Supply Chain Research

The dynamics of toy sales are changing as a result of the pandemic with social media presence, including TikTok unboxing videos, outweighing word-of-mouth at schools and playdates in determining success. Examples include Zuru’s 5 Surprise Brands and IMC Toys’ VIP Pets. U.S. seaborne imports linked to Zuru climbed 15.3% year over year in September to reach a record. Shipments associated with IMC Toys jumped 14-fold in September. Their success comes against the backdrop of a decline in total U.S. seaborne imports of toys with a 10.6% year over year drop in September. That extends a long-te...