Gifts / Sports & Toys

Summer, outing season. European and American people who have been trapped indoors for more than half a year because of the epidemic are desperately eager for the fresh outdoor air in summer. Therefore, the industry expects that with the gradual control of the epidemic in Europe and America, this year's summer toys will usher in a good year.

▌The epidemic became a catalyst

Outdoor and sports toys are the traditional evergreen category in summer in Europe and America. Public data from the United States Toy Association shows that summer outdoor and sports toys are the largest toy sub-category in the market. Total sales in 2020 will reach 5.35 billion U.S. dollars, a year-on-year increase of 28.6%. In the UK, the largest toy market in Europe, the year-on-year growth of outdoor and sports toys in 2020 is also impressive, with an increase of 15%. At that time, there was an isolation period of 3 to 5 months in the early stage of the outbreak of new coronary pneumonia. Due to travel restrictions, the demand for outdoor recreation on the spot ushered in a big outbreak in the summer. The situation this year is similar. Therefore, industry insiders predict that the market for outdoor and sports toys will remain strong this summer.

▌Health demand driven

In fact, the epidemic is only a catalyst, and the fundamental driving force of demand is the pursuit of physical and mental health by parents and children. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2019, approximately 38.2 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese worldwide. The United States is even more vulnerable. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one-fifth (19.3%) of American children are overweight or obese.

The epidemic has aggravated children's physical and mental health problems. The academic organization PlayFirstUK emphasized that children's mental health conditions have deteriorated during the epidemic, which is manifested in a sense of loneliness and a reduced desire to learn.

Therefore, parents prefer to take advantage of summer opportunities to let their children put down their electronic products and go outdoors, even if they are just exercising in their own backyard.

▌All categories broke out

What product trends will there be this year? Emerging are summer toys with environmental protection as the selling point and nature as the theme, such as wooden outdoor game sets; outdoor sports products with higher sports skills requirements, such as skateboards, roller skating, stunt bikes, etc.; and some Trampolines, which used to have higher unit prices, will become more popular this year as more affordable and safe products are launched.

Different types of manufacturers also make every effort to prepare for the peak season of outdoor and sports toys in summer according to their own characteristics. For example, a strong traditional manufacturer like MV Sports has perfected the category and achieved full coverage. And up-and-coming stars like Wilton Bradley are focusing their efforts on a product line Xootz, making a fuss about the price to meet the needs of families with different budgets.

▌Digital social networking becomes a marketing tool

In this special period, outdoor and sports toy manufacturers will focus on digital social channels and sales conversion. For example, Spin Master favors TikTok, the emerging social software. Smoby UK of Xianba increases interaction with consumers through internet celebrities. Little Tektronix also increased this year's marketing budget. Michelle Lilley, the marketing manager of the UK branch, introduced their approach: adding a senior digital brand manager, increasing investment; focusing on developing Pinterest (Pinterest, social platform); strengthening cooperation with Internet celebrities to organize events, etc.

▌Supply becomes the biggest concern

The market demand is strong, and the manufacturers are also doing their best to promote. This summer, the sale of outdoor and sports toys does not seem to be a problem. However, the supply chain problem since the beginning of this year is still a thorn in the hearts of the industry. Nat Southworth, the founder of KAP Toys, a British distributor, pointed out: "The current high freight rates make it difficult to import products from China. Therefore, the company's current source is mainly from the production base in France. Due to supply chain problems, some hot-selling products will be out of stock. Therefore, it is very important to stock up in advance." Toymaster members of the British Association of Individual Toy Stores have already notified that the products are out of stock. The hardest hit area is the inflatable pool.

The European logistics provider Geemac also adjusted its service content in response to the current special situation: it breaks up bulky goods into parts, provides small packages, mixed packages, and can also deliver to the door to ensure that customers' goods are on the shelf.