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n.SHENZHEN factories reopen Last week in Disruption Report #49, I reported that the Chinese government had closed all factories in the toy manufacturing center of Shenzhen due to a Covid breakout. Since then, the government has managed to test 17 million people, and factories have reopened. Good news! ARE high container prices NOW BEING DRIVEN BY the fear of missing … [Read more...] about Disruption Report #50: Shenzhen Factories Reopen, FOMO and Container Prices, and Back-Ups at East Coast Ports

Click here to listen to this episode Producer Brian Volk-Weiss joins Richard and Chris for a second time. This time to talk  about the launch of his new toy company Nacelle Toys. Brian is the producer of the successful Netflix series” The Toys that Made Us” and “A Toy Store Near You,” now entering its fourth season. In this lively conversation, Brian talks about the decision … [Read more...] about Jumping into the Toy Biz: An Interview with producer Brian Volk-Weiss

We in the toy industry are globalists. As companies and individuals, we engage each other across borders to create, manufacture, and sell playthings. A walk through the Spielwarenmesse in Nuremberg, Germany, the biggest toy trade show in the world, is like a visit to the United Nations. Toy companies from virtually every country are present, buying and selling, sharing meals, … [Read more...] about Is Globalization Still Powerful? Ask Russia.

12th of January, Manchester: The Insights Family, the global leader in kids and family market intelligence, launched its service into four new international markets. As of January 1st 2022, the company started interviewing kids (3-18s) and parents in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Argentina and South Africa. This will see the business expand its operations to provide its clients with … [Read more...] about The Insights Family expands into Argentina, Turkey, South Africa and Saudi Arabia (Ad)

Shenzhen In Lock down Means Trouble for the Toy industry Due to China’s Covid “zero-tolerance policy,” factories are currently closed in Shenzhen. Shenzhen is the center of the world’s toy manufacturing and home to Yantian, China’s second-busiest port, troubling news for the toy industry. The disruption will delay toy manufacturing because you simply can’t make toys if … [Read more...] about Disruption Report #49: Toy Factories Shut Down and Grocery Prices Up 11.5%

Russia has effectively legalized patent theft from anyone affiliated with countries “unfriendly” to it.Russia says its businesses can steal patents from anyone in ‘unfriendly’ countries, Hannah Knowlesand Zina Pozen, Washington post, The economic war between much of the western world and Russia has come home to European and North American intellectual property holders. … [Read more...] about Economic War News: Intellectual Property Theft Now Legal in Russia

Did you know that Russia is the world’s largest exporter of Nickle? I didn’t either. Should you care? Yes, you should, if you make battery-powered toys. Did you know that Russia is a major exporter of wood? I didn’t either. Should you care? Yes, you should if you make your toys out of wood. Russia is, of course, a major exporter of oil. It also exports plastic. The … [Read more...] about The Russia Embargo’s Impact on Toy Inflation

Heather Smith runs The Good Toy Group, a Member-owned marketing cooperative and buying group for independent toy store owners. She is responsible for the overall leadership, evolution, and performance of the company, with oversight and direction by The Board of Directors who are all Member-Owners. Day to Day, Heather manages the Office, Creative, Product Leadership and … [Read more...] about My Interview with Heather Smith, President of the Good Toy Group

Original G.I. Joe Action Marine, 1964. The Strong, Rochester, New York. The first G.I. Joe action figure, initially named an “action soldier,” appeared in 1964. Even though the series was renamed the G.I. Joe Adventure Team in 1975 to downplay associations with the Vietnam War, for many kids Joe remained a soldier. The origins of the term “G.I.” have been debated but, … [Read more...] about A Real American Hero: Invest in G.I. Joe

Lego won 7 for16 in this year’s Toy of the Year Awards. As impressive as that is, keep in mind that they were only nominated in 9 categories. Awards aren’t the only place Lego is winning. Lego’s revenue was up 22% in 2022, that’s six percent ahead of the American toy industry and well ahead of inflation. And they were profitable, exceptionally so, with the company reporting … [Read more...] about Lego Outpaces the Toy Industry