Inside Out

The industry may have more wallets opening this holiday season, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), which reported that retail sales are expected to jump 5 percent over last year, bringing holiday spending to $457.4 billion…And what will consumers be looking for once they arrive in the toy aisles? Some product highlights that we've heard may contribute to retailers' happy holidays include Jakks Pacific's new XPV Xtreme Performance Vehicle (pictured), a lightweight R/C plane that can soar up to five stories high. Jakks will also unleash the VMigo virtual pet. VMigo's console unit lets little pet owners take care of their pets' daily walks, veterinary visits and play-time needs; a hand-held unit is also included...Also in the virtual world is MGA Entertainment's Miuchiz (pronounced Me-You-Cheese), a digital universe of characters that can be played online or off with a portable unit. Features include multiplayer and 3-D games, plus text chats with other Miuchiz owners…Little fashionistas can create their own clothing line with Tiger Electronics' Designer's World plug-in game. Players start by designing a fashion collection by fabric and color, following the process all the way through to which runways—London, Milan, Paris—to use for the line's debut and which models to send strutting down the catwalk. Tiger also adds two new pets to its i-Dog line (i-Cat and i-Fish) and debuts the Massively Mini Media Player, an iPod-esque device that can hold up to 128 MB of memory for videos, music or images…Playmates Toys will launch an updated version of last year's Amazing Amanda in the form of big sis Amazing Allysen, an animatronic doll that remembers your favorite colors, drinks and play preferences. The Disney Fairies doll line may also make waves, led by the Pixie Hollow Home Tree play set for Tinker Bell and her friends. Additional new play sets will also be available for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Strawberry Shortcake.

Inventors, buyers, manufacturers and marketing professionals all joined together at the annual Toy and Game Inventors Forum (TGIF) in Orlando, Fla., last month to discuss the intricacies of taking an invention to the next level. Guest speakers included buyers from Borders, Wal-Mart, Spilsbury catalog and the Home Shopping Network, among others. Representatives from Cranium, Hasbro, Binney & Smith, University Games and other manufacturers were also present. The intimate, three-day forum also included an exhibition area for inventors to showcase their new products, some of which garnered follow-ups by the event's end from Hasbro, Wal-Mart and other interested buyers. One-on-one sessions gave inventors the opportunity to showcase their product individually to some of top retailers and manufacturers. Roundtable discussions included Edgy Inventing, Choosing and Working with Sales Reps, Challenges in Retailing, Guerilla Marketing, Marketing to Moms and the Future of the Toy Industry. Advice offered to inventors present included tips on making the next move, choosing the right retail outlets and getting the word out through media. “You need to have that wow factor,” said Marissa Pena, buyer for Cranium, Seattle, “something that makes them pick it up.” Cranium's CEO Richard Tait also offered some tips to making an innovative toy in his speech, “The Unlikely Flight of the Bumblebee,” while Wal-Mart buyer Excel Lafayette went through the company's toy business strategy. “At the end of the day, our business is to service our customers where they are,” Lafayette said. “Before you ask, 'How do I get into Wal-Mart?' ask yourself, 'Do I really want to be in Wal-Mart?'” Some new games featured in the exhibition included You've Been Sentenced!, from McNeill Designs, Wilmington, Del., a word game for multi-generational playing where players have to create a sentence out of a set of cards. Redding, Calif.-based Chuckers also previewed their tossing game, Chuckers, for indoors and outdoor play.