Apparently something happened today in the "most tedious courtroom drama" winner each year for the last, what feels like, decade. As the MGA vs Mattel lawsuit continues to head towards Jarndyce vs Jarndyce proportions, it seems there was some sort of result which will be no doubt be overturned in due course.
In case you don't follow toy industry litigation particularly closely, the whole thing is about the date on which a toy I really don't like was designed. Will there be retrials, mistrials, recriminations, counter-recriminations, more lawsuits and lawsuits about the lawsuits? Of course. Will any of it interest me? Nope.
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
High Street Sales Fall
Nestled into a quiet corner of today's Toy News email was the particularly unsurprising news that High Street sales have plummeted in March. Hmm. I'm no Economics Professor but with inflation outstripping wage rises, it's a natural consequence. Retail needs people with money in their pockets and quickly. We've seen big and small name casualties and there'll be many more. Of course all this reduces tax revenue and the words 'downward spiral' spring to mind.
As I said, I'm no Economics Professor but someone who is, recently told his 3rd Year Economics class, only half in jest, that the quickest way to kick start the economy would be to treble the student grant - the one group of people that would immediately take the money and pump it straight back into circulation. Someone needs a good idea fast and its the best I've heard so far ;)
As I said, I'm no Economics Professor but someone who is, recently told his 3rd Year Economics class, only half in jest, that the quickest way to kick start the economy would be to treble the student grant - the one group of people that would immediately take the money and pump it straight back into circulation. Someone needs a good idea fast and its the best I've heard so far ;)
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
The Sad Loss of Corinthian
Sad news in the toy industry today, with the announcement that Corinthian has gone into administration. They've blamed a number of things - particularly the bad weather in the run up to Christmas. Maybe another day, I'll have a rant about some of the other reasons I think toy distributors are struggling, but today all I'll say is that I'm sorry to see them go.
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Zoobles and The Craze Track Record
We haven't been able to get them for a while. We have people asking for them every day. Demand is out-stripping supply everywhere. Even Amazon don't seem to have them in stock themsleves - all the ones on offer are being sold by third-parties.
I could either be talking about Zoobles right now, or Silly Bandz six months ago. Silly Bandz have meanwhile dropped off the tween radar completely. Very quickly. Two-and-a-half years ago, a product called Gogos Crazy Bones arrived. And they started to sell. And then they sold loads. And kept going and kept going and kept going. OK, so nowadays we only keep a couple of boxes tucked away in a corner, but it would still be a pretty rare day if none sold.
So why did Crazy Bones achieve longevity when Bandz (and quite a few other 'definitely gonna be long term crazes' of last year) failed? Economy? That pretty certainly has something to do with it. Parents are noticeably reticent to allow their children to start a new 'collection' or at best will allow them to buy one or two, but wont allow it to become a bedroom full. The overtly negative comments made by parents about collectibles are rapidly on the rise.
There's also the price point to consider. Back to Zoobles - 150 to collect and £7 a pop. Maybe two years ago, parents didn't do the maths on things like that, but they do now. Zoobles are fantastic. I love them. My kids love them. Will they be still in huge demand this time next year? Not sure.
Crazy Bones at a pound? Yep - that works, and things only went wrong when they lost that price point. For that very reason, if I could take a bet for this year, it'd be on Iwako. If they ever arrive - a whole other story :)
I could either be talking about Zoobles right now, or Silly Bandz six months ago. Silly Bandz have meanwhile dropped off the tween radar completely. Very quickly. Two-and-a-half years ago, a product called Gogos Crazy Bones arrived. And they started to sell. And then they sold loads. And kept going and kept going and kept going. OK, so nowadays we only keep a couple of boxes tucked away in a corner, but it would still be a pretty rare day if none sold.
So why did Crazy Bones achieve longevity when Bandz (and quite a few other 'definitely gonna be long term crazes' of last year) failed? Economy? That pretty certainly has something to do with it. Parents are noticeably reticent to allow their children to start a new 'collection' or at best will allow them to buy one or two, but wont allow it to become a bedroom full. The overtly negative comments made by parents about collectibles are rapidly on the rise.
There's also the price point to consider. Back to Zoobles - 150 to collect and £7 a pop. Maybe two years ago, parents didn't do the maths on things like that, but they do now. Zoobles are fantastic. I love them. My kids love them. Will they be still in huge demand this time next year? Not sure.
Crazy Bones at a pound? Yep - that works, and things only went wrong when they lost that price point. For that very reason, if I could take a bet for this year, it'd be on Iwako. If they ever arrive - a whole other story :)
Friday, 25 February 2011
Monday, 21 February 2011
Best of the Rest at Toy Fair
To go back to what I said a few posts ago - Toy Fair 2011 was the best one I've been at. Here's a few other things that deserve honourable mentions this year.
DKL Marketing are always one of my favourite suppliers (Hama, Wonderworld and Corolle) - this year they bring us Velcro Kids products which look fantastic and the quite frankly sensational looking Mic-o-Mic Construction range - can't wait to have that one in.
Playmobil's Secret Agent range raises their considerably high bar another few notches. What I love about the range is the added play value that comes with every set - working web cams, motion sensors and much more besides that can be detached from their original playsets and played with in their own right. Looks like another good year from them.
Esdevium is where I get geeky - I'd love to stock just about everything in their mammoth catalogue - highlights this year include the new Discworld Boardgame, more Cobi Construction, Iwako Erasers, Pokemon Black & White and a hundred others besides. I could go on.
Meccano risk upsetting the purists with Space Chaos - I love it though - they've also got distribution on a couple of fantastic robots in the UK - Blazor, Mechatars and Penbo all look great - there's also super new stuff for the fan of good old-fashioned Meccano too.
It's going to be a fun year!
DKL Marketing are always one of my favourite suppliers (Hama, Wonderworld and Corolle) - this year they bring us Velcro Kids products which look fantastic and the quite frankly sensational looking Mic-o-Mic Construction range - can't wait to have that one in.
Playmobil's Secret Agent range raises their considerably high bar another few notches. What I love about the range is the added play value that comes with every set - working web cams, motion sensors and much more besides that can be detached from their original playsets and played with in their own right. Looks like another good year from them.
Esdevium is where I get geeky - I'd love to stock just about everything in their mammoth catalogue - highlights this year include the new Discworld Boardgame, more Cobi Construction, Iwako Erasers, Pokemon Black & White and a hundred others besides. I could go on.
Meccano risk upsetting the purists with Space Chaos - I love it though - they've also got distribution on a couple of fantastic robots in the UK - Blazor, Mechatars and Penbo all look great - there's also super new stuff for the fan of good old-fashioned Meccano too.
It's going to be a fun year!
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Continuing the Toy Fair Round-Up - Flair
The third installment of my round-up from this Year's Toy Fair at Olympia sees me look at Flair - another star of the show for me.
Grabbing Geomag from Trove is an interesting move on Flair's part - Geomag want TV exposure and Flair can deliver it. The new range looks excellent and the TV ads are good too, but it remains to be seen whether Geomag can successfully re-establish itself in the competitive construction toy arena. In the jostle for slotting in behind the 'L' word that is not spoken at Bus Stop Towers, KNex and Meccano have excellent looking plans for 2011, so it's going to be tough.
Morbs though. Now there's a product I loved. Even the prototypes on display were superb and I can't wait to see the finished article. Real Steel could be a smart license to win if the film is anything like as good as it promises to be. The toy range is excellent and it's another to look forward to.
Two more of our old favourites are rolling out again this year, in the shape of Filly and Bionic Putty. Gormiti too continues to plod along - I don't think it's ever done quite what any of us hoped in this country, so we'll see what another year brings.
The highlight always though at the Flair stand is Sylvanian Families, and the display was no less impressive than it always is, this time around. Too many good new products to mention them all, but to name a few: the Cottage Hospital, Berry Grove School and the Ambulance are all lovely.
That's my three stars of the show then - Spinmaster, Flair and Tomy. Next week, the best of the rest.
Grabbing Geomag from Trove is an interesting move on Flair's part - Geomag want TV exposure and Flair can deliver it. The new range looks excellent and the TV ads are good too, but it remains to be seen whether Geomag can successfully re-establish itself in the competitive construction toy arena. In the jostle for slotting in behind the 'L' word that is not spoken at Bus Stop Towers, KNex and Meccano have excellent looking plans for 2011, so it's going to be tough.
Morbs though. Now there's a product I loved. Even the prototypes on display were superb and I can't wait to see the finished article. Real Steel could be a smart license to win if the film is anything like as good as it promises to be. The toy range is excellent and it's another to look forward to.
Two more of our old favourites are rolling out again this year, in the shape of Filly and Bionic Putty. Gormiti too continues to plod along - I don't think it's ever done quite what any of us hoped in this country, so we'll see what another year brings.
The highlight always though at the Flair stand is Sylvanian Families, and the display was no less impressive than it always is, this time around. Too many good new products to mention them all, but to name a few: the Cottage Hospital, Berry Grove School and the Ambulance are all lovely.
That's my three stars of the show then - Spinmaster, Flair and Tomy. Next week, the best of the rest.
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