It’s been a difficult year for the toy industry. So, what else is new? It’s always something…and it’s usually something different. The inventory glut meant very little early year restocking by retailers. This has continued with buyers ordering less and late.
Most toy companies shutdown hiring and many even had layoffs during the first third of the year. But somewhere in the backs of our minds, we knew that if retailers wanted any new product at all for the holiday shopping season, they would have to turn “happy talk” into paper by about May 1st. While no one thought that would set off wholesale hiring, many of my clients were telling me that they needed one or two key players but that they weren’t going to commit to any hiring until retailers committed to orders. Privately, I was predicting/hoping that when the orders began the toy business would get a much needed jumpstart. In early May, with my fingers crossed, my phone began to ring…
It’s been a busy summer and Toyjobs has been, and is in, the process of filling lot of Sales jobs. I’m hoping that after September previews and the New York Toy Fair that things will begin to open up for Marketing and Product Development jobs as well.
I view the pandemic like an asteroid hitting the ocean. First, we experienced a tsunami or two. Then BIG WAVES. The waves are slowly getting smaller now but the ripples will be felt for years.
For the toy industry, it has been a wild ride. From pandemic to shutdowns to amped up sales to supply chain crises and finally to inventory gluts. Retail short ordering will likely lead to empty shelves by the end of the year. Next year should see even smaller waves and business returning to something approaching normal. Stay focused. We’re through the worst of it.
I look forward to seeing you all in New York at the first major toy fair since 2020 (God, I hate the Javits Center 😊)
Tom Keoughan
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