Top-10 Most-Wanted Toys: July 2010

Specialty Toy Sales Shape Up With Silly Bandz

By Ashley Heaton
July 2010

^{With additional reporting by regional correspondents Chris Lundy, Claudia Newcorn, Marie Raven and Brenda Ruggiero.}

According to a June 2010 TDmonthly Magazine survey of 40 specialty retailers, outdoor and water toys have seen massive sales increases with the onset of summer, and trend-conscious favorites Silly Bandz from BCP Imports and Hexbugs from Innovation First continue to lead the pack. Games, particularly Bananagrams and Blue Orange’s new Spot It, were also mentioned as consumer favorites. See this month’s top-10 best sellers below:

Silly Bandz Rainforest by BCP IMPORTS LLC

This rainforest-themed Silly Bandz 24-pack includes geckos, tree frogs, panthers, gorillas, toucans and monkeys. These bands can be collected, worn or traded with friends.
— Thirty percent of 40 specialty retailers surveyed counted Silly Bandz as overall best sellers in June 2010.
— Linda Hanzelko of Timmy’s Toy Chest in Lake Mary, Fla., told TDmonthly her store sells “about 100 packs (of Silly Bandz) a day.” 7/8/2010 (MSRP: $4.99; Age: 5 and Up)

Hexbug Nano Newton Gravity Series 5 Pack by INNOVATION FIRST LABS, INC.

These robotic creatures behave like real bugs. Kids can go online to register and track their Nano collections. Additional bugs, track, habitats, carrying cases and more are available separately.
— Five of 40 retailers told TDmonthly in June 2010 that the Hexbug is a top-selling product. In July 2010, 11 percent of 38 retailers named Hexbugs an overall top seller.
— In a June 2010 survey, two of 40 retailers told TDmonthly Hexbugs are a top-selling gift for boys ages 4 to 12. ( Watch Video) 5/14/2010 (MSRP: $49.99; Age: 3 and Up)

Spot It! by BLUE ORANGE GAMES

Spot It is a party game for two to eight players. It's played by laying a random assortment of cards on the table and all players racing to find one image that matches between two cards. This fast-paced game is designed to never be the same twice, and though it has very few rules to remember it requires a sharp eye to master. The set of 55 round cards transports in its own carry tin. Watch Spot It: Top-5 Video, Toy Fair 2010
— Spot It has been been a top seller for retailers surveyed by TDmonthly since early Spring 2010.
— In a March 2012 survey, 3 out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that Spot It was their overall best selling product, and had been for more than a year.
— Dean Smith, Co-owner of JaZams in Princeton, N.J., told TDmonthly in a Summer 2011 survey that he sells 50-60 copies of Spot It each month.
Awards: 2010 TDmonthly Top Seller, Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products - 2010

Where to buy:
SOUTH
NORTH EAST
NORTH WEST ( Watch Video) 2/11/2010 (Age: 6 and Up)

Pumponator Balloon Pumping Station by PUMPONATOR INC.

The Pumponator Balloon Pumping Station is designed to make filling balloons with water or air easily. The Pumponator Balloon Pumping Station is filled with 500 balloons and strings for tying. Just fill the container with water, pump, press and fill the balloon. Leave out the water for indoor balloon fun.
— Two of 43 specialty retailers named Pumponator as a top seller in late spring 2010. Four of 40 surveyed retailers claimed Pumponator as an overall top seller in June 2010.
— “I order 144 at a time (and am on my) fourth order since May,” Barbara Fineblum, owner of Barston’s Child’s Play in Baltimore, Md., told TDmonthly in early summer 2010.
— In a summer 2010 survey, seven of 38 toy and gift retailers named Pumponator an overall top seller. Terri Bracken, owner of Earth Explorer Toys in Zionsville, Ind., told TDmonthly in July 2010 that her store sold 120 Pumponator stations in less than two months. The same month, Kathy Burns, manager of My Favorite Toy Store in Downers Grove, Ill., called Pumponator "a neat, neat item, and very price-appropriate.”
— ''We sell about 500 per year at all 3 stores,'' Marc Holcomb, owner of owner of Toys & Co. in Greensboro, S.C., told TDmonthly in autumn 2010.
AWARDS: 2010 TDmonthly Top Seller ( Watch Video) 10/16/2009 (MSRP: $19.95)

Iwako Cow Eraser in Six Colors by BC INDUSTRIES

These tiny puzzle erasers feature cute cow faces and bright pastel accents.
— In a June 2010 survey, three of 40 retailers told TDmonthly that Iwako erasers are a best-selling product. 6/7/2010

Max Liquidator Eliminator by PRIME TIME TOYS

Max Liquidator Eliminator by PRIME TIME TOYS This pool toy looks like a swim aid but is designed to surprise other swimmers by shooting water up to 30’. It comes in a variety of colors.
— “It's made from the same stuff as the noodles,” Gwen Bowden, manager of Doodlehopper for Kids in Springfield, Va., told TDmonthly in July 2008. “We sold 28 in two weeks. It's a good seller, and we'll run out of it.”
— "We've sold over 4,000 in two-and-a-half years," Ron and Sue Banducci of Games Unlimited in Danville, Calif., told TDmonthly about this top-selling gift for boys.
— Three of 66 retailers mentioned water or pool toys when asked about best-selling gifts for boys in summer 2008. Three of 40 retailers named Max Liquidator Eliminator as an overall best seller in early summer 2010.
AWARDS: 2010 TDmonthly Top Seller 8/28/2008

BANANAGRAMS® by BANANAGRAMS

The fast-moving word game consists of 144 ivory-like letter tiles in a zippered banana pouch. Players place the tiles face down on the table and randomly select 21 tiles. They turn their letters right-side up simultaneously and proceed to form as many intersecting and interconnecting words as possible, rearranging their own letters as many times as desired throughout the game. Awards: TDmonthly Top Seller 2007; 2009 TOTY Game of the YEAR, 2006 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal; 2007 iParenting; 2007 Parents' Choice Recommended; 2007 Dr. Toy Best Products. (Read Review)
— This product has been making the TDmonthly Best-sellers lists since 2007.
— As of 05/13/2011 this product had 4.8 out of 5 stars from 456 reviews on Amazon.com.
— Eight of 66 retailers vouched for its best-selling status in May 2008; seven of 63 did in Sept. 2008. Shani Watmough of Planet Toys in Rockland, Maine, said her store sells 60 per month. Fifteen of 38 named it a top-selling game in Feb. 2010.
— As of April 5, 2010, Bananagrams had spent 570 days in the top-100 best-selling toys and games on Amazon.com.
— According to owner Brett Sommer of Figpickels Toy Emporium in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, “It was the 2009 game of the year. The brilliant packaging definitely helps this product." ( Watch Video) 6/19/2006 (MSRP: $14.99; Age: 7 and Up)

Wooden Fishbowl Jumbo Knob Puzzle by MELISSA & DOUG

This fishbowl features three happy residents for puzzle play. The extra-thick, three-piece wooden puzzle includes a fish, a turtle and a crab, each with jumbo wooden knobs for easy grasping. Full-color, matching pictures appear underneath each piece.
— In a Summer 2011 survey, 5 out of 12 retailers told TDmonthly that wooden peg puzzles from Melissa & Doug were their best-sellers in the category.
— As of 7/12/2011 this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 32 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Durable; age-appropriate; puzzle pieces fit well. Cons: One reviewer said the veneer on the puzzle pieces began peeling a month after purchasing it.
— In a June 2010 survey of 40 specialty retailers, 15 percent named Melissa & Doug as an overall top-selling brand. Two retailers told TDmonthly that the brand’s puzzles sell especially well. 7/8/2010 (MSRP: $9.99; Age: 1 and Up)

Bamboo Water Garden Starter Kit Eco-Aquarium by WILD CREATIONS

Part of the Wild Creations eco-aquarium line, the Bamboo Water Garden comes with a 12" spiral bamboo, two frogs, a snail, and choice of base. This balanced ecosystem offers a low-maintenance way for children or adults to enjoy an aquarium environment.
— Two of 40 specialty retailers cited Eco-Aquariums as a June 2010 best seller. The same month, David Campbell, owner of Amazing Toys in Great Falls, Mont., told TDmonthly his store sells about 15 Eco-Aquariums each month. 2/25/2009 (MSRP: $50.00)

Playmobil Dragon's Land - Dragon Knight with LED-Lance by PLAYMOBIL INC.

Dragon Knight includes a warhorse and a light-up sword. Batteries are included.
— Two of 40 retailers told TDmonthly that Playmobil was an overall top seller in early summer 2010. 5/14/2010 (MSRP: $15.00; Age: 3 and Up)