The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers' dynasty has ended, but there's no heir-apparent on toy stores shelves this Christmas season.
The helmeted action figures, which dominated the toy market the past two years but began fizzling in 1995, have some stiff competition: Star Wars action figures, Barbie, Sky Dancer and some classic toys are among those moving in on the evil-fighting team's turf."It's one of those years that we aren't seeing any blockbuster toys like Cabbage Patch Kids and Power Rangers leading the pack," said Frank Reysen, the editor of Playthings magazine, a New York-based trade publication.
"It's a healthy situation for the toy industry because it's spreading out sales and giving more toys a chance during the holidays."
Power Rangers had a virtual hold on the kid scene, with their manufacturer, Bandai America, unable to churn out enough of the karate-chopping action figures to keep stores stocked for long.
Toy retailers worry when there's no hot hit like Power Rangers to bring customers into the stores. Retail sales have already been sluggish this fall, and many analysts have issued grim forecasts for the Christmas season. Some, however, say the demand for a wider range of toys could benefit the broader market.
"The season is shaping up to be very competitive," said Jill Krutick, a toy industry analyst at the investment firm Smith Barney. "We are seeing a return to the basics, with no leader of the pack and that may be good for the industry in general."
The Toy Manufacturers of America, a New York-based industry association, estimates overall toy sales will be up 4 percent to 5 percent this year. In 1994, sales reached $18.7 billion.
Mattel Inc.'s Barbie, which comes in all shapes and sizes, again tops the list of top-selling dolls, followed by Lewis Galoob Toys Inc.'s Sky Dancer, a new sensation that's part ballerina, part helicopter.
Toy Biz's Gerber line of dolls, as well as Playmates' Baby So Beautiful, a line in which every doll is different, are also expected to be big sellers this season.
And while the Power Rangers have lost popularity, demand for other action figures is nonetheless heavy. Batman, Star Wars and Spiderman are among the hot picks so far this season.
And, as usual, toys with movie and television tie-ins are expected to be on wish lists. Mattel is promoting a collection of toys hitched on Disney's animated film "Pocahontas", the children's television network Nickelodeon has a line out of toys, and Kenner Products, a Hasbro Inc. division, is pushing its Gargoyles fantasy-action figures based on the television show.
Making a comeback are a number of classic toys, including Etch-A-Sketch, Magna Doodle, View Master, Lego building blocks and Monopoly and other board games.
Dolls, books and games featuring old-time characters like Curious George, Madeline and Winnie the Pooh also have had solid sales so far this season.
"There is a real resurgence in the traditional toys," said Stephen Pagnani, a spokesman for Kmart Corp. "What we think is going on is the baby boomers are having kids and giving them the same toys that they used to play with."
Cabbage Patch Kids, a hot commodity in the mid-1980s, also are making a return. Mattel took over the licensing of the stuffed dolls earlier this year and is promoting them heavily in hopes of reviving consumer interest.
Parents are also turning to creative and educational toys, helped by the growing popularity of non-traditional toy stores like Imaginarium and Noodle Kidoodle. One big seller has been Toobers & Zots, a set of bendable and buildable foam pieces from Hands On Toys.
"Many parents are looking for toys that give kids the opportunity to explore and go on adventures with," said Judy Ellis, chairwoman for the New York's Fashion Institute of Technology's toy department. "And they are willing to spend on things that will excite their kids."
For the second straight year, the video game market is expected to flounder, due in part to growth in computer and CD-ROM games. However, the Sony Playstation System and Sega's line of video games are still selling well.
Some of the sales that went to video merchandise are being captured by radio-controlled cars and by other creative hand-held games.
Tyco Toys Inc.'s Rebound 4x4 car, which can flip over and still drive, is having a strong year, as are Tiger Electronics Inc.'s Dear Diary, an electronic datebook for kids, and Talkboy, a tape recorder featured in the movie "Home Alone 2".
The key to this holiday season will be enticing customers into the stores and getting them to buy toys. With retail sales depressed and consumer confidence low, this has been the retailers' most difficult task.
Since nearly 60 percent of all toy sales taking place in the fourth quarter, aggressive advertising and promotional campaigns are being used to attract buyers. Paramus, N.J.-based Toys R Us Inc., the country's largest toy store operator, released its holiday sales catalog in early November with $1,449 in coupons.
Retailers are also using in-store promotions and product circulars - by mail or enclosed in newspapers - to get customers into the holiday swing.
"Sales were very slow in the first half of this year, and many companies are depending on making up for that weakness during the holidays," said Gary M. Jacobson, an analyst at Bankers Trust.
Manufacturers are also intensifying their efforts to promote their products. Tiger Electronics, for example, is doing product tie-ins with Oscar Meyer's Lunchables and McDonald's Happy Meals.
"The key is that you have to get a product line that kids are asking for," said Marc Rosenberg, a spokesman for Tiger. With the current uncertain economy, "parents are taking more time to check out what their kids want."
And with the holidays just weeks away, many kids are fine-tuning their lists.
Karen Cohen, a 7-year-old from New York, said Sky Dancer tops her list - but she'd settle for Baywatch Barbie, a bikini-clad doll based on the popular television show.
"It's hard to know what you really want because there's like tons of toys out there," she said during a recent visit to New York's F.A.O. Schwarz store.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Likely top sellers
Toy manufacturers' prediction for the most popular toys this season. The list includes toy name, average retail price and manufacturer:
Baby Tumble Surprise, $16, Toy Biz
Ball Pit, $100, Hedstrom
Barbie, $12, Mattel
Barbie's Baby Sister Kelly, $10, Mattel
Batman Forever, $6, Hasbro Toy Group
Crayola Crayons, $1, Binney & Smith
Gargoyles Heroes, $6, Hasbro Toy Group
Genesis with Sonic 2, $120, Sega of America
Hot Wheels cars, $1, Mattel
Kitchen Center All-In-One, $63, Mattel
Matchbox cars, $1, Tyco
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, $7, Bandai America
Mortal Kombat figures, $5, Hasbro Toy Group
Playstation System, $300, Sony Computer Entertainment
Pocahontas, $15, Mattel
PreComputer Power Pad, $88, V-Tech
Sega Saturn, $400, Sega of America
Star Wars figures, $5, Hasbro Toy Group
Sky Dancer, $10, Lewis Galoob
Virtual Boy, $170, Nintendo of America