Evening star., 1931-12-30
GAME SALES GAIN
DURING PAST YEAR
More Toys Also Marketed.
Adults Prove Source of
Increasing Revenue.
BY WILLIAM LEE.

| The low level of business activity
which has persisted during the past two
years has demonstrated to the Sat1Stac-
| ton of the manufacturers of toys and
games that sit is an i'll wind that blows
nobody good,' for, according to the
Department of Commerce, sales for
| 1881 actually have been higher in all
lines and substantially higher in games
for adults than in 1890.
In year when it was assumed nat
urally that curtailed buying power
would be felt keenly, the sales figures
! tell how the adults have cut the cloth
of their activities to fit their incomes,
and this to the benefit Of the games
makers. The toy and games trade in
general was said by the department
however, to have made stanch stand
against recession factors, for there has
been a fairly even distribution of ouSi-
ness, except in the lines catering to
adults.
Search for Entertainment.
So the department considers, it was
stated officially today, that reduced IN
comes have caused many folks to spend
evenings at home and cast about Tor
things with which to entertain their
friends in lieu of theater parties, dances
and other modes of entertainment that
require too much cash. This has
brought about an almost universal de-
mand for the type of games, be they
characterized as toys or not that can
be used for home amusement.
At for the year itself and not just
the Christmas trade period, the de-
partment records reveal continuation
of the growth in sales of play-yard and
gymnasium apparatus, that has been
noted in the past. The growth Of sales
of this type of merchandise has here
tofore been attributed to hazards OF
street traffic and the necessity for pro-
viding children with amusementS TO
keep them in the safety zone. The fact
that there was an increase this year
over last in this type and that 1880
showed a gain over the preceding year
is accepted as indicating a definite
trend and the manufacturers are bend
ing every effort to develop new tricks
for the trade.
Toys generally are less affected by un-
favorable economic conditions than are
many other lines of merchandise. The
department says the chief reason for
this is the wide range of prices from the
very expensive merchandise with all OF
the elaborate hinky-dtnk attachments
to the sand 10-cent-store type. But
observers add this bit of information
to the official conclusion: There is a
human factor in this trade that Is not
present to the same extent in any other
line, namely, the particular appeal OF
the toy. It has a direct appeal to the
child, and whether most groWn-ups ad-
NIT it or not, there is a kick in 1t Tor
the adult when making such purchases
for the younger generation.
Improved Merchandising.
The toy and game manufacturer In
the last few years has also learned
great deal about merchandising his prod
uct, in the opinion Of the department,
which says the celerity with which the
manufacturers recognized the opening
for adult business has caused some sur
prise. For long time, the toy manu-
facturer who failed to capitalize the
popularity of current notion or thing
of current interest was simply losing
out. But the late business methods are
much deeper in their plans; in other
words, the toy manufacturer is seeking
to become leader.
1t was suggested in this connection
that the current trend thus may have
far-reaching effect on national life and
habit. Little imagination is required to
discover the possibilities OF develop
ment of home games for adults, many
of whom never did enjoy the talkie or
the dance And with the improved
transportation systems OF these days, to-
gether with the generally close proxinli-
ty of distribution centers to the point
OF consumer sale, the future is likely to
witness a rather rapid remaking of the
toy and game industry in its effort to
get its share OF the consumer dollar.
Copyright, le3l)