Toy sales slid 3 percent in 2008
By Staff -- Playthings, 2/11/2009 3:43:00 PM
PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.—U.S. toy sales fell 3 percent in 2008 following a 5 percent decline in the all-important fourth quarter, market research firm The NPD Group announced today.
The year’s $21.64 billion tally compared to a 2007 result, worth $22.32 billion, that included an extra week, worth approximately 2 percent of annual dollar sales.
Among 2008’s bright spots, NPD said, were buildings sets and plush, which had sales gains of 26 and 22 percent, respectively, compared to 2007. The year’s largest losers were vehicles (-16 percent), youth electronics (-14 percent) and dolls (-10 percent).
At retail, all of the major channels experienced a decline in sales except for food/drug stores, which recorded a 1 percent gain.
The year’s best-selling licensed properties were Star Wars and Disney Princess, according to NPD. Other top properties included Barbie, Crayola, Tranformers and Webkinz.
