The countdown to the holiday season is on, and that means getting ready for the race for this year’s must-have toys.
Reporter Bradley Blackburn checks out how to get your hands on the hottest toys for this week’s edition of Steals and Deals.
At the Toy Insider magazine office in New York City, it already looks like Christmas morning and helpers for Santa Claus are experts in knowing what kids want.
“There’s going to be a lot of them that will definitely be hard to find after Thanksgiving,” said Toy Inside editor-in-chief Marissa Silva
Silva says topping wish lists are new magic Mixies that transform and Cry Babies that cry real tears. Plus, familiar favorites like Furby, Ninja Turtles and, of course, Elmo — toys that millennial parents played with and are now buying for their kids.
“Parents are the pullers of the purse strings, so toymakers are going to want to tug on the heartstrings, the nostalgia,” Silva said.
Everything Barbie is big too, still fueled from hype by this summer’s blockbuster movie.
Toy Insider says there are ways to snag popular toys and save, including:
- Shopping in-store to find deals and toys that may be out-of-stock online
- Using price-matching policies at big retailers
- Not waiting for a hot toy to go on sale at a discount
“If something goes on sale later, you can always exchange it or get a price adjustment. But you don’t want to miss out and have that toy be sold-out if you wait too long,” Silva said.
