Talking Retail - retailers share their best sellers

RETAIL OPINION Talking retail

If you would like to take part in Toy Talk, we’d love to hear from you. Please email clare@lemapublishing.co.uk

TnP loves to hear your views. This month we ask retailers what’s selling well, and what caught their eye at Toy Fair

Amanda Alexander

Owner, Giddy Goat Toys Didsbury, Manchester

Joseph Pulfrey

Senior Buyer Hobbycraft Group 100-plus stores across the UK

What’s selling well for you?

“Wood craft, wood accessories and wood kits including beads are all flying, and

As usual with Hobbycraft, it’s all things we’ve seen a big art & craft that drive our sales, whether jump in sales of that’s kits for crafting projects or the raw ingredients such as paints, stationery, craft science kits” accessories, paper, card, and glitter.

Some specific areas have shown some notable growth in the past few months and have really stood out: Wood craft, wood accessories and wood kits including beads are all flying, and we’ve seen a big jump in sales of science kits. Craft kits are always the big stars of Christmas sales and this year it was science & nature leading the way.

Julia Wingate

Owner, The Trading Post Kingsbridge, Devon

What’s selling well for you? Half term has just started and the new lines from LEGO, Ty, Tech Decks and Nee Doh balls are selling fast. When you visited Toy Fair, did you find any exciting new products that you plan to stock? I loved seeing it all and it’s hard to pinpoint the top toys I liked but we are definitely going to stock Nee Doh balls, Adoptables from Keel Toys, and the Asmodee card game called So Wrong It's Right. What’s selling well for you? Tonies were the standout for me in January and February in terms of shop and online demand. I think a lot of parents bought Tonie Boxes for their children for Christmas and are now adding to their collections. Pokémon cards continue to be big in demand with my local customers. When you visited Toy Fair, did you find any exciting new products that you plan to stock? Not so much ‘new new’ toys, but lots of ‘new to us’ toys. In “I’m adding fact, I found it hard to choose depth and and could honestly fill a shop twice the size of the one I have… choice to but I’m adding depth and choice our current to our current ranges. So, for example, I ordered the eco plush ranges” range from Keel Toys, a range of Paw Patrol figures and vehicles, plus the Kaloo range of dolls from Jura and some Barbie dolls - two very different products to stand alongside the range of rag dolls and Lottie Dolls from Bigjigs Toys, which give customers more choice. I check the search terms on our website and go by requests I receive from customers when deciding on new lines.

Debbie Maloney

Senior Manager, Austins Department Store, Newton Abbot, Devon What’s selling well for you? Squishmallows, Heroes of Goo Jit Zu, Hot Wheels, Sylvanian Families, and LEGO.

“The new Zimpli Kids range looks great”

“Our pocket moneypriced toys are selling well - it must be all the saved-up pennies from Christmas”

Jade Oliver-Deacon

Owner, The Toy Shop, Okehampton, Devon

What’s selling well for you?

Djeco craft, Tonies, Eugys [sustainable paper craft toys], Tender Leaf Toys wooden toys, Zimpli Kids slime, bath bombs and gelli play, Ty plush toys, Lanka Kade wooden toys and the Make It Real range supplied by A.B.Gee.

[ Julia Lowe

Owner, Farm Toys Online www.farmtoysonline.co.uk

What’s selling well for you?

Our pocket money-priced toys like our Siku Mini range, books and DVDs are selling well - it must be all the saved-up pennies from Christmas.

When you visited Toy Fair, did you find any exciting new products that you plan to stock? When you visited Toy Fair, did you find any exciting new products that you plan to stock?

Yes, I like the look of the Paper Engine products [build-yourown sustainable cardboard toys], which I will be bringing into the shop shortly. The new Zimpli Kids range looks great and I’ve already had a delivery of their new bath bombs and eco and biodegradable products. I also like the look of the Yoto Mini and have a meeting booked with their agent for the south-west.

Martin Blyth

Director, Heart of England Wildlife Park Worcestershire

What’s selling well for you?

The new Schleich novelties for 2022 are selling extremely well. Demand for the Eldrador mythical creature range remains very strong and the impressive new Jungle Emperor figure alongside the incredible Lava Smasher continue to sell out almost as quickly as they arrive in-store.

As the seasons change and we approach spring, we are noticing increased demand for the Living Nature plush range from Keycraft. The adorable Farmyard animals in its range have started to become increasingly popular as the days get longer and the leaves start to burst on the trees! Absolutely! We spotted the new Schleich Horse Club Beauty Horses with hair, which we believe will be a real hit among our younger collectors. We also caught up with The Den Kit Company and are delighted by its new range of fantastic activity kits.

Zac Chapman

Toys Buyer, Downtown Boston and Grantham

What’s selling well for you? LEGO continues to be a fantastic seller for us. And our range of slime, bath bombs and sand from Canal Toys has been a fantastic addition to our department; sales have been really good. When you visited Toy Fair, did you find any exciting new products that you plan to stock? Simba Smoby Toys UK has some very excitinglooking product, which we have introduced into store straight away.

Vicky Brown

Owner Just Williams Two stores in Dulwich, London and Beckenham, Kent

What’s selling well for you?

Apart from Pokémon and Squishmallows, we are selling a lot of arts & crafts. This is across all ranges, from Play-Doh to colouring books to make-your-own kits. So, we have been rotating the ranges we stock to keep it fresh. When you visited Toy Fair, did you find any exciting new products that you plan to stock?

Where do I start with new and exciting products? Well, we are looking to stock DinosArt and restock on Nebulous Stars. We’re very excited about the new Hexbug Real Bugs, the GooZonians from Character Options, and the new Robo Alive range from Zuru.

Our current suppliers never let us down with new products to their ranges such as Avenir’s Design & Dress Up Kits, Orchard Toys’ Goose on the Loose game, Sylvanian’s characters with hair play features, the CreArt range from Ravensburger - and I love the Instant Camera from Canal Toys.