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For a population to replenish itself in the absence of immigration, demographers estimate that there must be, on average, about 2.1 births per woman. In the United States, the fertility rate has been consistently below that level since 2007. U.S. Population Growth Has Nearly Flatlined. Is That So Bad?, Spencer Bokat-lindell, new york times, september 14, 2022 The subject of … [Read more...] about The Toy Industry Needs Immigration

It’s been nice to get out and about at a few events this week, as the toy and licensing industries start to gear up in earnest for the festive season. First up it was the turn of the Licensing Awards: a list of the winners of interest to the toy / kids’ space can be found here, while I also wrote a Blog about the event for Licensing.biz, which you can read here. The tldr … [Read more...] about The VIP experience …it’s the Friday Blog!

Hello I Am Suing You words on a name tag sticker informing that someone is bringing a lawsuit against you in a court of lawThe California Attorney General, Rob Bonita, has charged Amazon with violating the state’s Unfair Competition Law. Here is how Forbes writer Brian Bushard explains it: The lawsuit filed in San Francisco Superior Court alleges the company violated the … [Read more...] about California Sues Amazon for Inflating Prices and Suppressing Competition

There are ominous signs that a national railroad strike is becoming more likely. One hundred forty thousand railroad workers may walk off the job this Friday. Today, The Hill ran an article by Karl Evers-Hillstrom, entitled, “Rail union becomes first to authorize strike, threatening supply chain.” The union in question is the International Association of Machinists and … [Read more...] about Disruption Report #63 – Very Strong Possibility of a Railroad Strike on Friday

By Ricardo Venegas Ricardo Venegas is the President and CEO of Snap Toys, a toy provider that combines classic play patterns with innovative and modern appeal. Ricardo sent me an excellent response to my article, “The Future of China and the Toy Industry; it’s time to talk about it.” I was so impressed that I asked him if I could publish it. He said yes. I hope you find it … [Read more...] about Ricardo Venegas: “The Umbilical Cord to China Is Not Going Away Anytime Soon”

The 2023 Spielwarenmesse toy show is only a few months away. I wanted to find out the latest news about the show, its speakers’ forum, and its fabulous opening night party. Below is my interview with Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson for the Spielwarenmesse Executive Board. Richard: There has been a great deal of change that has taken place over the last two years. The … [Read more...] about An Interview with Christian Ulrich, Spokesperson of the Spielwarenmesse Executive Board

Cup of coffee on gold black background. Minimalistic flat lay. Top view. We do believe that some elements of the pandemic’s impact on toy consumption will endure. We think consumers are now putting a premium on family and the holidays, including toys as a way to spend more time with the family. Gerrick Johnson, BMO Capital Markets Two huge labor disputes, in the railways … [Read more...] about Quotes with Your Coffee #12: Toys Below $10 and Above $100 Struggle, a Positive for Toys from the Pandemic, a Potential Railroad Strike Would Create Chaos,

The culinary entertainment brand Chefclub will host a series of live events called 'Playfood' in 10 French malls owned by Klépierre. The Klépierre Group is one of the leaders in Europe for shopping centres and malls. The company’s portfolio is valued at €20.6 billion at June 30, 2022, and comprises large shopping centres in more than 10 countries in Continental Europe. “We … [Read more...] about Chefclub Kicks Off Live Tour in Klépierre’s French Shops

Last year I wrote an article on the birth of a new business model—E-commerceretailers shipping directly to U.S. consumers from their warehouses in China. The report, “Retail Competition, direct to you from the other side of the world,” focusedon Shein, a Chinese women’s fashion e-tailer. Shein’s entry to the U.S. market was meteoric. As Bloomberg News put it in its article, … [Read more...] about Amazon Gets Some Chinese Competition – Temu.com. The U.S. toy industry needs to pay attention.

“Pieing” – the act of throwing a pie at a person – has been a mainstay of slapstick comedy since the early days of silent films, inspired by the antics of Charlie Chaplin, Laurel & Hardy, and The Three Stooges. In 1968, Hasbro got in on the act with the release of the Pie Face Game, a cream-pie variant of Russian roulette. Marketing materials billed the game as “the most … [Read more...] about Pie in the Eye: Pie Face from Hasbro