Independent retailers have backed an Easter campaign that aims to drive customers into local stores. The 'Enjoy an Independent Easter' activities are taking place in 56 towns and 1,100 retailers across the UK, with store Easter egg hunts ...
Tags: Toys
Rob Hutchins will also work for sister website Licensing.biz. ToyNews has bolstered its editorial team with the appointment of Rob Hutchins as staff writer. He boasts experience with Essex Life Magazine and Epping Forest Guardian, and ...
Tags: rob hutchins, robert hutchins, toynews
Games, puzzles and books specialist Orchard Toys has achieved a record month in terms of turnover. MD Simon Newbery told ToyNews that October and November last year were huge months for the company. Year-on-year sales rose 35 per cent ...
Tags: Toys, Orchard Toys, Games, puzzles
A new collection of baby and early years toys is looking to take the pre-school aisles by storm. Rainbow Designs is already reporting positive feedback for the Smarty Kids range, with stocks due to arrive at retail in March. The ...
Tags: toys, Rainbow Designs, toy industry
Independent toy retailer Toyology is closing its doors. The Barkingside, Ilford-based store is holding a closing down sale before it shuts its doors by March 23rd. It has been open for just under three years. The store was run by Gary ...
Tags: Indie store Toyology, Toys, Toys Industry
More and more small toy businesses are using sites like Kickstarter to acquire funding and bring their products to market. The crowdfunding website has seen a number of fresh toys manufactured and shipped, including Atoms (pictured), a ...
Tags: Toy, toy businesses, toys manufacture
Daily 'flash sales' start-up website Casabu wants to reach one million members by the end of 2013. The news comes after the ten-month-old company secured £900,000 in funding. The site saw new sign up soars shortly after launching ...
Tags: Sales site, toys, toy industry
New packaging, licences and pricing are being introduced for Plasticine, as Flair aims to reinvigorate the classic brand. Launching in the autumn, the firm has made the packaging more modern, fun and suitable for older kids, who are a ...
Tags: New packaging, Plasticine, Flair Remodels
LEGO has been talking to 20th Century Fox about striking up a partnership for The Simpsons, The Wall Street Journal has reported. LEGO spokesman Jan Christensen confirmed to the newspaper that LEGO is in talks over The Simpsons, ...
Tags: LEGO, Simpsons, company news
Revenues generated from sales of toys based on video game properties have risen 28 per cent year-on-year. £77 million was spent on branded toys and merchandise in the UK last year, up from £60 million in 2011, MCV reports. ...
Tags: Video Game Toy, Sales, toys
The new Barbie building blocks range represents Mega Bloks’ largest launch in the UK. The girls’ construction line – out in the UK on March 9th and licensed by Mattel – will be backed by mammoth marketing ...
Tags: Barbie, Mega Bloks, girls construction line
The toy industry should not underestimate the value of mummy bloggers, says Playmobil. The company was talking to ToyNews as part of a feature on the rise of mummy bloggers, along with other suppliers' marketing execs and bloggers ...
Tags: toy industry, toy, mummy bloggers
There's nothing better than receiving a toy endorsement from a real mum or dad. But what are the challenges of managing blogs and what do parents really want from you? We ask mums and marketing execs. Forget the pain (and pleasure) of ...
Tags: toys, toy endorsement, mummy blogger
The toy industry should shout louder about new product launches in order to reap greater rewards, says Gary Grant. The owner of the UK's biggest independent toy chain The Entertainer says it works more closely with suppliers and licensors ...
Tags: toy industry, toy chain, toy
The UK toy trade wants its annual awards ceremony overhauled. ToyNews received feedback from 30 toy firms, many of which called for better recognition for smaller brands, as well as a tweaked format and product reviews process. ...