The holiday season, which begins with Black Friday at the end of November and lasts roughly until the end of December, is expected to be especially tough for retailers selling discretionary items, executives say.
"We are seeing some early Black Friday sales start just now," Barbie maker Mattel's (MAT.O) president and chief commercial officer, Steve Totzke, told Reuters on Monday.
"The market for toys has been declining for the whole year," said Florian Sieber, CEO of German toy maker Simba.
"We are expecting a good holiday season for Mattel," Totzke said.
"We expect to continue to gain share throughout the holiday season."
Persons:
Peter Nicholls, Larian, Santa Claus, Barbie, Loo, Isaac Larian, Toymakers, Nic Aldridge, Aldridge, Mattel's, Steve Totzke, Florian Sieber, Simba, Sieber, Totzke, Frédérique Tutt, Jerry Storch, Richa Naidu, Matt Scuffham
Organizations:
REUTERS, Hasbro, Mattel, Consumers, Euromonitor, MGA Entertainment, Toymakers Hasbro, Reuters, Bandai, P, Global, Storch Advisors, Hudson's, Thomson
Locations:
London, Britain, Europe, Santa, United States, Loo Wee, U.S