Page 19 - Toy & Hobby Magazine NovDec20Jan21_Mag

PUZZLES: Slotting into wish lists this Christmas are puzzles with a third (33 per cent) of parents considering this budget-friendly option. Following the nationwide lockdown earlier this year, eBay saw a 787 per cent increase in puzzle sales.
ARTS AND CRAFTS: Activities that encourage mindfulness and creativity have seen arts and crafts return to the top toy list with sales growing by 128 per cent year-on-year during lockdown.
AMAZON AUSTRALIA
TOYS FOR CREATIVITY: Hands-on toys like Lego, jigsaw puzzles, and arts and crafts are creative hobbies for kids and adults, providing Aussies with a satisfying sense of accomplishment and way to unwind.
COMFORT IN CLASSICS: Classic family and kids’ games offer a sense of familiarity and nostalgic fun. Games like Monopoly, Jenga, Barbie Dreamhouse and Uno all feature in Amazon Australia's top 100 toys catalogue this year.
AS SEEN ON THE SCREEN: This year, silver screen icons came to life in our homes as popular toys. From meme icon Baby Yoda, beloved children’s character Hedwig to 2020’s favourite dog Bluey, children can now play with their on-screen idols at home.
TO PLAY IS TO LEARN: The super toys for play and development, STEM and tech toys continue to experience growth as parents seek to make learning at home as fun as playtime.
RISE OF THE KIDULT: 2020 was a year that gave adults the permission to unleash their inner kid as we stayed (and played) at home. From thrilling games like Unstable Unicorns and Exploding Kittens, to test how well you know your friends and family, to exciting challenges like Catan to flex your mental muscle, the top 100 toys are for the big kids as much as for the 'actual' kids.
CATCH
Toy Buyer Dan Matthews details toy buying during the pandemic.
How has buying changed throughout the pandemic?
Catch carries a wide range of toys but due to COVID-19 we have definitely seen a shift
ABOVE: Arts & crafts has experienced growth in 2020.
towards more specific toy trends that can be used indoors.
With more time spent at home with the family during lockdown, we’ve seen an increase in demand for more family-friendly collaborative activities, such as arts and crafts, board games, educational toys, and puzzles.
Which toy brands and products have been popular?
Board games and jigsaw puzzles have been the most popular since the start of the pandemic - they were selling out almost instantly.
As restrictions started to ease in most of the country, we have seen demand for outdoor toys increase with particularly strong demand for Little Tikes ride ons, as well as Razor scooters.
What do you think will be popular at Christmas?
We’re seeing a big summer ahead for outdoor toys including ride ons, inflatables, blasters, sports equipment, and sand and water tables.
Having been restricted to staying indoors for much of 2020 so far, we anticipate that parents will be trying to encourage their kids to get out and play.
In saying that, we still think jigsaw puzzles will be a popular choice this Christmas with families too.
Do you think there’ll be drop off in toy purchasing, given many parents have already done a lot through this period?
No one could have predicted a global pandemic to take up most of 2020, but at Catch we have planned as much as possible to ensure we continue business as usual as best we can.
The toy category tends to be fairly resilient so we’re confident that sales will remain positive, especially with large retail dates such as Black Friday and Christmas towards the end of the year.
“The toy category tends to be fairly resilient so we’re confident that sales will remain positive.”
How do you perceive the post-COVD environment?
Throughout the pandemic we have seen huge demand for many popular toys.
To ensure we have had a consistent flow of products, even during periods of increased customer interest, we have made sure to plan our stock levels really well.
This means that post-COVID we can continue to provide our customers with the products they love, when they need them. ❉
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER / JANUARY 2021 TOY & HOBBY RETAILER 19