NPD reports 2010 holiday sales trends

February 24, 2011 by Wendy Goldman Getzler

The top-five brands that captured the biggest share of dollars spent on kids goods over the 2010 holiday season in the US were Disney, Microsoft, Nike, Nintendo and Sony, according to the latest findings from market research company The NPD Group.

The report from NPD’s Kids Industry Data Service (KIDS), a monthly tracking service that provides users with a holistic view of purchases made for kids with a focus on licensing, brands and retailers, also reveals that the top-five licenses for the period in the US were Barbie, Disney Princess, Dora The Explorer, Star Wars and Toy Story.

The Apparel/Accessories category captured the biggest chunk of sales in Q4 with 17%, while Toys/Board Games garnered 14%. Video Game System Hardware and Video Games or PC Game Software captured 11% and 10%, respectively. Footwear rounded out the top-five with 8%.

Categories like toys and video games realized nearly half of their annual industry revenues during the period. The categories that generated the greatest percentage of total sales from licensed products include DVD/Blue-ray discs, video games or PC software, Halloween costumes & accessories, party supplies and toys or board games.

Tags: 2010 holiday sales, Barbie, Disney, Dora the Explorer, Microsoft, Nike, Nintendo, Sony, Star Wars, The NPD Group, Toy Story