Introduction

For most people, holidays are the most wonderful time of the year and a big part of the magic of the holiday season is the joy on children’s faces on receiving their favorite toys. In the run up to Christmas every year, toy retailers and companies publish their lists of what they think will be the “top holiday toys” and run promotions and offers. With Christmas now only two months away, companies are gearing up for another busy holiday season. In this report, we focus on the toy industry in the US and the UK and outline the latest gifting trends that will drive sales.We have included this year’s top-toy lists from Walmart, Target, Amazon, Kmart, Kohl’s, Tesco, Argos, Hamleys and John Lewis in an appendix at the end of the report.

Toy Retailing Sectors in the US and the UK: A Snapshot

This section presents a snapshot of the toy markets in the US and the UK, which are the largest in the world and in Europe, respectively.

The US Toy Market

  The US toy market generated revenues of $7.9 billion in the first half of 2018, up a strong 7% year over year, according to the market research company The NPD Group.Among the several factors that helped accelerate revenue growth was the liquidation sales at Toys”R”Us that preceded its closure in June this year. The growth in the year’s first half suggests that a part of the demand may have been pulled forward from the second half of the year and we might see softer growth in the holiday season. Many retailers are sprucing up their toy departments in a bid to grab the vacuum following the Toys“R”Us closure. Here are a few points that The NPD Group observed for the first half of 2018:

• The growth in sales was driven by toys priced in the range$5–$19.99,including L.O.L. Surprise!,Total Marvel, Fingerlings, Hatchimals and Soft’nSlo Squishies.
• Youth Electronics was the fastest growing subcategory, up 43%. Sales in Dolls were up 17% and Action Figures and Accessories saw sales grow by 16%.
• Sales in the Building Sets, Games and Puzzles, and Plush Toys subcategories declined by 1%, 3% and 4%, respectively.

Across the 12 global toy retail markets it studied, The NPD Group report made the following observation for 2017:

• Toy retail sales were up 1% both in the US and in the 12 global markets.Sales in the US reached $20.7 billion last year.
• Among the subcategories, Plush, Dolls and All Other Toys saw the fastest growing sales both in the US and globally. In the US, sales in the Games and Puzzles subcategory saw a 3% rise,and Plush and All Other Toys sales rose by 8% and 15%, respectively.
• Nerf topped the list of the three top-selling toys in the US, followed by Star Wars and Barbie, in that order.

Source: The NPD Group/Coresight Research

At 25%, the Outdoor and Sports Toys subcategory accounted for the largest share of sales. Infant, Toddler and Preschool Toys,and Dolls represented 13% each whereas Games and Puzzles accounted for 9%, of total sales. This year, we see a stronger presence of Youth Electronics, Dolls,and Action Figures and Accessories compared to other subcategories.

Source: The NPD Group/Coresight Research

This year, the National Retail Federation (NRF) expects total retail sales to increase by 4.3%–4.8% to a total of $717.45–$720.89 billion, up from the $687.9 billion recorded during the 2017 holiday season. This forecast broadly aligns with our expectations of4% year-over-year growth in total retail sales (excluding automobiles and gasoline) in November and December (read our detailed report,US Holiday Outlook 2018.)

The UK Toy Market

  The UK toy market,which is significantly smaller than its US counterpart, generated revenues of £3.4 billion ($4.3 billion) in 2017, a 2.8% year-over-year decline, according to The NPD Group and the British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA). This followed three years of consecutive growth. A total of 380 million units of toys were sold in the country in 2017, down 8.4% compared to the previous year’s 415 million units. Several factors drove the plunge, including under-performing licenses and the growing number of counterfeit toys, according to the BTHA. Despite these concerns, the UK still remains the largest toy market in Europe and the fourth largest in the world, after the US, China and Japan, according to The NPD Group. Among the subcategories, Collectibles saw significant year-over-year growth of 17% in 2017, representing 9% of total retail sales. The growth in the Collectibles subcategory was driven by the sales of toys that included L.O.L. Surprise! and Fingerlings. The BTHA released details of a new survey on children’s current play patterns and use of screen time at the 65thToy Fair—the UK’s largest toy, game and hobby showcase—that was held in London,January 23–25. The survey, which covered 1,500 parents, revealed that:

• around 75% respondents believed that excessive screen time would make their children less sociable later in life;
• around 65% respondents said that excessive screen time would make their kids less active;
• around37% thought that their child was devoting lesser time to playing with traditional toys than last year; and,
• 63% strongly felt that traditional unstructured play with toys is vital fora child’s development.

Many parents admitted that they were struggling to find the right balance between screen time and play for their children. The UK toy industry has taken note ofparents’ concerns and is making toys aimed at stimulation and conventional play. We believe that the key subcategories that will drive growth this year are Throwback Toys, Unicorn-and Dinosaur-Themed Toys, Collectibles and Licensed Toys. Coresight Research estimates that UK retail sales will rise by 4.5% year over year this holiday season, taking total sales up to £81.8 billion ($107.7 billion). Read more about our expectations in our report UK Christmas 2018 Retail Outlook: Overall Demand Looks Solid, with E-Commerce on Course to Capture 30% of Nonfood Sales.

Themes That We Expect to Influence Toy Gifting

Every year, major retailers reveal their predictions for top trending toys for the holiday season. Listed below are four themes that we think will influence gifting and retailers’ top-toys lists this year:

• Pony-, Unicorn- and Dinosaur-Themed Toys;
• Collectibles;
• Throwback Toys; and,
• Entertainment Licenses.

We discuss these themes below.

Pony-, Unicorn- and Dinosaur-Themed Toys

Unicorns have for long been a popular theme across products as diverse as coffee (Unicorn Frappuccino by Starbucks), body glitter,makeup, bagels, macarons and stationery items, among others. This mythical creature has now been predicted to dominate the top-toys lists of toy retailers and companies this year. Sales of dinosaur-, pony- and unicorn-themed toys rose by 77% year-to-date through June 2018, according to the NPD Group. UK general-merchandise retailer Argos has said that2018 will be the year of the unicorn, and approximately one-third of its list of top-14 toys is dominated by unicorn-themed toys. Poopsie Unicorn Slime Surprise, a unicorn that poops glitter, seems to be the biggest hit this year as it combines major trends such as slime, glitter, unicorns and poop. Poopsie comes in four different colors with food slime packets, magic packets and glitter which when combined and fed to the toy form glittery slime poop. Other unicorn-themed toys seen in lists by Argos, Walmart and Target include: My Lovely Unicorn (a battery-operated ride-onunicorn) by Feber; Myla (a “magical” make-up unicorn) by Vtech; plush toys such as Rainbocorns by Smyths Toys and Pickmi Pops Unicorn Super Flip.

Poopsie Unicorn Slime Surprise Source: Argos

Dinosaur-themed toys saw a surge in sales in the US in the first half of 2018 driven by Fingerlings and the release of the movie Jurassic World, according to The NPD Group. Imaginext Jurassic World, T-Rex Dinosaur, on Walmart’s and Target’s lists,comes with features that children can control, such as the T-Rex’s eye which can be made to glow red (the “predator mode”) and movable jaws. The Untamed T-Rex+Raptor Jailbreak Playset on Amazon’s and Argos’s lists comes with two Fingerling creatures including a T-Rex called “Breakout” and a raptor called “Bolt”, which react to sound, motion and touch. On pulling a lever, the dinosaur in the playset bursts out of the cage.

WowWee Untamed T-Rex + Raptor Jailbreak Playset by Fingerlings Source: Amazon

Throwback Toys

With a variety of tech toys in the market, respondents in the BTHA survey admitted that they were struggling to find the right balance between screen time and unstructured play. A majority of parents believe that it is important for their children to play with traditional toys for all-round development. This year, we see parents turning to classic toys and retro brands and we expect to see an influx of nostalgic toys. According to The NPD Group, sales in the Dolls subcategory increased 17% year over year in the US in the first half of 2018. Plush Toys sales declined by 4% but we may see growth in this subcategory during the holiday season. The Fisher-Price Little People playset is amongst the top toys in Walmart’s Top-40 list. Little People Take Turns Skyway designed for toddlers comes with three different race tracks, a launcher and racing sounds. The authentic Barbie Dreamhouse and other Barbie dolls, along with other retro toys such as Disney toys, Hot Wheels, Beyblade and Scooters are also in major retailers’ lists, including those of Walmart, Amazon and Target.

Entertainment Licenses

Blockbuster movies and TV shows have been influencing the toy market for many years now. With latest movie releases of Blank Panther, Avengers, Jurassic World and Incredibles 2, the Action Figures and Accessories subcategory saw sales growth of 16% in the first half of 2018, according to The NPD Group. Entertainment and character licensing remain the largest industry category with revenues of $121.5 billion or 44.7% of the total global licensing market in 2017, according to the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA). Sales of Star Wars toys declined in 2017 and the brand has lost its top spot in the US, according to The NPD Group. Toy company Hasbro anticipates Star Wars toys to perform well this year with the release of the latest movie of the franchise, Solo: A Star Wars Story. According to The NPD Group, fashion, role-play and large dolls will perform well in the upcoming year with the expected movie release of Frozen 2 in November 2019.

Source: The-Numbers.com

Other popular toys from entertainment franchises are:

• A Batman toy, (in Target’s list);
• Jurassic World toys (in Walmart’s, Target’s and Amazon’s lists);
• PAW Patrol toys (in Amazon’s, Walmart’s, Target’s and Argos’s lists);
• Disney Toys (in Amazon’s, Walmart’s and Kmart’s lists); and,
• an Incredibles 2 toy, (in Target’s list).

Collectibles with a Surprise

YouTube’s “unboxing”videos always get children excited about what is inside the box. In recent times, the unboxing trend has gained traction and has begun to have a real influence on toy shelves. The toy industry has also introduced new variants of collectibles that focus on the act of unboxing.In the first half of 2018, global sales of collectibles grew 26%, accounting for 11% of dollar sales in the total toy industry, according to The NPD Group. L.O.L. Surprise! was ranked at the top in all the 13 countries covered by The NPD Group. Hatchimals, L.O.L. Surprise! and Barbie accounted for nearly two-thirds of the 17% growth in sales in Dolls in the first half of 2018. Hatchimals toys have featured prominently on several retailers’ top-toys lists since it was first introduced in late 2016. This year, Spin Master has released Hatchimals Mystery Egg, which hatches a surprise creature. It comes with four different characters that are fluffier and have expandable wings. The new Hatchimal can even learn how to say one’s name. Another latest variation of this toy is a HatchiBaby which comes in a mystery egg that will hatch to reveal either a baby boy Ponette or a baby girl Cheetree. L.O.L. Surprise! Bigger Surprise! contains 60 new surprises this season including exclusive dolls and accessories. There is also a new L.O.L. Surprise House with over 85 surprises. It features in top-toy lists by Walmart, Amazon and Target.

Hatchimals Mystery Egg Source: Walmart

What We Have Seen from Retailers This Year

The Toys“R”Us liquidation led to a strong toy industry growth partially supported by an emotional response from consumers and this has led to shoppers purchasing more toys overall, according to The NPD Group.Customers bought a lot of toys during Toys“R”Us liquidation sales. The toy industry is seeing major retailers stepping in to capture the gap in the $20.7-billion toy market left by Toys“R”US. We outline below a few of the initiatives undertaken by retailers in the US and the UK this year:

US Retailers

Walmart: This year, Walmart is making several changes to its toy section and has opened “America’s Best Toy Shop” online. The online shop has filters such as age, character and brand, and these help customers shop better. The company has also expanded its toy offerings by 30% in physical stores and by 40% online with new brands such as Pomsies, Fancy Nancy, Boxy Girls, Grumblies and Hairdorables. It also offered an exclusive collection from Ryan’s World until September 30. It also hosted several in-store events and demos and has brought in 25 toy influencers to offer exclusive toy content throughout the year on Walmart’s America’s Best Toy Shop. Walmart has also made a change to its Layaway program which allows shoppers to reserve products in various categories, including toys. The company is working to ensure that if the price of a toy drops before the toy is picked up, the customer gets the cheapest price automatically. To make holiday shopping easier, Walmart has also expanded its range of products available for free two-day shipping by including items from its marketplace partners. The company will also launch in-store returns by mid-November which will allow customers to return online purchased items to Walmart’s physical stores. Amazon: The company has categorized its toys according to themes such as STEM (which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Toys, Collectibles, New Classics, Interactive Toys, Family Night and Too Cute Too Cuddly to help shoppers find gifts easily. The company is also preparing a holiday toy catalog which will be mailed to millions of US households and will also be made available at Whole Foods Market stores, according to Bloomberg. This concept is similar to the Toys“R”Us Big Book of Toys. Target: This holiday season, Target has launched a new digital hub for toys on its website which features a “gift finder” to help shoppers find toys easily with the help of its curated list of top toys. The company has almost doubled its assortment of toys (compared to last year) with more than 2,500 new toys. It will also offer new and exclusive gifts with many under $15. The company has expanded space for new toys by nearly a quarter-million square-feet across more than 500 stores, and has remodeled around 100 stores to make them more child-centric by adding oversized displays such as a giant three-foot LEGO slide and interactive activity walls. The retailer has been hosting in-store events for children featuring live interactions with characters from Paw Patrol, Minecraft, L.O.L. Surprise! and more. Its catalog of gifts for children includes 15% more pages for toys than last year. Target has also rolled out free two-day shipping for the first time to better compete with retailers such as Amazon and Walmart. The service is available from November 1 through December 22 and is an extension of the shipping offer which was launched in March for Target RED card holders but requires no minimum purchase or membership. The company has also expanded its curbside pickup service Drive-Up to around 1,000 stores. Party City: The company has opened 50 “Toy City” pop-up stores this holiday season, which feature a wide assortment of toys. This year, the company had also set up Halloween City pop-up stores that featured costumes for children and adults, Halloween accessories, decorations and toys. Kohl’s: This holiday season, Kohl’s has partnered with toy companies LEGO and FAO Schwarz to expand its toy offerings. The company is offering a wide range of LEGO building sets, comprising entertainment licenses including Jurassic World, Harry Potter, Star Wars, Disney Princesses, and more. FAO Schwarz toys include a range of classic toys such as dolls, trains, plush, and arts-and-crafts sets. The retailer is also offering its “Buy Online Pick Up In-Store” to make holiday shopping more convenient.

UK Retailers

Argos: The retailer offered its annual three-for-two deal on toys from September 26 through October 2 to help shoppers with early Christmas shopping whereby selecting three of their favorite toys, shoppers got the cheapest item for free. The retailer also offered another deal which included two toys for £15 ($20). The retailer is currently running discounts on popular toys including L.O.L. Surprise!, Hatchimals, Fingerlings and classic items from LEGO, Disney and Barbie. The company will also reveal its Black Friday deals in November. Tesco: This year,Tesco “wants to give parents a helping hand” as “a lot of hi-tech expensive toys have dominated the Christmas market,” stated John Hext, Tesco Toy Category Manager.Because Tesco toy experts believe that “there will be a return to basics with more all family-inclusive games,” the retailer has unveiled a list of top-ten toys in which more than half cost £15 ($20) or less.This will be the first holiday following the closure of the company’s online general merchandise operation, Tesco Direct; however, Tesco has maintained an online toy offering of more than 200 products on its grocery website. John Lewis: The top-toys list from John Lewis focuses heavily on activity and getting children moving and being outdoors. John Lewis Toy Buyer Harry Boughton said that the retailer has seen a growing demand for toys that encourage children to be active and so, the list this year includes a mix of retro and tech toys with several that prompt activity and movement. Boughton believes that the pocket-sized i-Top on the retailer’s list will be the most popular playground toy.

Appendix

US Toy Retailers’ Lists

    Walmart Top Rated by Kids Toy List Power Brands

1. Barbie Dreamhouse
2. Fisher-Price Little People Take Turns Skyway
3. Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage (Walmart exclusive)
4. LEGO Creator Pirate Roller Coaster
5. Nerf Laser Ops AlphaPoint Pro 2-Pack
6. Playmobil Explorers Hidden Temple with T-Rex
7. Power Wheels Barbie Dream Camper (Walmart exclusive)
8. Razor Ultra Spark Kick Scooter
9. Minnie’s Sing & Spin Scooter Minnie Plush

Entertainment Properties

1. Disney Princess Rapunzel Tower Vanity (Walmart exclusive)
2. Harry Potter Wizard Training Wand
3. Imaginext Jurassic World Jurassic Rex
4. Incredibles 2 Jack Jack Action Doll
5. Paw Patrol Fire Truck Ride-On (Walmart exclusive)
6. Paw Patrol Fire Truck
7. Peppa Pig Fun Fair Playset (Walmart exclusive)
8. PJ Masks Romeo’s Lab Playset

Collectibles

1. New product from Hatchimal, hatching Oct. 5
2. Little Live Pets Wrapples
3. LOL Surprise House
4. Lost Kitties
5. Moj Moj Claw Machine
6. Fingerlings Hugs
7. Num Nom Silly Shakers Maker
8. PikMi Pops Super Flip
9. Ryans World Giant Mystery Egg
10. Treasure X Single Pack

Innovative Items

1. Air Hogs Supernova
2. All Star Hover Board (Walmart exclusive)
3. Fisher Price Laugh & Learn 3-in-1 Smart Car
4. Kumi Kreator
5. Little Live Pets Rollie My Kissing Puppy
6. Polaris 1.5 RC (Walmart exclusive)
7. Really Rad Robots Mi-Bro
8. Rideamals Scout Interactive Pony (Walmart exclusive)
9. STEM Jr. Wonder Lab
10. Terra Sect RC
11. Trail Buster RC (Walmart exclusive)
12. VTech Explore & Write Activity Desk (Walmart exclusive)
13. Zoom Tubes Car Trax

        Target’s 2018 Top Toys List The Big Reveal

1. Pikmi Pops Unicorn Super Flip (coming soon)
2. Hatchimals HatchiBabies Target-exclusive MonKiwi
3. Crate Creatures Giant Creature Croak (coming soon)
4. Party PopTeenies Mega Party Surprise Set
5. O.L. Surprise! BIGGER Surprise

Feeling Nostalgic

1. Baby Alive Sweet Spoonfuls Baby Doll
2. SkeeBall The Classic Arcade Game
3. Cool Maker KumiKreator Friendship Bracelet Activity Kit
4. Beyblade Ultimate Tournament Collection (coming soon)
5. Barbie Dreamhouse
6. Hot Wheels Ultimate Gator Car Wash

Ignite Those Imaginations

1. Fisher-Price Think & Learn Rocktopus
2. Tic Tac Tongue
3. Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Learning Home
4. Our Generation School Room
5. LEGO Unikitty Unikingdom Fairground Fun
6. Melissa & Doug Deluxe Grocery Store (coming soon)

Toying with Tech

1. Boxer Interactive A.I. Robot
2. Fingerlings HUGS Interactive Plush Monkey
3. furReal Rock-A-Too, the Show Bird
4. Nintendo Switch with Gray Joy-Con
5. Nerf Laser Ops Pro AlphaPoint 2-Pack
6. Jetson Rogue Hoverboard
7. Viro Rides 550e Electric Scooter–Exclusive Color
8. LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes App-Controlled Batmobile
9. Really Rad Robots Mibro R/C Robot

Get into Character

1. Transformers Bumblebee Movie Power Charge Bumblebee (coming soon)
2. Sesame Street Let’s Dance Elmo
3. PAW Patrol Ultimate Fire Truck
4. Transforming Princess Knight Nella Doll
5. Lupita Doll & Book Set
6. Fisher-Price Imaginext Jurassic World Jurassic Rex

      Amazon’s Top 100 List

1. 4M Crystal Growing Experiment
2. Baby Alive Potty Dance Baby
3. Banana's Collectible Toy 3-Pack Bunch
4. Barbie Care Clinic Vehicle
5. Barbie DreamHouse
6. Battat Glitter Girls Bluebell Doll
7. Beyblade Burst Evolution Star Storm Battle Set
8. Catan
9. Connect 4 Shots
10. Cozmo by Anki
11. Crate Creatures Sizzle Collectible Toy
12. Crayola Fabulous Art Kit
13. Crayola Color Chemistry Set
14. Disney Doorables Mega Stack Playset
15. Disney Princess Dress Up Trunk
16. Educational Insights Pals Wild Animals
17. Sesame Street Playskool Friends Let's Dance Elmo
18. Exploding Kittens Card Game
19. Fancy Nancy Ultimate Dress up Trunk
20. Fisher-Price Dance & Groove Rockit
21. Fisher-Price Think & Learn Rocktopus
22. furRealMunchin' Rex
23. Star Wars FurReal Ultimate Chewie
24. furReal Ricky, The Trick-Lovin' Pup
25. The Original Tiny Hands Challenge
26. Creativity for Kids Grow 'n Glow Terrarium
27. Hasbro Chow Crown Game
28. Hasbro Don't Lose Your Cool
29. Hasbro Don't Step In It
30. Hasbro Don't Step In It, Unicorn Edition
31. Hasbro Pie Face Cannon
32. Hatchimals CollEGGtibles Neon Nightglow Egg Carton
33. Hatchimals Mystery
34. Hauck Pedal Go-Kart
35. Hot Wheels Corkscrew Crash Track Set
36. K'NEX Thrill Bionic Blast Roller Coaster with Ride It App
37. Kano "Harry Potter" Coding Kit
38. KD Kids Rescue Runts
39. Kids First Science Laboratory Kit
40. KumiKreator Friendship Bracelet Maker
41. O.L. Surprise! Glam Glitter Series Doll
42. LEGO Friends Heartlake City Resort Building Kit
43. O.L. Surprise! Bigger Surprise!
44. Klutz Lego Gadgets Activity Kit
45. O.L. Surprise! Biggie Pet Dollmation
46. LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Express Building Kit
47. LEGO Ideas Ship in a Bottle
48. LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box
49. Magna-Qubix 29-piece set
50. Lil' Gleemerz Doll
51. LEGO Jurassic World Carnotaurus Gyrosphere Escape Building Kit
52. littleBits Avengers Hero Inventor Kit
53. O.L. Surprise! Pets Series 4 (2-pack)
54. LEGO Boost Creative Toolbox Building and Coding Kit
55. Little Live Scruff-A-Luvs
56. LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Great Hall Building Kit
57. Little Tikes EasyScore Basketball Set
58. Little Tikes 3' Trampoline
59. O.L. Surprise! House
60. LEGO Star Wars Solo: Millennium Falcon Building Kit
61. Melissa & Doug Examine & Treat Pet Vet Play Set
62. Melissa & Doug Wooden Scoop and Serve Ice Cream
63. Melissa & Doug Freestanding Wooden Fresh Mart Grocery Store
64. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Hot Diggity Dance and Play
65. Play-Doh Modeling Compound 36-Pack
66. Nerf Laser Ops Pro AlphaPoint 2-Pack
67. Nerf Rival Prometheus MXVIII-20K
68. WowWee Untamed T-Rex by Fingerlings
69. Nerf N-Strike Elite Infinus
70. Ozobot Bit Coding Robot
71. Paw Patrol Ultimate Rescue Fire Truck
72. Osmo Genius Kit
73. Pikmi Pops Cinnabun the Bunny
74. Pimple Pete Game
75. Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Super Chef Suite
76. PJMASKS Super Moon Adventure HQ Rocket
77. Pokémon Elite Trainer Box
78. WowWee Fingerlings Untamed Jailbreak Playset
79. Polly Pocket Transformation Playset
80. MojMoj The Original Claw Machine
81. Pomsies Patches Plush Interactive Toy
82. PomsiesGrumblies Tremor
83. Radio Flyer My 1st Wagon
84. Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kit
85. SQUISHMALLOW Hans the Hedgehog
86. Step2 My First Christmas Tree with Bonus Ornaments
87. Step2 Disney Princess Chariot Wagon
88. WowWee Fingerlings Glitter Panda
89. Fisher-Price Thomas & Friends Super Station
90. Treasure X Legends of Treasure Set
91. Twisty Petz Collectible Bracelet Set
92. USAopoly World of Harry Potter Ultimate Edition Trivial Pursuit Board Game
93. VTechKidi Star Karaoke Machine
94. Watch Ya Mouth Throwdown Edition
95. Wonder Forge Villainous Strategy Game
96. WowWee What's That Smell? Scent Guessing Game
97. WowWee Fingerlings Hugs Bella Plush Baby Monkey Pet
98. You've Got Crabs: A Card Game
99. Hairdorables Collectible Surprise Dolls
100. Nickelodeon Paw Patrol Lookout Tower

        Kmart’s Fab 15 List

1. Hot Wheels Mega Garage by Mattel
2. Beyblade SwitchStrike Battle Tower by Hasbro
3. Ready2Robot Battle Pack by MGA
4. Hairdorables by Just Play
5. O.L. Surprise! Bigger Surprise! by MGA
6. 2018 Holiday Barbie by Mattel
7. Baby Alive Potty Dance Baby by Hasbro
8. Barbie Dreamhouse by Mattel
9. Sunny Day–Sunny's Styling Head by Fisher-Price
10. LEGO Super Heroes TheHulkbuster Smash by LEGO
11. Vampirina Rock N' Jam Touring Van by Just Play
12. Monopoly Cheaters Edition by Hasbro
13. Nerf Rival Prometheus by Hasbro
14. Disney Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Hot Diggity Dancing Mickey by Just Play
15. Disney Sing and Spin Scooter Minnie by Just Play

    Kohl’s Top Toys List

1. American Girl Wellie Wishers
2. Elf on The Shelf
3. Hatchimals CollEGGtibles
4. LOL Surprise Underwraps
5. Pikmi-Pops
6. Puppy Dog Pals
7. Paw Patrol Ultimate Rescue Fire Truck
8. Little Live Pets
9. Fur Real Ricky the Trick-Lovin Pup
10. ZoomerZupps Unicorns
11. Laser X
12. Pimple Pete Game
13. Pomsies Interactive Plush
14. Fingerlings Interactive Pets

UK Toy Retailers’ Lists

      Tesco’sTop 10 Christmas Toy List

1. O.L. Bling Surprise
2. Fingerlings Panda
3. Poopsie Unicorn Slime Surprise
4. Carousel – Donk A Dino
5. Lego Fantastic Beasts: Newts Case of Magical Creatures
6. Chow Crown
7. Imaginext DC Super Friends Batman Ooze Pit
8. Carousel – 60 Piece Train Set
9. Lego City Fire Station
10. Treasure X

      Argos Top Toys Year of the Unicorn

1. Poopsie Unicorn Slime Surprise
2. My Lovely Unicorn Electric Ride-On
3. VTech Myla The Magical Make Up Unicorn
4. Rainbocorns

Rawrsome Collectibles

1. Fingerlings Untamed T-Rex
2. Fingerlings Untamed Dino Cage
3. Fingerlings Untamed Raptor

Super Surprises

1. Lol Surprise! Under Wraps
2. Treasure X Legends of Treasure Set

Top of the Toy Box

1. Paw Patrol Rescue Fire Truck Playset
2. Nerf Laser Ops Alphapoint 2-Pack
3. Lego City Arctic Mobile Exploration Base
4. Boxer Interactive Robot Buddy
5. Chad Valley Tiny Treasures Closed Eye Doll

Hamleys Top Toys

1. Crate Creatures
2. Boxer Robot
3. Hamleys Exclusive Monopoly and Monopoly Cheaters Edition
4. O.L. Surprise! Eye Spy Under Wraps Doll Assortment
5. Hairdorables Assortment
6. Ty Sequin Flippables
7. ElastiPlasti
8. GraviTrax Starter Pack
9. Nerf Laser Ops Pro Alphapoint 2 Pack
10. Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts Express
11. HamleysPeppa Castle and Royal Guard Plush
12. Hamleys Cuddly Paddington

     John Lewis Top 10 Christmas Toys

1. i-Top
2. Nerf Laser Alpha
3. John Lewis My First Scooter
4. LEGO Technics Bugatti Chiron
5. Furreal Buzz Pet 'Ricky The Trick Lovin' Pup'
6. Mini Waitrose Supermarket
7. Mini John Lewis Kitchen
8. LEGO DUPLO Cargo Train
9. GraviTrax
10. Tech Will Save Us Coder Kit