Going Wild for Wildlife
Blame it on Animal Planet, the cable TV channel devoted to all things in the world of wildlife. With real animals as the stars of their own TV shows, this year more exotic creatures than those found down on the farm are leading the plush parade. And overall sales of the furry, often cuddly, critters remain strong even as a bear of another sort is on the loose on Wall Street.
More
Say 'Ya!' To Board Games
Despite continued pressure from alternative activities including video games, the Internet and of course high definition TV, the classic board game lives on. For decades the tabletop game, made of cardboard and plastic, has seen its share of high-tech competition, ranging from the radio and recorded music to TV and electronic games, and now in this digital age the Internet.
More
Big three surprise at E3
With 18 months of downtime before the next round of hardware introductions, major players in the video game arena will spend it attracting new gamers to the field in a continuing battle for market share. Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony surprised some at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles by remaining silent on the next generation of game consoles, opting instead to focus...
More
Turbo charging sales
With models, trains, board games and paintable figures, hobby stores have always been popular with boys who didn't want to grow up and men who wished they were still boys. While not much has changed over the years as far as the male psyche is concerned, a lot has changed in the hobby arena—both the array of products and the array of consumers.
More
Soft market gets upgraded
It is safe to say that the economy was a little soft last year; ditto for consumer confidence and spending in general. But when it came to plush, retailers tell PLAYTHINGS that the only softness was in the cuddle factor. And given the tragedies of last September, sales of plush are on a continuing upward curve, they add.
More
Armed & ready
Even the mightiest heroes have setbacks, times when their ultra-powerful nemeses get the better of them. For action figures the setback seemed due to a slowing economy or perhaps just simply too much of a good thing: more variety than consumers could handle—not to mention unsatisfactory showings for arrivals from a galaxy far, far away.
More
The Right Stuff
When Paul and Christina Clark opened Kidding Around in 1991, they didn't want to carry plush. "We tried to be a little different," Paul says. He and his wife didn't want their New York City store to be filled with the same products as other specialty retailers. Consumer demand quickly changed their tune.
More
Bonded in Bytes
The old adage that the family that plays together stays together certainly looks like it will ring true this year as spring gives way to summer and TV shows go into repeat mode. Families that game together could be playing well into the fall if TV studios are faced with a prolonged actor's strike, which could possibly delay the launch of the new television season.
More
