and helped shape the category in many ways. It’s growing too, despite being weather dependent of course. “What we’re seeing with the pricing of scooters
for instance is that they are becoming a fashion statement for kids and it’s perfectly possible now to sell scooters for £50, £60, £70 or even £100. That’s great news for retailers, because it means there is a lot less pressure on price.” Scooters are one of the most obvious success
stories of recent years as re:creation’s Razor brand proves. “Stunt scooter riding has grown over the past
year as more and more kids go to their local skate park and ride the ramps with the skateboarders and BMX’ers,” says Katy Fletcher, UK Razor brand manager. “Scooterers are now outnumbering boarders and BMX and scooter riders generally of a lower age (6-16), are taking to the ramps and mastering the basics from bar twists and bunny hops to daring tail whips. This year, Razor ran the very first national and international stunt scooter competition in the UK and will continue to support and build the awareness of the sport with further competition and demo programmes in 2012.” Maintaining margins in an overcrowded market,
where value for money is the key driver, sounds difficult but it can be done as Phil explains. “Classic and hot licensed products, plus innovation
are two elements retailers should be looking at. For example if a child wants a Thomas or Ben 10 scooter nothing else will suffice and therefore retailers should be able to keep margins healthy. Combine this with some unique innovation and the margin will be driven upwards.
46 Toyworld
“If the focus is on entry level unbranded product
on the face of it the margins are attractive but once everyone is competing for the lowest price option that margin is quickly eroded as retailers are compelled to drive down prices.” Innovation is also the watchword at H Grossman
as well as peer pressure when it comes to consumer buying habits.
“If the focus is on entry level unbranded product on the face of it the margins are attractive but once everyone is competing for the lowest price option that margin is quickly eroded as retailers are compelled to drive down prices.” Phil Ratcliffe – MV Sports “Innovation is absolutely vital,” says Martin.
“Retailers should be supporting suppliers who are trying to bring genuine innovation to the category because that’s what is going to sell. “The really interesting thing now is that it’s the kids
making the decisions on what to buy. They know what they want – it’s a bit like trainers – and image is important to children because there’s a lot of
playground pressure so they want to be seen with something that looks cool. In that sense, scooters at the higher end of the scale in terms of design and build are doing very well and we can’t make them quick enough.” For MV Sports, the licensed arena continues to be
a strong performer as Phil explains: “We have a huge range of new and exciting
product for next year. Exciting new wheeled toy licenses such as Octonauts, Power Rangers and Avengers plus dependable sector leading properties such as Thomas, Fireman Sam and Ben 10. “Our authentic range of Olympic Team GB bikes
and wheeled toys for SS 2012 is attracting a lot of interest and will capitalise on the nation’s medal expectations in cycling as well as the fervour for the games which already seems to be everywhere. “We also have a few surprises up our sleeve which will be previewed at the Toy Fair.” In terms of in-store, it’s no surprise that those
retailers who invest in the outdoor category stand to make the most when the sun does eventually deign to shine. Stores that give larger space to outdoor toys and make an effort in letting kids see and touch the products will inevitably succeed. Demonstrations and window displays all help underline the approach. “For in-store it is a case of selecting smaller
essential items covering all bases such as water play, wheeled play, play equipment, play balls and tents delivering max profit per square foot,” says Phil Ratcliffe. “For example scooters and single swings pack down into a surprisingly small box, sell in volume but are reasonably high ticket. A wider range encompassing bulkier items can be sold on line or off page.”
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