Edplay NovDec 2019 by Fahy-Williams Publishing

For People Who Sell Toys

November/December 2019

A Saratoga Toy Store Creates

Magic

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wordPlay Old Salty Dog Blues by Kevin Fahy

I’m not getting any younger. I suspect that you’re not, either, and perhaps your customers are moving a little slower lately as well. Last year, there were approximately 52 million Americans over the age of 65, which amounts to 16 percent of the population. By 2060, the number is expected to reach 95 million, or 23 percent of the projected population. In the next decade alone, the aging of the baby boom generation will add 18 million people to that demographic. We know a lot about those people. (Some of us know a lot more than we should, but that’s another editorial.) One of the things we know is that older folks are much more likely to live in rural areas, where they make up more than a quarter of the population. Another is that they are more interested in politics, and not simply as voters, or activists, but as candidates. Among the Democratic contenders for the 2020 presidential nomination, the top three are all past 70. The current president, and likely Republican nominee, is 73. The question is whether or not age matters, and if so, how old is too old? Joe Biden, who is about to turn 77, has committed a number of gaffes on the

campaign trail, and stumbled his way through the first two presidential debates. When former housing secretary Julian Castro accused him of forgetting what he had said only moments earlier, Biden responded by asking Bernie Sanders what Castro was talking about. That was a striking image, as one near-octogenarian consulted with another. A few minutes later, Biden put another dent in his campaign by giving a marginally coherent answer to a question about racial justice, which he concluded by advising African-Americans to play the “record player” at night. The scene was a “Saturday Night Live” skit waiting to happen, but a couple weeks later there came a more sobering reminder of the aging process. Senator Sanders suffered a heart attack. It’s not that unusual for a 78-year-old man to have a mild heart attack that requires the insertion of a stent. One of the guys I play tennis with, a fit 64, had the same thing happen a few months ago and was back on the court a week later. It is very unusual among people running for president, however. I don’t recall it ever happening before, although Lyndon Johnson had a severe heart attack at the age of 47, (continued on page 5) November/December 2019 • • • • • edplay.com 3

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For People Who Sell Toys

November/December 2019 8

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Wordplay

Old Salty Dog Blues by Kevin Fahy

Holiday Magic

Toy-store owner Linda Ambrosino creates awe-inspiring window displays and in-store atmospheres.

What We’ve Learned in 2019

In the spirit of making next year even better, Sandy Ruben discusses important industry operations.

Hot Dates

Go Ahead. Disrupt Yourself.

Enlightening info on January tradeshows.

Holiday Shopping Trends Based on Back-to-School Shopping Insights

38 endcap Carrera: A Fine Motor Skills Experience

Data collectors and crunchers reveal new shopping behaviors.

Industry News

10 Questions for Idanna Smith

For Your Business Information

New & True

Index of Advertisers

The president of The Good Toy Group and an ASTRA Lifetime Achievement Award winner discloses secret talents and a wished-for skill.

34 retailers recommend Fabulous Products

Cover photo of G. Willikers provided by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce

Here’s how, and why it’s better than being disrupted by an outside force.

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wordPlay

(continued from page 3) eight years before he became president. President Dwight Eisenhower had a heart attack in 1955, and was re-elected the following year. In the case of Joe Biden, the public has been more concerned with his mental condition than physical. It has put his spokespeople in the ironic position of arguing that his mistakes are the result of his personality, not his age. In other words, he’s always been this way. The other leading Democrat is a few years younger but seems to be (and actually is) from an

entirely different generation. At 70, Elizabeth Warren bounds around the stage like a teenager and hangs around for hours after every event, posing for selfies. If she suffers any ill effects from aging, she is one heck of an actress. Then there is President Trump. He is 73, has heart disease, is substantially overweight, eats a diet of cheeseburgers, believes that exercise is bad for you, doesn’t get nearly enough sleep and has the highest-stress job in the world. What could go wrong? Those of us who are

“getting up there” can tell ourselves that 70 is the new 50, or whatever, but average life expectancy in the United States is about 78. More than 90 percent of people over 65 have at least one chronic illness such as diabetes or heart disease, and the numbers only get worse after that. I’m not suggesting that seniors should just hang it up and go home, nor that any of us shouldn’t consider older job applicants for our businesses, merely that we shouldn’t pretend that anyone is unaffected by (continued on page 7)

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The original B2B magazine for the specialty toy industry, edplay has been devoted to locally owned and independent stores for 25 years.

PUBLISHER J. Kevin Fahy kfahy@fwpi.com

EDITORIAL Tina Manzer, Director tmanzer@fwpi.com

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Tim Braden tbraden@fwpi.com

ART Mark Stash Production Manager mstash@fwpi.com

ADVERTISING SALES Ashley Cavanagh ashley@fwpi.com E-NEWLETTER & ONLINE ADVERTISING Rick Kauder rkauder@fwpi.com

Maia VanOrman Designer maia@fwpi.com Christopher Cornet Designer christopher@fwpi.com

RESERVE AN AD Issue Deadline Jan/Feb 2019................................ November 30 Mar/Apr 2019..................................... February 1 May/June 2019 .....................................March 29 July/Aug 2019 ............................................. June 7 Sept/Oct 2019.........................................August 2 Nov/Dec 2019.......................................October 4

Fahy-Williams also publishes Toy Times

MARKETING DIRECTOR Amy Colburn amy@fwpi.com

for the Rochester Builders Exchange

Educational Dealer

Around the Table

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EDITORIAL OFFICES PO Box 1080, 171 Reed St Geneva, NY 14456 800-344-0559, 315-789-0458 FAX: 315-789-4263

ROBEX

the magazine of the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association

Life in the Finger Lakes

the magazine of the Game Manufacturers Association

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Art Materials Retailer artmaterialsretailer.com

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wordPlay

(continued from page 5)

time. That includes ourselves. Last week I was playing tennis with three other members of my own generation, on a freakishly hot autumn day. About halfway through the match, I realized that the heat was affecting me more seriously than it would have in the past. I even began to wonder whether or not I could die out there, but being a relatively competitive person, I figured the odds were pretty good that somebody else would die first. At any rate, it was pretty clear that a career in professional athletics is off the table at this point. It might be more sensible to consider the career I have now. At 66, am I too old to run a small company in this industry? Well, if I am, a lot of other people in the industry are as well. That tends to be the case in a relatively small business segment such as specialty toys, where there are hundreds of companies being operated by their founders. Those entrepreneurs may stay on indefinitely, either because they are so attached to their creations, or because they can’t find the door. I can’t speak for my fellow baby boomers, but I have no problem admitting that I’ve lost a step. Words don’t come to me as fluently as they did when I started writing these columns 35 years ago. I don’t have the energy or the drive to work long hours and travel all over the country as I did back then, and I’m a lot more willing to let other people make strategic decisions. Of course I like to think I could dial it up if circumstances

demanded it, and perhaps I could, at least for a while. It probably says a lot that I don’t really care to find out. If you think that people should retire from executive careers when they begin to decline mentally, then virtually everyone reading this magazine should cash out. Studies have shown that some types of mental acuity start to decrease in our twenties, and most measures of intellect are moving south by our forties. The rate of decline after 70 is disturbing, to say the least. Gallup reports that working Americans, on average, expect to retire at 66, but the average actual retirement age is 63. According to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, there are four main factors that cause most people to leave the workforce at a relatively young age. By far the most common, sadly, are health problems. The next most common cause is losing one’s job, for whatever

reason, followed by family issues. Most of these are healthrelated as well, but they also include divorce, a spouse who retires, grandchildren who need supervision, etc. Finally, some people have a sudden change in financial circumstances, like an inheritance or other windfall. It would be nice if things just came together perfectly, that you are ready to retire at the same time you can afford it, your family’s on board and your business is all set to run without you. As my father used to say, timing is everything. If, on the other hand, you find yourself elderly and still anxious to take on a huge new job, you could always run for president.

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HOLIDAY Magic Story by Claire Sykes, photos courtesy the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce

ach year during the holidays, the curtain rises on the delightful walk-in window display at G. Willikers, a toy store in Saratoga Springs, New York. Drawing on her theater set-design skills, owner Linda Ambrosino dreams up each idea, and then she and her staff start building. One Christmas, a huge ballerina turned circles on top of a music box. In another, a Santa likeness sprung out of a giant Jack-in-the-box. In 1986, Linda was managing a restaurant, but her role lacked creativity. She started looking for something else – something that the theater major would enjoy as much as playing Stella in a production of “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

She had always liked retail and working with people, and thought that with a store, she could create a little drama. After making a list of shops in downtown Saratoga and then another list of shops that were missing, Linda settled on a toy store. By combining her imagination with a little magic and fantasy, she opened G. Willikers. Over the past 33 years, she’s been able to replicate the successful formula to open two more – in Albany and in Katonah, New York. A wide variety of curated products play a leading role in the store’s success. They’ve inspired standing ovations from customers loyal and new. They give Linda’s stores nothing but rave reviews.

What kind of atmosphere do you strive to create in your stores? Fun, exhilarating, educational, welcoming, and at times, peaceful. I have a lot of play areas in the Saratoga store. In the back there’s a coloring table, a train set and building toys. On the other side of the store, we have a dollhouse, a kitchen set and a Calico Critters house. There’s something in every corner. The other two stores also have play areas. What are customers looking for? How do you meet their needs? Sometimes they’re looking for something to entertain kids when they go out for dinner. Or, they want a gift for a birthday

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what types of toys children play with, and what babies put in their mouths. They’re also looking for something different and intriguing, something that’s going to stand the test of time and not fall apart. They want quality, and they want to go into a store and have someone wait on them. I think that’s super important to be able to help somebody. Albany wants these things, too, but customers there are more of a mix, more commuters.

I L K L I E RS W . G at party. We can help them best if they can tell us something about the child and the situation. Do they want birthday-party grabbag gifts? Do they want to give their grandchild his or her first wooden blocks? Today, more and more people want games, and science books and toys. Whatever it is, I like to offer different options and price ranges. Everyone wants us to gift wrap, which we’re happy to do, free of charge. We have a whole selection of papers and ribbons. Delivery to anyone in the Saratoga city limits is also free. We’ll also put together a train set or dollhouse for free, with 24-hour notice. Do all your stores carry the same mix? Merchandise depends on

each store’s customer needs, and each manager brings their own personality to the mix. The Albany store doesn’t carry a lot of books, and neither does the one in Katonah, because both have bookstores nearby. We sell baby clothes in Saratoga and Katonah, but not in Albany. Bestsellers depend on the child’s age. Three-year-olds might want baby dolls; older children like Magna-Tiles. The games category has grown, as has science because of the emphasis on STEM in schools. Plus-Plus is one of our bestsellers; so is GraviTrax. And we’re doing really well with Thames & Kosmos Light-Up Globes. Customers in Saratoga and Katonah are families with gift-giving grandparents, aunts and uncles. They care about

What new products did you bring in this year? What will you be looking for at Toy Fair? Other than Melissa & Doug’s Magnetivity, I didn’t bring in any new lines; I just expanded on last season’s. I don’t know about Toy Fair yet. We go with a book we’ve kept all year. It lists products that customers have asked for that we haven’t found yet. It includes the name of the person, whether the toy is for a boy or a girl, and the child’s age. We walk every day of the show, every aisle, taking notes. I try to stay true to who I am, but I’m always open to people who want to show me something new. I don’t agonize over should I or shouldn’t I carry something. I’m not afraid to make mistakes. I don’t beat myself up. I just correct it and move on. How big are your stores? The G. Willikers in downtown Saratoga, which opened in 1986, is 2,200 square feet. In 2004, I opened Albany with 1,200 square feet. It’s in a lovely high-end strip plaza with other independent stores and a few chains. Three years ago we opened 900-square-foot Katonah.

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What makes those communities good for independent retail, especially toy stores? Saratoga is an awesome town. It’s always had a thriving downtown and people shop it frequently. In addition to offices downtown, Skidmore College is up a few blocks one way with the hospital a few blocks the other way, plus condos and apartments, restaurants and other businesses. Saratoga Race Course, a thoroughbred horse racing track; and Saratoga Performing Arts Center attract a lot of people in the summer. By fall, there’s a lot going on at the convention center. There was no toy store here until I opened G. Willikers. Local families visit us daily on their outings to the library and the children’s museum. Katonah, in Westchester County closer to New York City, is similar to Saratoga, only tinier. The Albany store isn’t in a residential area; it’s more of a destination. Who are your competitors and how do you differentiate yourself from them? Our biggest competitor is Amazon. It can be frustrating

when the difference in price is only 98 cents, or when what’s online isn’t what customers think it is. I’ll go into Walmart or Target and see what they have, but honestly: I usually don’t see things I’d want to sell. I also don’t have the room or the financial ability to carry some of the things Walmart carries. They have their place, I have mine. Neither is better than the other; I’m just smaller. So I’ll fill my stores with products the other stores don’t have. If they carry a brand I love, I’ll sell the parts of it they don’t. We try to check pricing when new items come in here. We keep our prices in line with other places as much as we can, but sometimes we can’t because we pay more in shipping costs, for instance. If someone tells me they can get something at a lower price than what I bought it for, my first reaction is, “Go buy it.” How much has customer loyalty contributed to your success? Loyal customers are everything. We wouldn’t be here if they didn’t make the effort to come downtown knowing that it might

be hard to find a parking spot. Our customers make the conscious decision to come into the store and buy something from us, even if it costs more than what they’d find on Amazon. Sometimes their choice is based in knowing that if people didn’t choose us, the store might go away. What do you most enjoy about being a retailer? The customers. How can you not love the customers? They all have stories. They have children, grandchildren, and you get to meet them, and see the children grow up. They’re amazing. Sometimes they throw tantrums and don’t want to leave the store, and that’s good advertising! I also enjoy picking stuff out. I like making the choices; finding something that I think will be valuable to others. I like sharing. Retailing is so gratifying. Some days I wake up and think, “I am so lucky.” I love where I live. I love what I do. I’m happy. I have a wonderful husband and daughter and three grandchildren. I’m fulfilling my dream of doing something that I feel satisfaction with, that I enjoy.

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What We’ve Learned in In the spirit of making next year even better, manufacturers’ rep Sandy Ruben recaps what he’s learned about the operations crucial to our success. We’ve learned that the specialty toy industry is a good place for retailers who recognize their role as an integral part of their community. Many of them spend a tremendous amount of energy and enthusiasm providing fun, interesting, and even wacky events that bring lots of families to their stores. Their reward has been increased loyalty from their customers. We continue to learn that retailers love their merchandise, but some love it too much. The same items can sit unsold on shelves for two, three, and even five years. Some stores do a great job of moving merchandise that doesn’t sell quickly, but they are definitely in the minority. Many others feel that their original decision to buy the line in the first place was a good one, even when their sell-through reports tell them a different story. “It will sell. It just needs time,” is something I hear too often. We’ve learned that most manufacturers don’t realize how many retailers do their reordering by simply eyeing their inventory and counting the individual pieces. There are still quite a few retailers in our industry who don’t have a point-of-sale system. Plus, a number of them do, but don’t find them reliable and so they keep counting. Others simply prefer to count. Video monitors that show how a toy is used – and thus help stores sell the toy – have become a mainstay in almost every specialty toy store. Even so, it is a rarity to find every monitor on and working. The reasons for this vary: some arrived defective and were never reported. Some come with poorly written instructions, or are lacking instructions altogether. Many times, retailers place the monitor in a spot where there’s no electrical outlet. In other cases, store staffers have found the repetitive soundtrack annoying and have turned off the monitors. It has become harder to stay in business as a small manufacturer. Think of the number of companies that have gone out of business or have been acquired in the last 10 years. On the flipside, think of the many success stories we’ve heard about companies that have enjoyed tremendous growth to become “large” by our industry standards. My point is this: the challenges of being a small manufacturer are immense. We need to recognize and congratulate the ones who overcome these challenges year in and year out to provide us with the products our customers love. We learned that opening a retail store in multiple locations does not always lead to success. Make sure to protect what you’ve worked so hard to establish. One retailer we know has four locations, all opened as separate LLCs with separate tax ID numbers. A fifth store closed, but because it was a separate LLC, the original four stores were not impacted. 12 edplay.com • • • • • November/December 2019

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Manufacturers are releasing more new products midyear. That’s great, but the fact they have stopped printing new-product sell sheets for reps is not great. In an informal survey, I found that more than 90 percent of a small group of reps nationwide are not color-printing every sell sheet that is emailed to them. Some print in black and white, others print a portion of the sheets in color, and some just don’t print any at all – they feel it’s the manufacturers’ responsibility. The tragic result is that retailers don’t always find out about midyear releases. Manufacturers also may have given up on printing price lists. When they send or hand out beautiful catalogs in the beginning of the year, most do not contain prices. It would make sense for manufacturers to provide them, but we don’t see this moving in that direction. Retailers tell us they are getting frustrated by the lack of price list availability. Specialty toy retailers’ biggest pet peeve in 2019 has been the “invoice issue.” Personally, I received more than 400 calls this year from retailers asking if I can help them get a specific invoice from a manufacturer. Retailers want to pay their bills. They just need the invoices to do so. Hopefully in 2020, manufacturers will address this issue and find a workable solution. Many stores in our industry have not developed a “vision” for their displays, which often impacts sales. In many cases, the merchandiser is the person who happened to be working the day a shipment arrives. Instead of creating a display of the new items, the employee just finds a place to put them, with no regard for what works by theme or age. The merchandise may be placed in the proper category – games, for instance – but the age range within the category is ignored. The result (and I’ve seen this often) is a game for 5-year-olds next to a game for 16-year-olds next to a game for 3-year-olds next to a game for 12-year-olds … This year, we have seen an increase in the disposal of cardboard PDQ displays that tell a story about the merchandise they hold. The reason for their disappearance is to save space. In many cases, the items that sold great in their display now languish on generic shelves. The sales of children’s books in specialty toy stores have experienced a tremendous resurgence. Many stores have expanded their sections to keep up, and then have expanded again. The greatest growth has been in books for kids ages 1 through 6. We learned that when given a choice, many specialty toy store employees choose to stay in retail. Paying them a fair wage helps, but the overriding factor in keeping them has been the love and support that they feel from the owner, the manager, and their coworkers. When the team at a toy store enjoys their workplace environment and feels cared for, they often stay for years Thanks to the ties we continue to establish with one another, the specialty toy community is one of the closest industries out there. The love and caring that’s shown to those in need is amazing! We are fortunate to be a part of this unique and special group. Let’s keep treasuring the things that make it work and try to change the ones that don’t.

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Hot Dates November 21-24, 2019 (Thursday through Sunday)

Chicago Toy & Game Week

Navy Pier chitag.com This annual extravaganza celebrates toys, games, innovation and fun. It has something for everyone, including members of the media, consumers, and the trade. It offers entrepreneurs, inventors and toy-andgame manufacturers the coverage, connections and engagement they need right before the holidays. Founded in 2003 by the Chicago Toy & Game Group (ChiTAG), the event has grown to include several components over the years, including The Toy and Game Innovation Awards. Following a public voting period, winners will be revealed Friday, November 22 at an elegant gala. Among the finalists are Illinois-based Gray Matters Games, in the category of “Rising Star of the Year.” Its new strategic trivia game, The Game of Wolf, was recommended by Mensa Mind Games and is also a Tillywig 2019 Top Fun Award Winner. Hoyle, a brand of the United States Playing Card Company, has been named a finalist in the “Innovative Art & Visuals” of the Year category for its game, Super Me! The emotional intelligence game includes elements of memory and matching, and reinforces skills like making good choices, helping others, and empathy. Now in their 12th year, The TAGIEs recognize the brightest innovators, designers and marketers in the industry, along with the teams who worked with the inventors to bring their ideas to life.

January 6-9, 2020 (Monday through Thursday)

The Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair

Hong Kong Convention & Visitors Centre event.hktdc.com/fair/hktoyfair-en One of the most important trade fairs serving the Asian market, the Hong Kong show paves the way for lasting business relationships between Africa, America and Europe, as well as the Asia-Pacific region. Steve Starobinsky, chief discovery officer at Diverse Insights, says it’s a great place to spot trends early in the new year. In his post about the 2019 show, Steve reported on new trends like the renaissance of Scratch Art, “arcade-at-home” games, and “crash transformation trucks” – toys that show visible damage when they’re crashed and recrashed, but are fixed with the push of a button.

January 7-10, 2020 (Tuesday through Friday)

Consumer Electronics Show

Las Vegas Convention Center ces.tech Now in its 51st year, CES is where you’ll see cutting-edge innovation in every industry imaginable. It features nearly 4,000 exhibiting companies, and more than 170,000 people attend from 150 countries. The CES conference program includes more than 300 different sessions. Among them are the Kids@Play and Family Tech Summits, scheduled for

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of tablets to foster socialization skills. One product, Beyond Tablet, encourages personto-person interaction among children, teachers and parents through sensing and object recognition on the tool’s surface. “Finally, as we continue to be mindful about the impact of technology in the toy and youth entertainment space, it was interesting to see the number of products featuring tech to help parents manage their kids’ tech usage,” Ken concluded.

January 8 through 14, 2020 (Wednesday through Tuesday)

Dallas Market Center Total Home & Gift Market

dallasmarketcenter.com By rearranging the dates of its traditional January markets, the Dallas Market Center has made the home and gift market its first of the year. Even more significant, the move puts it ahead of the

Atlanta market, scheduled for January 14 through 21. “With these new dates, Dallas Market Center steps into a new calendar position with the first shows of the new year in 2020,” said the center’s date-change announcement in 2018. “This change follows a move by the market center in Atlanta, which shifted its traditional January dates a week later and on top of the dates previously announced by Dallas Market Center. Following that unexpected action, Dallas Market Center sought input from a range of customers including sales representatives, exhibitors and retailers, as to whether to keep the existing dates or to make a move to new dates clear of any overlaps.” For retailers, Dallas becomes the first opportunity to source new products in the U.S. with their open-to-buy dollars, and their first point of access to in-stock merchandise – key to refilling depleted inventories after the holidays.

For license information please refer to our internet page as well as the 2019 Carrera RC catalogue.

Thursday January 9 in 2020. They’ll offer a glimpse at the modern family’s adoption of technology in school, at home, at work, and at play. Among the topics are “STEM Education: What Works and What Doesn’t,” “SVoD (subscription video on demand): New Services for Kids are Here,” “The Future of AR and VR for Kids,” and “Family Safety: On and Off the Web.” “Year after year we look forward to being a part of Kids@ Play at CES,” says Kimberly Mosely, ASTRA president. “Our main messages when we’re there is that the neighborhood toy store is more than traditional toys. We want to dash the misperception that toy stores only carry yo-yos and wooden trains. Store owners are looking at/paying attention to the IoT, and electronics and technology as they relate to toys and games. Specialty toy store owners will carry the best of these products, and will have the in-house experts to help parents and caregivers understand these products e.g. age appropriateness, how to use it, setting limits on screen time, etc. “ASTRA members recognize the importance of play, and the positive effects it has on both children and adults,” she adds. “We recognize and advocate for play across the lifespan.” In an interview with “Toys News Tuesday,” Ken Seiter from the Toy Association discussed some of the trends he spotted at CES 2019. He commented on the large number of products that empowered kids – the ones that encouraged children to create their own robot, or game, “or other kind of engaging activity.” Ken also discussed the wide use

carrera-toys.com

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HotDates

January 29 through February 2, 2020 (Wednesday to Sunday)

Spielwarenmesse

Nuremberg spielwarenmesse.de/en/trends The Trend Committee of Germany’s giant toy show recently identified three promising toy trends to watch for in the new year. Toys for the Future Sustainability in Play As school children around the world take part in Fridays for Future and other actions that call attention to climate change, the toy industry offers products that focus on climate protection and sustainability. This toy trend promotes environmentally-friendly behavior and raises awareness through play; in addition to encompassing toys made from ecological materials, and items that have been upcycled or recycled. Digital Goes Physical Virtual figures “get real” Characters from well-known computer games, e-sports, YouTube channels, and apps are entering the world of conventional toys by becoming popular

photo by Sebastian Widmann for Spielwarenmesse

licenses. The characters’ physical counterparts become an extension of virtual reality; opening the door to new experiences through play. Be You! Play for all This trend brings together two objectives: helping people with special needs and promoting tolerance, inclusion and diversity. For example, children with developmental disabilities need toys that are not only fun, but can also help them learn, grow, and be intellectually stimulated. Toys like sensory boards and the Teeter Popper bring joy and help develop skills.

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Go Ahead.

DisruptYourself. Disruption in business is inevitable. Marketplaces shift. Customer needs evolve. New technology emerges. Employees come and go. But it’s far better for your company to disrupt itself than to be disrupted by an outside force, says Quint Studer, author of The Busy Leader’s Handbook: How to Lead People and Places That Thrive. Being proactive, not reactive, will let you strategize and better control the process. “Over the years, I have recommended actions to improve performance and results,” says Studer, a lifelong businessman and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of West Florida. “But I get pushback from people who are uncomfortable with change. They say, ‘We’re fine doing things the way we’ve always done them.’ However, much of a leader’s job is steering an organization through discomfort.” Here are some of his tips for handling that. Reevaluate your company regularly Schedule a time to pick apart your processes and systems, and keep that date no matter what. Take it one department at a time. You are likely to find that what you think is happening inside your company isn’t at all. This will give you a chance to “disrupt yourself,” or step in and make needed changes. Ask questions Never be afraid to ask questions for fear you might not like the answers. Regularly ask employees what they think your business’s biggest challenges are. What might it do differently?

What is holding it back and what is working well? Ask customers how you can better serve them, when and where you’ve exceeded expectations, and what problems you solve for them.

Own the messages that unsettle you It’s easy to blame someone else. Instead, take ownership of the negative feedback that makes you uncomfortable and figure out some solutions. Those who own the messages themselves – and make the changes necessary to turn them around – are the real leaders. Make it a cultural standard to immediately admit to mistakes It’s unsettling, but owning up to mistakes allows you to quickly fix issues and correct the course. Say, “I was wrong,” when you need to, and make sure it’s psychologically safe for others to do so as well. Don’t punish mistakes. Make it clear that mistakes are a necessary part of learning and growth. Urge employees to get in on the self-disruption, too When your employees see that you’re constantly evaluating how your specialty toy business is doing, they’ll get involved, too. It won’t be just you, the business owner, looking for ways to improve. It will be everyone working together. Those closest to the process are often the best ones to disrupt and improve it. The beauty of regular selfdisruption is that it creates a culture in which people continually look for a better way to do things;

culture in which no one is satisfied with anything less than the best. As you constantly seek to disrupt and unsettle yourself, don’t forget to recognize and celebrate what’s going right. Celebrate the wins with employees, and praise and reward your high performers. This keeps engagement and morale high and encourages employees to work even harder and smarter. Discomfort is neither good nor bad, but simply a byproduct of change. That new baby, new job, new house, car, city, or even that new understanding can all cause discomfort, yet most people agree that once the dust settles, the change was worth the temporary discomfort. “Leadership means unsettling ourselves and others,” concludes Studer. “The most effective leaders realize that being unsettled is part of the process of life, and they work to understand and role-model this truth.” Quint Studer is the founder of Vibrant Community Partners and Pensacola’s Studer Community Institute. His work with individuals at all levels and across a variety of industries has helped them create high-performing organizations and become better leaders. Studer’s books are Wall Street Journal bestsellers. To learn more, please visit thebusyleadershandbook.com. November/December 2019 • • • • • edplay.com 17

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Holiday Shopping Trends Based on Back-to-School Shopping Insights by Tina Manzer

The immense amount of data that’s collected from smartphones, sensor networks and other “connected” devices is one the most significant byproducts of the digital revolution. Distilling meaning from big data has become big business, and companies that do it can provide retailers with invaluable insights,

like shopper age and gender, what consumers are buying, their income level, how tall they are, their shoe size, what sports activities they like, their veteran status, etc. Information like that can help you stock, merchandise and market your store to your specific target. Here are just a few of the insights that data revealed about the back-to-school shopping season. Brands targeting parents, like specialty toy stores, will find them useful as they prepare for the fastapproaching holiday season. Dads are shopping with kids Near, an AI-powered platform that crunches mobility data from 1.6 billion devices globally, recently studied the real-world behavior of parents shopping for back-toschool. While most of us think moms are the ones accompanying children shopping for backpacks, notebooks, pencil holders, dorm room supplies, and clothes, dads took over this year. Smriti Kataria, Near’s vice president of marketing, says that the trend goes against what the six-year-old company has tracked in the past. Near’s new data revealed that Pottery Barn’s Dallas, San Francisco and Los Angeles stores all saw more male than female visitors during the back-to-school season. Males accounted for more than half (54 percent) of visitors to Nordstrom’s store in Dallas, too. During the same time, more than half of Kohl’s shoppers – nearly 60 percent – were men. The data also suggests that everyone loves a deal – even people in the nation’s most prosperous neighborhoods. This year, Target and TJ Maxx were favorites during back-to-school. Target saw the

highest traffic at its Beverly Hills store in Los Angeles. Its Chicago Lincoln Park location came in second. For TJ Maxx, the highest footfalls were at its store in New York’s Upper West Side. That location accounted for half of the entire chain’s footfalls during the school shopping season, Near reports. Half of dads with kids under 18 had planned to take part in back-to-school shopping, says fan engagement platform Social Toaster. When they did, they spent 10-percent more (about $700) for back-to-school purchases compared to moms. The Zs have a say in parent purchases Members of Generation Z (young people born in 1995 and later, ranging from newborns to young adults) influence a significant number of household purchases and enjoy spending their own money, according to the latest issue of the Consumer View report from the National Retail Federation (NRF.) “We’re seeing a shift in the way families shop,” notes NRF Vice President for Research Development and Industry Analysis Mark Mathews. “This year, during back-to-school shopping, teens and pre-teens were heavily involved with purchasing decisions and contributed significantly more of their own funds compared with a decade ago.” According to the report, 87 percent of parents say their children influence at least some aspect of their purchases, either for household items or for themselves. Gen Z is most likely to influence decisions on clothes, outings, toys and food

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purchases. They are also most likely to spend their own money on entertainment purchases such as apps, books/music and toys/games. While Gen Zers might not always expect to be involved in family purchase decisions, their parents find it important to include them, for a variety of reasons. • the children will be using the item (57 percent); • their opinion matters to their parents (57 percent) and • they need to learn decisionmaking skills (56 percent). The most common time parents involve their children is at the front end of a purchase – when researching features and product reviews, and when they’re price checking or looking up product availability.

The report also found that Gen Zers influence different aspects of shopping including the specific brands parents consider (52 percent), product features that are important (48 percent) and the specific retailers to shop (41 percent). “Shopping is a great way for parents to bond with their children, and parents want retailers to make it even easier to involve their children,” Mathews said. “As the industry continues to evolve, retailers have a huge opportunity to expand all-inclusive family shopping.” Here are some other compelling back-to-school stats from Social Toaster. • 91 percent of parents buy backto-school items in-store. Expected

in-store BTS spending is double that of expected online spend, according to Deloitte. • 25 percent of parents consulted Facebook for back-to-school shopping inspiration. • 27 percent of back-to-school shoppers use Pinterest to organize their shopping lists. • 89 percent of parents say that the availability of mobile coupons will determine where they shop. • One-third of parents say they will be actively searching for coupons shopping in-store. • Parents who bring their children with them for back-to-school shopping spend almost 33 percent more.

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industry news Magformers’ DOLCE line has been awarded STEM.org authentication. DOLCE is designed specifically for newborns and young children, and encourages them to develop, observe, learn, create and educate through their sensory skills. STEM.org is the longestrunning STEM organization in the United States. Its mission is to recognize top-quality STEM products available on the market today and make them accessible to

Thousands of toy professionals descended on The Toy Association’s Toy Fair Dallas in October. The fall marketplace attracted strong representation from Walmart, Amazon, and Target, along with other top 25 toy retailers, including BJ’s Wholesale, Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby, Meijer, Michaels Stores, and Sam’s Club among others. The show drew international distribution companies from all parts of the

world, including Australia, Chile, Guatemala, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, and the UK. The show debuted new initiatives and new products from toy manufacturers for 2020, as well as key drivers for holiday ’19. Among the show’s highlights was the new FutureCast Gallery. The experiential space served as a conversation starter; one that invited buyers to see products outside their normal hit list and to think outside the box when it comes to retailing in 2020. The exhibitors whose products were selected for the FutureCast Gallery also benefited. Some reported additional meetings because of their involvement.

children pre-K to 12th graders, and educators. STEM. org works closely with pedagogical researchers, teachers, administrators, and schools to establish a respected set of benchmarks for products to receive the STEM.org authentication. It has developed the first ever STEM validation framework to determine which programs and products deserve the official STEM.org seal of approval. “To be the only soft toy company in the world to have been given this recognition is indeed an honor,” says Stephen D. Reardon of DOLCE. “It vindicates our objective to teach children from a young age the benefits of learning through play.” For more information on DOLCE visit, dolcetoys.com.

“Because this is a heavily appointment-driven show, retailers would generally come to meet with the brands they’re currently buying from but that’s not the only reason why they’re here,” said Kid@Heart Founder Steve Starobinsky, who curated the gallery. “They’re also here to find that one item, that one brand, that’s going to make their year.” The FutureCast Gallery presented 10 projected retail themes for 2020. • Animal of the Year • The Olympic Effect • Radical Sustainability • Doctor Lawyer, Engineer, Creative • Beauty Videos & Makeup • Grandparent-friendly • The Spirit of Collaboration • STEM • Preschool Magic • Innovation on Wheels “This list of themes and the presentation of products in line with those themes can be used as a resource for retailers as they continue to preview product and begin to set their 2020 plans in motion,” noted Marian Bossard, The Toy Association’s executive vice president of global market events. The items highlighted things such as the impact of

grandparents’ toy-spending power and the growing importance of sustainability in design for consumers. Twenty products were featured in the space to represent the themes, including the Harry Potter Skele-Gro Bottle by WOW! Stuff (“Radical Sustainability”), Face Paintoos by PlayMonster (“Beauty Videos & Makeup”), and Knuckle Headz by SD Toyz (“Innovation on Wheels”), among others. Also drawing crowds to the FutureCast Gallery were the Knowledge Network educational sessions. Among the topics they addressed were how to apply 14 unifying characteristics of STEM/STEAM toys to product development and how to successfully sell your product into China. Amazon also presented a session on how to protect and boost your brand in the marketplace. Likewise, FutureCast was the kickoff venue for the Influencer Breakfast, acting as a reference point for these trendsetting individuals to then tour the show and scout out their recommendations for the 2019 holiday shopping season and beyond. Toy Fair Dallas 2020 will take place October 6 through 8.

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Who Hires Their Mother? Michael Rainville did 30 years ago, and today she still comes in at 6 a.m. with the rest of the production team. The founder of 40-year-old Maple Landmark Woodcraft in Middlebury, Vermont, invited his mom Pat to come on board in 1989, when his parents sold their general store. Ever since, she’s supervised the paint and finish room at the wooden toy company. Michael has a long history of employing family members. His late grandmother Hattie assembled small items and tied ornaments at the company until her “retirement” in 2015 at the age of 96. Over the years, five other Rainville family members have also joined in. Michael’s sister Barbara does double duty – she works in the finish room alongside their mother, and in the office as marketing manager.

Michael’s wife Jill manages the office and oversees shipping. Their older son Adam maintains all external e-commerce platforms, and serves as internal production manager. Younger son Andrew handles product photography, the company website, monthly customer emails, and social media. Many other employees who work on the production floor have been with the company for decades. Hilda Vincent, the lumber prep and sanding supervisor, has logged 30 years of service. Regan Wedge, a maintenance and projects lead for 24 years, says “Everyone grew up together here, and Mike and his family make you feel like

Oregon-based Hog Wild Toys has named industry veteran Joshua Loerzel to its newly-created position of vice president of sales and marketing for North America. Loerzel will head up all sales initiatives for Hog Wild, with an early strong directive to dig deep into mass market channels for 2020 and beyond. He will also work to continue to build the toy company’s existing specialty business, says Hog Wild CEO Jeff Mumford. “Josh has an extraordinary ‘eye’ for the toy business and intuitively knows what kids want and what will sell. His reputation and sales connections are the best in the business; we’re thrilled to have him on board to grow the Hog Wild brand in the mass market.” Loerzel was most recently vice president of North American sales at

you’re part of their family.” Keeping the business in Vermont’s Addison County has allowed Michael to retain local talent; tapping into the state’s rich history of carpentry and woodworking. Since 1979, the 40 woodworkers at Maple Landmark have been crafting a wide array of award-winning toys, games, and gifts from local and sustainable wood. Maple Landmark uses a variety of manufacturing systems, innovative product design, and modern technology integrated with classic woodworking to remain competitive in a crowded industry that faces significant international trade pressures.

Zing/Ozwest, a position he held for 10 years. Founded in 1996, Hog Wild Toys is known for its innovative novelty products, including the hugely successful Poppers line.

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industry news The Crawligator, a popular skill-building toy for infants from the 1960s, was recently brought back from extinction and won a 2019 Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association Innovation Award. The new and improved Crawligator makes tummy time fun and promotes natural crawling movement. Originally created by a major toy company, the popular crawling toy helped infants naturally develop mobility, gross motor skills and muscle strength. It encourages bilateral coordination as the child’s arms and legs make reciprocal movements, or a crawling motion. When the company was purchased by a large

conglomerate, the Crawligator was no longer produced. When her granddaughter was born, entrepreneur Stacy Kanzler went on the hunt for the once popular toy and brought it back to market. First, she had to redesign it to bring it up to today’s safety standards. Designed to move just above the surface of a smooth level floor on ball-caster wheels, the modern Crawligator’s contoured surface better fits the curvature of a baby’s body. It

allows children to rest comfortably on their stomachs and naturally learn to crawl. Its new features include a single, directional, gripping rear wheel to prevent uncontrolled movement, and four gripping safety pads. Last fall, Kanzler introduced the Crawligator at the Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy Annual Conference. Since then, it has won numerous awards, including the most recent one from JPMA.

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10 Questions for

Idanna Smith

In 1999, when The Good Toy Group (TGTG) was born, retailer Idanna Smith volunteered to be managing director, a job she successfully juggled along with running three toy stores and helping to grow another up-andcomer, ASTRA. TGTG, a member-owned marketing company, was formed after a Toy Fair meeting of 21 veteran specialty toy retailers. They needed a holiday catalog; the company they had used in the past was no longer in business. “How hard could it be?” they asked each other, and decided to tackle it themselves. Idanna was among them, a seasoned retailer from Rhode Island whose stores were appropriately named “Juggles.” She and other original members recruited more specialty toy merchants and by 2000, 44 retailers from around the country had formed an LLC. In 2008, after 25 years as a specialty toy retailer, Idanna closed her stores to run TGTG full time. Today the group boasts more than 100 retail members with 177plus store locations. In addition to an annual holiday catalog, TGTG provides seasonal catalogs, digital opportunities, vendor partnership and powerful intelligence for members.

1. What do you want to be when you grow up? Funny, fit and financially independent.

customers? What mindful, healthy practices can we incorporate to make this the best possible workplace?

2. What songs have you completely memorized? You mean outside of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star”? I’m not so good at the middle verses, but I can do a pretty mean “Skinny Marinky” if requested, with hand and body motions as part of the performance.

6. If your childhood had a smell, what would it be? The ocean. I believe I am a “water baby,” so being near, in, or around water suits me just fine. The ocean draws me in, with sound, smell and touch. While visiting Nova Scotia last year, we ended up on the very northern tip of Cape Brenton in a wild, cold, wind/rain storm. I felt right at home!

3. What’s the most useless talent you have? Hoola hooping. 4. What skill would you most like to master? Speaking a foreign language. 5. What challenging thing are you working on right now? Restructuring and reimagining our work responsibility. As every business must do, we are looking at the future and discussing where our business will be in three years and in five years. What systems, software, organization, and home base will work best for the future? How does each of our staff members fit in, what talents do they bring, and what do we need to develop to meet the needs of our members, clients, and

7. What is the one thing you never seem to finish? I’d like to say dessert, but no, it’s finishing the very last detail of any task. 8. In your group of friends, what role do you play? The one still working, as in, “I cannot meet for lunch on Wednesday!” 9. When people come to you for help, what do they usually want help with? They’re looking for someone to listen. 10. What inspires you? Every child I ever met, including my own kids, aka “adults.”

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for your business information Target Steps Up for TRU Target is powering the new website of Toys “R” Us. Shoppers who visit toysrus.com to buy toys are redirected to Target.com, to complete the purchase, once they select “buy.” The deal gives the brand a much-needed online presence as Toys “R” Us begins to open stores in the U.S. again. Neither company would comment on how much of each sale goes to Target versus Toys “R” Us, reports Retail Dive. Last year before the holiday selling season, Target added a quarter-million square feet of space permanently dedicated to toys across more than 500 stores, says Retail Dive. “When it reported 2018 holiday results, Target said same-store sales were up 5.7 percent, and that the toy category was among its strongest.” Then in October, 25 Disney stores were opened in Target stores as the result of a deal Target made in August. Dozens more are planned for next year.

Target’s investments in its toy category did not go unnoticed by TRU Kids, although the partnership between the two companies is one of a handful TRU Kids announced this year. For instance, through a joint venture with software retailer b8ta, it will open two permanent stores, in Houston and in Paramus, in November. Toys “R” Us Adventure, “an immersive wonderland,” will open before the holidays in Atlanta and in Chicago. TRU Kids has also announced a partnership with Candytopia, known for its interactive candy exhibits.

Malls See Highest Vacancy Rates in Eight Years While the retail vacancy rate in the third quarter declined slightly from the last quarter of last year, the average regional mall vacancy rate has reached 9.4 percent – an eight-year high, according to a report by real estate research firm Reis. An article in Retail Dive reports that rent rose 0.2 percent for the quarter and 0.6 percent for the year. Asking and effective rent both rose 0.3 percent in the quarter, but was down from last quarter’s 0.4 percent rise. Both supply and demand for retail space decelerated in the quarter, said Reis Senior Economist Barbara Byrne Denham. Fewer developers are building traditional neighborhood and community shopping center space, but the ones that are built are being leased by tenants, since shoppers prefer new over old in any market. Already in 2019, retailers have closed nearly 7,300 stores, says Retail Dive, citing accounting and consulting firm BDO. Not only is that more than 2018, it’s more than in any other full year, period. Denham believes the market can withstand it. “Retail spending remains healthy as consumer spending keeps climbing in step with job growth,” she told Retail Dive. “In short, the retail sector is poised to continue to grow at the current slow but steady rate.”

With the exit of anchors like Sears, J.C. Penney and Macy’s, regional malls seem to be doing worse than strip-style centers. Many landlords are finding new tenants, though not always retailers. Movie theaters, doctors’ offices and municipal motor vehicle departments are increasingly found in malls. In some areas, churches have also started taking over anchor locations and even entire malls. “Although retail store closures and bankruptcies still dominate the news, the overall retail property statistics have held steady as new users fill the vacated space of large department stores,” said the Reis report.

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Math & Language Manipulatives

tres

add

Standard & Polyhedral Dice 8

10 12

try ahead of tariffs, “Let there be no doubt, U.S. trade policies and enforcement mechanisms have directly caused a global slowdown in economic growth,” Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said, “The strength of retail consumption will push any meaningful slowdown in imports into next year, when the full impact of the tariff wars will be translated into a consumption tax felt by consumers.” U.S. ports covered by Global Port Tracker handled 1.97 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units in August, the latest month for which after-the-fact numbers are available. That was up 0.2 percent from July and up 3.9 percent year-over-year, and was the second-highest number of containers imported during any month of the year after last October’s record of 2 million. (A TEU is one 20-foot-long cargo container or its equivalent.) November is forecast at 1.97 million TEU, which would be up 8.9 percent year-over-year and tie August as the second-highest number of containers in a single month. But imports will fall to 1.78 million TEU in December, down 9.3 percent year-overyear. The expected drop from November will come as December’s tariffs take effect, but the month historically sees a falloff in imports because most holiday

Imports at the nation’s major retail container ports are expected to hit their highest level of the year again in November before more tariffs take effect in December, says the Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. New 15-percent tariffs on a wide range of consumer goods from China took effect at the beginning of September and are scheduled to be expanded to additional goods on December 15 – covering a total of about $300-billion in imports. But a tariff hike scheduled for October, on $250 billion of Chinese imports, was suspended by the U.S. when China agreed to buy $40- to $50-billion in U.S. farm products. Even though imports are continuing to grow as retailers bring merchandise into the coun-

Ports Busy as Retailers Race to Beat Tariffs

merchandise has already arrived. The first half of 2019 totaled 10.5 million TEU, up 2.1 percent over the first half of 2018, and 2019 is expected to see a new record of 22 million TEU. That would be up 1.2 percent from last year’s previous record of 21.8 million TEU. January 2020 is forecast at 1.86 million TEU, down 1.9 percent from January 2019. February – traditionally the slowest month of the year because of Lunar New Year factory shutdowns in Asia – is forecast at 1.59 million TEU, down 1.8 percent from a year ago.

Timers ~ Spinners ~ Pawns & Chips

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for your business information

The Black Friday Wars: Out-Advertising Toy Competitors Last year, Walmart led all retailers on toy category advertising during Black Friday weekend, according to an analysis of 895 popular toy keywords conducted by research, data and insight company Kantar. The big-box retailer captured nearly 25 percent of all product listing ad clicks in the toy keyword group. Kohl’s ranked second in product listing ads with a 16.4 percent click share, followed by Target and Amazon, who had click shares of 8.5 percent and 4.5 percent respectively. In terms of text ads, Amazon led the category with a 20.3 percent click share, followed by Xbox (17.3 percent), Kohl’s (6.9 percent), JC Penney (6.7 percent), LEGO (6.4 percent) and PlayStation (6.2 percent). To gain a better understanding on the top performing toys on Amazon, Kantar looked at the top five brands displayed with the following six keywords: “hot holiday toys 2018,” “top toys 2018,” “top toys for baby,” “top toys for toddlers,” “top toys for girls,” and “top toys for boys.” The results included mainstays such as LEGO, Hot Wheels, Mattel, Vtech and Crayola, as well as newer favorites such as Hatchimals and Unstable Unicorns. Based on ubiquity, the top brand overall was LEGO.

A Lesson from Lowe’s on How-to Videos Lowe’s has zeroed in on YouTube as an important channel in driving customer traffic to its website, explaining that its customers see the popular video sharing service as a “resource for product inspiration and knowledge.” According to an article in Modern Retail, how-to videos work best for the home improvement chain. Back in 2015, Google noted that “howto” searches were among its most popular, with users in North America watching more than 100 million of hours of how-to content that year, says the article. For Lowe’s, how to design and install a paver walkway, how to repair drywall, and how to repair a container garden have been the most popular on YouTube. It has published more than 950 videos since its YouTube channel launched in 2008, garnering about 186 million views and 754,000 subscribers. (Competitor Home Depot has 278,000 subscribers.) When judging the success of its videos, Lowe’s looks at how much traffic the video drives to the website and number of views. In the video description, it will typically include the

name of all the products featured in the video and links to buy them on the Lowe’s website. In addition to average view time, Lowe’s also looks at how many viewers post about their results in the comments section. That way, it can figure out how many people watched the videos all the way through. The retailer typically publishes about two videos to its channel each week, and maps out a content plan on a quarterly basis. Sometimes, that involves “refreshing” its most popular videos by creating a new intro that fits that season, said Modern Retail. In addition to YouTube, Pinterest has been an effective channel in engaging with customers at the top of the purchasing funnel, says Shannon Versaggi, vice president of integrated marketing for Lowe’s. Last year in Digiday, the online trade magazine for online media, Versaggi says Lowe’s was testing the use of transaction data to target customers on Pinterest. One of its goals was to figure out how to “identify key customer moments that may signal they are in the market for new products or services,” said Modern Retail.

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for your business information

No Room for Goofs Mistakes are magnified during the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, writes Daniel B. Kline, a former toy store manager, author of the book Easy Answers to Every Problem, and a regular contributor to Motley Fool. To help you avoid the most easily-made errors, he offers these three keys to holiday success. 1. Get the word out now.

Don’t make the mistake of assuming that customers will just show up in your store. Invite your regulars in often and early – maybe for a holiday preview sale? Encourage them to bring in new faces, and come up with ways to incentivise them to do so. In addition to leveraging free opportunities like social media, spend some advertising dollars on radio, television and direct mail promotions. Consumers only have so much discretionary income, and you don’t want most of that to be gone before they pay you a visit.

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When I ran a large, independent toy and hobby store, we increased our operating hours every week from Thanksgiving until Christmas, and added an army of extra people to handle holiday crowds. Not only did we need extra hands when shoppers were in the store, we needed people after hours to clean, restock, and even pick up merchandise from suppliers. During the holidays, put the needs of the customer above all else. Be flexible with closing times (within reason) so shoppers don’t have to rush. The longer they’re in your store, the more they’ll buy. 3. Guide shoppers to their best choice.

I used to joke that by December 22, we could sell a bag of leaves as a hot new toy and people would probably buy it. But selling people the “wrong” gift creates a negative experience. When that happens, you don’t turn a new shopper into a regular, and you lose an opportunity for positive word of mouth. Sell customers the right item for their gift-giving scenario. If you don’t have a good match in your product mix, send the customers to another small business that may.

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Gift cards sales have traditionally ramped up each year in December, so get ready to start selling them using these tips from POS software provider Vend. • Display gift cards in your store in a spot where customers are sure to see them. • Cross-merchandise them with relevant items, i.e. baby shower gift items, impulse and stocking stuffers, etc. • Motivate your staff to proactively market them instore: mention them at checkout, and suggest them to shoppers who just can’t decide or the ones heading out the door without a purchase. • Make them part of your add-on strategy. • Create gift card-centric banners on your website, and include gift card content in your social media posts. • Invest in occasion-specific gift cards. In addition to Christmas, consider Hanukkah, Valentine’s Day, kids’ birthdays, and baby showers.

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Lightspeed Retail is a smart, scalable, dependable point-of-sale that centralizes everything merchants need to start, market, manage and grow their business. Create frictionless shopping experiences that keep customers coming back again and again – all from your iPad. 1-866-932-1801, contact@lightspeedhq.com, lightspeedhq.com/pos/retail

The Wikki StixLil’ Traveler offers travel-time fun for Christmas this year. It’s the perfect size for 4-year-olds, and offers plenty to keep them busy in the car or on a plane. Made in the USA. 800-869-4554

Kala’s Learn to Play Color Chord Ukulele Starter Kit is the most complete learning experience for ukulele. Great for ages 3 to 103! It includes a high-quality, durable plastic Kala Soprano Ukulele with four basic chord markers, free online lessons, a free app with tuner and songs included, and a tote bag. Attractively packaged for store presentation. kalabrand.com

The Carrera First Paw Patrol is a slot car race track set that features favorite characters Chase and Marshall. Preschoolers ages 3 and older love the exciting two-player activity that helps them develop fine-motor skills. The set includes everything needed to start racing. 609-409-8510 carrera-toys.com

Meet the amazing, ridiculously satisfying, everlasting Snapperz from Toysmith. The snaptastic, fantastic fidget gadget is palm perfect for popping. Grip it and squeeze for a satisfying snap. Master the Snapperz with each measured squeeze. Grab. Snap. Smile. Repeat. For kids age 3 and older. Available January 2020. toysmith.com

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USAopoly presents the social interaction and bluffing party game Geek Out! It takes on a new twist that levels the playing field for all Disney fans! Players outbid each other across 90 years of Disney magic to find out, once and for all, who is the biggest Disney fan. Contact Katie Lowther, 888-876-7659 x247

With the popularity of the Amahi’s tropical series ukuleles, a new addition is coming to the line just in time for holiday sales. The DDUK12 is a brightly painted mermaid-scale design from a local Midwest artist. Constructed of laminated wood, the ukulele comes with gig bag and four-color box. Available now. 513-909-0233 amahiukuleles.com

Calisson’s Sophie Musical Plush is revolutionary – it plays songs and musical notes by touch and skin contact alone. By holding or tapping the sensors on the bottom of Sophie’s hooves, you can play music with an unlimited number of players. 949-493-5154 sophia@calissoninc.com calissonincwholesale.com

Award-winning Fractiles-7 MAGNETIC Tiling Toys are made in the USA. They offer an exciting activity option to help reduce electronic device screen time while stimulating unlimited smiles and fun. A great STEM toy for home, road trips, and school, this magical geometric art fascinates kids and adults alike from ages 6 to106! 303-541-0930, fractiles@fractiles.com, fractiles.com

Magna-Tiles Metropolis is Valtech’s largest set with 110 pieces. It challenges children to design their own city. With several unique pieces – a spinner, windows, cars, and more – the set helps kids add exciting finishing touches to their creations. 708-246-7209, magnatiles.com

The colorful light-up icons of Playmonster’s Mirari myStorymaker help children age 12-months-plus create their own stories. Press one button from each section – hero, adventure, and happy endings – to make more than 100 different stories. Each one features fun sounds and expressive voices. The narrator can announce the name of the author using a recording of the child’s name. 800-524-4263, orders@playmonster.com

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retailers recommend

Fabulous Products

Ellie Tate from Wonder Works toy stores in South Carolina

“The Kiwi Swing (1) from Swurfer is the most adorable toddler swing. It’s ergonomically designed to hug the natural curve of a child’s body. It’s got a three-point safety harness and it’s lined with soft foam. Our customers hang it inside or outside.

swurfer.com

“Kids learn the basics of physics by building the Gumball Machine Maker (2) from Thames & Kosmos. It was one of our favorites from Kit Night at ASTRA!

thamesandkosmos.com

“Classic Timber Tots (3) are back, from Fat Brain Toy. Preschoolers have been going ‘nuts’ for these in the store! The collapsible and portable tree house has been particularly popular.

fatbraintoys.com

“We have pumped Cosmic Mini Golf (4) from b4 Adventure since we first saw it at Toy Fair. This fivehole course is big enough for the entire family to play, and you can take it to the next level with black lights – the entire set glows neon! “Carpool Karaoke the Mic (5) from Singing Machine is the first karaoke microphone designed for your car. It easily connects via FM radio and Bluetooth, and it sells great this time of year.” singingmachine.com

b4adventure.com

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gamewright.com

10 daysofwonder.com

Elisabeth Dahl from Curious Kidstuff in Seattle “Everyone loves our Archie McPhee items. Even the employees are buying them! Sunny the Happy Blobfish (6) is a favorite. He’s squeezy, squishy, and grumpy looking, and just plain funny.

mcphee.com

“Everything Archie McPhee sells well here because we’re right in their neighborhood. The local Seattle company is known for its weird, but cute, stuff, like the Big Foot Finger Feet puppets (7). People are just discovering the new Bendy Sour Pickle (8). “The game Sleeping Queens (9) from Gamewright is very popular. Another game, the railroad-themed Ticket to Ride (10) from Days of Wonder has become a classic. The 15th anniversary edition was released in August.”

mcphee.com

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designed for kids as young as 3, as well as for teens and adults. With Carrera FIRST, Paw Patrol-licensed cars (or Mario and Yoshi cars) help toddlers develop fine-motor skills. “While preserving its DNA and maintaining its high standards, Carrera continually makes improvements to captivate today’s tech-savvy audiences,” Tiessen points out. Its digital sets for 1:32 and 1:24 scale cars are an example. The cars are equipped with microchips, which allow multiple racers to

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use the same lane on a slot car track – a situation not possible on traditional analog tracks that race only as many cars as there are lanes. In April, Carrera was acquired by Quantum Capital Partners (QCP), a Munich-based investment group. Carrera joins model-making firm Revell Germany, another recent QCP acquisition, in a newly formed group of toy brands poised to develop innovative products for consumers, reports Luna Journal, a guide to the German babies/

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kids/maternity market. In 2020, Carrera will exhibit at the Nurnberg and New York toy fairs, as well as ToyFest West and the tradeshow of the National Retail Hobby Stores Association. “There are several new products and ranges in the pipeline for 2020,” reports Tiessen. “Right now it would be too early to go into specifics. We owe it to our customers that they will see it first. But we are not resting on our laurels as the number-one brand in our segment.”

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USAopoly Inc.

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Valtech LLC

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Wikki Stix

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endcap

Carrera A Fine Motor Skills Experience

With grandparents making up nearly one-quarter of all toy sales in the U.S., you probably have your grands-gift items for the holidays lined up and ready to show them. Among your Primo Scooters, Light-Up BBOP Balls, playhouses, grocery stores and ice cream stands, is a car-racing set like Carrera Go!, right? Slot cars are a nostalgia toy for PopPops who love to share their hobby with a new gener-

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ation of racers. “The action is faster, more intimate and more visceral, they say, than video game competition or RC racing,” reports an LA Times profile of present-day slot car fans. As youngsters in the ’60s, today’s grandparents were responsible for a 1:32-scale racing craze that generated $500 million in equipment and car sales for a handful of companies, including Austrian manufacturer Carrera. “For years, slot

car racing has brought the action and excitement of motorsports into the comfort of your own home,” explains Frank Tiessen, president of Carrera of America. “Entire families have discovered that there is nothing like experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of racing licensed scaled replicas of their favorite cars.” (According to How Things Work, heated power supplies have a distinctive smell that racers recognize in an instant. “Some original slot car racers may also notice the smell of oil of wintergreen coming from their tires. The oil was used to soften the tires for racing, and is occasionally used on the tracks and braids as well.”) The “slot” in the name comes from the shallow channels or grooves that guide the vehicle on the electric track. Carrera’s racing systems come complete with cars, controls and track pieces to put together. Using them to create elaborate designs that simulate real-life race courses is part of the excitement and fun, says Tiessen. With a wide variety of licenses ranging from Ferrari and Lamborghini to Minions and Disney, Carrera’s sets are (continued on page 36)

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