Toy Association

In a new report, “Toy Manufacturing and Retail Solutions—the Future,” the Toy Association says that disruption could present opportunities for the toy marketplace.

The full report is free online for Toy Association members.

The report looks at the challenges from shifting consumer preferences and technological advances, which are redefining the nature of a toy and how children play. Retailers are forced to adjust to consumer demand for interactive shopping experiences, where low price alone is not enough to draw and keep customers. The Toy Association engaged ProdigyWorks and its industry experts to deliver ideas on how the industry can capitalize on the changing marketplace and appeal to new and existing consumers.

“As the next era of toy retail distribution is defined, one thing is clear—sticking to the way business was done in the past is a sure path to failure in the future. Toy companies and retailers must break with conventional approaches and respond to evolving consumer behaviors,” said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of The Toy Association.

Selected from more than 200 ideas by ProdigyWork’s futurists, the new report identifies 12 key opportunities, centered around five themes: “A Toy Diaspora,” “Everybody Plays,” “Experiences,” “Speaking to Consumer Values,” and “Looking Beyond the Thing: Service Opportunities.”

In the coming weeks, The Toy Association will launch a new series, called “New Pathways to Success in the Industry,” which will look into each of these themes and the opportunities within them. The Association will feature the series in its weekly e-newsletter, Toy News Tuesday, and on social media.

The new report complements a report from early 2018,“The Future Toy Consumer and Toy Retail Ecosystem, Part I & Part II.” In that report, ProdigyWorks determined how the toy industry will look over the next decade and explored ideas about toys and play. 

A third report exploring STEM/STEAM opportunities in toys and play will be available in the coming months.

About the author

Madeleine Buckley

Madeleine Buckley

Madeleine Buckley was a Senior Editor at The Pop Insider, The Toy Insider, and The Toy Book. She covered all things toys and fandom, and has appeared on Cheddar and a variety of regional news networks to talk about the latest trends in both. She is a movie score enthusiast, mediocre knitter, proud Syracuse alumna, and Marvel lover. You can usually find her at the movies or hanging out at home with her super-pup, Parker.

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