The calm earlier than the storm … it’s the Friday Weblog! – Toy World Journal | The enterprise journal with a ardour for toysToy World Journal

After writing and speaking about them for the previous few months, the Toymaster Could Present and Las Vegas Licensing Expo are lastly virtually upon us. In reality, the month of Could has by some means was the brand new January so far as reveals are involved. Along with our journeys to Harrogate and Vegas, the Toy World group can also be going to be current at Distoy and ComicCon in London and the UK Video games Expo in Birmingham over the subsequent fortnight. Clearly now we have needed to undertake the ‘divide and conquer’ technique, as a number of of those reveals overlap – however somebody might be current at every occasion. If you wish to see us at any of those venues, you’ll be able to drop any certainly one of us a line and we’ll co-ordinate with whoever is flying the flag at that specific occasion.

So, this week has very a lot been the calm earlier than the storm, ensuring our June difficulty is shipped to press earlier than we pack our baggage and head off to our respective locations subsequent week. Because of all of these firms who’ve pulled out all of the stops to get materials over to us in time – I do know that the lead-up to any present is at all times frantic, so we admire you squeezing us into your schedules.

Whereas the climate has proven tentative indicators of enhancing, there may be nonetheless no overwhelming consensus as as to whether a burst of solar is sweet or unhealthy for retail commerce. There’s little question it brings individuals out, however whether or not they head to their native Excessive Avenue or Retail Park, or simply their native park, is a matter of opinion. Whereas I sat in a fantastic, packed park in South London final Saturday in beautiful climate, I had a retailer sending me photos of his quiet procuring centre – and as I seemed round me, I might see why that may be the case, particularly because it was the primary sunny Saturday of the 12 months.

We’ve additionally had our first vital casualty of the 12 months right here within the UK, with video games firm Ginger Fox going into administration, whereas over within the US Kidkraft has filed for a prepackaged Chapter 11 chapter, with the intention of promoting its property to a competitor. All of this makes what occurs in Harrogate subsequent week much more vital – that is the proper alternative to kickstart the 12 months and raise the toy group’s temper. And with container costs rising quickly as soon as extra – I’m reliably knowledgeable that they’ve hit $8000 in current weeks and a few insiders are suggesting that determine might even rise as excessive as $10,000 subsequent month – and transport capability more and more challenged, there’s a risk that suppliers may very well be pressured to look once more at their pricing within the coming weeks. If there was a present about to happen the place suppliers weren’t solely working off their present tariffs, but in addition providing nice offers and incentives to put orders, I do know the place I’d be going subsequent week, no matter how commerce is trying proper at this very second.

The opposite knock-on impact of rising container costs is that it’s going to as soon as once more place inflationary strain on the economic system – everybody (together with my transport contacts) hopes this case doesn’t escalate any additional. Nonetheless, if container costs do proceed to go up and that drives inflation, it reduces the possibility of the Financial institution of England lowering rates of interest within the subsequent few months. And that in flip takes away the chance to place somewhat more cash again in shopper’s pockets, and to make them really feel that little bit higher off.

There have been a few fascinating information tales this week: Jazwares is opening a brand new Spanish workplace in Bilbao, Moose has renewed its Bluey take care of BBC Studios, Bandai has introduced the return of Tamagotchi Connection (are you able to imagine it’s 20 years since its preliminary launch? No, me neither…) and it has additionally simply been revealed that the Fuggler model has a brand new world grasp toy accomplice – Zuru. Present companions similar to Addo Play and Toy Monster within the US have completed a unbelievable job establishing the model at retail, and with the entire Zuru advertising and marketing and distribution machine now behind it, it would supply even larger capability as Libertas Manufacturers appears to take the property to the subsequent stage. We have been additionally unhappy to report that well-known licensing PR guru Jane Garner handed away unexpectedly final week – an extremely common girl who at all times lived life to the complete and was taken far too quickly.

I used to be additionally intrigued to see that the brand new chair of the Very Group is none apart from (some may say disgraced) former politician Nadim Zahawi – you already know, the one who ‘forgot’ to pay £3.7m tax… when he was Chancellor! If I used to be the Very accounts group, I’d be holding a really shut eye on his bills, simply in case he tries to assert the heating payments for his horse steady on bills as he did when he was in authorities.

Have an important weekend and if you’re heading to Harrogate subsequent week, we’ll look ahead to seeing you there. We’ll be visiting as many stands as attainable throughout the day and becoming a member of members and exhibitors for the night features – an integral a part of the entire Could Present expertise so far as we’re involved. I’m trying ahead to seeing some awards offered on each nights, in addition to the ‘thriller’ band on Wednesday night time – I do know who it’s (and I think nearly all people else does too), however for some cause I can’t fairly fathom, I’ve been informed it’s a secret. And no, in case you have been questioning, the secrecy isn’t as a result of it’s somebody massively well-known like Rod Stewart (though we did attempt to encourage him to make an look once we ran into him at a bar in London after a toy occasion final 12 months, however he mentioned he was already booked up). Nonetheless, I promise that Rod’s ‘stand-ins’ might be nicely value watching. Preserve an eye fixed out for a visitor backing vocalist (and no, it’s not me… I hung my microphone up years in the past).