Toys remain steadfast on holiday shopping lists, poll finds

NEW YORK Toys continue to dominate wish lists this holiday season, according to a new poll by Harris Interactive.

Of 3,084 U.S. adults surveyed online between Oct. 11 and 18, 53% of respondents said that they plan to purchase toys as gifts this year. What's more, nearly 3-out-of-4 consumers in a household with children (73%) said they will purchase toys as gifts this year.

Topping the toys list this year includes books (43%), video games (32%) and board games (32%). Top gift picks also include:

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  Arts and crafts (29%); 

  
  


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  Dolls (26%);

  
  


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  Building blocks and bricks (22%);

  
  


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  Sports equipment (21%);

  
  


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  Handheld electronic games (20%); and

  
  


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  Game consoles (13%).

  
  

But while it seems many Americans will buy toys this holiday season, toy manufacturers should expect similar sales as last year — 54% of Americans in 2009 said they planned to purchase toys as gifts. In terms of where these toy dollars will be spent, more than half of toy purchasers mostly will be shopping for toys at large discount stores (54%), while one-quarter (23%) mostly will shop online for toys this year. One-in-10 (11%) mostly will shop at a national toy retail chain store, while 5% will shop at a local, privately owned specialty toy store.