to know that if they”™re going to spend money there”™s going to be a little longevity for the child,” Coe said. “Though with children buying, there will always be a place for indulgence. It”™s for kids and you want them to enjoy themselves. Often parents and family members will put themselves and their budget on the back burner and baby comes first. The shift is more in practicality.”
Coe said a reflection of practicality has been the popular move toward toy making do-it together sets in which an elemental process creates a play thing.
“It becomes about the product and the time spent together,” said Coe, whose stock of make-your-own Superman cape kits were selling out this season. Other active trends are reflected in the success of toys like the Automoblox Car, a sharp looking wooden and rubber car that is able to be taken apart and put back together.
“It”™s become a lot more about what you can do with it,” said Coe.
Content, aesthetics boost children”™s toys
According to Kaufman, good content and aesthetics are a winning combination for children”™s toys, especially in an industry with a large quantity for return buyers and brand loyalty.
“You really need to think about helping the parent or buyer recognize the value in the product,” Kaufman said. “We want the parent to see the child use it over and over again.”
Levins said there is always going to be a place for television character licensed type of toys, which are often embraced for a few years and with fleeting success.
“At the end of the day the parent makes the decision as to whether they see if the child enjoys it and if they don”™t they”™re not going to come back again.”
Levins said typical parent attitudes toward toy buying are more akin to investment rather than a single purchasing experience.
