The demise of Toys R Us last year opened up the toy market for a lot of new ideas. Companies are trying to take advantage of the void with new offers.
Now Mattel and Walmart are working together in a new toy store. The difference is that this one is virtual. “Visitors” can browse toys and merchandise via videos and various adventures, ToyNews reports.
The toy store bears the name KidHQ and will feature a lot of “floors” for various product lines. Some of them are Walmart’s Toy Lab where visitors can explore various toys and watch videos of them being tested by other kids.
There’s also Barbie DreamFloor where you can make video blogs with Barbie and explore her toy line. Basically, all of the videos are forms of ads, but with various stories and adventures.
There is also a ‘grownups only’ ‘floor’ where parents can explore their kids’ wishlists and decide what to buy via Walmart’s online store. “Increasingly, we are looking to give kids new ways to create an imaginative world around their beloved Mattel brands and characters,” said Janet Hsu, chief franchise officer, Mattel. “The ‘Barbie DreamFloor at KidHQ’ does just that, putting kids in the driver’s seat so that they can create their own Barbie interactive experiences.”
KidHQ is made by Eko last year. It’s growing in popularity and it’s already thinking about adding more toy makers, entertainment programs and even food markets.
