NPD RESEARCH Retail Sales Trends
Shaky start to Q4, but all eyes on Christmas
OCTOBER IS the first month of the all-important fourth quarter and traditionally accounts for ten per cent of annual toy sales. Disappointingly, October sales
this year were low, with value down eight per cent on 2011. This continued to be driven by promotional changes across the market and means performance in November and December will be closely monitored. The only supercategory in
growth in October was youth electronics, where value grew one per cent. This was heavily driven by the robotic and interactive playmates sector, where Furby has made a big impact in the last month, accounting for a quarter of all youth electronics sales.
The Furby Hot & Cool Assortment was the number two item for the month across total toys, with total Furby sales of over £2.4 million so far. However, Hexbug has also seen positive growth in this area with sales doubling when compared to October 2011. The dolls market, while flat for the month, has been one of the strongest performing areas throughout the year and is now the third largest supercategory in toys. Nurturing dolls saw some growth in October, with perennial favourite Baby Annabel’s sales up 27 per cent and Cabbage Patch Kids, one of the 2012’s Dream Toys, making a strong contribution to sales in the category.
UK RETAIL SALES TRENDS October 2012(£ sales – value)
1 LEAPPAD EXPLORER
2. FURBY HOT & COOL ASSORTMENT 3. INNOTAB
4. MOSHI MONSTERS MOSHLINGS FIGURES 5. DANCING TOWER SIT TO STAND 6. LEGO MINIFIGURES 7.
KIDIZOOM TWIST DIGITAL
8. MOSHI MONSTERS BLIND BAG ASSORTMENT 9. MONSTER HIGH DOLLS ASSORTMENT 10. CITY GREAT VEHICLES
Leapfrog Hasbro Vtech Vivid
Vtech Lego
Vtech Vivid
Mattel Lego
Fashion themed dolls is still the
strongest area of the dolls market, with growth driven by the success of Monster High, which has five out of the top ten for the month. This includes the top two lines – the Monster High Dolls Assortment and Monster High Ghouls Rule Assortment – also one of this year’s Dream Toys. “The TRA’s Dream Toys list for 2012 includes many lines that were already becoming top sellers, even before their inclusion in the list,” says Jez Fraser-Hook, director of NPD Group’s toy business in the UK. “Traditionally sales of these items
increase in the final two months of the year, and it will be very interesting to see which ones make the top sellers list for December.”
Properties
Best item progression October 2012
123 Large Zoo (Playmobil)
The product jumped an incredible 2,095 places, from number 2,135 in September, up to number 40 in October.
Sales
UK toy sales (value, year-to-date)
YTD 2011
YTD 2012
Source: NPD -8%
Average toy price Oct ‘11: £8.54
Oct ‘12: £8.38
October 2012(Unit sales - volume) LEGO MINIFIGURES
1
2. MOSHI MONSTERS BLIND BAG ASSORTMENT 3. MATCH ATTAX BOOSTER
4. HOT WHEELS BASIC CAR ASSORTMENT 5. MOSHI 3 CODE BREAKER TRADING CARDS 6. MOSHI MONSTERS MOSHLING FIGURES 7. SKYLANDERS COLLECTOR CARDS
8. TRASH PACK BINS SERIES 2 ASSORTMENT 9. NERF N-STRIKE JOLT EX-1
10. PLAY-DOH SINGLE TUB ASSORTMENT
Notes: All participating NPD retail data suppliers provide weekly data via epos systems. NPD figures are not projected to represent non-participating retailers but provide 100 per cent of the sales from participating stores. Epos sample includes the following retailers:
Amazon.co.uk, Argos, Asda, Boots, Debenhams, ELC, Firebox, Freemans, Grattan, Halfords, Hamleys, HMV, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Mothercare, Next,
Play.com, Sainsbury’s, Shop Direct, Tesco, The Entertainer, Toys R Us, Toymaster, WHSmith, Wilkinsons. NPD estimates that the epos now accounts for 78% of the total toy market.
01932 355 580 10 December/January
www.toynews-online.biz
Lego Vivid
Topps Mattel
Esdevium Vivid
Topps Flair
Hasbro Hasbro
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