These will be the most popular toys this holiday season, according to the data
- Amazon, Target, Walmart, and other retailers have released their predictions for the hottest toys of the year.
- Adobe has now released its own predictions for the season's top toys.
- To compile the list, the tech firm used data from chatter on social media and a survey of 1,000 US consumers, combined with machine learning and artificial intelligence.
The holiday season is here - and so is toy-buying season.
Every year, there's a smattering of toys both new and old that kids clamor for more than others. And, every year, everyone from huge retailers to grandparents try to predict what kids will want, either loading up on stock or buying early before things start to sell out.
While retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Target put out lists of what they think the most popular toys will be every year, it's unclear what alchemy goes into compiling them. The lists are often filled with exclusives for each retailer, and since they're positioned as guides for parents and toy buyers, they can become a bit of a self-fulfilling prophesy.
A third-party list, like the one put out by Adobe on Thursday, doesn't have those same inherent issues. To compile the list, Adobe used data from chatter on social media and a survey of 1,000 US consumers, combined with machine learning and artificial intelligence put together by Adobe Analytics.
Toys are an especially important category to watch for retailers this year. It's the first year that shoppers are without a dedicated toy store following the liquidation of Toys R Us. Big-box stores like Walmart and Target are moving in to fill the void by increasing floor space for toys and beefing up both the types of toys they carry and the number they keep in stock. Even Best Buy is planning on selling more toys this year than ever before.
Dolls under $20 are predicted to be especially popular about this year, as well as anything that has a big brand behind it, like Fortnite, "Harry Potter," or "Jurassic World." Retro gaming is in as well, with the PlayStation Classic and Arcade 1Up cabinet appearing on Adobe's list. Finally, animatronic dolls seem to get more popular every year.
Here's Adobe's list: