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Toys that speak to every child | Toy Talk Newsletter

PLUS: Shoptalk in five headlines

Author

Zihan Lyu
April 02, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

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Welcome to Toy Talk, your essential newsletter for toy eCommerce professionals.

Editor’s Pick 🌟

📣 Shoptalk in Five Headlines

From marketplace breakthroughs to AI-driven growth, this year’s Shoptalk brought bold predictions and big product reveals. Here are five key headlines shaping the future of retail and eCommerce:

🧠 AI Moves From Buzzword to Bottom Line
Whether driving smarter search or streamlining supply chains, AI was everywhere—and brands are getting serious about turning innovation into efficiency.

📈 Fospha Launches Halo to Measure DTC’s Impact on Amazon
At Shoptalk, Fospha announced the release of its Halo measurement product, bridging the gap between DTC and marketplace attribution. For the first time, marketers can accurately measure the halo effect of their DTC ads on Amazon sales—unlocking new ways to optimize full-funnel performance.

🛍️ Ulta’s Digital Transformation Is Just Getting Started
Ulta Beauty revealed plans to launch a new marketplace and double down on personalization, backed by Adobe and powered by first-party data from its 44M+ loyalty members.

💎 Pandora Reinvents Modern Luxury
From lab-grown diamonds to in-store storytelling, Pandora is redefining what “premium” means—shifting focus from status to personal meaning.

🌐 Marketplace Momentum Is Rewriting the Growth Playbook
From Walmart to Wayfair to startups, everyone’s betting big on marketplaces to drive assortment expansion, experimentation, and new revenue streams.

Sector Spotlight 🎥

INCLUSIVE TOYS

April's Autism Awareness Month features 25 toys designed for neurodivergent children. These toys, ranging from sensory swings to emotion-identifying plush, cater to various sensory needs and interests, fostering self-regulation and emotional expression. Ideal for marketers in the toy industry, these toys meet specialized consumer needs, ensuring engagement and accessibility.

GAMING INNOVATIONS

The Nintendo Switch 2 is poised to launch with notable enhancements such as magnetically attached joy-cons and larger displays, potentially arriving by mid-May. Pre-orders may start following the Nintendo Direct event on April 2, unveiling further details. The anticipated pricing aligns closely with the current Nintendo Switch OLED, making it appealing for cost-conscious consumers interested in cutting-edge gaming experiences.

INTERACTIVE PET TOYS

Benebone has launched the Benebone Bounce line, a new range of interactive natural rubber dog toys designed for increased play and engagement, offering dogs various activities such as fetching and tugging. This move marks Benebone's entry into interactive toys, possibly expanding its market reach by appealing to pet owners looking for durable and multifunctional play options. The toys will be distributed through both physical retailers like Tractor Supply and online platforms, broadening visibility and accessibility for consumers.

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS

Amazon Luna's new collaboration with EA Games adds Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, Star Wars Jedi Survivor, and Dead Space to Luna's cloud gaming platform. This expansion offers marketers insight into effective partnerships and service enhancement strategies, illustrating how accessibility and platform variety can drive user engagement and broaden reach. Additionally, Amazon Prime members in specific regions can now access 300+ games, enhancing the service's value and potential market penetration.

TRADE RELATIONS

The China Toy and Juvenile Products Association urges the US to maintain zero tariffs on toys, highlighting the potential negative impact on consumers and manufacturers if tariffs increase. Emphasizing toys' role in childhood development, the association argues that maintaining zero tariffs aligns with World Trade Organization commitments, benefiting global trade and ensuring affordable access. This appeal reflects broad industry consensus, promoting dialogue among American and Chinese stakeholders to safeguard economic cooperation and consumer interests.

Influencer Corner 📢

Escapism is the new marketing currency.

Relatable content isn’t cutting it. The brands breaking through are building full worlds—complete with lore, characters, rituals, and places for people to escape into.

Start with repeatable micro-stories. Layer in short-form content. Then expand with smart collabs and real experiences.
It’s not content for content’s sake. It’s a system.

Canvas and agentic AI capabilities for marketers
| Dennis Yao Yu

ChatGPT with Canvas

Imagine crafting product descriptions that don’t just describe an item, but tell a story tailored to specific audience segments with Canvas in ChatGPT.

Instead of relying on generic, one-size-fits-all messaging, marketers can use this tool to transform basic product details into compelling, conversion-driven narratives for more personalized content that engages customers and drives sales.

Canvas also shines when scaling content production. With ChatGPT’s capabilities, teams can generate diverse marketing assets—emails, social posts, promotional copy—faster and with greater consistency. Less time spent on repetitive tasks and more focus on strategy and creativity.

Agentic AI

Agentic AI takes things to the next level by acting as an autonomous decision-maker. This is more about executing strategies.
AI systems integrate advanced learning algorithms and data-driven insights to analyze situations, make informed decisions, and even take action without constant human intervention.

Optimization Hub ⚙️

MARKETING STRATEGIES

April marketing optimizes SMS and email strategies to enhance conversion rates with targeted campaigns around holidays like April Fools, Easter, and Earth Day. Personalized customer experiences and storytelling cultivate loyalty, as AI-driven insights suggest engagement opportunities. Marketers are urged to continuously test and refine messaging.

AI SHOPPING INNOVATIONS

Amazon's new AI-powered Interests feature allows select U.S. customers to receive personalized product updates tailored to their preferences, showcasing a shift towards proactive eCommerce interactions. Using large language models, it promises a more efficient shopping experience by continuously scanning for relevant products and deals. This initiative highlights an evolving landscape where AI tools streamline consumer engagement, offering marketers insights into enhancing customer personalization.

RETAIL MEDIA EXPANSION

Best Buy, Instacart, and DoorDash are enhancing their Retail Media Networks to attract advertisers seeking transparency and accountability. Best Buy utilizes first-party data for targeting on social platforms, Instacart offers in-store advertising through Caper Carts, and DoorDash introduces post-purchase ads and sponsored placements. These developments highlight the shifting priorities in retail media, emphasizing the growing importance of integrated advertising solutions across digital and physical channels for marketing professionals.

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