SEOUL, Aug. 8 (Korea Bizwire) – The number of males purchasing indoor toys in 2016 rose more than 40 percent from a year ago, industry data showed Monday, suggesting that more fathers are choosing to play with their children at home.
According to the country’s largest open market website Gmarket, male customers buying indoor toys, such as basketball hoops and miniature baseball sets, between July 22 and Aug. 4 jumped 42 percent on-year.
The number of male customers buying robot toys and card games also jumped nearly 50 percent on-year during the cited period, Gmarket said.
“It looks like customers who are fathers are playing with their children at home during the vacation season due to various factors, such as the economic situation and the general social mood,” a Gmarket official said.
The website also attributed the increased number of male customers to the consistent increase of dual-income households in the country.
According to a separate report, the number of families where both the husband and the wife work has jumped an average of about 40 percent on-year since 2013, with the figure likely to continue its upward cycle down the road.
(Yonhap)