Spider-Man 2 will be huge for the toy industry. I expect hundreds of thousands of licensed merchandise (items) to be sold in the first nine months of the year,
Toy manufacturers are redefining themselves as family entertainment companies rather than just toymakers,
The way I see it, the toy industry is no longer just about toys per se. I call it the family entertainment business.
Oil prices are particularly important to toy manufacturers because they impact the cost of resin and plastic used to make toys,
They could either go to Target or try to find another toy retailer like K-B Toys. You would think Target first, since it is already their partner, but the one problem with that is Target has its own Web site where it sells toys -- and how much will Target want to give up?
In order for the toy industry to survive, companies will have to deal with Wal-Mart. It has to be understood that Wal-Mart doesn't make deals with everyone who approaches them. Ultimately it's Wal-Mart who chooses who will be in their stores.
It was a tough year, ... We didn't have a hot toy and we didn't have a big movie to push sales of licensed products.