AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Every year, RetailMeNot practices and masters its toy tracking abilities to predict the ones that will be topping the wish lists this holiday season. From forecasting Hatchimals and the NES Classic Edition back in 2016, Fingerlings and the SNES Classic in 2017, and Pomsies and Rainbocorns in 2018; the RetailMeNot radar has proved strong, acting as a guide for parents trying to navigate their children's wish lists.

As the retail landscape has changed this year, shopping and trends expert for RetailMeNot, Sara Skirboll, advises, "With Toys R us out of the picture this year, shoppers can look to 3 big retailers as they are toy hunting this year: Amazon, Target and Walmart. In fact, according to a recent survey by RetailMeNot, 28% of shoppers plan to shop at Amazon with 26% of shoppers planning to shop at all 3 locations." Skirboll adds, "All have released holiday toy guides showcasing the most popular items for children, so be prepared to shop early and buy them while you can!"

Parents, get ready for the holiday toy hunt, and check out the RetailMeNot blog, The Real Deal, for the full list of holiday toy predictions and how to get them.

A peek at some of the top toys of 2019:

• Owleez ($49.99) at Target
• Spin Master's Owleez is an interactive pet that you can rescue, take care of and teach to fly. It's a nurturing toy, which will show children to care for it by feeding it, petting it, rocking it to sleep and more. It is a drone-like flying owl, but to get it to take off, you need to train it. Shoppers can pre-order this one now, plus get cash back on your purchase: Activate 1% cash back at Target.
• Skyrocket Blume Doll ($9.88) at Amazon
• Say hi to a new collectible toy as Blume Dolls have been anticipated all year. They come in a flower pot, and when you add water, they sprout and grow. It's a surprise as to which Blume Doll you'll get, and spoiler alert: There are 22 to collect. Their hair is made of soft foam that can be taken off and put on other dolls—same goes for the outfits. Each doll comes with a mini friend, and you can decorate the pot with included stickers.
• Pomsies Lumies ($17.99) at Amazon:
• In a nutshell, Lumsies are light-up Pomsies that change colors, play games and make music. Pomsies were one of the most popular toys in 2018, and Lumies are here to steal the show. There are three different Lumies to choose from (purple, pink and blue).  When you take one and place it over a colored object, it will turn that color and will react to being "fed" with color, with over 100 sounds and phrases depending on their mood and the colors you find.

Tips for finding these hot toys:

1. Utilize online product trackers: zooLert, I4U and NowInStock are some of my favorite trackers to follow for instant updates when toys are available on sites and in stores.

2. Monitor social media: Be sure to follow the above toy trackers and retailers like GameStop, Target and Walmart on Twitter and Facebook for in-stock alerts and updates for toys.

3. Keep your eye on Black Friday and Cyber Monday doorbusters and surprise promotions: In prior years, stores like Amazon, GameStop and Walmart have released limited supplies of hard-to-find toys to capitalize on the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping craze. It's safe to say stores will do the same this year, and you need to be ready to act fast.

4. Call local stores: A good old-fashioned phone call pays off. If you want to save yourself the time and hassle of driving to the store only to leave empty-handed, pick up the phone and call your local stores to see if they have toys in stock or plan to.

5. Follow RetailMeNot: Hit that follow button on RetailMeNot's Facebook and Twitter. We'll be posting updates when we see hot toys available.

6. Think twice before purchasing through a third-party marketplace: This is a last-resort tactic, as you're almost certain to pay more than market price if you buy a hot toy through a third-party source. Be sure to pay attention to the retailer, packaging and customer service before you buy. Otherwise, you could fall victim to a counterfeit product. This was an issue last year for Fingerlings purchased through third-party sellers on Amazon.

7. Wait until January: This isn't ideal for kids hoping for toys under the tree in December. But prior years prove that stores typically have plenty of hot toys in stock once the holidays pass. So if you can wait until 2020, you might not only easily snag a variety of popular toys, but you might also get a great post-holiday deal on them.

About RetailMeNot, Inc.
RetailMeNot, Inc. is a leading savings destination bringing people and the things they love together through savings with retailers, brands, restaurants and pharmacies. RetailMeNot makes everyday life more affordable through online and in-store coupon codes, cash back offers, discount gift cards, and the RetailMeNot Genie browser extension. Savings are also provided in consumers' mailboxes through the RetailMeNot Everyday™ direct mail package, and at the pharmacy with RxSaver by RetailMeNot.

RetailMeNot is a wholly owned subsidiary of Harland Clarke Holdings. To learn more, visit www.retailmenot.com/corp or follow @RetailMeNot on social media.

Media Contact
Hillary White
RetailMeNot
hwhite@rmn.com 
(832) 278-5615

SOURCE RetailMeNot