While children exert a tremendous influence over the traditional toys and games industry, the role of adults both as decision makers and gift recipients should not be underestimated. In terms of messaging, brands and retailers need to appeal to parents, particularly Millennial moms and dads, with products and marketing that emphasizes relationship-building or education. While marketers could appeal to primary toys and games recipients in the hopes of triggering their ‘pester’ power, grandparents are particularly influential in the gift-giving sector. Themes that may appeal to the older group may emphasize on nostalgia, bonding, or indulgence.

Online retailers and mass merchandisers are taking market share from specialty toy stores primarily due to their low prices. Although the slow economic recovery has made many shoppers price sensitive, they are willing to pay extra in exchange for a good in-store experience, necessitating the need for brands and retailers to critically review the path to purchase. For instance, Mintel finds traditional toys and games that achieve multiple characteristics (eg education, fun, family bonding, or creativity) can justify higher prices.

The report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Traditional Toys and Games Market – US, June 2002.

For the purpose of this report, traditional toys and games include product categories as followed:

• Action figures (eg battling toys, action figure dress-up, etc)

• Vehicles (eg trucks, boats, remote-control vehicles, trains and accessories, etc)

• Outdoor/sports-related toys (eg ride-ons, tricycles, scooters, etc) – excluding bicycles

• Dolls (eg fashion dolls, collectible dolls, baby dolls, dollhouses, etc)

• Arts and crafts (eg clay, dough, sand, crayons)

• Stuffed animals and dolls (eg plush, customizable stuffed animals, etc)

• Building sets (eg LEGO, K’NEX, wood blocks magnetic, preschool building sets, etc)

• Puzzles and board games (eg card games, dice games, trading cards, board games, puzzles, travel games, etc)

• Electronic developmental and learning toys (ie kids-specific learning systems)

The report also discusses small hand-held electronic versions of traditional games, as well as versions of traditional games found on video, PC, online, mobile, or game consoles. However, online and mobile games and gaming are excluded.

Value figures throughout this report are at rsp (retail selling prices) excluding sales tax unless otherwise stated.

• Market Size and Segment Performance sections: total US retail sales of traditional toys and retail sales by product category based on data from The NPD Group, Inc.

For the purposes of this report, Mintel commissioned exclusive consumer research through GMI to explore consumer consumption of/attitudes and behaviors toward traditional toys and games. Mintel was responsible for the survey design, data analysis, and reporting. Fieldwork was conducted in February 2014 among a sample of 2,000 adults aged 18+ with access to the internet.

Mintel selects survey respondents by gender, age, household income, and region so that they are proportionally representative of the US adult population using the internet. Mintel also slightly over-samples, relative to the population, respondents that are Hispanic or Black to ensure an adequate representation of these groups in our survey results and to allow for more precise parameter estimates from our reported findings. Please note that Mintel surveys are conducted online and in English only. Hispanics who are not online and/or do not speak English are not included in the survey results.

Mintel has also analyzed data from Experian Marketing Services, using the Fall 2013 Simmons NCS Teens Study 12-Month and the Fall 2013 Simmons NCS Kids Study 12-Month. The studies were carried out during November 2012-December 2013, and the results are based on the sample of 1,886 teens aged 12-17 and 1,981 kids aged 6-11 with results weighted to represent the US kids and teens population.

For trending purposes, the older Simmons surveys have also been used for teens, as follows:

• Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2008 Simmons NCS Teens Study 12-Month

• Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2009 Simmons NCS Teens Study 12-Month

• Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2010 Simmons NCS Teens Study 12-Month

• Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2011 Simmons NCS Teens Study 12-Month

• Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2012 Simmons NCS Teens Study 12-Month

• Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2013 Simmons NCS Teens Study 12-Month

For trending purposes, the older Simmons surveys have also been used for kids, as follows:

• Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2008 Simmons NCS Kids Study 12-Month

• Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2009 Simmons NCS Kids Study 12-Month

• Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2010 Simmons NCS Kids Study 12-Month

• Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2011 Simmons NCS Kids Study 12-Month

• Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2012 Simmons NCS Kids Study 12-Month

• Experian Marketing Services, Fall 2013 Simmons NCS Kids Study 12-Month

While race and Hispanic origin are separate demographic characteristics, Mintel often compares them to each other. Please note that the responses for race (White, Black, Asian, Native American, or other race) will overlap those that also are Hispanic, because Hispanics can be of any race.

The following abbreviations are used in this report:

Generations are discussed within this report, and they are defined as:

* includes the oldest members of the iGeneration, aged 18-19