In season

It seems like Christmas-themed and other winter-holiday toys and games were already on store shelves this year while little princesses and pirates were still out trick-or-treating. Some retailers habitually set out Christmas-themed toys and games right alongside their Halloween offerings, while others skipped Halloween and Thanksgiving product altogether and began showcasing Santa and his reindeer early in the fall.

Perhaps it's the variety of holiday-themed licensed items—everything from CDs and DVDs, seasonal craft sets, dolls adorned in wintry white or elfin costumes, role play and impulse buys like tree ornaments—that's causing retailers to bring merchandise to shelves earlier and earlier. But is it selling? Yes and no, say retailers who spoke with Playthings.

Customers do buy holiday-themed merchandise based on their favorite licensed properties and characters—although some holiday shoppers actually want more generic, licensed items that can be used year round.

Ornaments based on classic Hasbro games such as Monopoly or Candy Land or on Fisher-Price's Little People toys have continued to be big sellers for Basic Fun, Southampton, Pa. Company sales in 2006 have increased over the past year and old customers have returned as well as some new ones, according to Alan Dorfman, company president. “Just like anything else, we are always competing for shelf space,” he says. “Many holiday programs are based on guaranteed sales programs, which are a challenge for us as we don't offer guarantees. But licensed product is our forte. We wouldn't be in the holiday business if we couldn't offer licenses.”

At Hasbro, tapping into the holiday season is also a key strategic decision, says Bryony Bouyer, Hasbro's senior vice president of the Americas. “We all face the same challenges every year,” Bouyer says, “grabbing the mindshare of both kids and moms, executing upon marketing strategies to ensure our messages are heard above all the noise, and unleashing 'must have' toys and games within the holiday portfolio. It's sometimes difficult choosing which property to use for the holidays.” A brand's popularity, how well it targets a specific demographic, how it performed in previous holiday seasons and current cultural and economic trends are all taken into account when considering what to market. This year, a holiday-themed DVD set, arts and crafts products and books will be tied to the My Little Pony property.

Retailers also carefully consider what products will sell during the holidays. At Marc Grindberg's Art of Play, located in the hip New Jersey walking town of Red Bank, seasonal and generic Sesame Street products are some top holiday sellers as well as Gund's Baby's First Christmas plush, due to a noticeable move away from battery-operated toys by his customers. “The toy industry is moving more into electronics at an earlier and earlier age,” Grindberg says. “Because of this creeping in, I'm seeing more of an interest going the other way.”

At Nicole Gingrow's Little Toy Shoppe on Decatur Street in New Orleans' French Quarter, holiday products don't play a big role there due to few holiday visitors. “We can't anticipate what to expect this year,” Gingrow says. “When tourists are good, the shop is good. When tourism is bad, the shop does bad[ly]. We try to be unique; we have German dolls, model cars. It doesn't fit into the norm of what everyone is anticipating.”