#210: An Insider Look at A National Toy Trade Show in Las Vegas
Episode Description
Have you heard about the Toy Trade Show that happened in Las Vegas? It’s called Toy Fest and I just dropped an episode all about it in case you missed it! In this episode I’m sharing quotes from the diverse range of attendees, breaking down emerging trends and highlighting innovations showcased on the floor and in the showrooms.
Discover why Toy Fest should be at the top of your list if you're considering bringing a new toy line to market. With insights from exhibitors, buyers, and seasoned toy veterans, you'll gain invaluable knowledge about what's hot in the toy and game space right now. From plush toys to fashion and tween products, arts and crafts to building kits, you'll learn about the top-selling categories and the latest innovations driving the industry forward.
But Toy Fest isn't just about products—it's also a hub for networking and collaboration. In this short podcast episode hear stories of connections made, advice exchanged, and opportunities locked in during the event. Whether you're a newcomer seeking to make your mark or a seasoned professional looking to expand your network, Toy Fest offers a relaxed and friendly environment where industry experts come together to share successes and learn from each other.
Don't miss this insider's look at Toy Fest 2024 and the valuable insights it offers for anyone making their way in the toy industry.
Episode Cliff Notes
Learn why Toy Fest should be at the top of your list for bringing a new toy line to market.
Discover the top-selling categories and emerging trends showcased at Toy Fest 2024.
Gain insights into the power of networking and collaboration in the toy industry.
Hear stories from exhibitors, buyers, and seasoned veterans about their experiences at Toy Fest.
Find out how to make the most of your time at industry trade shows and build valuable connections.
Explore innovative products and exciting developments shaping the future of the toy industry.
Uncover the secrets to success in the competitive world of toy manufacturing and retail.
Get inspired to take your toy business to new heights with the knowledge gained from Toy Fest 2024.
Learn about the importance of staying ahead of trends and adapting to changing consumer preferences.
Discover how Toy Fest offers a unique opportunity to connect with industry experts and stay informed about the latest developments in the toy industry.
Episode Breakdown
What is Toy Fest?
Toy Fest, formerly known as Toy Fest West, was built as a regional toy trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada and organized by the Western Toy and Hobby Representatives Association (WTHRA).
The show originally featured industry professionals with manufacturers, retailers, industry representatives, distributors, and more. Now, the show is on its tenth year and has been rebranded as Toy Fest, a national toy trade show where the industry has opened up to the world market, allowing over 500 manufacturers to showcase their incredible products. These products range in themes from toys, gift, education, hobby, costume, novelty, beauty, toddlers, and more.
This year, the show was held from March 3rd to March 5th. It featured a multitude of events such as the Morning Masterpiece Kit Session where craft kit manufacturers put their kits in a meeting room for buyers to play with, the Welcome Gala where attendees got a chance interact with one another, and more! They even had a "The Best of Toy Fest" list where buyers had a chance to go around the entire show and then select which products they thought were the best at Toy Fest. These products were compiled into a list and sent to the attendees once the activities for the day were over.
Attendees Impressions
The toy trade show consisted of both industry experts who had been attending the show for six or more years and new comers trying to make their mark in toys. Someone who greatly benefitted from these shows was Jennifer Nolley of Tiny Easel. The year 2023 was the start of her retail journey, and it all began at Toy Fest. Prior to the toy trade show, Jennifer sold directly to her consumers and, in attending her first show, only expected a maximum of two orders each show day. Instead, Tiny Easel managed to secure nine stores and averaged three orders per day in that show.
"Last year was my first show to sell retail. It was my first experience that inspired me to go to other shows. I went to Astra and Atlanta. I've gotten into toy stores and it all started here." - Jennifer Nolley, Tiny Easel.
Another manufacturer at the show was Bright Brand who were joining this toy trade show for the first time. They introduced their new line of pencil designs as well as their patented paper that would serve to help teach children through its ergonomic features and educational value. For example, the paper features raised lines to help facilitate handwriting development while the varying assortment of papers serves different needs in children.
An interesting point to Bright Brand's display was that they showcased their products in both showrooms and trade show floors rather than sticking to one. In the showrooms, they had their regional representatives walking around whereas the trade show space gave them a chance to find non-regional business.
A brand with a different strategy is SMOKO, an Australian slang that means "a short break from the daily grind of work." They create various pop culture and Japanese inspired toys including their main mascot, Tayto Potato. This brand belongs under Master Toys and Novelties based in LA and they decided to have a show room rather than displaying select toys in the Toy Fest trade show booths. This was because they have so many brands and so many skews within their brands, so it was easier for them to show the breadth and depth of their assortment of 2500 skews in a showroom rather than picking and choosing certain items for the trade show floor. Regardless, they also found it to be a great opportunity to manage regional business but to also find national business.
Fostering Relationships with Neighboring Booths
Jennifer Nolley mentions the importance of good booth neighbors towards having a progressive time at the show. This leads to the all important question of, what can toy organizations do to foster relationships with neighboring booths prior to the show to have a better experience during the show? There are some steps toy organizations can take to foster relationships with neighboring booth members prior to toy industry trade shows. The first step is to attend the various seminars and events being offered by the toy trade shows. The second step is to put yourself out there in a friendly and warm manner to make a stronger and faster connection with your peers. Lastly, it is always a good idea to research on brands attending and, if possible, neighboring brands before the toy industry trade shows in order to sends them a kind message in advance so they will remember you during the shows.
Toy Trends 2024 by Rick Derr
On March 2nd, Rick Derr, the owner of Learning Express Lake Zurich gave a talk on trends. He mentioned that there are the following top five categories based on the store sales of a Learning Express in Zurich. These categories are:
Plushies
Fashion and Tween, including charms and lip products
Arts and crafts
Compounds, such as slime
Building kits
The Toy Coach's Top Finds at Toy Fest West
IMPULSE TOYS
"Why impulse does well at retail is because there's no competition from Amazon based on the price point. That's the key driving factor. It's too expensive on Amazon." - Mike Sluzars, One for Fun
The first emerging trend is impulse. Impulse is defined as something that is not a planned purchase and, according to Mike, it is the one price point that kids will spend their own money on. The impulse trend relates directly to the compound category above. Examples of toys in this category are Scrunchems from One for Fun. This brand includes a variety of toys such as dumpling squishes, a fortune teller squish ball and more. According to Mike, Amazon often sells these kinds of items in bulk to make it worthwhile to ship them but in order to just one, you would need to buy them in store, therefore making them part of the impulse trend.
MINI
"Mini is in. LOL used to be our number one toy but Mini is slowly but surely taking it over. It's the first day and we're already placing orders." - Johnny Hernandez from Gen X Fun.
KAWAII
Kawaii is a term in Japanese pop culture that refers to something that is seemingly cute. Now, kawaii toys are all the rage. One example was stated above, SMOKO, whose characters are largely inspired by Japanese pop culture. Another example is Hot Focus, a brand based in Ontario, California that sells mini cross body bags and backpacks for $10.99 to $14.99, all decorated with cute or kawaii charms. These products all fall under Rick's category stated above- Plush and Fashion Tween.
COMPOUNDS
The overwhelming winner of this trend is Dope Slimes, a slime shop with 60 slimes in their catalogue, increasing by five every two weeks. They took off one and a half years ago from a dream between two brother sand their friend and evolved into an incredible brand. Last year, they were Learning Express' number two overall vendor over Hot Wheels, Barbie, and Lego. They sell their slimes for $15.99, including one of their best sellers, the Cookies and Cream slime. With their 2.5 million followers on TikTok, they have been able to turn their best selling slimes into wholesale.
BUILDING
"We at Fun in Motion make toys that help you move and grove. The play pattern is all about the movement." - Todd Mullins, Director of Specialty Sales for Fun in Motion.
The toy that aligned with this trend is Fun In Motions Hyper Tiles. These tiles are based on a mathematical shape called a hyperbolic paraboloid and create flexible, changeable, and moveable toys through colorful tiles and clear snap joints. They're retail for $24.99 and are the perfect way to get your creativity flowing.
ARTS AND CRAFTS
Finally, the last trend is arts and crafts and the brand that captured this trend best is Bright Stripes. Bright Stripes launched a new line called iHeartArt which is dedicated to creating screen free activity to promote problem solving, dexterity, and social emotional learning development in children through premium quality art supplies. The best part is that iHeartArt donates five percent of profits to Art Feed's international program to help finance art lessons to those who cannot afford them. This brand is one with a purpose that buyers love supporting as much as they love the incredible products.
The Power of Networking and Collaborating at Toy Fest
Toy Fest was one toy trade show that created an incredible, conducive environment for networking and collaborating with other industry specialists. Not only during the show, but the events before the show opened provided great opportunities to network with others. These included seminars, the opening day gala as well as the shuttles going from the Expo Center to the host hotel which provided a natural opportunity to connect with colleagues and meet new people.
Of so many existing toy trade shows going on, this one still manages to stand out. Mark Ellington of Moby shares that though he had attended five other toy trade shows in the span of six weeks, he still found the value and opportunity in Toy Fest. It allows inventors to make an initial connection with industry members that they can build up in the future.
Overall Take on Toy Fest
Toy Fest is an incredible toy trade show and gives the perfect opportunity for those new in the toy industry to make their mark, create new connections, or to get a grasp of the way the industry is leaning. Toy Fest is specifically known for its laid back and friendly environment. As Cindy Wyatt from Totally Thomas' Toy Depot put it: "I love this show. It is a very relaxed show. We all know each other and respect each other. We all share our successes and learn from each other."