Pretty in pink: Barbie is expected to be a Christmas top toy seller.
Take a deep breath, Christmas Day is less than 100 days away. And true to form the first predictions for the holiday season’s hottest toys are in.
U.K. general merchandise retailer Argos – part of British grocery giant Sainsbury’s – is the first out of the blocks and has unveiled its predicted Christmas toys top sellers for 2023.
So, if you’ve been nice, not naughty, read on because here is what you might expect Santa Claus to bring down the chimney.
The list from Argos includes some of the hot product launches we have previously featured, including the phenomenon of Warren Buffet’s favorite Squishmallow (Argos is retailing Drew the Mint Dragon Squishmallow as an exclusive for $16), plus the next-gen Furby Purple Interactive Plush for about $87.
This reflects the big retro and nostalgia trend over the past 12 months, with everything from music cassettes to Blockbuster, Furby to Tamagotchi raising their 80s and 90s heads once again.
No surprise either that Barbie is expecting a great holiday season, though Argos’ exclusive Barbie Estate Dolls House with three dolls (around $223) is going to stretch budgets for those feeling the financial pinch more than their love of pink.
Other traditional or favorite toys expected to sell well include Lego Star Wars 332nd Ahsoka Clone Trooper Battle Pack, Dobby the House Elf, and Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica sets, while the Nerf Elite Double Punch Blaster will be, erm, entertaining families everywhere.
The Furby relaunch will see new versions for the holidays.
Retro TV shows are also on the list, including the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Pizza Delivery Van (around $50) and Gabby’s Dollhouse Cruise Ship (circa $80).
“It’s clear that innovation in the toy world is having a big impact on what’s hitting the shelves this Christmas. We’re seeing some exciting changes when it comes to interactive and educational toys especially, as well as the continued evolution of toys that inspire creativity through role play,” says Fay Williams, head of toy buying at Argos.
Deloitte Holiday Predictions
The release of the initial hot list comes at a time when all eyes are on prospective holiday retail sales and whether consumers on both sides of the Pond will continue to spend or will keep their wallets in their pockets.
Despite economic concerns, travelers did not cut back on their summer vacations, with post-pandemic pent-up demand still working itself out of the system and holidaymakers reluctant to compromise on a hard-earned break.
But there are questions over whether consumers are favoring experiences over products, a conundrum that will likely be answered by how parents prioritize their budgets in the run-up to Christmas.
Lego sets will continue to be among the Christmas toys top sellers says Argos.
Sales are likely to increase between 3.5% and 4.6% in 2023, according to Deloitte’s annual holiday retail forecast. Overall, Deloitte’s retail and consumer products practice projects holiday sales totaling $1.54 to $1.56 trillion during the November to January period.
In 2022, holiday sales grew by 7.6% over the same duration and Deloitte also forecasts e-commerce sales will grow between 10.3% and 12.8% year-on-year during the 2023-2024 holiday season. This will likely result in e-commerce holiday sales hitting between $278 billion and $284 billion.
“We expect healthy employment and income growth to keep the volume of sales growing for the 2023 holiday season,” says Daniel Bachman, Deloitte’s U.S. economic forecaster. “Inflation should moderate...This means the total value of retail sales will grow more slowly than last year."
Deloitte's forecast also reflects a decreasing pool of pandemic-era savings but, with shoppers traditionally reluctant to cut back on spending on their kids and pets, this year’s toy sales still leave all to play for.
