By Aaron Hutchins
Children are most influenced by what their friends are doing when it comes to toys they want, according to a new report from The NPD Group. Parents, meanwhile, are swayed most by what they read about the product online before purchasing.
The New York-based market research company’s Evolution of Play 2014 report looks at playing and shopping patterns for toys, including what factors drive two- to 12-year-olds’ desires for particular play products. More than half of kids are swayed by what their friends are doing (51%), while almost the same percentage are influenced by TV ads (49%). The other major factors in a child’s desire for toys are what they see in brick-and-mortar stores (44%), what they see on TV shows (40%) and what they see in movies (24%).
Parents of children within the two to 12 age bracket, however, are less influenced by what their kids’ friends say. Instead, their homework prior to buying a toy largely relies on online product reviews. The biggest source of research, according the report, is product reviews on retailers’ websites (62%).
While the next most influential avenue for parents was asking friends or fellow moms/dads (37%) for their opinions, almost the same percentage were likely to check out product reviews from other websites (34%) or reviews from industry experts (31%). A large chunk will also scope out info on toy companies’ sites (29%).
So while children may be most intrigued by the toys they see on TV or with their friends, access to trusted product reviews online is a major factor as to whether parents will open their wallets and buy it.
From Kidscreen.
Image via Shutterstock
