NEW YORK — If Zhu Zhu Pets taught a lesson, it’s that a bit of technology and a low price tag can go a long way. Toymakers are taking that experience to heart.
From a digital Scrabble game that checks the words to a hovering UFO to miniature radio-control cars, toymakers are amping up the tech quotient but not prices.
Zhu Zhu Pets, the furry mechanical hamsters that zoom around, were the runaway hit of the holiday season. One key to their success: a price tag under $10.
The American International Toy Fair begins today. This is the annual event where toymakers show off new offerings that will make their way into next year’s stockings. Previews from toymakers and interviews with analysts make clear that the focus is on innovation and price. Few toys will retail for more than $100, and most will be priced below $30.
Tough times can spawn creativity.
“I’ve seen some really innovative products,” said Jim Silver, an analyst at Timetoplaymag . He pointed to radio-control vehicles as combining innovation and low prices. One reason they’re cheap: The cars themselves have shrunk, Silver said.
“What the industry has learned is that kids don’t necessarily want ‘bigger.’ It’s about the features, not the size of the vehicles,” he said.
