What’s Trending With Retailers? Faire’s New Report Points to These Doughy Delights

There have been few bestselling crazes in the history of the gift industry as great as the pet rock and Ty Beanie Babies, but the squishy toy might be on the same trajectory, given its extreme popularity this year. In fact, retailers can’t seem to keep them on the shelves, or even stocked for that matter.

“Squishies, without question, have been the biggest category mover in independent retail this half,” said Faire Trend Expert Hannah Wall, “and within the squishy trend, there are trends themselves.”

Wall’s insight into what’s selling hot to retailers around the globe benefits from Faire’s wealth of data from the more than 800,000 retailers that order through its online wholesale platform. While there is a gap in readily available research on small, independent retail, Faire is looking to fill it. Recently, the company released its inaugural Independent Retail Report, which provides a data-driven look at how independent retailers are buying and adapting in a shifting economy.

Wall expanded on how the squishy trend is playing out with smaller retailers: “When a popular brand becomes hard to keep on shelves, retailers have looked downline,” she explained about how independent retailers successfully treat bestsellers. “Dumpling squishies, squishies shaped like sticks of butter, and cheese-wedge squishies became the ready-to-stock option. Animal-shaped squishes like axolotls, highland cows, and capybara squishies are also starting to gain footing. And ahead of the holidays, we’ve seen retailers continuing to bet on this trend, searching for Halloween and Christmas-themed squishies to anchor their assortments.”

Though squishy toys have been the center of conversations this year, Wall doesn’t expect the trend to slow down anytime soon.

“Squishy searches on Faire have outpaced Labubu, so this trend isn’t going anywhere,” she said. “Part of it is collectible: social hauls and playground comparisons drive a lot of the buying. But the toys are genuinely engaging for adults, too. I reach for one during meetings instead of my phone. We’re not seeing a replacement trend yet, just seasonal adaptation.”

Specifically, Wall said “Halloween squishy” searches started trending on Faire in June, and searches for new animal formats like axolotls and highland cows are popping up, as well. “There’s still a lot of runway here,” Wall said.

What’s Next After the Squishy Trend?

Retailers are always thinking about what comes next. According to Wall, the squishy phenomenon is prompting consumers to lean into other fun, textural gifts, such as slime.

“Adjacent to squishies, slime may be making a comeback,” Wall said. “Retailer searches [on Faire] are up 13 percent in the last quarter. An interesting evolution of this trend from its 2017 breakout is how cute it’s getting! Two brands on Faire lead our searches, Kawaii Slime Company and Gui Gui Slime, sold by Toysmith. Both are pastel colors and feature charms, glitter inclusions, and cute animals.”