Touching Base

The players

Following the Games and Puzzles category experiencing a surge in sales in 2020, Toy World spoke to a number of suppliers to ask them how sales can be maximised this year and what their advice would be to retailers wanting to hold in-store retail games events and promotions.

Roger Martin - Hobby & independent channel director, Asmodee

In terms of maximising games and puzzles sales, retailers should play to the strengths of what we can do now - i.e. live experience. The success of this year's UK Games Expo showed that there's an appetite for people to get together and play games. Retailers need to be creative about how they maximise their appetite through their customers' in-store experience. When holding an event in-store, retailers must fundamentally get the

basics right: know why you're doing the event, who you're targeting and how you're going to get them engaged. Events are so important, which is why we've made them part of our Retailer Reward Scheme - and we're on hand with our unrivalled team of demonstrators who can be booked to deliver a friendly, knowledgeable and engaging introduction to key products in store.

Ben Hogg - Marketing manager, Vivid Goliath

Undoubtedly, Games & Puzzles has been one of the categories within Toys to see a real boost from the Covid-enforced lockdowns of 2020 and the increased amount of time spent at home by families. I think it’s fair to say that this boost has continued to make its presence felt in 2021, and we are optimistic it will hold out for the autumn/winter period too. Given there are more shoppers in the market, we must make it as simple as possible for them to stay in the market and interact with our games, making our titles not only more discoverable but also ensuring they work harder to lead to a sale once we have that initial interest. There are multiple routes to achieve this online, and to get them in front of the correct audience. Physical stores also have a part to play in helping customers navigate games shelves, whether that be via clever merchandising that sorts the games into categories, or through solid in-store expertise.

It’s difficult for retailers hoping to run events in-store around games, especially if that involves actually playing with or touching them. For the last year and a half, we’ve been told to not go near people outside our household, let alone sit a few feet from them and touch the same pieces repeatedly. For the time being, we need to engage with customers in ways that don’t involve being in such close proximity.

Over time, I’m sure events will be able to make a gradual return – we are already seeing the start of this, with events such as UK Games Expo taking place - but they are not (and will not) be the same as we’ve previously known them for the foreseeable future. If we can get to a point where evidence suggests they are safe, I still feel there may be a significant mental hurdle for customers to overcome in terms of attendance.

Karen Clarke - UK brand director, Smart Toys & Games

During the lockdown, friends and families have all enjoyed playing Smart’s games and puzzles. Many more have rediscovered their passion for a good night in and the fun you can have by getting everyone around the table at home or playing head-to-head virtually.

We believe that word of mouth drives so many games sales, and we see that working well with stores as they have reopened. As we get back to establishing our consumer events programmes and in-store demonstrations, we will support retail with all the tools and displays they need and full use of our training studio in Arundel on how to host an in-store event. Who wouldn’t want an afternoon tea or Pimm’s in Arundel full of fun and games? Business will boom as a result.

Creating theatre and a destination for both children and adults to enjoy playing games in-store will definitely encourage growth. Managed by our lovely in-store demonstrator Carolina, our Smart Games display stand in Hamleys is a perfect example of creating the right balance of engagement, fun and learning.

Toby Davies - Commercial director, Steamforged Games

I would recommend that retailers talk to publishers about how they can support in-store activities to help educate, engage, and excite customers, and give them the experience they can only get in store. This can be reinforced with an online presence that provides decent overviews of the products, good imagery and even playthrough videos to help your customers make buying decisions without the benefit of being in store.

Getting product on time, especially coming into peak season, is another challenge. The hike in costs we’re all seeing has been wellpublicised. Shipping delays are pushing dates to the right, so on key lines it’s well worth going a bit deeper and ordering earlier if the opportunity arises to secure stock -even if it's across multiple drops.

Right now, tabletop gaming is bigger than it’s ever been, and people are trying more diverse games than ever before, so it’s a great time to look at running events for less ‘mainstream’ games to attract a new audience. Roleplaying games, for example, have seen a huge influx of new customers, many of whom also play tabletop games. There’s a real opportunity to increase basket value for these customers and introduce them to products they might not have considered before.

Because there’s a plethora of RPG stuff to choose from, a tight range of onboarding products (that don’t need a lot of education for store staff) is a good place to start. One of our bestsellers has been the Animal Adventures Starter Set, which not only onboards new players but can be used repeatedly as part of other RPG campaigns.

That said, with lockdowns easing, gaming now needs to compete with other leisure activities that people have been denied for a long time. So, to get the most out of events and maximise sales, it’s crucial you provide as much relevant content as you can both instore and online.

Hannah Cornish - Account manager South & Ireland, Big Potato Games

To support sales, my advice would be to utilise social media as much as possible and get the games experts involved. People spend so much time on their phones and in front of screens on a daily basis that it is the ideal way to get as much reach as possible, attracting the right people's attention. Retailers can really cause a buzz about games events with the experts there to help. This will benefit high street stores that may be struggling to get more customers into bricks and mortar outlets.

People are understandably still nervous about Covid, so providing reassurance and implementing safety measures is key to making sure people will still turn up. However, because of Covid, board games have become a real habit in the last year. There’s an appetite there which we are hoping will continue.

Live game demos in-store have always been a really effective way of maximising sales. Our head of events, Ben, helped our retailers to host in-store events prepandemic and they really do cause a buzz and shows customers how to play, without too much effort from them. They just have to turn up and have fun.

Stewart Middleton - Consultant, VR Distribution

We have seen an increase of over 40% in Q1 & Q2 YOY growth and firmly believe the category will continue to grow for a number of reasons. Even with lockdown/ restrictions being lifted, the past 18 months has changed the way people relax and socialise, and games and puzzles fit more than ever the ‘new normal'.

People are socialising at home more, and games are a great, fun way to involve everyone. At VR Distribution, our ranges have expanded with many new titles added and we are forecasting significant further growth - above the 40% already achieved - for Q3 and Q4. Alongside well-established, global best-selling games like Cards Against Humanity and What Do You Meme, we have introduced family safe versions and expansion packs that add new cards to the base game, so even if the consumers have played it to death, they can start again with one of the many expansion packs. The Family safe versions also open up these great game concepts to a whole new audience.

Games and puzzles events are a fantastic way to engage with consumers for a low financial investment from the retailer and, this year especially, will help encourage consumers to visit the store. As a company, we are happy to support retailers with games and point of sale, and have a great range of fun family games from Amigo & Gigamic that are ideal for events. The key factors are that the games look exciting and attractive, are easy to learn, allinclusive and fast paced to hold players’ attention.

Daniel King - General Manager, Cartamundi UK

2020 saw exponential growth in the games and puzzles category, largely driven by the lockdown. The category is still incredibly strong - according to NPD, it is -1% vs 2021, but vs 2019 it is +38%. Naturally, families and friends will be eager to venture out with their new found freedom rather than stay at home and play games. However, I believe that the category growth vs 2019 shows that many are returning to board or card games as a great way to connect with each other. There are some really exciting launches within kidult games and some great licensing collaborations. I can also see further exponential growth in the hybrid or “Phygital” arena. We are partnering with Q Play on a game called Outsmarted, a world first as a live board game with remote play technology, which was funded on Kickstarter in nine hours.

For retailers, I think it’s clear that consumers want to connect and engage again, and games events are a fantastic way to do this. Obviously, there have to be the right safety measures in place. Retailers have the perfect opportunity to showcase the hybrid play of games and could quite easily host a virtual or remote play event. By offering a hybrid event, they can satisfy all types of consumers. Many games companies adapted well in lockdown with lockdown versions. Personally, I was partially impressed and had lots of fun with Articulate.

Katy Fletcher - Head of Marketing and Product Development, Ravensburger

At Ravensburger, sales momentum continues within both the games and puzzles categories. Compared with 2019, NPD is reporting (value) +40% on Ravensburger games, +21% 3D puzzles, +7% adult puzzles, +21% children’s licensed puzzles and +75% in our children’s non-licensed range. We believe this is set to continue through the remainder of the year in the lead-up to Christmas, as families rejoin for quality festive celebrations.

We have been focusing on building inventory across the board to ensure we have the breath of range going into Autumn and the Christmas build up and moving onto early next year where we see demand continuing through the dark winter months. Our national account managers and sales agents are in regular contact and working closely with our retail trade partners to ensure they have a good level of the right stock for their respective businesses. Most of our products are manufactured in Europe, meaning leaner lead-times and more flexibility compared with goods shipping from the Far East.

In terms of events, historically Ravensburger has seen great success when instore events are layered with all our other marketing support. Last year we really missed events and hands on demos. We are now geared up to support instore events on some key lines, however we are working cautiously. Where it’s not possible to hold events, we are investing in standout point of sale, including video screens showing a host of different videos across our ranges, and we also have some great bespoke social media solutions to help drive footfall into stores.

Phil Hooper - Commercial Director UK, Spin Master

Sales in the Games and Puzzles sector have been strong in the last year as people spent more time inside and looked for different and entertaining things to do while locked down. The ames sector can continue to benefit from this surge in interest this year as families and friends begin to mix and come together after many months apart due to Covid.

Sales can be maximised further through broadening retail offerings with the increased number of licensed games and puzzles that Spin Master has introduced to its autumn/ winter product roster. These include The Paw Patrol Movie Adventure City Game, Jumbling Tower and Pop Up Game from Paw Patrol, Catch the Snitch from Harry Potter and the Jumanji Deluxe board game, which all benefit from the extremely strong fan bases on those properties.

Spin Master also has some brilliant options for family reunions across all age groups, including Beat the Parents, the exciting child vs. adult quiz game and Hedbanz Blast Off, the fast pace guessing game - to name just a few.

David Harrison - Licensed channel sales controller, IG Design Group Games

IG Design Group UK has seen highs and lows within our categories during the pandemic as the world has adjusted to the enforced lockdown.

One of the categories that has seen positive growth is our Kids Play gaming range, which covers board games and has been perfectly placed to capture the imagination of kids, young adults and families alike, keeping everyone entertained within the home.

Redefining what family life will look like going forward, kids will hopefully retain the connection to family time and gaming in particular, seeking out and spending quality time together.

Looking ahead, our focus will be to maintain current space at retail, and grow incrementally, by bringing out game formats that include fun and novelty elements, always striving to delight consumers. We will also introduce innovation to attract new consumers to the category.

Jack Probyn - Sales and marketing specialist, Winning Moves

Here at Winning Moves, over the lockdowns of the last 15 months we’ve managed to spend quality time with our loved ones, playing games, completing puzzles and picking up new pastimes (although ‘Extreme Ironing’ probably won’t last as an ongoing hobby). During that time, like many other game manufacturers, we saw a massive surge in popularity of board games and especially jigsaw puzzles. As a result, and to keep up with the demand, our licensed puzzle offering in particular has increased four-fold, focusing on the most loved brands and the hottest licences, while our overall offering will always continue to grow and bring exciting new products to market each year.

After such a long period of delays to film/tv production, and with various movie releases being pushed back many times, we are really excited about the upcoming deluge of movie franchises steadily hitting cinema screens over the coming months and into 2022, with fantastic movies such as the hotly anticipated James Bond No Time To Die, DC’s The Batman and Spider- Man No Way Home to look forward to. We think this will really help consumers reconnect with both big cinematic releases and licensed products. Winning Moves is well placed to be a part of the conversation with our range of games and puzzles.

We know there are currently significant challenges with supply chain and are not immune to it ourselves, so with this in mind our advice to any retailers wanting to hold retail games events and promotions would be to get in touch with us. We have lots of new and relevant SKUs that have either arrived in stock recently or will do so in time for key Q4 trading and will be happy to discuss ways to fill any gaps on shelves.