Company Profile - PMI

Expanding the collection

Toy World spoke to PMI’s Omer Dekel about the company’s experience of the Collectibles market so far this year, and how retailers can maximise on the category in the run-up to Christmas.

How has the Collectible category performed so far in 2022?

Despite the challenging economic conditions across the world – or perhaps because of them – the Collectibles category has remained strong throughout 2022. PMI specialises in Collectibles; the company was set up specifically to focus in this area. We always aim to produce a deep range with lots for consumers to collect, based on the best IP out there.

The key for us is that we always strive to keep our collectible collections affordable for consumers: the entry level price point for the majority of our ranges is around the £1.99-£2.99 mark. This means that like the category, we are protected from the harshest impact of consumers having less money in their pockets. Our range can be bought by the kids themselves with their pocket money, without necessarily having to ask their pocket money, without necessarily having to ask their parents.

Are collectibles based on computer games becoming more popular?

As a category, gaming has had its challenges this year. However, PMI’s ethos is to find and work with the best, most successful IPs – we only work with market-leading properties. Another advantage is that we often blaze the trail with consumer merchandise for a game, as we try to uncover hidden gems that gamers love, which haven’t necessarily been heavily licensed up to that point. Brawl Stars, for example, is the number one mobile game in history, but there hadn’t been any consumer products produced before we signed a deal. As a result, retailers were really excited when we showed them the range, and they’ve really got behind it.

We’ve had equally strong commitment from retailers for our Gang Beasts range; sell-in has been really strong. The game is still popular with consumers, as is Among Us, which has helped our range to enjoy another really successful year. We also have high hopes for our Pinata Smashlings range, which will be launching next year. Finally, we have just signed a really exciting deal with an iconic global property, which will be announced in the first week of September – keep an eye on the Toy World website for more details.

Do you think toy retailers are becoming more open to a broader range of collectibles?

Given the need to keep consumers visiting stores as frequently as possible in the current climate, retailers are definitely embracing the Collectibles category; affordable lines are a key driver of regular footfall and volume sales. The broader the range of Collectibles they offer, the wider the audience it appeals to. As well as kids, many tweens, teens and even adults are big collectors, so stocking a broad selection of ranges can help to bring collectors of all ages into toy stores.

The run-up to Christmas usually sees the Collectible category take a bit of a back seat to higher priced items, but could the current economic situation in Europe and the UK change that this year?

There are many ways to sustain interest in the Collectibles category over the festive season. Multipacks, deluxe boxes, premium packs and special edition items are all great additions to a successful collectible range; they not only maintain interest, but the higher price point helps to extend the brand and also offers a great gift-giving opportunity for friends and family of collectors.

Ultimately, providing a Collectible is underpinned by a strong licence, it will sell all year round. We always keep on top of trends and what consumers want, and we are very selective about the licences we choose.

How do you see the Collectible category developing in the coming years?

The connection between the physical and virtual worlds will only get stronger. Whether that is via NFTs, or greater co-operation with leading virtual platforms such as Roblox, the metaverse is a whole new world – and the kids are there. They’re using mobiles and tablets more than ever, and we need to create an eco-system which appeals to them and keeps them interested in collecting physical toys.