Consumer Behavior

Toy sales enjoy 27% spike in Q1

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June 28, 2021

The U.S. toy industry had a rewarding Q1 of 2021, with a 27% spike in sales, about $1.5 billion between January and April, according to figures from The NPD Group.

Both sales and average selling price were up, 17% and 9% respectively, according to a press release.

Sales for largest supercategory tracked by NPD, outdoor and sports toys, hit $1.6 billion while "plush" had the fastest dollar growth of 44%.

"As we lap the lockdowns of 2020, the supercategories that had surging growth last year, like games and puzzles, appear to be slowing down," Juli Lennett, vice president and industry advisor, U.S. toys, The NPD Group, said in the release. "However, it's important to realize that sales are still strong for games and puzzles in 2021 which is reflected in the two-year CAGR growth of 34%, the fastest growth compared to 2019 of all supercategories."

Strategic trading cards was the top dollar growth class among all 96 classes tracked by NPD, driven in large part by Pokémon, which was the top growth property year-to-date.

"We can't understate the impact that federal stimulus payments had on toy industry performance this year," said Lennett in the release. "The follow up to that will be the child tax credit which will provide cash in the hands of parents each month starting in July and through the end of the year."