EnThe launch of Disney’s new “Disney+” package is partly predicated on the unique offering of existing and new “Star Wars” content including a new series “The Mandalorian”. The latter may be important to continue merchandise sales, particularly during the closure of Disney’s parks during the coronavirus pandemic, after the end of the main sequence of movies last year.
Panjiva’s data shows there was a 52.6% year over year surge in U.S. imports linked to the Star Wars brand in the key July to November shipping season in 2019 around the release of “The Rise of Skywalker”. However, that reversed to a 26.8% drop in Q1’20 likely as a result of supply chain interruptions in mainland China which represented 75.5% of exports to the U.S. in 2019.
Yet, there’s been signs of a recovery with a 44.4% rise in shipments in the first two weeks of April compared to a full month a year earlier. That will partly allow some restocking as Chinese manufacturers return to business. The latter has been a challenge across the toy industry as outlined in Panjiva’s research of April 22.
Source: Panjiva
At the product line there was a dip of 5.5% year over year in toys such Lego and figures in the first four months of 2020 compared to a year earlier, while games, outfits and others surged 100.7% higher. The latter includes the final arrival of the long-awaited “Baby Yoda” character tie-in from “The Mandalorian”.
Source: Panjiva
