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For the last decade, those of us in the world of toys have watched social networks become increasingly essential as a conduit to end users and gatekeepers. The rise of Facebook and Instagram, in particular, has seemed unstoppable….until now. Gen Z, specifically those 18 to 29, is turning its back on social networks. Pew Research has conducted a survey entitled, “Percentage … [Read more...] about Gen Z Is Turning Its Back On Social Networks – Why It Matters to the Toy Industry

The current economy is like one of those maze puzzles. Knowing which path leads to a successful outcome or a dead end is almost impossible. A knotted supply chain, a threat of recession, continuing inflation, a geo-political fracture between the U.S. and China, a war in Ukraine, continuing Covid worries, and a challenging political climate makes for a puzzle no one can quite … [Read more...] about Walmart and Target Struggle to Solve the 2022 Economic Maze

In 1978, Playskool introduced a small toy robot with soft-touch input buttons and interchangeable cards. Running on a single 9-volt battery, Alphie the Electronic Robot stood 10 ½-inches tall x 9-inches tall and weighed a scant 1.45 lbs, making him easily portable for the intended audience of 3-8-year-olds. To conserve battery life, the toy shut off automatically when not in … [Read more...] about Straight out of the space age: Alphie the Electronic Robot from Playskool

King Bee Limited was launched in 2012 to develop Mainland China and the Asian toy markets for branded toys, and consumer products. The company specializes in manufacturing, distribution, and importation. King Bee Limited is a division of Wong Hau Plastic Works and Trading Company Limited which has been engaged in OEM, ODM, and OBM manufacturing for sixty-six years. … [Read more...] about King Bee Toys Tells Us About the Most Popular Toys In China

I have been thinking some more about an article I published last week entitled, “North America’s Ports Are the World’s Most Inefficient.” In that post, I provided data showing that the U.S. ports of Savannah, Long Beach, and Los Angeles are rated the most inefficient of the world’s 370 ports. They are ranked as Savannah #367, Long Beach #369, and Los Angeles #370.   Just to … [Read more...] about Are Dysfunctional U.S. Ports a Way to Limit Imports?

Jun CAI (Patrick) is the Global Marketing Manager of Hape. He leads the company’s marketing operation, including communications, research and analysis, public relation, and international marketing. Before his role at Hape, Jun’s career path is reflected in his exploration of the Hobby and Toy sector from upstream to downstream. Along the way, he has been fortunate to have found … [Read more...] about Cat-Aholics, Tail Therapy and an Opportunity for the Toy Industry

At first glance, the above piece of art looks like a Marvel or DC comic book panel. It’s not; it’s a piece of Greek sculpture dating back roughly 2,500 years. I saw it, and several other colorized Greek statues at a beautiful exhibition called Chroma at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. If you have an opportunity, catch it before it closes in March. It will change your entire … [Read more...] about Nope, It’s Not a Marvel Comic. It’s Ancient Greek Sculpture in Color at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Sound-A-Round Talking Puzzle combined puzzle building and storytelling for kids ages 3 to 7. Released in 1968 by Whitman, it is representative of “talking” toys that were popular at the time. Kids first built a simple puzzle included (literally) inside the record. Then, by inserting the Magic Tone Arm into a hole in the center of the board, they could move the tone arm … [Read more...] about Put the Needle on the Record! The Sound-A-Round Talking Puzzle from Whitman

If you were wondering why it has been so difficult moving your products through North America’s ports, here is some news that will explain at least some of the problem. Savannah, Vancouver, Long Beach, and Los Angeles rank 367 through 370. That is according to Bloomberg and the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence. The list doesn’t go below 370 so Los Angeles is … [Read more...] about North America’s Ports Are the World’s Most Inefficient

Macy’s announced it will expand its partnership with WHP Global to bring the Toys“R”Us brand to every Macy’s store this holiday season. Beginning in late July and rolling out through October 15, the in-store shops will range from 1,000 square feet and span up to 10,000 square feet in flagship locations in Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San … [Read more...] about Quotes With Your Coffee #7: Macy’s Will Allot TRU 10,000 Square Feet in Some Stores, Hasbro, Railroad Problems, Evergreen Licenses a Better Deal Than New Movie Releases