The demand for essential supplies like hand sanitizer, gloves, toilet papers, and preventive medical supplies has surged over 800% in March while online grocery sales are seeing over 100% increase in the same time period. But as America heeds into a lockdown, more and more people are buying things for entertainment amid corona pandemic.
The consumer purchase habits are seeing a shift, and people are spending money on indoor games, board games, and backyard games to make the best use of time at home and to kill boredom. And this is quite understandable as well, after all what more can you do, stuck at home with no sight of when this pandemic will end.
Games offer much-needed entertainment
While online streaming services like Netflix and Hulu are also experiencing strong demand, but beyond a point, it also gets boring, especially for kids. After all, there are no new movies or shows being released. However, games, on the other hand, offer tremendous entertainment value while also helping connect with family members better.
Kid-friendly games like Monopoly, Jenga, Connect 4, and Pictionary was one of the best-selling games on Amazon in the month of March and are going strong. Following a similar trend, more competitive board games for adults like Mysterium, Gloomhaven, and Akram horror are seeing similar growth.
On the back of rising demand, the stock price of Hasbro – one of the biggest board game manufacturers rose over 4% in the last couple of trading sessions.
It comes as no surprise. Board games are simple to play yet are challenging and relatively inexpensive. Moreover, kids can develop analytical and reasoning skills playing board games, which is definitely a plus considering the schools are closed.
For adults, board games are an excellent way to indulge and put their brains to test while they take a break from the virtual world.
The demand for Recreational Games Follows the Suit
People are also investing in indoor and backyard games to add some physical exercise in their regime. Ping Pong Tables, in particular, are seeing an exponential increase in sales with over 50% increase in March compared to January sales (as per google trends data).
As the game is simple to play, it’s suitable for players of all ages and skill levels. Also, ping pong tables are cheaper and don’t take much space either. This makes them an obvious choice for people looking for a fun activity with kids and family members.
Tabletop games like Foosball and Air Hockey are also following similar trends and are becoming quite popular. However, the demand for darts is on the downtrend, which can be mainly attributed to safety risks associated with the game.
Backyard Games – More popular than ever
Usually spring season sees increased spending from consumers on backyard games and activities, but this spring is quite different. As people are locked in their houses, the backyard is the only outdoor time for most people and kids. Therefore, many consumers are resorting to backyard games to make outdoor time more interesting and exciting for the kids.
Games like Cornhole, Croquet, and Bocce ball are a hit among the consumers and seeing an increase in demand.
Kids are the biggest sufferers in these times. Keeping them locked in the house is no easy task as they tend to get bored often and even cranky staying in. And they need their outdoor time and a chance to play with their friends. While parents can’t do much about their friends, some parents are picking backyard playsets, tree swings and bounces houses for kids so that they don’t miss out on the fun and can spend quality time outdoors.
Orders Delayed & in many cases canceled
While the demand is there and it will remain strong for the coming months, the issue is on the supply side. eCommerce sites and retailers are struggling to fulfill the orders as most of the supply chain, and logistics is also in a standstill. Also, as most of the manufacturers source the products from China, which is still under partial lockdown, the vendors aren’t receiving sufficient quantity. As a result, many orders are getting delayed and, in many cases, are being canceled.
Wrapping it up
While the times are tough, there is a silver lining. People are spending more time with family members and indulging in things that matter. And games are an excellent way to look beyond the negativity surrounding us and still laugh and have a great time.
So, if you haven’t bought any games yet, it’s probably time for you to pick one up and play with your family and friends!
