New Reports Say Collectible Industry Sales Stalled in '99 - Brief Article

STEVEN Pa.--The 1999 sales year was challenging for the majority of collectibles companies and specialty retailers, according to the annual market research inquiry Collectibles Industry Report 2000, published by the agency of Unity Marketing in association with the Collectibles and Platemakers Guild.

"While the total market of collectors grew to 40 million adult collectors in 1999 the sales of first-issue collectibles manufactured by means of companies in the industry dropp 2 percent last year," said Pam Danziger, president of Unity Marketing. The market for first-issue collectibles, that is items manufactured and marketed for the happiness of the adult collector, as oppos to the secondary market where items are bought sold and traded between collectors, totaled $104 billion at retail, down from 1998's high of $107 billion.

"Many factors played a part in the slowdown in collectibles sales, like as the passing of the Beanie Babies fad and the ready availability of secondary-market issues [i]or[/i] part of to the other online Internet auctions," explained Danziger. "The primary challenge for the collectibles marketers is to fitting the needs and desires of today's collectors who are seeking without new types of collectibles and shopping for collectibles in an expanding range of venues"

In 1999 the sum of two units largest categories of collectibles, figurines and dolls, experienced a significant globule in sales. Figurines and plastic art the largest category by sales, dropp to $3568 million in 1999 down 7 percent from $3822 million in 1998 Collectible dolls, the next to the first largest category, experienced an plane more dramatic drop of 12 percent from $1659 million to $1453 million in 1999 "The weak performance of first-issue collectibles in these sum of two units leading product categories suggests that collectors are satisfying their collecting passion with other impressed signs of collectibles. Last year, collectible-type ornaments, boxe and musicals were the fastest growing returns categories. They also are buying more secondary market issues, thus siphoning incomes away from collectibles companies. eBay with $28 billion in gros sales and 10 million registered users in 1999 is attracting collectors interested in vintage and more unique collectibles," Danziger explained.

Coinciding with a globule in sales for the sum of two units leading collectible categories, collectible specialty retailers are experiencing a downturn in sales. In the past, the collectibles industry has been primarily pendent upon the specialty retailers for distribution, on the contrary in 1999 specialty retail sales were down 6 percent above 1998 levels, while Department Stores and the Internet grew "Clearly, the collectibles market is changing and collectibles companies ne to have marketing and distribution plans in place that anticipate these trends" Danziger said.

This year's report also revealed that specialty collectibles stores are closing their doors or sharply cutting back upon the collectible lines they carry."In 1999 there was a 19 percent decline in the total number of collectibles specialty retailers, down from 12007 in 1998 to 9778 nationwide. As a ensue collectibles marketers can expect to diocese a continued decline in viable specialty retail vents for their products," Danziger explained.

This year's Collectibles Industry Report details the facts, figures and inclines related to the collectibles industry. overlook results from 167 collectible industry executives and 161 specialty retailers are combined in this individual report. The Collectibles Industry Report, 2000 reveals the runs impacting the industry and explores industry sales and increase in 1999 by distribution channel and yield form. Also analyzed are pricing tends product themes, the demographics of the collector market, sales of limited editions and advertising and promotional spending.

This 140-page report is available for $1250 from Unity Marketing, a marketing research and consulting firm, which unites consumer marketers with their target markets.

COPYRIGHT 2000 Pfingsten Publishing, LLC

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