Toy industry reinvents itself for senior citizens

HANGZHOU — Guan Weijiang, a veteran children's toy merchant based in East China's Yiwu for over a decade, is seeing online orders surge this year, not from children, but a surprising customer cohort: seniors.

Through his online store, Xinyu Toy Flagship Shop on one of China's leading e-commerce platforms, Tmall, a significant portion of sales now comes from fitness and brain-training toys favored by elderly consumers. Customers aged 50 and above now make up 30 percent of the store's consumer base, up sharply from previous years, according to the store's demographic data.

"Our top sellers in 2024 were wrist exercise balls and rotating bead puzzle cubes," Guan said. "These toys combine low-intensity physical activity or mental stimulation with entertainment, making them ideal for older adults seeking daily exercise or fun."