Wesley Bedrosian
Missing This Season: A Must-Have Toy
This holiday season’s hot, gotta-have-it toy? So far, there isn’t one. “We don’t have anything in that category,” says industry analyst Eric Johnson of Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. Consumers, says Howard Davidowitz of retail consultant Davidowitz & Associates, are “so pressed for money, so scared,” that the notion of a “huge must-have” item is gone. Parents will still buy, of course—including classics such as Hot Wheels, Barbie, and Play- Doh. But they’re likely to go no-frills—taking home a $10 Barbie, not her $100 Dream House, analysts say. Retailers hope that prediction ultimately proves wrong. “With everything going on in the world, consumers haven’t really thought about shopping for the holidays yet,” says Toys ‘R’ Us CEO Gerald Storch. Still, Toys ‘R’ Us has 4,000 toys selling for $10 and is marketing with a nod to parents’ jitters. The chain’s “$avvy Savers” toys include a plastic ATM machine ($69.99) advertised as “a great way to learn money management” and a toddlers’ supermarket cart ($42.99) “for the latest specials.” Spin Master’s Bakugan toys aimed at the 5-to-9 set—games featuring magnetic balls that morph into warriors—may be the closest thing to a blockbuster. Wal-Mart has a basic version on its list of top toys for $10. But Johnson says its popularity has more to do with price than with the “passion” needed to create an “it” toy.
What Mom And Dad Are Buying
Survey of 8,758 adult consumers’ shopping plans for girls and boys
Barbie The dolls ($6 to $15) are expected to sell more than, say, the $100 Barbie Dream House.
Video games New games, rather than new consoles, are likely to be under the tree.
Hannah Montana Up from No. 6 last year; at $14 to $27, the films and games are Wal-Mart best sellers.
Nintendo Wii So far, no shoppers camping out at stores, which have plenty of the consoles in stock.
Dolls (generic) Bargains abound. Dora the Explorer and Webkinz fell off 2008’s Top 10 list.
Lego Has particular appeal in a recession, a time when parents tend to value a familiar toy.
Bratz To compete with Wal-Mart, Target is taking 50% off the price of the $20 fashion dolls.
Cars (generic) Hot Wheels and Tonkas are on Wal-Mart’s list of popular toys for $10.
Nintendo Wii The video game console moved up from No. 7 on the girls’ Top 10 list.
Transformers A classic. But a twist on the genre, Spin Master’s Bakugan, has become a big-seller.
