US Traditional Toys and Games Market Report 2022
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This report provides comprehensive and current information and analysis of the traditional toys and games market including traditional toys and games market size, anticipated market forecast, relevant market segmentation, and industry trends for the traditional toys and games market in the US.
Current market landscape
While adults buying for children is the undisputed primary audience for traditional toys and games, 55% of adults also bought these items for their own enjoyment in the last year. Adult toy buyers can present a tricky audience to please, though strategies from Lego (building on basics to extend appeal) and Hasbro (adult-themed crowdfunding) could present opportunities for toy brands.
Global economies are not without inherent peril. COVID-19 outbreaks in China’s busiest ports have caused major shipping delays and increased costs in recent years. Despite inflation potentially levelling out, there remains some risk to the holiday shopping season due to supply issues and rising costs. While some signs appear positive for growth, retailers may seek to hedge their bets by expanding digital pre-order options and buy now, pay later opportunities to secure purchases.
Market share and key industry trends
- Adults shopping for themselves account for 55% of toy and game buyers, making nostalgic and retro-themed toys and games a viable strategy for toy brands. However, buying for children – particularly own children – drives the market. 89% of parents purchased at least one of the toys/games evaluated for their own child in the last year. For all but two toy types (action figures and sports toys), moms are the key purchasers (see The Traditional Toys and Games Consumer).
- Among parents, 52% say that their child’s input is the top factor that influences their purchase decision. Combining that with product features that promote education increases reach to 75% of parents. For parents of children 5 years old and younger, growing with the child takes precedence (see Purchase Influences).
- More than half of consumers (54%), see themselves buying roughly the same number of toys and games next year as they have this year. Importantly, a smaller share of purchasers expects to buy fewer toys and games next year (18%), comparatively (see Purchases Last Year and Expectations for Next Year).
Future market trends in traditional toys and games
Of course, no discussion of popular toys and games can be considered complete without also discussing the media that inspires and is inspired by the toys on the shelf. Traditionally popular franchises may soon face stronger competition, as the popularity and recency of associated media has built demand for toy lines more popular with young consumers. Missteps on film and media could result in reduced brand appeal over long periods of time as other brands step in to fill key entertainment opportunity roles.
Read on to discover more about the traditional toys and games consumer market, read our Teen & Tween Gaming – US – 2022, or take a look at our other Holidays and Travel research reports.
Quickly understand
- Key players in traditional toys and games.
- Top toys and games categories, who’s buying and why.
- What factors influence adult consumers of toys and games.
- Attitudes toward toys and games and opportunities for enhancing coverage.
Covered in this traditional toys and games market report
Brands include: Mattel, American Girl, Hasbro, Kenner, Barbie, BRATZ, G.I. Joe, My Little Pony, Transformers, Disney, LEGO, Pixar, Star Wars, Sesame Street, LeapFrog, See ‘n Say, Play-Doh, Crayola, Amazon, Magic: The Gathering, Monopoly, Tomy Company, Fisher-Price, Playmobil, Hot Wheels, L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls, YouTube, Mr. Potato Head, Milton Bradley, Parker Brothers, Wizards of the Coast, Twitch, Dungeons & Dragons, Cinemark, Candy Crush, Wordle, Premium Joy, Harry Potter, Marvel.
Expert analysis from a specialist in the traditional wooden toys and games market
This report, written by Brian Benway, a leading analyst in the Gaming and Entertainment sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis of traditional toys and games market research to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
Toys and games remind adults of their own childhoods, likely times when they had a lot less stress on their minds. This might be a year of big spending in less than exciting ways, but, naturally, parents want to provide those fun carefree times for their own children in the best way that they can.
Brian Benway
Gaming and Entertainment Analyst
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Overview
- What you need to know
- This Report looks at the following areas
- Definition
- Market context
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Executive Summary
- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Figure 1: Total annual US toy sales data, by year, 2019-21
- Figure 2: Traditional toys and games outlook, 2022-27
- Opportunities and challenges
- Value add of popular formats and new tech in toys and games
- Toys and games challenged by lingering COVID-19 issues, inflation, shipping costs
- Nostalgia-driven brands struggle with inclusivity
- Key consumer insights
- Adult shoppers purchasing for themselves as a second market
- Figure 3: Recipient of toys and games purchased – Nets, 2022
- Children’s input is often the greatest influence on parents
- Figure 4: TURF Analysis – Toy and game purchase influencers for children, 2022
- LEGO and Disney toys and games appeal has wide reach
- Figure 5: Preferred toy and game brands and franchises, 2022
- Consumers are nostalgic for toys and games from their past
- Figure 6: Attitudes toward toys and games nostalgia, by parent race and Hispanic origin, 2022
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Market Size
- US toy sales growth outperforms general consumer spending
- Figure 7: US total annual toy sales, 2019-21
- Trends in consumer spending on toys, hobbies and games supports slowdown
- Figure 8: Games, toys and hobbies: annual % change, 2011-22*
- US toy sales growth outperforms general consumer spending
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Market Breakdown
- Most categories show increases 2019-21; outdoor toys, dolls remain on top
- Figure 9: US toy industry category sales, 2019-21
- Educational toys, arts & crafts, board games have widest appeal
- Figure 10: Parents’ toy purchases in the last 12 months, 2022
- Most categories show increases 2019-21; outdoor toys, dolls remain on top
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Market Factors
- COVID-19 continues to have an impact on global shipping
- Planning for inflation ahead of 2022 holiday shopping season
- Figure 11: CPI for all urban consumers: all items and toys, % change from year ago, monthly, seasonally adjusted, 2017-22
- Declining births spark baby bust fears, smaller audience for children’s toys
- Figure 12: Annual births and annual % change, 2010-20
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Key Players
- A handful of companies own the top toy brands
- Figure 13: Top 10 toy companies/brands, by net revenue, 2020
- MGA Entertainment Inc., the biggest toy company you’ve never heard of
- LEGO, building the toy of the century brick by brick
- Mattel, the dream house that Barbie built
- Hasbro, acquisitions and assimilations in the toy aisle
- A handful of companies own the top toy brands
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Competitive Strategies and Market Opportunities
- American Girl expands into an under-utilized space for toy content
- Hasbro ups its prices to snare NFT collectors, could be a double dribble
- Figure 14: Starting Lineup returns to toy shelves, 2022
- Modern G.I. Joe battles Cobra with cross-promoted Nerf blasters
- Figure 15: G.I. Joe Classified weapons – Nerf designs, 2020
- Cinemark expands into viewable tabletop gaming entertainment
- Dungeons & Dragons’ new virtual tabletop play space
- New York Times rapidly seizes a tabletop game opportunity
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The Traditional Toys and Games Consumer – Fast Facts
- Parents, particularly mothers are the primary shoppers
- Lack of diversity in toys/games is a hindrance, but also an opportunity
- Consumers expect toys and games purchases to remain stable next year
- Children’s input is the greatest factor driving parents’ purchase
- LEGO and Disney hold the top spots for brand appeal
- Consumers are nostalgic for toys and games from their past
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The Traditional Toys and Games Consumer
- Toys and games that promote family bonding are in demand
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- Figure 16: Toys and games purchased, 2022
- Expand adult audience to offset declining child population
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- Figure 17: Recipient of toys and games purchased – Nets, 2022
- Inflation may price toys and games out of their most receptive audience
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- Figure 18: Toys and games purchased – NET, by key demographics, 2022
- Mothers more likely than fathers to purchase most types of toys and games
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- Figure 19: Toys and games purchased, by gender of parents, 2022
- Toy aisles still favor White faces, Black parents less enthusiastic purchasers
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- Figure 20: Toys and games purchased, by parent race and Hispanic origin, 2022
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Purchases Last Year and Expectations for Next Year
- Consumers expect stable toy and game purchasing
- Figure 21: Changes in purchases last year and expectations for next year, 2022
- Young children at home drive “more” purchasing
- Figure 22: Changes in purchases last year and expectations for next year, by age of children in household, 2022
- Fathers more positive than mothers to buying “more” in the coming year
- Figure 23: Change in purchase expectations for next year, by gender of parents, 2022
- Heaviest toy purchasers bought more vs last year, expect less change next year
- Figure 24: Changes in purchases last year and expectations for next year, by count of toys purchased, 2022
- Consumers expect stable toy and game purchasing
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Purchase Influences
- Child’s input the leading influencer for those who shop for kids
- Figure 25: Factors impacting purchase decisions, 2022
- Combining purchase influences increases appeal for parents and children
- Figure 26: TURF Analysis – Toy and game purchase influencers for children, 2022
- For young children, growth and learning are of paramount importance
- Figure 27: Select purchase influences, by age of children in household, 2022
- Women have elevated expectations of toys and games; men are brand loyal
- Figure 28: Select purchase influences, by generation and gender, 2022
- Adults are a tricky demographic for toys and games
- Figure 29: Factors hindering adult engagement with toys and games, 2022
- Child’s input the leading influencer for those who shop for kids
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Brand Appeal
- LEGO and Disney appeal linked to franchise breadth
- Figure 30: Preferred toy and game brands and franchises, 2022
- Rethinking back-to-basics approach to play may help elevate brands
- Figure 31: Preferred toy and game brands and franchises, by parental status and gender, 2022
- The face of a franchise matters, and often those faces are White
- Figure 32: Preferred toy and game brands and franchises, by parental status and race/Hispanic origin, 2022
- Traditionally popular franchises may soon face stronger competition
- Figure 33: Preferred toy and game brands and franchises, by parental status and generation, 2022
- LEGO and Disney appeal linked to franchise breadth
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Attitudes toward Traditional Toys and Games – Nostalgia
- Nostalgia is a strong motivation among parents, adults in general
- Figure 34: Attitudes toward toys and games – Nostalgia, 2022
- Affordable nostalgic toys may help toy brands resonate with cost-conscious consumers
- Figure 35: Attitudes toward toys and games – Nostalgia, by generation and gender, 2022
- Fewer Black characters from the past means less retro appeal today
- Figure 36: Attitudes toward toys and games – Nostalgia, by parent race and Hispanic origin, 2022
- Nostalgia is a strong motivation among parents, adults in general
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Attitudes toward Traditional Toys and Games – Shopping
- Retailers need to make shopping more convenient
- Figure 37: Attitudes toward toys and games – Shopping, 2022
- Advantages of digital shopping are not limited to young adults
- Figure 38: Attitudes toward toys and games – Shopping, by age and gender, 2022
- Giving toys brings joy, shopping for them at mass retailers not so joyful
- Figure 39: Attitudes toward toys and games – Shopping, by family structure, 2022
- Retailers need to make shopping more convenient
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Attitudes toward Games – Playing with Others
- Varying attitudes toward social games reflects player diversity
- Figure 40: Attitudes toward games – Playing with others, 2022
- Parents’ time and energy are limited; keep kid’s games stress free.
- Figure 41: Attitudes toward games – Playing with others, by age of children, 2022
- Urban gamers struggle with aspects of board and card games
- Figure 42: Attitudes toward games – Playing with others, by area and 25-54s, 2022
- Varying attitudes toward social games reflects player diversity
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
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Appendix – Consumer
- TURF Analysis – Methodology
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- Figure 43: Table – TURF Analysis – Toys and games purchase influencers for children, 2022
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