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Image courtesy Ravensburger UK
Elaine Connell Product Marketing Manager, Ravensburger UK What features do you feel parents value most in plush toys for babies and infants?
Soft Sell
Parents value safety, softness, and durability in plush toys for babies and infants. They often prefer toys that are easy to clean and made from hypoallergenic materials. The appeal of plush is twofold, parents might seek an item that will become a cherished childhood keepsake or a soothing toy that infants enjoy, but additional plush toys are commonly purchased as gifts by gift givers due to their appeal and suitability for young children. Fabrics and materials are also now looked at closely with breathability, organic cottons, etc. on the up and while some plush toys may be impulse purchases, many parents and with such a fantastic range available, research might be conducted prior to buying to ensure they meet safety standards. Trends in this category include gender-neutral designs, interactive features, and eco-friendly materials to align with modern parenting preferences. Nursery Today caught up with Rainbow Designs, Director of Product, Alys Dawson and Ravensburger UK’s Product Marketing Manager, Elaine Connell to gain their view on this product category.
Alys Dawson Director of Product, Creative and Marketing Services, Rainbow Designs To what extent are plush toys for babies and infants purchased as gifts by gift givers, and how does this impact purchasing patterns?
Babies are born all year round and gifting in general is high in the nursery category, creating a year-round demand for gifts, and plush is most definitely a top choice when it comes to a baby present. Gift purchasers also range across generations, so products such as My First soft toys, comforters and ring rattles, make thoughtful gifts to celebrate a birth, baby shower, gender reveal, or those important first annual occasions. They also look for complimentary purchases and gift bundles, so packaging, and overall visual appearance, plays an important part in the decision making. Items such as Signature Peter Rabbit collection Gift Sets tick all these boxes, offering that high quality, complete gift solution.
How closely do consumers examine fabrics and materials when selecting plush toys and babies and infants, and what specific qualities are they looking for?
When purchasing a soft toy for a baby, the softness and feel is the initial appeal but safety and hygiene are equally as important, especially when it comes to toys for their precious little ones. Infant soft toys such as our unique and stylish, Animal Adventures Safe and Soft collection have been crafted with care, and created with patented, soft antibacterial and hypoallergenic fabrics, that are resistant to both odours and stains, so parents can have peace of mind knowing the products their little one’s hold are safe and clean.
Are plush toys for babies and infant typically impulse purchases, or do consumers tend to research and plan these purchases in advance?
Soft toys fall into the essential, but lovely part of what baby needs, and so are fun to browse for and buy. They are impulse purchases because of their good price points, but it is all about the look and feel, as well as the charm and connection of those adored childhood characters that encourages those must-have purchases. Although, not big ticket items, such as travel systems and cots, the time and consideration that is taken choosing first toys and plush nursery essentials really does makes them more than just an impulse buy. Parents often theme their nursery, and classic characters such as Peter Rabbit, Guess How Much I Love You and Winnie the Pooh are popular choices, which extends to soft toys to provide further nursery decor, as well as practical items such as plush cot mobiles and our Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh and Paddington Bedtime Cuddles Nightlights. 38
Parents have a range of considerations when it comes to shopping for babies and infants. Trust and safety will always be top of mind, and we’re privileged to be a trusted brand among families across the world, with over 100 years of experience in the manufacturing toys. In Plush, this is a key consideration in those early months and years, with the knowledge that the youngest members of the family can put these items through their paces with exploratory play and this can often include chewing or putting in their mouth. Value is a factor – parents want value for money, but the story is more than that. A plush toy that offers developmental benefits such as multisensory details adds to the bigger picture. Practical features such as ease of cleaning can be a consideration too. Our loveable tummy time Rhino plush is suitable from birth, made from super soft fabric but also includes practical features like a water-repellent underside for easy cleaning.
What are the current trends in the plush toy market for babies and infants, and how are these influencing product development and marketing strategies?
Social media is a huge part of today’s world. Often items that look great on an Instagram feed can be a draw for shoppers – in the plush world, this could be reflected in items that are stunning from an interior design and style perspective but don’t consider a wide range of developmental benefits for littles ones. For us, in developing our Play+ collection we wanted to deliver contemporary style, but always integrating multisensory features such as textures and high-contrast colours to bring those developmental benefits that are key in the early years.
How do factors such as sustainability, ecofriendliness, and ethical sourcing of materials impact the production and marketing of plush toys for babies and infants in today’s market?
At Ravensburger we have a dedicated sustainability team and we’re delighted to say that we met our target for our internal operations to be carbon neutral by the end of last year. Across our portfolio, we take care in sourcing materials that meet our consumers’ expectations and our own high standards – this in turn leads to a quality product that is designed to last. In our packaging across the Play+ range, we have designed to maximise shelf and pallet efficiency.
What type of benefits do you feel stocking products in this category can bring Nursery Retailers?
Plush toys are part of cherished memories in families perhaps like no other item in the toybox. These friends feature throughout children’s first years, through gifting and, when they’re older, through requesting or picking first friends for themselves. Relationships with these toys can often be lifelong, and sometimes long after the toy has been passed on. A true toybox staple, the scope within the category offers so much opportunity for product development such as the items within our Play+ range: there is wealth of choice, both for retailers and consumers.
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13/05/2024 16:03