ASTRA Toy Times November 2020

NOVEM BER 2020

magazine

Delivering

PLAY in Unique Times

THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SPECIALTY TOY RETAILING ASSOCIATION astratoy.org • November2020

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November 2020 • astratoy.org

features

departments

money matters

trending now

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Interim President’s report

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Curbside Best Practices

Message from the Chair

Adjusting to the Times

Independent Retailers Thrive this Holiday Season

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Ready, Set, Play

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Working Towards a More Inclusive and Diverse Toy Industry

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New Members

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New Manufacturers Listing

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Index of Advertisers

toy stories 14

It’s Been a Great Ride: Two ASTRA Retailers Celebrate Big Milestones

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Creative Marketing Ideas to Get the Word Out

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Alphabet Soup Celebrates a Wind Energy Anniversary

astra news 24

ASTRA Innovation Council News

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ASTRA Events: Save the Dates

ASTRA Toy Times Magazine Mission Statement Our mission is to act as a channel of communication for the general membership of ASTRA and to provide information about current happenings and future goals as decided upon by the board of directors, various committees, and ASTRA staff. We strive to provide useful and timely information and support for and about ASTRA members in accordance with the ASTRA mission statement.

We are always looking for good articles and input for the magazine. Letters to the editor are welcome.

Please forward letters, comments, ideas, etc., to the ASTRA office at dmarsden@astratoy.org astratoy.org • November2020

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Board of Directors

chair Amy Saldanha past chair Christine Blumberg chair-elect Amy Saldanha treasurer Kevin McGrath (2020) secretary Nick Tarzia (2021) directors Melissa Beese (2021) Betty Skoke Burns (2021), Jeanie Crone (2022) Corey Funkey (2022), Jacqueline Killian (2021) Lisa Orman (2022), Brad Ruoho (2022) Tom Rushton (2022), Jenna Stirling (2022)

Magazine

editor Tom Savage assistant editor Dee Marsden graphic artist Maia VanOrman

Editorial Advisory Committee

chair Tom Savage Jean Bailey, Consultant Theresa Duncan, Villa Villekulla Toy Store Tami Murphy, Grand Prix International Lisa Orman, KidStuff PR Relations Kemi Tignor, Little Likes Kids LLC Allison White, Sugar B Sales Phil Wrzesinski, HABA USA

ASTRA Staff

interim president Sue Warfield marketing and communications manager Dee Marsden technical project and support coordinator Nicole Peavy Toy Times Magazine is published by the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, 432 N Clark St., Suite 305, Chicago, IL 60654, 312-222-0984, info@astratoy.org, www.astratoy.org.

Copyright © 2020 American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. All rights reserved.

Advertisements are accepted. For more information, contact Fahy-Williams Publishing, 315-789-0473.

All articles for Toy Times are supplied by ASTRA and its members, with Fahy-Williams assembling and editing the magazine, and managing the advertising sales function.

ASTRA reserves the right to accept, reject, or alter all editorial and advertising material submitted for publication.

Advertising in ASTRA does not imply endorsement of products and services. Opinions expressed in articles contained herein are those of the authors, not necessarily of ASTRA or its individual members. The information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable.

interim president’s report

2020 The Year of 3-Rs M

ost of 2020 may very well be remembered as an overall negative year. This year was made for our good old clichés – make Sue Warfield lemonade out of the lemons, look at the glass half full, turn challenges into opportunities. Those are my mantras – always have been and always will be. 2020 has woken us all up to what we really can and must accomplish when push comes to shove. As we go into the holidays and what we hope will be a better year in 2021, I see 2020 as a 3-“R” year:

Re-evaluate Re-connect Re-invent Re-evaluate We have been forced into a “stayat-home” mode. Less out-and-about shopping, dining, entertainment and even physical activities have given us an opportunity to re-evaluate what is truly most important to us, our family, and our friends. In re-evaluating our priorities, we have also been forced to pay attention and evaluate what our close-by community activities and offerings really mean to us and how important it is to make sure they are still there when we come out of our safety zones. We are paying more attention to our families and friends, our educators and our overall community well-being. We are re-evaluating how we think and act in advancing diversity, equity

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and inclusion within our personal lives as well as in our businesses as we watch the divisions widen within our country. We are fatigued by the digital world – computers, online meetings and shopping, the tv screen, texting, social media. We need human, in-person interaction. We need understanding acceptance and awareness of one another. We feel safe in our inner circle, yet we are realizing we need to think beyond our comfort zone, examine our underlying pre-conceived ideas and work towards real change. This year has made us realize how important it is to stay in-touch with and open our hearts and minds to our basic humanity more than ever.

Re-connect We have learned to keep connected through technology – Zoom meetings, FaceTime, Facebook, texting and more.

We were doing this before the pandemic, of course, but with the turn of events that led us to the social distancing norm, we have had to rely on technology for most of our connections. Through the necessity of staying home and slowing down, we have taken a bit more time to re-connect with family and friends that we may have neglected a bit in our previous life of overscheduled events. We are now craving the in-person connection. Shopping in a store where we can touch and feel the products and get help from a person and not through a chat window on the computer screen, enjoying a concert, sporting event and yes, an in-person trade show – we miss these things and we see how we need to stay connected, in whatever form we can. Digital connections leave too much too interpretation. We crave and need the opportunity to sit over drinks and dinner with others beyond our immediate family to openly examine and work to understand our differences. Again, a cliché (continued on page 6)

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interim president’s report (continued from page 4)

– you don’t know what you’ve got until it is gone. As we re-connect in new ways we are doing what we can to support what is important and to ensure what we crave is still there when we brave this pandemic storm.

Re-invent At ASTRA, we have always looked at ways to improve as have all our members. The difference now is we have to totally re-invent how we all do business and how best ASTRA can help our members. Retailers have stepped up to offer new services as never before – curbside pick-up, local same-day deliveries, upping their online presence and re-inventing how to demo products and emphasizing to their communities how important it is to shop local to keep them in business.

Manufacturers are working with their reps to provide digital offerings for the retailers, lowering minimum orders, providing up-to-date, in-stock inventory lists and listening closely to what retailers are needing to get them through. Sales reps have scheduled zoom meetings to present products, upped their communications to keep their retailers current on specials and shipping dates, worked through ways to safely manage their summer gift shows so buyers would feel safe attending and masking up to make in-person calls as those become possible. Things are changing daily and our industry will continue to re-invent how we work with one another as we face each new twist that comes our way.

If we work together, learn from each other and look for what connects us as people, then perhaps 2020 can be more than a year full of negatives. We will become so much better for what we have gone through. Yes, let’s make lemonade, enjoy a half-full glass and look at the opportunities that lie ahead.

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message from the chair

The 2020 Holiday Season: Time for the Hype Train!

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his holiday season, we are driving the hype train!

Our customers are looking for us to bring the joy and magic of the holidays. We may Amy Saldanha be exhausted, overwhelmed and quietly freaking out, but we will give our customers the most magical season of their lives -- because we all deserve it this year!

Our mindsets, and those of our staff, have never been more important. At kiddywampus, we have two modes of being -- the “struggle bus” and the “hype train.” If an employee is on the “struggle bus,” we immediately work to reframe so they can get back on the “hype train” (usually involving short term solution like chocolate, caffeine and more sustained solutions like a conversation about why they are where they are and how we can help). This holiday season, it is time to make that hype train energy marketfacing! Customers are looking for that energy, joy and sense of fun...and they will find it walking through our front doors.

Choo, choo!

Our customers have never needed us to inject energy like they do now.

Earlier this year we helped our customers tackle distance learning, “shelter in place” and social distancing. Now it is time to help them celebrate with their families!

Walking into our stores will be a burst of joy and energy – from the overall vibe when they walk in the door, the expert recommendations from well-informed and engaged staff, complimentary wrapping and all the service they’re used to…our customers will feel our holiday hype like never before. Choo, choo!

We will make that happen by continuing to be human pretzels (perhaps

even peppermint and chocolate covered ones). What ASTRA members did this year is downright inspiring. We continue to flex and innovate at breakneck speed.

As we moved from in-store shopping to online, added shopping by appointment, shopping via FaceTime, shopping via social media, curbside pickup and delivery.

We did – and continue to – flex and innovate and accommodate to be with our customers where they are, when they want us, with the products they want and need.

Choo, choo!

Have we ever been closer to our customers? “Customer centricity” may be the bobble-head strategy mass retail talks about – but we live it. When our customers wanted puzzles, we found them. Nostalgic items for “staycation” summer? Got’em.

Tools for distance learning? We sourced them. Cozy gifts to show our loved ones we care? Yep, we have those too.

Choo, choo!

This year has shown us that we can reinvent, recreate, reimagine and bend in all directions. And we didn’t pull it off alone – even if we were socially distanced!

Our ecosystem has never been more important. ASTRA is about personal relationships – across all membership categories. Those personal relationships are critical as we navigate inventory shortages rather than being triggered by them. Those relationships allow us to find ways to work around shipping delays and supply chain issues. We understand rather than rage when warehouses struggle to ship while social distancing. We know what it takes to operate in 2020, so we work with the manufacturer calling from the warehouse floor, talking over the forklifts, asking for a credit card because he needs the cash flow now. We do everything we can to support the sales reps whose numbers are down but are still in there every single day with us.

We are ASTRA. We are in this together.

It matters. And it shows.

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ready set play

Learning from a 4-year-old about

DELAYED

Jean Bailey, Certified Play Expert

Gratification

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ne of the participants’ favorite parts of ASTRA’s Certified Play Expert program is when they review the ground-breaking research conducted in the 1960s by Walter Mischel, a professor at Stanford. The research is commonly referred to as the ‘marshmallow test.’

Mischel developed this test to measure a particular attribute in preschoolers — delayed gratification. Mischel and his colleagues were curious about a subject each of us struggles with daily: self-control.

Ingeniously simple, Mischel and his team used a marshmallow as both a temptation and a reward. Four and fiveyear olds were seated alone in a room and given a simple proposition. The child was left alone with a single white, fluffy, sweet smelling marshmallow. They could choose to enjoy it right away or to wait a few minutes for the researcher to return. If

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the kids waited, they received double the reward with two marshmallows.

You cannot help but relate to those young children’s dilemma because it is one we live with intimately. Chocolate chip cookie, anyone?

“Resisting temptation in favor of longterm goals is an essential component of social and cognitive development and of societal and economic gain,” a 2010 article on this research read in the Oxford Academic publication “Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience.”

When I was reviewing that research, I could not help but superimpose the experiment from the 1960s to the struggle society is having today, in 2020, dealing with a pandemic.

Play can be used as a vehicle to teach kids how to regulate themselves. Play can provide kids the opportunity to develop

willpower, self-regulation, and self-control in exchange for a desired outcome, which can be as simple as winning a game, making a goal, or finishing a puzzle.

What gives the marshmallow test so much relevance is that it evolved from a single research project into a four-decade life-span developmental study. Mischel continued to trace these children and correlated their original test to a pattern of outcomes as these preschoolers progressed from childhood to midlife.

“In follow-up studies, preschooler’s delay ability continued to predict later outcomes in adulthood including higher educational achievement, higher sense of self-worth, better ability to cope with stress,” the Oxford article read.

Mischel further enriched his findings by analyzing the successful strategies some kids used to receive the additional

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marshmallow reward, and suggested that these can be employed by anyone hoping to increase their ability to delay gratification. These include: Disengage Kids who engaged their senses by smelling the marshmallow, feeling its soft texture, or lightly licking it for a hint of sweetness were far more likely to succumb to the temptation.

Distract Preschoolers who forced themselves to refocus and instead sang, played with their toes, or even explored their nasal cavities (hey, no judgment here); were far more likely to end up with double the reward.

Daydream A fascinating aspect of this research is that when kids were coached to think of a fun

memory, they were able to wait ten times longer. It appears daydreams can save the day.

Translating to today, we as a society have been forced into our own test, and it too may be predictive of our future. We have had to coin our own phrases to deal with this situation such as: shelter in place, social distancing, and mandatory masks.

Many of us are sacrificing the sweet thrill of downing that one marshmallow by adopting behaviors that are new, taxing and take a great deal of self-control. Like the little kid alone with a marshmallow in a room, we are waiting…waiting to reconnect to friends and associates… waiting to get our customer base back… waiting to restore life as we once knew it.

“For me, the marshmallow test is not an indicator that our futures are already determined when we’re four years old,

but that our potential for maximizing our lives involves a set of skills that are already visible and teachable at age four,” Mischel said. (It) involves a set of skills that can be taught and learned. They’re acquirable.”

Let’s learn from the successful four-year olds. When feeling overly challenged in our lives and businesses and wondering if it is worth it, we should disengage for a few minutes from the dilemma we see sitting squarely in front of us. Let us distract ourselves in a positive way. And by all means, daydream about a fun experience that brought you joy, success or fulfillment in the past.

Let’s choose to believe that someday, in the near future, whether in our homes, offices or stores, we’ll look up and find not one, but two bright marshmallows before us and realize the wait was truly worth it. ASTRA

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astratoy.org • November2020

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moneymatters

The curbside pickup table at 4 Kids Books and Toys in Zionsville, Indiana is ready for customers.

e d i s b r u C

Best Practices

S

pring of 2020 saw nearly every industry worldwide making drastic changes to adapt to the risks posed

by Covid-19.

Services like contactless payment, online ordering and curbside pick up became prevalent across all retail sectors.

A survey by the National Retail Federation

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in April noted that nearly half of all retail customers had used curbside pickup.

Now as we near the end of 2020, customers are trained to not only appreciate, but to expect these services.

While we hope the global pandemic will end soon, curbside pickup is most likely not going anywhere. Specialty toy

stores often don’t have custom apps, call buttons, designated parking spaces or dedicated staff to support this service, but with a few simple procedures and tools, stores can successfully implement this new service and give their customers the level of service they expect from their local toy store.

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Communication

There are almost as many different ways to do curbside pick up as there are businesses offering it, so make sure your customers know that you offer the service and understand how to access it. Add graphics and information on your website and social media that communicates how to use the service, and make it easy to select curbside pickup as a delivery option.

How will your customers know when their packages are ready? How will you know when your customer has arrived? Know the answers to these questions and make sure your customers do too.

store utilizes a shared lot or has onstreet parking, ask your landlord or local government to provide a dedicated spot for this service. Loading zones, or even an outdoor table where customers retrieve their packages are other options.

Low-Cost Tools

Curbside pickup can be as simple as taking orders by phone and asking your customers to call when they arrive or placing packages outside the store to be picked up by customers during a specific window of time. Simple signage is an inexpensive way to direct customers.

Online stores on major platforms such as

Shopify, Squarespace or WordPress have access to integrations to schedule pickups and stay organized.

Messaging apps such WhatsApp or SMS can help make communicating with your customers easy and efficient. Chatbots on these apps can be programmed to communicate status updates and pickup instructions with your customers.

Curbside pickup is here to stay, and consumers are growing more and more comfortable with the process. By being organized and proactive, stores can provide their customers with the same high quality of service they expect inside a specialty toy store without ever entering the store. ASTRA

Makers of potholder looms & loops, fiber art kits and weaving looms.

Have a System

As with most things in business, a system makes everything easier for you and your staff. Decide how customers will inform you when they have arrived, where you will place their packages when they are ready and how or if you will request proof of purchase. Because many people are using curbside pick up to avoid the spread of germs, train your staff on protocols to minimize contact with customers.

Choose a Location

For stores with private parking lots, this is as easy as putting up cones or a sign. A space that is visible through cameras or a window will make it easy for employees to see when a customer arrives. If your

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moneymatters

Manufacturers and Reps,

Adjusting to the Times Phil Wrzesinski, HABA USA

L

ea Culliton, president of HABA USA and my boss, asked me, “Did you ever think ‘Video Producer’ would be your main job this year?” No, I definitely did not.

After a first quarter visiting markets in Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle, Las Vegas, and New York, however, I found my second quarter spent mostly in front of a camera.

While retailers have had it the worst with complete shutdowns, limited staffs, curbside deliveries, and unruly customer mask issues, manufacturers and sales reps have had to adjust on the fly, too.

It started in the first quarter with an extended shutdown in China that caused delays on production. Many vendors came to Toy Fair in February without firm ship

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dates, just crossed fingers.

In March we were figuring out how to create Easter basket bundles that retailers could sell online. In April we were developing dropship programs that kept the cash flowing. By May we were kneedeep into helping our retailers establish their own websites.

Through it all, manufacturers have adopted several new ways to help our retailers succeed.

Bundles Without customers walking through stores, browsing has changed. Some customers want to bypass the decisionmaking process and let the retailers put

together a package. Savvy vendors will be creating pre-made packages for retailers this Christmas and holiday shopping season.

Dropship As retailers have been racing to get their websites up and running while trying to manage dwindling cash flow, having a well-stocked store to sell online has been a challenge. Dropship programs are allowing those retailers to show more expensive and bigger items online that they might not have in stock. The margins are tighter, but the movement of goods and money is the key.

Videos Because of the virtual tradeshows and lack of travel, manufacturers have been producing videos at a higher rate than ever to show off new products. Retailers can then share these videos with their customers. That’s a win-win!

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Technology Zoom, Teams, Streamyard, Discord, Shopify, Locally, TikTok. At the beginning of the year many of these words were unknown, unrecognizable, and unused. Now many of us are learning, using, and even thriving with these platforms. Growing with the technology is never a bad thing, even if it is forced upon us.

Sales representatives have also been forced into making changes. While they are missing being on the road, they have been busy revamping how they interact with retailers.

Many sales reps and rep groups have been doing the following.

Online Ordering Portals Now retailers and their rep can go online and place all orders for all their vendors in one place. Since reps are up-to-date on show specials, new releases, stock statuses, and the latest programs, these portals help with the final piece of the puzzle: speed, accuracy, and efficiency of ordering.

Facebook Groups Many reps have been reaching out to the retailers in their territory and inviting them into Facebook Groups. This not only

helps the reps keep in touch with several retailers at once, but it also fosters more cooperation and sharing throughout the territory.

Zoom Presentations ASTRA Camp was the textbook definition of how to make Zoom meetings more fun, interesting, and informative. While these virtual meetings can never fully replace the touching and feeling of new products, they certainly help get the right information into retailer’s hands in a timely fashion. Sales reps are ready and willing to meet virtually, if that is how it must be.

There have been some silver linings through all this. Many retailers are reporting more, better, and faster communication with their sales reps. Even without the in-person visits, they are finding the extra value reps add to their bottom line.

Many retailers are also commenting on how supportive manufacturers have been. They know who they can count on to help them should there be any more surprises thrown our way.

Mostly, as an industry, we have seen how creative and helpful we can be for each other. That will only make the American Specialty Toy Retailing industry (and Association) stronger. ASTRA

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toystories

‘It’s Been a Great Ride’ Two ASTRA retailers celebrate big milestones

Toyes & ed S.W. Randall Jack Cohen open 1970. in Pittsburgh in

T

his spring was tough on retailers in every industry. The COVID-19 pandemic swarmed the country and retailers from coast-to-coast did their best to weather the storm.

Gutting it out and hopefully seeing a profitable holiday season is on the horizon for many.

But for two toy stores in the ASTRA family, the global pandemic is just another chapter in a long, successful history. This summer, Fantasy Island Toys in Fairhope, Alabama celebrated their 45th year in business. In Pittsburgh, S.W. Randall Toyes & Giftes just celebrated 50 years, and owner Jack Cohen said that number still jumps out at him.

“It’s hard to believe. Hard to believe,” said the 73-year old Cohen, who still works full time every day in the store. “ I’d rather work than sit at home. I get too bored. I

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Giftes

Ginger Milligan sta nds in front of her sto re in Fairhope, Alabama. Fantasy Island Toys celebra ted its 45th year in business this sum mer.

have no intentions of slowing down. I’m going to work until my last day.”

S.W. Randall is still in the original location on the famous Forbes Avenue.

Cohen said over time they outgrew the store and have since added others. One of those stores in downtown Pittsburgh near the convention center where ASTRA held its annual Marketplace & Academy in 2019.

Although that store has done well over the years, it’s been difficult since the global pandemic hit.

Downtown Pittsburgh, like many other major cities, is a ghost town, Cohen said.

The downtown store opened in 1978, and fortunately for Cohen, he owns the building so rent isn’t an issue during difficult times.

“Our neighborhood stores are doing better because people live there and are still getting out,” he said.

Cohen was 23 when he opened the original store. Initially an engineer in his early years, he said he needed to get out.

“I hated going to work. I was bored.

I was in a big office with no windows. I didn’t know if it was day or night,” he said.

“Now, I just enjoy this business. I love seeing people come in and they’re happy.”

Cohen said the biggest change he’s seen in the industry over the last 50 years is the power of the Internet. He said it’s a never-ending challenge.

“It’s not the same, let me tell ya,” he said with a chuckle. “Once people come into our store, they love it and they all come back. But it’s always a challenge.”

He said he recognizes many customers who’ve been coming in since 1970. But even that, he said, has changed.

“They’re still out there,” he said. “But they’re not parents any more, now they’re

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grandparents. Or maybe even great grandparents.”

For Ginger Milligan, owner at Fantasy Island Toys, seeing the toy store transform has been a family affair. Milligan’s mother originally opened the store in the early 1970s as an arts and crafts store. But in 1975, when Milligan was a senior in high school, her mother began selling doll houses and LGB model trains. Once that started, the transformation was in full effect from arts and crafts store, to toy store.

Milligan is now in her 36th year of being at the store. She’s run it completely by herself since 2010.

Fantasy Island has been on the same street in picturesque Fairhope since the beginning, although it’s bounced around to accommodate larger square footage. It’s been in its current spot since 1980.

Milligan didn’t intend on working at the toy store when she began her career. She

was an ER nurse for 10 years before joining the fun in the toy industry at age 27.

Milligan built the company and at one time had four stores in the area. Nine years ago, she trimmed things back down to one store, and it’s a decision she said that’s made a huge difference.

“I had a friend who was a successful business person once tell me that after I got that third and fourth store opened, the real money starts coming in,” she said. “I went back to him years later and said, ‘The only thing you didn’t tell me about that is that you have to work three and four times harder.’”

Although a challenge to open open multiple stores, Milligan said she wouldn’t change anything.

“We loved it and loved what we did,” she said. “It’s been a great ride, but that was a lot of work.”

She said she’s also discovered later in

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life that turning that bigger profit doesn’t necessarily come from having multiple locations. She said truly focusing on one store can turn a big profit, too.

Like Cohen, Milligan said she still works a lot at the store. The recent global pandemic has limited her days, but she said she’ll never stop working.

“I don’t know if it’s because I’m older it’s not a game - it’s an addiction. I hate to say I’m a work alcoholic, but I like it,” she said. “If I’m not in the store physically, I’m on my computer doing something with it. I’m always trying to find an angle.”

Milligan said the secret to her longevity is getting out of debt. Do it as fast as you can, she said.

“You get to a point in your business where you don’t owe money any more,” she said. “That is the answer. It’s the best way to do business.” ASTRA

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toystories

Creative Marketing Ideas (35 of them!)

Phil Wrzesinski, HABA USA

W

e are always looking for new and interesting ways to market and advertise our business.

Here are 35 ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

For Social Media

to Get the Word Out

Introduce the Team Heck, forget about the products. Make videos of your team talking about something fun, like their superhero powers.

“This is John. He can make a box of cereal disappear in under two minutes!”

For Santa Claus

Have a Video Contest Ask your customers to share videos about why your store is the best or about their favorite product. Give out prizes for best submissions.

Santa Phone Hotline Have a special phone booth where kids can call Santa. Have kids fill out a form before so it will appear Santa knows them. As a bonus, partner with a radio station, record the calls, and play them on the air.

Virtual Story Time If you can’t have Story Time in your store, record your team reading their favorite books. Add a link to every email you send out and your open rate will skyrocket!

Compare & Contrast Take a picture or video of two competing items you sell in your store. Post it on social media with the question, “Which do you prefer? Tell us why in the comments.”

Not only does it show off two of your products, it increases social media engagement, and your customers start selling your toys for you.

For Election Day Have a one-day promotion on Election Day to sell gift cards at 20% off. You will get a huge boost in cash now. Plus, everyone will have to come back to you to do their actual holiday shopping. Not all gift cards will be redeemed. But for those that are redeemed, customers on average will spend much more than the value of the card.

Staff Picks Take video of your team members showing off their favorite items. Make them goofy.

Include “outtakes” and behind-the-scenes footage.

Election Sticker Discount Offer a one-day sale for anyone wearing an “I Voted” sticker.

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Meet the Local Politicians Offer to post videos of your local politicians talking about their favorite childhood toys.

After Hours Appointments Make Santa available in the early evening by appointment only. It keeps the line down and makes it feel even more special to the kids to have the store to themselves.

Santa Paws Work with a professional photographer and a local Humane Society. People will pay for sittings with Santa and their puppy/kitty.

Half of the proceeds can go to Humane Society. And be sure to stock up on dog toys, first.

Large Santa Mailbox Have printed Wish Lists for kids to fill out as they wander your store. Have the kids put them in a large mailbox in your store. Then save the list for parents and grandparents to shop from later.

Decorate Santa’s Chair Have kids make ornaments and decorations they can put on Santa’s Chair. Parents can pick up ornaments the week before Christmas to put on their tree at home.

Smart, sneaky parents put them on the tree late Christmas Eve.

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KULLERBÜ –

BUILDS ON IMAGINATION

In-Store Events

Building Content Kids can build Legos, Plus-Plus, or any construction craft at home and bring them into your store on a Friday. You vote Saturday (instore and social media) and reward the winners Sunday.

Yo-Yo Competition While having a crowd to watch might not work, you can still require they film their presentation in your store. Post online and you will get a lot of social media traffic that translates into real traffic.

Gift-Wrapping Class Teach parents and children alike how to easily gift-wrap packages.

Unique track with built in steps to hold smaller dominoes. Set includes 2 different size sets of dominoes - one for the stairs and one for the table! Never ending fun. info@HABAusa.com • www.HABAusa.com • 800-468-6837

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For Charity

Percentage of Proceeds If a non-profit organization wants a donation, pick a special day and offer to give them 10% of the day’s sales. Make sure the organization understands they must do all the marketing.

Toys for Tots Morning Drive Partner with Toys for Tots (or similar organization) and a local radio station. Open early during the radio’s morning drive just for buying toys for the charity. Take credit card donations over phone and spend on toys in your store. Serve coffee and doughnuts for anyone who stops buy with money or toys.

Host a Meeting Find an organization that does fund drives (such as a Junior Welfare League, 100 Women Who Care, etc.). Offer to host their November meeting at your store after hours. Give them the chance to shop your store prior to or after meeting. Give them 10% of proceeds.

Church Nursery Shower Help your local churches upgrade their nursery rooms. Have a church official pick out a selection of toys. Deliver those toys to the church with a list. The church displays the toys and takes donations.

They return the unpurchased toys along with the money for what they kept. The key is having the congregation see what they are buying. astratoy.org • November2020

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toystories Donate Your Old Merchandise Do you have old merchandise that needs to be set on clearance? Make a pile, then send the principals of all your elementary schools a $100 gift certificate and let them “buy” what they want from your pile. It helps build your relationship with the schools and helps you put some good old merchandise into hands that can use them.

For Education

Teacher Loaner Program Build up a library of items that teachers can borrow and use for a week for FREE in their classroom (virtual or in-person). Not only does it get that teacher in your store, it gets that teacher talking about your store to a classroom full of potential customers.

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Offer Curriculum Let your homeschoolers post videos on your social media channels teaching lessons using your products (that you gave them for free). They will share it with their friends, family, and other homeschoolers.

Sponsor Book Clubs Have one or two books every two weeks that you advertise and sell as your current Book Club Book. Sell the books at a discounted price during that time. Have online discussions. You won’t make money on those books, but you will drive traffic, encourage reading, and make other sales.

Sponsor Classes There are music classes, sign-language classes, movement classes, and more for kids in your town. Sponsor them. Let them use your Zoom account for virtual class time. Give them products to use in their classes. Host them in your store.

Little Things that Mean a Lot Rainy Day Helpers Hire high school kids to walk customers to their car with a large umbrella on rainy Saturdays in December.

Post Your Hours Put a large banner outside your store with your holiday hours in big bold numbers and bring added attention to your store.

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Wear Uniforms Not only does it help customers find employees in the store, it helps brand awareness when you’re wearing your logo shirt at the gas station on the way to work or grocery store on the way home.

Window Display If you have them, use them. Rotate once a month and make them big.

In-store Signage Use directional signs that lead customers to different brands or categories, informational signs that teach about toys and toy shopping and/or creative signs with quotes, cute pictures, and nostalgia that hit you in the feels! Make sure you have new, fresh, up-to-date signage.

Other Things You Should be Doing

Press Releases Radio stations love to promote events when charities, children, and pets are involved.

Top Ten Toys Lists Local TV news shows loves to promote local experts telling people what toys to buy.

Consider using the ASTRA Best Toys for Kids list as a starting place.

Christmas Bundles Do them by age and price point. Themes are handy, too.

Wish Lists Whether you do a big Santa Mailbox or not, make sure kids are writing down what they want from your store.

Balloons Buy some cheap balloons, preferably with your logo printed on them. Use them to help get a crying kid out of the store. Use them for donations when people want something for their child’s fundraising event. Use them for decorations to highlight certain toys. Use them for freebies during events. It will be some of the best marketing money you ever spend. ASTRA

Alphabet Soup Celebrates a Wind Energy Anniversary

N

o doubt the toy industry tends to be on the cutting edge of forward thinking. After all, the industry caters to the children who will lead the next generation.

Greta Perl, owner at Alphabet Soup Children’s Toy Store in Ithaca, New York, is doing her part when it comes to thinking about climate change and how she powers her store.

This summer, Alphabet Soup celebrated its one-year Greta Perl, anniversary of being powered solely by wind power. Perl owner of Alphabet said she’s doing what she can on her end when it comes Soup, won the Retailer of to climate change. the Year in Ithaca, New York earlier this year. Perl switched “The environment and fighting against climate Alphabet Soup over to change is really important, particularly as a children’s 100-percent wind energy store,” she said. “Thinking about what world kids are to power her store growing up in, and what I can do to make it better. That’s in 2019. important.”

Although powered strictly by wind energy, it’s not as rugged as it sounds. There’s no windmill on top of Alphabet Soup in Ithaca, cranking out watts that are stored in Perl’s back room. She said it’s simply an option in New York when it comes time to choose a utility, and that there are several renewable energy options. Consumers are not responsible for generating the energy; it’s just a simple mark in a box.

She said it’s a little more expensive than traditional methods of power, but not so much more that it adversely affects her bottom line.

Although wind energy may be a unique way to power her toy store, Perl said visitors to her store would never know the difference. But, she said, it’s important for her to take steps each year to be more aware of her climate footprint, even if just in little ways.

“It’s sort of like a New Year’s resolution,” she said. “I think about wind energy this year, maybe next year I think about what items around the store can be reused or recycled a bit more. Little things like that make a difference.”

Although climate change has become a political ping pong ball of late, Perl said she hopeful that it won’t be a political issue moving forward.

Ithaca is in Upstate New York, which tends to be more Republican than the rest of the state around New York City. But Ithaca is also home to Cornell University, and college towns tend to lean more Democratic.

“We’re politically a mix in Ithaca, but to me, we all live on this planet. I don’t think it’s a political issue,” Perl said. “I think anyone who has children or is looking to the future at all should hopefully be thinking about these things little more and not make a political issue out of it.”

She said using wind energy has also helped with the message of shopping small.

“Another reason to shop small is that as a business, we’re making these efforts,” she said. “It reflects your values a little more than some of these bigger companies.”

Alphabet Soup won the award for Retailer of the Year from the Downtown Ithaca Alliance earlier this year. ASTRA astratoy.org • November2020

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trending now

Thrive

Independent Retailers

this Holiday Season

Kemi Tignor, Little Likes Kids LLC important than ever as a tool to deliver thoughtful gifts.

Don’t give up the hope

I

n the face of corporate behemoths like Amazon and Walmart, independent toy retailers certainly face competition, but in the wake of the current global pandemic, these large conglomerates are struggling more than ever.

An unprecedented overload of online shoppers has left Amazon with haphazard delivery wait times, and newly implemented safety precautions are exacerbating the problem. Amazon’s response to the pandemic has left customers dissatisfied, which hasn’t been good for business.

After seeing Amazon’s limitations, customers have turned to the competition as a more reliable means of shopping. This means there is a window opening for small toy retailers this shopping season.

The pandemic has hit hard, and no one knows when, or if, it will end. If your small business is struggling, it is even more essential not to give up this holiday season! The pandemic has presented an opportunity for you.

Enormous companies simply cannot meet the needs of every family who does their holiday shopping online this season.

Customers want, and need, help from traditional retailers who will deliver orders and provide curbside pickup.

As holiday shopping commences, and more people turn to online shopping than

ever before, small retailers must market themselves now.

We encourage you to get out there and promote your products to parents who want unique items from unique sellers. The market is not too saturated for your small toy company to be successful.

While it’s important to make your company and your products visible to shoppers through advertisements and other marketing strategies, you should also advertise special delivery options.

Customers want to know about concierge services, so tell them that you offer curbside pickup and delivery.

This holiday season, your small business selling toys has an opportunity to thrive! ASTRA

Trusting small businesses

If your company sells specialty items, there’s no need to worry about competition from large big box stores.

Here’s why.

Independent retailers who sell specialty toys fall into a particular niche. The customers who search for truly special toys want items that feel magical and will make an impact in the lives of their loved ones.

They’re not interested in filling stockings or stuffing their Christmas trees with items that are mass-produced, or ordinary.

These discerning parents want distinctive objects for their families, especially their children. The small business has what they’re looking for. This holiday season, specialty toy retailers will be more

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ASTRA

KALA UKULELE

MAKING THE HOLIDAYS MERRY & BRIGHT *lights not included

FIND YOUR FAVORITE AT KALABRAND.COM ASTRA-202010-Holiday-Waterman+-D1-lc.indd 2020_ASTRA_ToyTimes_04_Holiday.indd 21 1

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trending now

Working Towards a More

Inclusive and Diverse

TOY INDUSTRY

Lisa Orman, KidStuff Public Relations

I’m starting with our influencer database 22

D

uring this time of social unrest and many of us becoming more aware of the systemic racism in our society, I became aware that the group of vetted bloggers and influencers my agency works with are mostly white.

I’m not OK with that.

This wasn’t by design or by intention, but was the result of basing our decision on whether to work with them largely on the number of Followers, Likes and Comments their channels and posts had. Eyeballs, people!

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Of course, we looked at content quality too, but really only after they met the metrics. I’ve heard from plenty of families of color with an Instagram channel or blog, but we’ve turned most of them down because they fall way below our criteria.

KidStuff PR has been focusing on building awareness for toy and game companies, family health, wellness, safety, and entertainment services for 26 years. We have worked with mom bloggers for 16 years before they were “a thing”, and have worked with YouTubers for years.

Now, with a greater shift toward Instagram, we’ve built a team of IG influencers. We work with very small entrepreneurial toy businesses. Many are in the first months, or first year, of even existing. They are husbands and wives, sibling-owned or inventor-owned businesses. Many have invested their live savings, second-mortgaged their homes or run their business in addition to still having a full-time ‘day job.’ Since they’ve gone so far to bring their idea or invention to life, we find that usually means they have created something amazing!

These small businesses don’t have budgets to pay for sponsored posts, which has become the norm for bigger brands.

We work on a product in exchange for a review basis. The number of eyeballs who wee the posts about our clients does matter to them, but they have been extremely receptive to our initiative to make our team of influencers and bloggers more diverse and inclusive.

You may be asking yourself, why? Why are we making this change, and why now?

Much like the rest of the world, the toy industry is going through its own racial awakening. We wanted to understand why most influencers of color had smaller followings, so we analyzed our own business. We concluded that it's due in huge part to opportunity. So we decided to give families of color an opportunity to “play” with our brands and to educate our clients on the situation and the need to think beyond numbers. They readily agreed and understood the need.

We hope that doing so will provide a broader platform for their voices while promoting our clients’ wonderful products, and to represent the beautiful rainbow of children who need wonderful playthings. We want our brands to give the message “We are for you. All of you. We care about you and what you need.”

I recently received my Certified Play Expert credentials from ASTRA, and one thing that was hammered home during the course was the importance of play and different styles of play for all children and for their social, emotional and intelligence development.

Lack of play literally stunts children’s growth. Our industry owes it to all children to offer its products to all children and their skin color or where they live, or their economic conditions should not be a factor.

And guess what? ASTRA members are uniquely positioned to act on this and further positive change more so than other industries and even more so than bigger toy and game companies that may be members of other trade associations. Why? Because ASTRA members tend to be entrepreneurial, small business, often the owner runs the business. They often don’t have a board of directors to answer to, nor shareholders that might influence their decisions.

All of this means that if ASTRA members choose to be anti-racist and actively make things better for people of color, they have the power to do so. I hope to see that power activated.

Our agency cares deeply about being anti-racist and we are trying to make a change for the good. We wrote and shared a statement about systemic racism on our website. We are encouraging our clients to do the same. ASTRA

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ASTRA news

ASTRA Innovation Council News Roger Bildsten, Hip Hooray LLC

GETTING READY FOR 2021!

The ASTRA Toolkit™ Grows In July the ASTRA Innovation Council began posting Toolkit ideas to encourage members as they prepare for the important fourth quarter. By now you will have seen several posts on ASTRA Connect and will recognize the Toolkit brand: ASTRA Toolkit™ These posts have generated productive member dialog and we’ve received solid feedback from you. Keep watching ‘ASTRA Connect All Members’ for more Toolkit ideas.

The Innovation Council is still adding to the Toolkit library as we begin to look toward 2021 in these unprecedented times!

Still Focused on the BIG PICTURE Let’s take a break from the word “unprecedented”. How about something simpler? How about “new”? We are living in new times, and we need to be ready for whatever becomes the next “new normal” or the new “next normal”! But even with all of this “new” some fundamentals remain important. Early in 2020 — before covid-19 entered our consciousness — the Innovation Council identified two priorities to start the year. We are circling back to those priorities because they are still very real — even in these new times. One of the

priorities is MARKET focused and the other priority is ASSOCIATION focused.

MARKET FOCUS - Identify strategies for improving consumer awareness of the experience, community, and identity advantages provided by independent toy retail members of the ASTRA ecosystem, and recommend tactics to drive consumers to those retailers. ASSOCIATION FOCUS - Identify strategies to foster improved collaboration between retailers, reps, and manufacturers in order to enhance performance of the entire ASTRA ecosystem.

These top line priorities are as important as ever. We can apply our months of experience with lockdowns, closures, distancing, and so many other challenges (continued on page 26)

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ASTRA news (continued from page 24) to how we address these priorities for the “new normal”. The council is studying ways our independent retail, manufacturer, and rep universe can prosper in these new times. Look for updates on our MARKET and ASSOCIATION strategies!

Time to move on As I write this update in late August, the ASTRA Innovation Council is running well with a great team of dedicated members.

It’s a good time for me to step aside as chair of the Innovation Council. I plan to remain active with the council and I hope the next Innovation Council chair will have as much fun as I’ve had tackling priority topics of importance to the independent play community. A big thanks to the smart, dedicated Innovation Council members; to ASTRA leadership for the solid support we have received; and to you. Thank you!

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Save the Date: ASTRA Events ASTRA Camp: Winter Edition | February 20 – 23, 2021 | Virtual

We had so much fun in August that we’re heading to ASTRA Camp again! Mark your calendars for February 20 – 23, 2020 and get ready to embark on a wintery virtual experience where you’ll discover the newest products and spend time reconnecting with your toy family after the holidays. More details are on the way, but start packing your snowshoes, skis and puffiest winter jacket because ASTRA Winter Camp, here we come!

ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy | June 6 - 9, 2021 | Minneapolis, MN

We’re heading to Minneapolis, Minnesota for our annual Marketplace & Academy trade show and conference in June! We recognize there are a number of factors that may impact the show, and ASTRA staff continues to remain in regular communication with all who are involved in the planning, including the city of Minneapolis and the Minneapolis Convention Center. We will keep you informed of any updates and changes and encourage you to bookmark www. marketplaceandacademy.org for the latest, up-to-date information.

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NEW members If any of the information below is incorrect, ASTRA truly apologizes. Please contact us immediately at info@astratoy.org.

AFFILIATES

Play on Words LLC 888 Flintlock Rd Southport, CT 06890 sherry@playonwords.com www.playonwords.com Kids Insights 252 W 37th St Fl 17 New York, NY 10018-6636 nick@theinsightspeople.com www.kidsinsights.com MANUFACTURERS

Box Blox 1900 E Golf Rd Ste 950 Schaumburg, IL 60173 dpack@insightful-group.com www.myboxblox.com

American Bubble Company 325 N Larchmont Blvd Ste 230 Los Angeles, CA 90004-3011 gw@americanbubble.com D. Robbins & Co. Inc 114-D Melrich Road Cranbury, NJ 08512 salesmanager@e-zmagic.com www.ezmagicrobbins.com Orangeonions 20801 Miles Rd Unit D Cleveland, OH 44128-4520 dovi@kutoff.com OMY 18 Olsen Rd Rhinebeck, NY 12572-2260 stephanie@omy-usa.com

Enlightened Little Souls, Inc 204 37th Ave N # 452 Saint Petersburg, FL 33704-1416 jpd@enlightenedlittlesouls.com www.izzyandme.com Yogi Fun Tel Aviv, Israel guy@yogi-fun.com www.yogi-fun.com

Debaser Electronics 1701 Lion Heart Dr Cedar Park, TX 78613-3523 debaser.tx@gmail.com WORLD 1-1 GAMES 379 Town Ctr E Santa Maria, CA 93454-5159 world1onegames@gmail.com

RH Reny Inc 731 Route 1 RETAILERS Newcastle, ME 04553-3923 MG Collectibles and Toys, LLC mpoland@renys.com 90 Walnut St Staten Island, NY 10310-1644 g.matthew@ mgcollectiblesandtoys.com

The Colorful, Realistic Plush that’s on everyone’s list this year!

In Stock and Ready to Ship for this Holiday Season!

To Request a Catalog or Place and Order, contact info@realplanettoys.com or (818)349-5300

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ASTRA welcomes its newest manufacturer members

Holly Springs, NC www.triactiontoys.com TriAction Toys LLC is a new importer of various lines from Europe including Les Deglingos from France and Teddykompaniet from Sweden.

They also carry WhatsItsFace a patented plush toy with 6 faces.

We are starting manufacturing in 2021 with a major license TBA.

Cleveland, OH

Saint Petersburg, FL IZZYandMe.com

We are a toy company with a focus on imagination. From dolls and stuffed toys you just can’t put down to subscriptions that keep kids playing- each of our brands provide unique and timeless items that are sure to spread smiles to the young and young at heart.

We're the creators of FUN WITH THE SON! A "Keep Christ in Christmas" gift set and alternative to the Elf, which includes the hardcover book: JESUS UNDER THE TREE! Our specialty is spiritually uplifting books, plush toys and dolls, and activities for kids.

Tel Aviv, ISRAEL

Los Angeles, CA

YOGi FUN is a company devoted to the creation of yoga based games for kids.

Since 2016 we are creating beautiful yoga games such as Puzzles, cards, Matching game & Domino for everyone, anywhere. We wish to remind all of us about the the important things in life health & happiness.

American Bubble Company established in early 2020 will launch Bubble Tree. A brand first of its kind to create a patented bubble system that incorporates eco-friendly sustainable bubble solution and bubble bottles.

This self-contained bubble system is refillable, recyclable and reusable will be available January 2021. Bubble Tree was created by industry veterans who wanted to revolutionize the way we play with bubbles today. As a company we pride ourselves that all of our products are designed, made and manufactured in America.

Rhinebeck, NY https://www.dropbox.com/s/ mgkqshmt6rivj1a/CATALOG%20AND%20 LEAFLET-SEPT-2020-HD.pdf?dl=0 OMY is an illustration studio that specializes in extra-large formats of creative activities to share with your peers. OMY launched the “original” XXL coloring roll in 2012, it became a staple in households throughout the world…

OMY has expanded its collection to more than 50 themes and many other sizes.

OMY’s illustrations are filled with fun details for all ages

New York, NY Kids Insights specializes in research and insights on kids and their ecosystems.

Kids Insights now survey more than 5,000 children every week, across five continents and 13 countries, or more than 277,000 children a year. Our real-time portal is continually updated to allow our clients to spot the latest trends before their competitors do. Our insight-led reports are produced by some of the top kids’ researchers and have seen us short-listed for a number of start-up and innovation awards.

astratoy.org • November2020

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FREE

RENEW YOUR

SUBSCRIPTION online at edplay.com

Renew for free online, and request enough copies for your entire staff.

Dedicated to

30

the Specialty Toy Industry

index of advertisers ASTRA Toy Times Magazine, November 2020 Adventerra Games North America................ adventerragamesusa.com........................... 9 Bruder Toys............................................................ brudertoys.com............................................... 7 DJECO US................................................................ djeco-us.com..................................................15 Fat Brain Toy Co.................................................... FatBrainToyCo.com.........inside front cover Funsparks............................................................... funsparks.com................................................25 HABA / Habermaass Corp................................. habausa.com..................................................17 Harrisville Designs............................................... friendlyloom.com.........................................11 JC Toys Group Incorporated............................ jctoys.com.......................................................13 Kala Brand Music Co........................................... kalabrand.com...............................................21 Kent Displays (Boogie Board eWriters)........ myboogieboard.com..................................... 5 KidStuff Public Relations................................... kidstuffpr.com................................................17 The Learning Journey Intl................................. tlji.com..............................................................26 Maple Landmark Woodcraft............................ maplelandmark.com...................................18 Micro Kickboard................................................... microkickboard.com....................................12 MW Wholesale...................................................... mwwholesale.biz..........................................27 Real Planet Toys.................................................... realplanettoys.com......................................28 Sophia's................................................................... shopsophias.com..........................................24 Spikeball Inc.......................................................... wholesale.spikeball.com............................23 U.S. Games Systems............................................ usgamesinc.com...........................................31 Wikki Stix................................................................ wikkistix.com..................................................30 Winning Moves.................................................... winning-moves.com...................back cover

To reserve your ad in the next issue, contact Rick Kauder (315) 789-0458 • rkauder@fwpi.com

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