Hamleys Positioning
Chapter1: Introduction
Welcome to the colorful world of teddy bears, singing dolls, miniature pianos that play nursery rhymes, battery operated cars and stuffed dogs and rabbits that walk, talk and shake hands. In one word: Toys. Toy merchants of yester years gave shape to the creative fancies and dreams of young ones and grow-ups alike. Once upon a time, toys were given away as wedding presents to the child bride. Today, toys not only provide a diversion but also a colorful canvas for depicting Indian life in its plethora of cultural beauties.
The world market has seen various upheavals due to changing consumer preferences, new fads, technological advances and trade liberalization. Countries like China have marveled the world with their low cost manufacturing expertise while at the same time astonished them with their quick imitation, leading all the gigantic players of the world to act on their feet and formulate strategies to counterattack them and safeguard their shares.
India too has seen a shift in focus from traditional board games like Chess (Shatranj) and Ludo (Paasa) and sports like cricket to video games and consoles, puzzles, and Monopoly. The traditionally scattered market has shown signs of consolidation with the entry of companies like Reliance ADAG and Mahindra & Mahindra who are both expanding the market and adding sheen to it.
India as a developing economy is a hotspot for MNCs like Mattel and Hasbro which have now become household names with Barbie and Monopoly respectively. Big retailers of the world which exclusively cater to this segment include Toys R Us and Hamleys, which house the best brands of the world and add a service dimension to toys. This document discusses the various classes of toys, the current global scenario for toys, how China has affected the global toy industry, India’s market and its growth prospects.
1. INDIAN TOY INDUSTRY
The Indian toy industry is as old as our heritage. The
Welcome to the colorful world of teddy bears, singing dolls, miniature pianos that play nursery rhymes, battery operated cars and stuffed dogs and rabbits that walk, talk and shake hands. In one word: Toys. Toy merchants of yester years gave shape to the creative fancies and dreams of young ones and grow-ups alike. Once upon a time, toys were given away as wedding presents to the child bride. Today, toys not only provide a diversion but also a colorful canvas for depicting Indian life in its plethora of cultural beauties.
The world market has seen various upheavals due to changing consumer preferences, new fads, technological advances and trade liberalization. Countries like China have marveled the world with their low cost manufacturing expertise while at the same time astonished them with their quick imitation, leading all the gigantic players of the world to act on their feet and formulate strategies to counterattack them and safeguard their shares.
India too has seen a shift in focus from traditional board games like Chess (Shatranj) and Ludo (Paasa) and sports like cricket to video games and consoles, puzzles, and Monopoly. The traditionally scattered market has shown signs of consolidation with the entry of companies like Reliance ADAG and Mahindra & Mahindra who are both expanding the market and adding sheen to it.
India as a developing economy is a hotspot for MNCs like Mattel and Hasbro which have now become household names with Barbie and Monopoly respectively. Big retailers of the world which exclusively cater to this segment include Toys R Us and Hamleys, which house the best brands of the world and add a service dimension to toys. This document discusses the various classes of toys, the current global scenario for toys, how China has affected the global toy industry, India’s market and its growth prospects.
1. INDIAN TOY INDUSTRY
The Indian toy industry is as old as our heritage. The