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Mattel appeals to value-seeking consumers with Mini Barbies: Expert

With the holiday season right around the corner, The Toy Book editor in chief and The Toy Insider senior editor James Zahn joins Asking for a Trend Host Josh Lipton to take a closer look at which toymakers sell the most popular products to be gifted. "Barbie's always high up" as the top holiday gift, Zahn says, noting the "secret sauce" for Barbie maker Mattel (MAT) is the Barbie Dreamhouse, which can retail for up to $200 per item." The Dreamhouse "is always at the top of the list every holiday season, so that's something you could sell fewer of for a high amount and it shows up as being big dollars." The expert says this year, Mattel is offering Barbie MiniLand to appeal to value-conscious shoppers. "Consumers want more bang for their buck. So, we're talking miniature Barbie dream houses that are only $9.99, and then dolls that come in little lipstick containers that start at three bucks." Catch more from Zahn about the toy industry here. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Asking for a Trend here. This post was written by Naomi Buchanan.