Foreign toys too expensive here

Kang Jung-hwa, president of Consumers Union of Korea, explains why popular foreign toy brands are more expensive in Korea than in other countries. / Yonhap

By Yoon Ja-young

SEJONG CITY ― Foreign toy brands are being sold at much higher prices here than abroad, a report by a consumer group showed Wednesday.

Cozy Coupe 30th Anniversary Cars from Little Tykes, for instance, are sold in Korea at twice the price of those in the United States.

The Consumers Union of Korea (CUK) examined the prices of 18 toys for infants and children in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and Korea. Among the 18 items, 15 were sold at higher prices here than in the other countries.

The Little Tykes anniversary car costs 57,573 won in the U.S. and 82,857 won in the U.K., but it sells for 113,875 won on average in Korea.

The O Ball Rattle from the U.S. firm Rhino Toys was priced at 8,046 won on average abroad, but in Korea cost 13,254 won.

The Fisher-Price Learning Home sells for 153,905 won in Korea, on average, while a consumer can get one for 100,341 won in the U.S.

The Learning Home is the most popular toy in Korea, topping the sales ranking compiled by Toy Magazine. Interestingly, the item is not that popular in countries other than Korea and the U.S. according to the CUK.

The consumer group explained that these toys cost more in Korea because of distributors boosting their profit margins.

“Even in case of parallel imports, they make an agreement with the official exclusive distributor regarding pricing,” said CUK President Kang Jung-hwa.

Some toys, however, are available at lower prices than in other countries ― LEGO’s Chima 70007 is 10.1 percent cheaper in Korea.

“The prices differ a lot for each distributor. Consumers should compare prices before buying,” Kang said. Consumers believe that they can shop at lower prices online than offline, but that is not always the case as only 12 of the 18 toys cost less.

The consumer group also surveyed families with children aged eight or younger, which showed Koreans spend an average 824,771 won a year on toys. Those with a higher education level and full time housewives were likely to spend the most.

They mostly get information about toys from their peers, online communities, or through Internet surfing.

Kang said that due to Korean parents’ passion for education, they show a somewhat different shopping pattern for toys.

“They regard children’s toys as a part of private education, and so often buy high-priced, bundle products. The toys are sometimes accompanied by education services, like a tutor visiting the children’s homes,” she said, adding that such packages are rarely seen abroad.

“It seems that the parents expect too much of an educational effect from the toys, while it is difficult to determine whether they actually have any. Consumers should change their notion about toys in this sense,” Kang said.

She also advised consumers to be wary of indirect advertisements through blogs and Internet cafes, as online communities are now exerting a greater influence on consumer decisions than before.