The fidget toy craze has peaked in Australia in the last two weeks with extraordinary media coverage. Retailers with stock have been cashing in. Suppliers have been struggling to keep up, some have been selling stock they don’t have.
I anticipate the craze will start to fade in revenue terms in the next month. My advice to newsagents is to be careful about stock levels.
This craze was evident months ago and that is when engaged retailers stocked up, ahead of the curve.
In Hong Kong two weeks ago I saw a ton of suppliers with various versions of the spinners and other fidget products. This told me the market was to be flooded. That is happening right now as several wholesalers have air freighted in stock.
Be careful. Stock quality products and know it is better you sell out rather than be left with unsold stock. Too many got caught with loom bands.
There are still opportunities for fidget spinner and related products, especially in the premium space of adult focussed fidget products that can sell for $200 and more. That range interests me considerably.
I say the craze is fading because of the mainstream media coverage. Once any craze hits mainstream he rely adopters exit as it is no longer cool. The early adopters are the ones who usually make an opportunity like this. It is useful to watch them.
The lifecycle of the fidget craze will vary by location, however. In capital cities it will fade first and this could be noticed before it has peaked in rural locations.
Yes, there are long-term opportunities with these products, especially in therapeutic areas. But that will not deliver the sales volume of the peak. Remember kinetic sand. I was doing hundreds of dollars a week and it stopped, before starting again but at a much lower level.
Oh, and re the suppliers who took your orders and told you the stock was coming and then said they ad oversold, remember that for next time.
Footnote: if yo are wondering about what this is about, read the terrific article in the New York Times.
2 more weeks and it will die down
Missed out on fidgets, congrats to those in and already out.
Colouring books was our great success in and on way out as first GG magazine arrived.
I can’t see fidget spinners being the success loom bands were because they lack the constant purchasing of consumables that made loom bands such a winner for retailers. You dont really need to buy a new spinner until you break your old one.
I tried and failed to get stock when I first heard about fidget spinners in the media a couple of weeks ago thinking that as I’m in a rural area it will take off here soon but I dont know that it will. I’m yet to see any one using one and not one person has mentioned them to me. The whole craze may pass us by because the local kids are to busy trading footy cards which are going insane for me this year.
And GNS is taking preorders now, a bit late just like they did with loom bands.
It is ridiculous that GNS even offers such an item. Out of touch.
Sounds like GNS have same issue s Ancol….. reactive not proactive
Hot item for the Christmas promo!
The GNS pricing for these seems expensive compared to other suppliers I’ve seen and expected arrival in 4 weeks? The craze will be over by then assuming it ever really gets going.
I wonder if we will see Fidget Spinners go the way other crazes (like Loom Bands) did and be banned/restricted by schools because they become a distraction in class…
Distributors offering stock now outnumbering customers looking to buy
Jonathan, first stories of that came out two weeks ago.
Several of the schools around us have them banned !
More the reason to stock them Paul
Seems to be more and more suppliers popping up as the prices get cheaper! How long can it last for?
There selling well for me but I have to admit I fail to see the appeal. Buy a Yo-Yo you’ll have a lot more fun.