This month, indie retailers reflect on how this year has been so far, highlighting their top-performing products and what they’re planning to stock in the coming weeks and months. 

After a very sunny Early May Bank Holiday weekend, several toy retailers reported an increase in footfall. Toy World has taken the opportunity to ask indies about their most popular product ranges right now and how they’re feeling about the second half of 2024.

John Bentley of Howleys Toymaster in Dorset tells us that Lego is still a top 10 bestseller in his shop. He also revealed that Plush is strong as a category because of multiple popular lines that provide good margins and attractive products, and collectibles counts as another powerful category with several ranges performing very well. “Squishmallows from Jazwares (especially its Pokémon range) and Ty is always a winner,” he says. “We’ve done particularly well with Funko so far this year, and another area that brings in customers is action figures. The Godzilla vs Kong film gave us an excellent lift over Easter, with a fantastic range.”

Next is Paul Rothwell of Big Top Toys in Bakewell, who tells us that he has seen plenty of success with some of the Lego kidult ranges including Speed Champions, the Botanical Collection and Star Wars.

Julia Wingate of The Trading Post in Devon tells us that, when choosing what to stock for the shop, it’s always about including all staple products and trending toys. “It’s a balancing act of carrying all the staples, like Lego, Playmobil and Sylvanian Families, to be a credible toy shop, while also stocking the up-to-date crazes that the kids are asking about, whether that be bead kits or fidget toys,” she says.

Karen Christie of Fun Junction Toy Shop in Perth is looking forward to getting a new Kapla range on the shelves of her store as a product that encourages children to be creative and use their imaginations. She says: “I would love to start offering the Kapla range of natural wooden building sets. They’re so simple, comprising literally just pine planks, and they’ve been around for years, but I want to bring them into our offering. I love Kapla because it encourages kids to use their imaginations. Kapla is top of my wish list for this year.”

To read the full Talking Shop feature, click here.