Indie Viewpoint - Toy Barnhaus

A pocketful of sunshine

As we write this, it feels like spring is in the air. Sales generally have been very positive so far this year, and we are tracking ahead of last year to date. As we have mentioned in our previous columns, this has primarily been driven by two brands – Lego and Pokémon.

We were looking forward to the March Formula 1 Lego launch and even increased our orders for it. Despite this, we still probably undercooked it a bit, as we sold out of several of the cars very quickly indeed. With the launch timed for the start of the F1 season, the hype had built nicely; we had a great launch day on the first Saturday, sales really took off and are still going strong. Pokémon also shows absolutely no sign of slowing down at all. Stock has been so limited due to the phenomenal demand, to the extent that even Pokémon TCG releases from two years ago are now selling really well. By the time you read this, the new Pokémon Scarlet & VioletJourney Together will have come out and increased the fervor even more.

Pocket Money Toys and Collectibles is a huge category for us. Higher price point lines tend to be purchased more online, but collectibles and lower price point pocket money lines are far more suited to physical retail, especially for kids who are looking to spend their pocket money each week. Our Pocket Money Toys range has been a stand-out success for us over the last year or so. There are many everyday lines we keep in stock year in year out, but newness in this category can be trend driven, from viral videos on social media, and can drive impressive volume.

In general, Pocket Money is an ideal category for independent retailers, and one in which they can actually compete against the nationals. As well as offering a good range, indies are well-placed to react quickly and evolve their offering as new trends come out and potentially short-lived crazes arise. The category is also a great margin driver. Our key suppliers are Kandy Toys, HTI Toys and One for Fun, which all support us well.

Pocket Money Collectibles encompasses a wide range of products now, and also a wide customer base, appealing to all ages. Our bestselling collectible currently is the Sylvanian Baby Series Blind bags, and the customer base is split quite evenly between kids and teenagers/kidults. This is a good example of a brand which has generated even more sales by going viral on TikTok. Demand is growing for Funko figures and collectibles, prompting us to expand our range. Collectibles for kids are still a fantastic sales and footfall driver and very important to our business. The new Littlest Pet Shop collection from Bandai has sold well, and Aphmau, Moriah Elizabeth and Skibidi Toilet from Character Options all remain popular. Mini Brands from Zuru is another strong seller for us; My Mini Baby is the stand-out item over the last few months. Keeping these ranges fresh with new lines continually being introduced is key – the Zuru Max Retro Collection is a perfect example that has sold well recently.

Looking ahead, the sun has finally arrived here and our summer paddling pool delivery rolls in next week, so it is all well timed. Let’s hope the sunshine continues!