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Mobile Computing Toys: Marketing Challenges and Implications

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Mobile Services for Toy Computing

Abstract

Global sales of traditional toys such as dolls, action figures, and role-play games are either flat or shrinking. One of the main reasons for the slow or negative growth of sales is the increase in internet and console-based video gaming across multiple devices and platforms. Faced with this disruptive force, traditional toy makers are increasingly trying to develop toys that incorporate interactivity through software integration and mobile interconnectivity. Though the idea of creating this synergy between traditional toy hardware and emerging mobile/internet connectivity is a no-brainer, the success of such integration depends on understanding the market fundamentals of hardware and software complementarity. The responses of the toy industry thus far have been ineffective in stopping the decline of sales. This paper takes a closer look at the issue by conducting a brief survey of the traditional toy industry and trying to identify the key drivers of success and failure of such toys. We then use a few tools of marketing research to explain how traditional toy makers can leverage information and mobile technologies to re-establish themselves in a sustainable growth path.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    As defined by Dictionary.com at http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/toy

  2. 2.

    For further details, please refer to: http://www.mattelapptivity.com/

  3. 3.

    For further details please refer to: http://www.apptoyz.com/

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Business and IT, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, Canada

    Tirtha Dhar & Terry Wu

Authors
  1. Tirtha Dhar
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  2. Terry Wu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Terry Wu .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fac. Business & Information Technology, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

    Patrick C. K. Hung

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Dhar, T., Wu, T. (2015). Mobile Computing Toys: Marketing Challenges and Implications. In: Hung, P. (eds) Mobile Services for Toy Computing. International Series on Computer Entertainment and Media Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21323-1_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21323-1_3

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-21322-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-21323-1

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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