What's Selling

If you're a retailer and would like to take part in PLAYTHINGS' monthly survey of what's selling, e-mail the editors at dgerardi@reedbusiness.com.

Unless otherwise noted, all prices listed below are retail prices.

Spider-Man action figures by Toy Biz and Star Wars action figures by Hasbro are hotter than a red chile enchilada on the Fourth of July in the Duke City. Spidey and Star Wars: Attack of the Clones may have been May movie releases, but products from both remained strong well into summer. Scott Micheel, manager of Comic Warehouse credits the success of Spider-Man for the resurrection of comic book sales. "Clearly, the movie has increased awareness," he said. Comic Warehouse, with its 15-year legacy carries over 500 different titles a month, and though Micheel admitted it is difficult to pick the best titles, he listed Uncanny X-men and The New X-men on the top of his bestseller list.

Robert "Red" Banning, manager at 21^st Century Collectibles agreed with this latest trend. "There is a resurgence on old comic books, all the Marvel Superheroes," he said, "especially the ones that correlate with movies like Spider-Man and The Hulk." Among the other hero products flying off his store shelves is the Marvel HeroClix: Infinity Challenge game by WizKids and Simpsons merchandise by Playmates.

Assistant sales manager for KB Toys, Adam Delgado and the store manager at Toys R Us confirmed Spider-Man action figures and Star Wars action figures are indeed commanding full attention from their shoppers. "Shoppers are most enthralled with the Deluxe Dual Action Web Blaster by Toy Biz, that actually shoots web fluid," said the store manager at Toys R Us. Delgado added, "He Man action figures by Mattel are making a comeback and Yu-Gi-Oh trading cards by Upper Deck seem to be forming the latest craze at KB Toys."

Ken Knox, manager at Playnix Toys said his sales have been fantastic this time of year, but his toughest obstacle is how to keep Uncle Milton's Ant Farms in stock. "They are blowing off the shelves," said Knox. In terms of seasonal populars, Knox listed Kettler Trikes, Radio Flyer Wagons, D&L Stomp Rockets (the Junior Rocket is the most popular in the series), Hoppity Hops by Toy Marketing and Small World Scooters. Knox commented, "Not as many car travel or plane travel toys are selling this year. The trend seems to be going toward high-end quality items that can be appreciated around the home like Redwood outdoor playground equipment or, for a different example, board games that tend to bring the whole family together. Individual play items just aren't getting as much play time as they once did."

Kara Fichtner, store manager of ASTRA member Out of the Blue Limited believes the new trends are found in the hearts of doll lovers. She, along with her sales associates, agreed, "Dolls are making a comeback and infant toys are seeing high volume sales as well." Consequently, Manhattan Toy's Groovy Girls including all the accessories and furniture are being swept off the shelves along with San Rio's Hello Kitty merchandise. Other popular items receiving a thumbs up review at Out of the Blue Limited are Learning Curve's Thomas the Tank products and all the craft kits by Creativity for Kids.

Business is good, says Barbara Fineblum, citing other toy stores in the area going under, particularly a nearby Learning Express. "I get the huge sales, not the one, two or four dollar sales. We've always done well." Fineblum co-owns Barston's Child's Play, a specialty destination with locations in Baltimore and Washington D.C. PLAYTHINGS recently visited the 1,500-sq.-foot Cross Keys, Baltimore outlet.

The keys to success for 16-year-old Barston's are simple but worth mentioning: variety, gift-wrapping, good prices and knowledge of what you are selling. These are the cornerstones of the store. "We know," for example, "how to play the games." A knowledgeable sales staff can guide consumers based on their needs.

Not everything works, however. A recent promotion encouraging kids to bring in their report cards for a discount brought in only one person.

With a warehouse just down the road, Fineblum is often able to carry the entire line of a given brand. In fact, if not for the warehouse, the store would not be able to stock Fisher-Price. On the rare chance that Barston's doesn't stock an item, Fineblum and her staff send the customer to another local store. More often than not, however, they'll wait for the order to come in. "The neighborhood is very loyal," she explains.

On the product front, Out of the Box games are big movers. "At Christmas, I can sell 15 Blinks in one day," Fineblum told PLAYTHINGS. Cadoo by Cranium and Ravensburger's Amazeing Labyrinth, Scotland Yard and Roads Rivers Rails are also key SKUs in the games section. "That Zoccer (by Atomic Toys) is selling," she adds.

The usual suspects also do well here: Groovy Girls by Manhattan Toy, Rush Hour by Binary Arts, Playmobil and, of course, Lego. Fineblum says she has been able to price Lego the same as Toys R Us. Even though the store is in a wealthy neighborhood, the residents want to be treated fairly, she says. When it comes to construction toys, she says, "nothing sells like Lego." Although she loves Hoberman's lines, the products "didn't do well." Kapla has been selling, too, she adds.

While software does well in the D.C. store, in Baltimore people just go to Comp USA. "The Washington store has more space (5,000 sq. feet) and has a computer to demo the software," Fineblum adds.

Although the Baltimore store's book section is modest, Fineblum gets a lot of mileage by stocking best sellers and the standards, citing Where the Wild Things Are as one of the best books. Cross merchandising is important and the staff matches plush or dolls with corresponding books. Fineblum also picks out a 'book of the week' to showcase at the counter because, "if it's on the counter, it sells." She also sells a "ton of Klutz."

Unlike Barston's, which no longer carries Beanies by Ty, The Toy Chest owner Debbie Wurzburger still stocks them. It's "not like it was," she says, but Beanie Boppers "are cute and people like them. But Groovy Girls' clothes don't fit them." Nestled in the Baltimore suburb of Pikesville, the 3,400-sq.-foot store sells a lot of Groovy Girls and also cassettes and CDs for travelling with the little ones. Raffi's Let's Play tops the list. Playmobil is another highlight. Indeed, the 19-year-old store carries "just about everything." Pirates, the rescue boat and "anything you can put in water" have done particularly well, Wurzburger says. The Toy Chest also has a steady sell through with Madame Alexander and Corolle dolls.

Lego Star Wars and Bionicle sets continue to roll up the sales. With all the Attack of the Clones hoopla nothing more than a memory now, Wurzburger believes the Lego products won't tail off because "a lot of kids just like to build."

The store does most of its business in the $20 to 40 range, and Wurzburger stresses the importance of a knowledgeable, service-oriented staff. A key feature is the store's custom embroidery. "We personalize everything in the infant line from blankets to bibs to toy chests."