By Staff -- Playthings, 8/17/2009 1:19:00 PM  http://www.playthings.com/article/CA6677137.html

PORT WASHINGTON, NY—US toy industry sales were off 2 percent for the first half of 2009 and down 2 percent year-over-year, according to The NPD Group.

The results tracked the US toy business at $7.8 billion in sales for the six month period spanning January 4 through July 4, 2009, down from $7.95 billion at the same point in 2008. For the 12 months ending on the same date, the US toy industry tallied $21.6 billion in sales, off from the $22.06 billion recorded at the same time in 2008.

The good news, according to NPD toy industry analyst Anita Frazier, was that "even as the economy worsened earlier this year...there wasn't evidence of greater declines post-holiday" for toy sales. By comparison, the video game business was off 12 percent year-to-date through June; apparel sales were down 7 percent.

Brights spots when it comes to sales of specific toy supercategories were: 

• Building sets, up 20 percent in the year's first six months and up 22 percent for the 12 months ending July 4, 2009; 
• Action figures, up 13 percent for the first half and 4 percent for the 12 month period; 
• Arts & crafts, up 6 percent for the half and 3 percent for the year; 
• Games and puzzles, up 5 percent for 2009's first half (helped by a 10 percent gain in board game sales) and up 2 percent for the 12 month timeframe. 

NPD's catch-all "all other toys" category was up 14 percent in the first half and 6 percent year versus year.

The industry's remaining supercategories weren't so well off, with plush sales seeing the largest decline, down 18 percent for the six months and 3 percent year over year. 

Vehicles sales were down 12 percent for both metrics. 

Outdoor and sports toys slipped 10 percent for the six months and 7 percent year over year. 

Infant/preschool toys fell 6 percent for the half and 4 percent for the year. 

Dolls dropped 2 percent for the six months and 7 percent year vs. year. 

Youth electronics slid 1 percent for the six months and 12 percent for the year ended on July 4, 2009, versus the prior year.

Slumping with particular force were sales of web-enabled toys, which plummeted 43 percent to just over $148 million in the first half of 2009 compared to the first half of 2008, NPD said.

Tracking the business by age group, NPD said sales rose 2 percent for toys designed for kids ages 2 and younger and for those made for kids ages 9 and up. Conversely, sales fell 6 percent for kids ages 3 to 5 and 4 percent for kids ages 6 to 8.

Looking at private label toys, NPD said sales of major retailers' proprietary playthings rose 2 percent in the year's first half. The average retail price of such products declined 1 percent.