Walmart reveals its top 40 fall toy picks
Hoverboards, Barbie’s Dreamhouse make list.
When it comes to toys, tiny tykes say that hoverboards, Barbie’s Dreamhouse and a Paw Patrol Fire Truck are among those that are tops.
They are a few of the 40 most popular toy picks heading into fall according to Walmart, which compiled the list based on the opinions of hundreds of kids, including many who’ve built up a following on social media.
The selection was not specifically pegged to the holiday season whose official kickoff remains at least three months away. But Walmart’s announcement signaled its intention to make an aggressive play for shoppers now that Toys R Us has shuttered all of its stores, making this the first year in decades that the toy giant will not be an option for gift buyers searching for items to tuck under the tree.
“We’ve always been a destination in the toy department,” said Anne Marie Kehoe, vice president of toys, Walmart U.S. But “this year, we want to be there for shoppers who may be looking for an alternative to ... Toys R Us.”
Before Toys R Us closed in June, Walmart had surpassed it to become the biggest toy seller in the U.S.
Now this fall, it is aiming to grab a bigger share of the $27 billion market by enticing customers with store events, expanded toy aisles, a new online shopping experience and thousands of new products including more than 300 that can be bought only at Walmart.
On Sept. 8, young shoppers will be able to try out toys, snap pictures and leave with giveaways as Walmart hosts a “National Play Day” at over 1,500 Walmart locations. There will be toy demonstrations from now until Nov. 1. And Nerf and Hot Wheels will be the focus of activities at Walmart Supercenters for the next two months.
The retailer is also giving budgetconscious shoppers a head start on their holiday shopping by launching its layaway program on Friday.
Walmart, which has challenged ecommerce giant Amazon on fronts ranging from delivery speed to selling e-books, is using its stores to offer experiences customers can’t get from a retailer that operates primarily online.
And in a retail environment shaken by the fickle tastes of customers who can make a purchase at the tap of a screen, Walmart is tapping into yet another trend – social media influencers.
As part of Walmart’s new online toy shop, 25 influencers will offer tips and reviews. Walmart’s exclusives include Ryan’s World, a toy collection created by the star of YouTube’s RyanToys Review, which will be available only at Walmart until the end of September.
The toy industry has been in transition, as retailers try to adjust to customer tastes that in recent years have shifted away from dolls and action figures to gadgets and digital games.
Still, U.S. toy sales rose 7 percent to $7.9 billion in the first six months of this year, according to The NPD Group.