Toys go back to the future

Drug Store News, Nov 3, 2003

'Tis the season for this year's list of must-have toys. And the trend in retro toys continues. Toy Wishes magazine's 2003 "Hot Dozen" list may look familiar to Gen-X'ers and Gen-Y'ers, who now are parents themselves.

Making the top 12 are such retros as Hasbro's BTR Transformers, with suggested retail prices from $7.99 to $29.99; Play Along's Care Bears, with a suggested retail price of $24.99; and Hasbro's My Little Pony Celebration Castle for $39.99.

Interactive learning toys also remain hot, such as LeapFrog's Leappad Plus Writing Learning System for ages 4 to 8 (the base unit retails for a suggested $59.99 and the software for $14.99) and the Leapster Educational Game System (with a base unit price of $79.99 and software for $24.99).

Publications International in September introduced ActivePad and Story Reader--neither of which is on the Toy Wishes list--which retail for about $30 to compete against the higher-priced offerings in this hot segment.

The electronic learning category is growing at about 22 percent with sales topping $225 million per year.

Other hot items include: Mighty Beanz, which made K*B Toys' 2003 hot list; MGA Entertainment's fashion doll Bratz, winner of Family Fun magazine's toy of the year award; and Barbie, launching this year as Barbie in Swan Lake.

Video game systems may have been priced at one time beyond the drug channel's comfort zone, but because some stores are selling $99 LexMark printers and massage pads retailing for up to $100, capping a holiday toy aisle with a $99 X-Box is making more sense.