Is it a rosy time for toy retailers? In any case, the 2018 sales reports indicate this. According to the
Federal Association of Toy Retailers (BVS) spent significantly more money on toys. The idee + spiel development association with toys, model railways, video games as well as writing and school supplies was able to increase ZR sales by 2,1 percent on a like-for-like basis compared to 2017.
Exact figures from the BVS in March
While the Federal Association of Toy Retailers has announced more precise figures for March - according to the BVS managing director Steffen Kahnt, consumer spending roughly adds up to 3,2 billion euros - the support association idee + spiel already has precise sales statistics.
The managing directors Jochen Martens and Andreas Schäfer are satisfied with the previous year’s development: The ZR sales generated by the dealers of the 750 member stores and via the association’s own online marketplace increased by 2,1 percent on a like-for-like basis.
In the core segments "Toys" and "Eurotrain" the sales figures even grew by more than three percent. Sales on the online marketplace even increased in double digits in the past year, for the third time in a row.
In marketing, the focus was on the realignment to the lifestyle of the digital natives. This took place through a complete relaunch of the print advertising as well as new and creative PoS campaigns. In goods and supplier management, idee + spiel concentrated on concepts to increase liability as well as purchasing bundling and impressed with significantly more high-margin exclusive items.
"In 2018 we broke new ground with a new management structure in the areas of marketing as well as goods and supplier management."
Andreas Schäfer, Managing Director Marketing and Sales
The relaunch of the idee + spiel online marketplace is now on the agenda for the beginning of 2019.
“Since it was founded in 2015, our marketplace has been successful and powerful with over 10 million clicks. The online business - like the toys as a whole - is extremely shaped by innovations. In order to guarantee our dealers a fast, efficient and innovative sales channel at all times, we decided to do our own programming with a large software company. "
Jochen Martens, Chief Financial Officer
In the long term, the umbrella brand is also to be strengthened through targeted advertising measures in 2019.
"Every year we reach over 40 million customers through all of our channels from Facebook to Google through to our print campaigns and advertising material. This large reach, bundled with the umbrella brand strategy, will anchor the idee + spiel brand even better in the minds of customers and offer the affiliated retailers the greatest possible benefit from the nationwide advertising campaigns. "
Andreas Schäfer, Managing Director Marketing and Sales
By the way: The Federal Association of Toy Retailers (BVS) stated that online sales with around 40 percent market share and stationary specialist retailers with around 30 percent were the two main sales channels last year.
The positive development in Germany does not automatically apply to neighboring countries. While toy sales are stagnating in the Benelux countries, they fell by one percent in France and by as much as five percent in Italy. Great Britain recorded a drop in sales of toys of around twelve percent. These figures were published today at the main press conference for the 70th Toy Fair in Nuremberg.
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