Planning for SS 2026? Why Smart Retail Buyers Start in Q3

Every summer, water toys are among the most consistently high-performing categories. But seasoned buyers know: summer sales aren’t decided in spring—they’re decided the previous fall.

From product design to shelf placement, the process can take several months or more.
Each decision made now directly affects whether your products can hit the right selling window later.

Why Now Is the Time to Plan for SS 2026

1. Category Resets Are Already Underway

Major retailers—especially in Europe and North America—typically start their Category Reset cycles in Q3 for the following summer.
That means decisions around shelf placement, packaging formats, SKU bundling, and supplier selection must be locked in before year-end.

2. The Process Is Long and Packed with Milestones

Take a lightweight water toy, for example. From design confirmation → prototyping → testing → platform listing → PO issuance → shipment, the full cycle often takes 5 to 8 months.

Any delay at any point can lead to the all-too-familiar scenario: “The goods arrived—but the campaign is already over.”

3. It’s Not Just About Price—It’s About Use Cases and Timing

Modern consumers care about scenarios, not just specs: family weekends, parent-child pool play, seasonal gift sets…

This means toys aren’t just stand-alone items—they must be strategically bundled, merchandised, and timed to align with promotional plans.

Introducing Our SS 2026 New Arrivals

To help buyers stay ahead, we’ve launched two brand-new fishing toy sets designed for interactive family play and promo-friendly merchandising:

Crab Net Fishing Set (Item No. OTDH1669)

• Cute crab-shaped handle + colorful fish toys
• Mesh net and water-safe plastic, ideal for bath, beach, or pool
• Great as a standalone SKU or in summer gift/promo bundles

Shark Net Fishing Set (Item No. OTDH1670)

• Rounded shark-head design, easy to grip for small hands
• Available in two shades of blue — ideal for “brother/sister” bundle sets
• Can be bundled with water blasters or sea animal figures for multi-category combo packs

These products aren’t just toys—they’re modular pieces for shelf-ready merchandising, perfect for promo sets, hanging displays, and video content.

Why Buyers Work with Dihua Early

We offer more than products—we offer end-to-end timeline control:

• In-house design and manufacturing = 7-day sample turnaround
• Deep product library = fast combo pack development
• Compliance-ready for EN71, CPSIA, and major marketplaces
• Experience with shelf planning, display compatibility, packaging solutions, and timing alignment

Planning for SS 2026? Start Now

You don’t need to finalize every SKU today.
What you do need is a partner who understands planning cycles, can prototype fast, and helps you respond to decision windows in real time.
We’d be happy to take the first step with you—for your Summer 2026 success.