ASTRA Toy Times October 2021

OCTOBER 2021

magazine

Marketplace & Academy

Recap It’s Time for

Neighborhood Toy Store Day THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICAN SPECIALTY TOY RETAILING ASSOCIATION astratoy.org • October 2021

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features money matters

trending now

12 How to Compete Online

22

Faire: A Vendor’s Perspective

16 Toy Industry Advice: Keeping the Ball Rolling After the Holidays

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It’s Time for Neighborhood Toy Store Day

toy stories

28 Event Ideas for Your

Neighborhood Toy Store Day Celebration

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How Sales Reps Can Give the Best Customer Service During Q4

marketplace & academy

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Best Practices for Working With Sales Reps

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M&A Recap

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Thank You to Our Sponsors

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ASTRA news 36

Meet Your New Leadership

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ASTRA Excellence Awards

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40 ASTRA Undergoes Digital Relaunch

departments 4

President’s Report

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New Members

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Message from the Chair

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New Manufacturers Listing

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Ready, Set, Play

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Index of Advertisers

35 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 info@astratoy.org astratoy.org • October 2021

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Board of Directors

chair Jeanie Crone past chair Amy Saldanha treasurer Corey Funkey directors Betty Burns, Lisa Orman, Brad Ruoho, Tom Rushton, Ron Solomon, Brice Elvington, Azhelle Wade, Patrick Holland, TJ Simmons, Theresa Duncan, Gene Murtha, Sari Wiaz

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 Kemi Tignor, Little Likes Kids LLC Allison White, Sugar B Sales Phil Wrzesinski, HABA USA

ASTRA Staff

president Sue Warfield marketing and communications manager Dee Marsden membership specialist Jenna Stirling special events and project manager Michael Foldeak Toy Times Magazine is published by the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, 312-222-0984, info@astratoy.org, www.astratoy.org.

Copyright © 2021 American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. All rights reserved.

Advertisements are accepted. For more information, contact Rick Kauder, Fahy-Williams Publishing, rkauder@fwpi.com 315-789-0458.

president’s report

The long and bumpy road to 2021 and beyond

T

wo years between 2019 Marketplace & Academy and our 2021 gathering in Minneapolis – who would have ever imagined that at Toy Fair 2020! We have faced many challenges during the months since, which continued right up to and included the days in Minneapolis at Marketplace & Academy. However, we did it! With masks and safety protocols as best as we could provide, we met in-person and it was amazing. Seeing, touching and ordering products, meeting and greeting our colleagues, learning from one another, having fun at the social events and playing games and putting together kits – it was the best medicine of all to just be together.

While we are all still struggling with how to deal with the surge of COVID, we are moving forward. ASTRA is getting our volunteer committees fired up again. We are in the process of a complete digital relaunch of our member database, website and learning platform. We are taking the input we received from the education sessions and our town hall meeting at Marketplace & Academy and working with our volunteers, staff and board to provide more of what our members are wanting

and needing as we navigate the future.

We’re focusing on getting out to see and listen to our members, whether it be at regional gift shows, “on the road” visits to stores, a Winter Camp, or additional Zoom gatherings. We will become more visible and connected to you – our members.

In addition to all the above, it is vital that we stay on top of the current issues that impact not only the toy industry and the synergy of our members, but also the global economy. Diversity, equity and inclusion, environmental issues, staffing, new ways of showing and selling products and keeping communications open and transparent must all be considered as we work together for the overall success and growth of the toy industry.

It has been a long and bumpy road that we have been on and will continue to travel. The road will have many forks to consider as we determine the best course.

With the strength of our staff, board, and members, we will work together to build our community and offer the best possible resources for all as we forge ahead into 2022 and beyond. As the saying goes, it takes a village! For ASTRA, it is our community that is our strength.

Sue Warfield

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.

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message from the chair

Member Value is Our Mantra

W

e did it! We actually did what many thought was impossible. We had our beloved Marketplace & Academy event in Minneapolis in August. By the looks of joy on all the faces I saw, everyone one was thrilled to be back in person, doing what we do best – networking.

We all looked forward to this show with great anticipation. After all, it was the first live show since the COVID-19 pandemic started. We were eager to see and be with one another. We all value ASTRA as a community, not just an association. Our retail members came to the show with money to spend, and spend they did. What better environment

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for a great show? In my mind, this show may go down in the record book as one of the most memorable shows we have had.

It certainly was our most anticipated event.

Now that Marketplace & Academy is behind us, I’d like to reflect on the past 18 months and what we have taken away from that period. Many children were attending school virtually during that time. They were mostly separated from one-on-one interaction with their teachers, classmates and friends. Studies have indicated that this adversely affected their very important learning and skill development. Many children have lost a full grade level in the classrooms to which they are now returning. It is important to remember that products that support play, and especially screen-free play, were provided by our member retailers. They pivoted when everything changed how toys are sold. They became online retailers,

where they perhaps hadn’t been prior to the pandemic. They enabled curbside pickup and made deliveries in their communities and beyond. Their mission to serve their communities never wavered.

Their resilience should be celebrated.

And now the changing of the guard of your ASTRA Board of Directors has occurred. I am honored to serve as your chair. My experience on the Executive Committee and my service on the Finance Committee have uniquely prepared me for this role. Looking forward, ASTRA is positioned to forge ahead with you and your needs in mind. Member value will be our mantra. Mighty together!

Jeanie Crone OjO Chair, ASTRA Board of Directors

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ready set play

Just Imagine

by Jean Bailey, Certified Play Expert

H

alloween and Christmas are holidays ripe with imagination and full of possibilities to fuel a child’s love for pretend play.

What toys and play products promote a child’s imagination? You can easily identify those that contribute to a child’s physical, sensory, communicative, cognitive, and social and emotional development. But there is a mental faculty that overlaps and permeates so many play products. That’s imagination, and it plays a huge role in a child’s future self.

Through imagination and pretend play, a child can envision themselves in roles light years beyond their current capabilities and talents. Not surprisingly, if you examine the play histories of incredibly successful and famous people, you will often find that pretend play was an important contributor to their childhood.

Take, for example, Alexander Fleming and Richard Feynman.

Fleming was a Scottish physician and microbiologist who was known to his friends as someone who always found time to play.

He loved to paint, on petri dishes rather than canvases and with bacteria rather than paints. His search for new colors in his palette of pigments led to the discovery in 1928 of a bluish green mold. Through his play process with this bacterium, he discovered penicillium.

Feynman, as a student, was outstanding.

As a scientist, he was superb. But it was in the realm of play that he was most inspired.

As a child he spent hours imagining and visualizing four-dimensional figures simply for the joy of it, which strengthened his mental skills.

The book, “Sparks of Genius: the 13 Thinking Tools of the World’s Most Creative People,” investigated the lives of people like Fleming and Feynman to better understand creativity and how people develop it.

“Play breaks the rules of serious activity and establishes its own,” the book reads.

“Play is frivolous, wandering according to the whims of curiosity and interest.”

That playful wandering helped Fleming

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discover the first antibiotic and Feynman to become a theoretical physicist known for his work in quantum mechanics and for winning the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965. These men pushed their minds and developed their imagination like one develops physical muscles.

“In the case of science, I think that one of the things that make it very difficult is that it takes a lot of imagination,” Feynman once said. “It is very hard to imagine all the crazy things that things really are like.”

Feynman connected games with gains in science when he said, “We do not know what the rules of the game are; all we are allowed to do is watch the playing. Of course, if we watch long enough, we may eventually catch on to a few of the rules.

The rules of the game are what we mean by fundamental physics.”

When children pretend, they make new rules within their life. They can fly. They can be whoever they want to be. If you watch carefully a child dressed as a superhero, you can often witness by their demeanor and posture a transformation. Their confidence soars. Even toddlers look taller and more formidable with hands on their hips and feet spread apart in the superhero stance.

It is worthwhile to look at the products on your shelf, in your product line, or in the developmental stages of production and ask what the creativity quota is. Does it inspire imagination? One way to approach this is to borrow some of the elements identified in the book, “Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind,” by Scott Barry Kaufman and Carolyn Gregoire. This

list is based on their identification of aspects that highly creative people do differently.

Imaginative Play – Does your toy or play product call on the child to use imagination?

Solitude – Can the child easily play with this toy by him or herself?

Intuition—Does this play product ask the child to make a decision based on intuition versus logic?

Turning Adversity into Advantage— Does this game have some risk and turns of luck built in?

Thinking Differently—Does this play product encourage a child to think out of the box?

All these elements are easily advanced through pretend play.

Clinical child psychologist Sandra Russ is a true play advocate and has focused a great deal of her research on pretend play.

“Pretend play in childhood is where many of the cognitive and affective processes important in creativity occur,” she said.

She also believes that pretend play affects other developmental areas in the child including coping, emotional understanding and more.

The next time you see a child pretending, remember the words of Muhammad Ali. “The man who has no imagination has no wings,” he said. ASTRA

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moneymatters

How to Compete Online

By Kate Tanner, Kidstop Toys & Books and Christine Osbourne Wonder Works Toys

O

ne thing that Christine and I totally agreed on when we got together to discuss this topic was:

1. Listen to your customers 2. Listen to your customers 3. Listen to your customers

I think many of us could agree that on any given day, 5-25% of the customers that walk in our door start the conversation with: “I saw this on your website.”

Maybe the website portal does not see the actual sale, but your physical brick and

mortar store does. This opens the door for your staff to shine and add onto the sale, capture the customer’s info and make sure they have a great experience to convince them to make return trips.

So how do new customers find us?

After attending numerous events featuring panels with soon-to-be and new parents to engage and discuss what they are looking for, the conclusion is always the same. They want honest and direct support, great customer service that wows them and keeps them as your customer.

Here are the four points all groups have told us on how they research and shop: 1. They listen to friends and family for referrals about the best toy, best baby clothing or the best scooter. They don’t listen to the retailer in the beginning.

Retailers must earn that trust.

2. They click onto the manufacturer’s website for in-depth information about the item. (I strongly suggest partnering with manufacturers who have store locators on their homepage.)

3. Consumers click on the store locator because seeing an item in person is still the top choice of many young families.

4. Finding the store closest and clicking on that website. This is where you score. Be unique, be different and create a one-ofa-kind experience on your website that matches the experience in your store.

Make it fun, make it whimsical, make it factual with a secure SSL. That is a must.

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer, and, in short, it’s the standard technology for keeping an internet connection secure and safeguarding any sensitive data that is being sent between two systems.

You can’t beat Amazon but you can outpace them for seasonal fun and engagement. Your homepage should tug a little with emotion and then take you into the top toys to accomplish this.

These four to eight toys are Googlesearched, and made perfect with pictures continued on page 14

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moneymatters continued from page 12

and text to be on the front page. Keep in mind, your text MUST talk to your audience, not to your peers. These toys should also be the newest and trending strong in your store.

Next your email blasts, Instagram and Facebook posts should also be tagging these items. Each month, create this positive search engine hum around this handful of items. These are also the items that you have depth in stock so you don’t run out quickly.

To keep Google ’s interest, put new items on your website almost every other day.

This keeps Google search engines tracking you. I have found that when I go a few days without putting new toys on the web or update a category, our Internet sales slow to almost non-existent.

This last tidbit is a must. There are more than 50 search engines that can be used

around the world. We have a company that maintains our info to make sure that it is the same and consistent across all these channels. I had no idea how many

different ways you could spell Kidstop! With inconsistent info out there, Google will pass on your page due to confusion and you will fall in the rankings. ASTRA

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Micro Series Genius Series

Stock MukikiM For a GREAT Q4!

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moneymatters

Toy Industry Advice:

How to Keep the Ball Rolling After the Holidays

By Kemi Tignor, Upbounders® by Little Likes Kids

T

he holidays are one of the busiest times of the year for all retailers across every industry, but the toy industry especially benefits from parents and loved ones who buy presents for their little ones.

However, once the rush in sales passes, many toy industry professionals struggle to see success shortly after the holidays. If you’re not careful, that slump could last for longer than it needs to. But the good news is that there are plenty of things you can do at the start of a new calendar year to support your toy business.

Here are 10 tips for anyone in the toy

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industry, from retailers, manufacturers, and sales representatives, to prepare for the postholiday drop in sales and push the positive momentum of seasonal celebration forward.

1. Improve Your Online Shopping Experience Although shoppers were migrating to online platforms well before 2020, pandemic shutdowns intensified this trend. Expect many of your consumers to buy toys online and focus on improving their shopping experience.

People who buy your toys during the

holidays are more likely to return if their experience was positive.

2. Get Creative with Marketing It can be tempting to see the postholiday slowdown as a good time to take a break, but you should actually do the exact opposite. Get creative with your marketing strategies. Take on something bigger and better than usual.

Consider marketing for the lesser known, sometimes quirky holidays in January, like Global Family Day, National Trivia Day, or National Fourth Graders Day.

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3. Market for Your Customer’s Needs When you advertise, be specific about consumer needs. Who exactly is buying your toys, and why?

Yes, advertise new products. But also consider taking a special angle that targets parents who are homeschooling their kids for the first time ever or trying to navigate virtual school amidst unpredictable government shutdowns.

4. Offer Post-Holiday Deals Don’t let all your great deals slip through your fingers during the holidays. Consider prompting toy-buyers to come back after the holidays with special promotions. Between November and December, give or send out coupons or flyers with promotions for January.

5. Consider Clearance Sales Clearance sales can be a great way to drive profits, especially if you have a surplus of products leftover from the holidays. By slashing prices dramatically, your toys can sell quickly. Just be sure not to go overboard on the sales and keep your sale price above your unit price.

Even though your passion may lie in selling toys to kids, you still need to make a profit to keep your toy business afloat.

6. Generate an Email List During the holidays, create an incentive for customers to sign up for your email list.

Bulk up your customer base during the busy months, and then in January, send out promotional emails to get customers coming back.

7. Reengage Former Customers Sending out a newsletter, or other promotional emails, is a great way to reengage former customers, but it’s not the only way. Retargeting customers works.

Focus on building loyalty, targeting ads, and

making a real connection with the people who buy your toys.

8. Attend Trade Shows At the start of the year, attend toy trade shows. Bring your customers along for the journey by providing updates on social media and your website. Be sure to bring some products samples home with you to display and create a ‘coming soon’ section in your physical store and on your website with the new products.

Offering presale purchases can also help boost sales of new products.

9. Share on Social Media Your social media accounts are an easy and potentially free way to support your small toy business. Don’t let it go to waste!

Across social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, you can build a loyal customer base, create meaningful connections with consumers, and drive sales.

Make sure social media growth is a part of your revamped plan for the new year.

10. Train Employees or Learn Something New Since January has the potential to be your slowest month of the year, consider taking advantage of the post-holiday calm to strengthen your (and your team’s) skills.

Work on more than just marketing. Improve your customer experience, teach employees better service skills, or become a social media guru. Use this time to grow!

Final Thoughts: Don’t Be Discouraged Toy sales through the holidays go through the roof, and in January, they might plummet. But don’t let that discourage you! There’s so much you can do as a small toy business owner to grow your business, sell more toys, and improve customer experience.

And you can do it all in January. ASTRA

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toystories

How Sales Reps Can Give the

Best Customer Service During Q4

By Allison White, Sugar B Sales the customer or vendor to solve the problem, take the order, or handle whatever the issue is.

Finally, within 24 hours the problem should be solved, the order submitted, or task completed. Using the 6-12-24 rule assures both you and the customer that communications will be handled in a timely manner, and they won’t have to wonder if their need will be met.

I

t’s no doubt that this year has been one of the most challenging for everyone in the toy industry. Retailers, vendors, and sales reps have all faced uncertainty, but despite that we can still do what we do best: give our all to our customers.

Customer service has been proven time and again to be the key value in relationships between rep-retailer, repvendor, and even retailer-vendor. I’ve been in the toy industry for nearly 13 years (three as a buyer/manager of a toy store and 10 as a sales rep) and I know that providing the highest level of customer service is the experience every customer wants.

Retailers and vendors want to see and know that their sales reps are providing that service, whether it is order taking, problem solving, or showing the latest and greatest products. Here are some great ways a sales rep can bring the best service to their customers as we head into a busy fourth quarter:

Be prompt and efficient In my rep group we use a 6-12-24 rule when dealing with both customers and vendors. We will nearly always get back to an email, text, or call within 6 hours to acknowledge we have received the communication and are working on the order/problem, or will get back to them as soon as we can.

Within 12 hours we will have contacted

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Be proactive This year, more than ever, retailers are inundated with shortages, backorders, ever-changing state policies for COVID protocols, and just getting through the day-to-day business. Sales reps can be proactive and provide much needed info to make their retailers jobs easier.

Before a retailer places an order, give them up-to-date info! Make sure they have current catalogs, specials, product availabilities, and backorder reports. Once the order is processed, if a vendor provides invoices, tracking, and backorder info, don’t wait for the customer to ask for it – pass it along as soon as you see it in your email or Dropbox. If the invoice has tracking info, use it! Track the shipment and paste that info into the email so the retailer can see it immediately.

Don’t lose track of backorders. Be mindful of when key items will be back in stock and, if the vendor allows additions

to backorder shipments, reach out to the retailer to see if they need to add to it.

Be useful Sales reps know that during the busy fourth quarter, all stores can use an extra set of hands. Most reps are happy to help customers out during in-store events, whether that’s a seasonal open house, Neighborhood Toy Store Day, the store’s anniversary, or some other special event.

Ask your sales rep about running a demo table, or simply providing raffle

or giveaway items. If your store offers complimentary gift wrapping, ask your rep to help at the wrapping table during that busy weekend before Christmas. Most of us are pro-wrappers and will work for store credit!

There are many other ways sales reps can provide customer service to their retailers, but the best is to provide an open channel of communication. Retailers rely on their reps to be the liaison to the vendor and have the most current info.

In a year unlike any other, communication is paramount to having a successful fourth quarter and maintaining established relationships. Honesty and transparency will go a long way in furthering those relationships and above all, for any retailers, reps or vendors, the best advice is when you need something: ask for it! ASTRA

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toystories

New Manufacturers:

Best Practices for

Working with Sales Reps

By Tami Murphy, Grand Prix International

S

elling to customers across the country can be daunting. How do you keep your company top of mind for your retail customers, how do you track when your retail customer will need a reorder, and how do you keep them up to date on new products, specials, inventory, and other relevant topics?

You can do this with an inside sales team who will add to your overhead, or you can hire independent sales reps across the country who get paid as they sell. Neither way is wrong, a company just needs to decide which is the better option for them.

If your company decides having independent sales representatives is the correct path, then here are the basics to get you started on a successful journey with your independent sales team.

Baseline Premises 1. You want to scale your business and you don’t have the desire or perhaps the human resources and/or the financial resources to do it internally. Independent sales reps are the best avenue for you to grow your business.

2. Independent sales reps are your partner, not the enemy. Besides you and your loved ones, they want your business to succeed the most. BE THEIR PARTNER!

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3. Keep in mind, as the manufacturer, you have three customers to keep your product line in front of: • Sales representative • Retail buyer • Consumer Respect, Communication, and Responsiveness are going to be the foundation of a good working relationship with your independent sales team.

Set the stage on how you will work together. I cannot stress enough how important communication is between you and your sales reps.

1. Work with each rep group principal to establish the best method to communicate with their group.

Here are some options: • Is it bi-weekly/monthly newsletters to principals?

• Quarterly calls with principals?

• Monthly newsletters to all reps?

• Quarterly call to check in with each rep?

2. Set sales goals with your rep principal’s input. Have regularly scheduled meetings with the rep principals to discuss the progress of their team on reaching their sales goals. Work together on any

adjustments and support that are needed for the rep group to meet their goals.

3. Set up an advisory board of sales reps to meet monthly or quarterly. Use this advisory board for input on sales promotions and new products, and for them to share what’s going on with independent retailers.

4. Don’t forget what information your sales reps can provide you. They are your “boots on the ground.” They will see trends, find out what retailers are worried about, know what stores are doing for events, and a host of other things you want and need to know about the specialty retailer.

Status Check on the Basics It is your responsibility as the manufacturer to provide the tools your sales reps need to properly sell your product line.

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The left hand should always know what the right hand is doing for

NO SURPRISES! 1. Do your sales reps have all the materials they need to sell your line?

• Samples • Physical catalogs AND price sheets • Digital file of catalogs, price sheets, product images and usable social media posts • Current list of customers in their territory.

You need to identify house accounts in their territory and share your house account policy.

• Product line spreadsheet including this information: - Sku - Upc - Title - long descriptor - short descriptor - keywords for search engines - awards won - link to web page on your site - dimensions and weights - case pack quantities - wholesale price - MSRP - MAP Price 2. Do you have a system in place to forward sales leads to the appropriate sales rep?

3. Does your rep know how to properly submit an order? And do you confirm receipt of that order?

to regularly supply this information to your sales reps because they have many lines. Remember that the sales rep is your first customer, so keep your line and pertinent information top of mind for them. Also, don’t overcomplicate your sales promotions. Short-flash promotions are typically not appreciated as a normal course of action. Follow the KISS rule on promotions (Keep It Super Simple).

1. Inventory status 2. Any reviews or press coverage your products or company has had or awards won 3. Your policies on selling on Amazon, Faire and any other third party sites

4. Any policy changes or price changes 5. Sales leads (your policy on house accounts vs rep accounts) 6. Communication you’ve had with a customer on an issue or a compliment 7. All reps should be on your retailer mailing and email lists for promotions/ newsletters that you send to customers Parting Thoughts Having a good relationship with your sales reps comes down to communication, providing them what they need to do their job and mutual respect. Spend the time building that relationship. ASTRA

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4. Do your rep principals know how and when you’ll pay commissions?

5. Do you have a spreadsheet of all sales reps with names, addresses, email address, cell phone number?

The left hand should always know what the right hand is doing for NO SURPRISES! Things you should be communicating on a regular basis to your sales representatives: 1. Your standard terms and your special sales promotions. Yes, it is important

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trending now

Faire R

emember when Amazon was going to destroy the brick and mortar shopping model? Spoiler alert: it didn’t. Amazon disrupted the retail model, but it didn’t destroy it. We learned to adapt.

Faire is that disrupter for the Sales Rep industry. It won’t destroy the Reps, but it will cause some pain. How much pain is dependent on how quickly and how well the toy industry adapts.

I know I may offend some with this article, but I want to share one vendor’s opinion on this topic and a glimpse at how vendors can adapt in a way that I believe causes the least amount of disruption to our reps, while providing the ultimate convenience to our retailers.

We’ll start with this premise: Faire is here to stay. Many of us hoped if we ignored them, Amazon would go away. Like Amazon,

A Vendor’s Perspective

By Phil Wrzesinski, HABA

Faire has the financial backing and the strong inroads to lead me to believe they will be around for a long time.

We have been selling through Faire for over two years now.

We didn’t seek them. They didn’t seek us. It was our retailers who asked us to be on the platform. We extensively researched the platform, talked to our reps, talked to our retailers, and made the decision to jump in. We went live July 1, 2019. The results were amazing! We had 16 orders including eight new customers in the first couple days.

There were several questions. Will we be undercutting our reps? Will we get qualified leads and the kind of retailers we want for our brand? How will it impact our current ecosystem?

I talked to several of my Principal Reps about these issues and realized there were two things at play – Terms and Commissions.

TERMS Here are a couple things you need to understand. When Faire offers a retailer free freight, it is coming out of Faire’s pocket, not the vendor. Faire pays the freight. Same thing with their Net 60 terms. From a vendor’s perspective, this is a huge money-saver.

The first disruption is when those terms are better than what we vendors give the sales rep to offer.

We made the decision then to try to match our terms for our reps with what Faire offers as much as is possible. We also do not participate in any of Faire’s promotions or special deals.

Instead, our best deals such as our ASTRA Show Special go to our sales reps.

Yes, Faire still runs its own promos and undercuts the reps from time-to-time, but we’ve found another way to protect our reps when that happens.

COMMISSIONS Here is the real disrupter: money. Who gets it and what did they do to earn it?

Here is how Faire makes its money: through commissions. For every NEW retailer Faire brings me, they keep a hefty commission.

For every reorder that retailer makes, Faire also takes commission.

But, if I have first already claimed that retailer as a HABA retailer, the commission is zero.

Faire does that because they want me to upload my customer base and claim them for zero commissions. Then Faire can sell those retailers all the other brands on the platform and gain commissions that way.

I have to say, it is a smart business plan. continued on page 24

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trending now continued from page 22

It is also a double-edged sword for our reps.

On one hand, if I zero-out the commissions through Faire, I can still pay my reps because I know most of them have been calling on those retailers and deserve to be paid for their effort. On the other hand, now all my retailers have been exposed to Faire and may start buying from other vendors who aren’t protecting their Reps.

MINDSET Here is my mindset when I view Faire. Faire is simply an ordertaking platform, no different than the platforms many of our reps have built and no different than our own B2B platform we launched late last year. I’ll take orders any way the retailer wants to send them in – even on a napkin!

Like any vendor, I want to minimize my costs, therefore I have claimed all my retailers on Faire to zero-out the commission. My belief is that by now most of the retailers in this industry have already been exposed to Faire.

When I take the mindset that Faire is just an order-taking

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platform, then it is easy to justify paying commission to my reps who brought me those accounts in the first place. (Note: if you don’t think your reps deserve it because the order came through Faire, you don’t understand how retailers work.)

FAIRE IS IMPORTANT, BUT REPS ARE MORE IMPORTANT Since we launched on Faire, that platform has brought us as many new retailers as all our reps combined. That is a huge number! We don’t offer any special promos or deals on Faire to get that business, either. Faire is important to my business.

At the same time, the new retailers our reps have brought us are buying three times as much as the ones from Faire. The sales reps are more important to my business.

See why I want to protect the sales reps?

MOVING FORWARD In our two years, we have learned several ways vendors, retailers, and reps can use Faire in a way that protects the sales rep industry.

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For vendors: • Zero out your commissions to Faire by uploading all your retailers (we claimed the entire ASTRA list just so we could pay our reps for our best accounts).

• Pay commission to the reps for all those accounts • Offer the same or better minimums/ terms for your reps as you do on Faire For Retailers: • Before you order from a new vendor on Faire, see what their policies are towards your rep.

• See if your sales rep can get you different terms • You can zero out the commission to Faire yourself either by going through the Faire link on the vendor’s website to place the

order or asking the vendor to claim your business first before you order.

For Reps: • Understand that Faire isn’t going to go away • Recognize that some of your retailers will prefer to order via Faire • Ask your vendors to provide you with new retailers they find through Faire and grasp them as leads • Work with your vendors so they know a better way to reward the hard work you are doing • Let your vendors know when you are working with new accounts (some may claim them on Faire just to protect your commission).

Finally, before the debate on Faire breaks down into individual situations, let me just put this out there: Yes, some individual vendors, reps, or retailers suck, but collectively we are all together and together we are good.

Just like with Amazon, the cream will rise to the top. The vendors, sales reps, and retailers that adapt to Faire the best will thrive. If there is one lesson we should have learned over the last decade, the sooner and better we adapt, the less disruptive it will be for the whole industry.

Faire helps retailers and vendors, but not as much, collectively, as sales reps do.

Therefore, the vendors and retailers need to protect their most important asset – the sales reps.

That is the fair thing to do. ASTRA

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trending now

It’s time to get ready for

Neighborhood Toy Store Day!

By Theresa Duncan, Villa Villekulla Toy Store

I

t’s the greatest day of the year, but also the sneakiest! For specialty toy stores, Neighborhood Toy Store Day kicks off the holiday season and, although it is always the second Saturday in November, it can seem to get earlier each year.

As we learned through the ingenuity of many stores last year, even if you host a virtual event, Neighborhood Toy Store Day is a fun way for local toy stores to showcase their unique personalities and to celebrate the communities that support them.

Are you reading this and still haven’t planned your 2021 Neighborhood Toy Store Day event? Don’t worry, there are a few tried and true things you can do to prepare for a successful day, even with a short timeline.

Do Now:

• Decide if you will have an in-person event, a virtual event, or plan for both.

• Order any giveaways or raffle items. Check ASTRA for resources.

• Decide what, if any, discounts you will run. Make sure you have enough stock.

3 weeks out:

• Download graphics and resources from ASTRA. • Plan all print, paid and free marketing.

• List the event on all local events calendars.

• Decide how you will handle raffles and giveaways, and secure any items you may need.

• Choose a non-profit partner.

• Have any necessary signage designed and printed.

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13, November

2021

2 weeks before:

• Determine staffing needs and plan schedules.

• Take inventory of play day kits, giveaways and raffle items, and follow up on any items that haven’t been received.

• Build buzz in your community, and double down on your marketing plan.

The Week Of:

• Put together any giveaway items.

• Ensure staff is trained on all specials, discounts, featured products and giveaways.

• Double check your schedule and staffing.

• Give your store a thorough clean, rearrange and build displays as needed.

• Put any holiday merchandise on display.

The Day Of:

• Stock up on lots of water and healthy snacks for you and your staff.

• Brief staff on the day’s events, and give staff members specific roles • Most importantly, have fun!

Just like every store is different, every Neighborhood Toy Store Day is different, too. But, the spirit of the day remains the same.

“Neighborhood Toy Store Day for us is a day to show our appreciation to our customers, and not the other day around,” said Scott Friedland of Timeless Toys in Chicago. ASTRA

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trending now

Event Ideas Incorporate a Charitable Contribution

Commit to giving a percentage of your Neighborhood Toy Store Day sales to a charitable organization. Let your customer decide which organization by offering a token with every purchase that they can deposit into one of three jars to represent their vote. Track the progress on social media and build excitement throughout the day.

Promote the Best Toys for Kids

Set up a display area with all of the Best Toys for Kids product winners. Create your own “Best of Best Toys for Kids” award and

ask each child to vote for their favorite toy from the display.

13, November

2021

Set Up a Wish List Station

Provide each child who walks into the door with a clipboard and a wish list to fill out that gets kept at the store and is also emailed to the parents.

Host In-Store Activities

In-store product demonstrations are one of the key ways independent toy stores can set themselves apart. Taking into account your store size, plan out a few in-store activities your customers can take part in.

Whether it’s inviting a costumed character,

putting on a building contest, provide some fun activities to provide a reason for customers to come by your store on Neighborhood Toy Store Day.

Photo Booth Fun

Stage an informal photo booth area in your store where customers can snap a photo with their favorite product in your store and post to your Facebook page with the hashtag #NeighborhoodToyStoreDay for a chance to win a prize pack (which can be put together with vendor giveaways or older merchandise).

Invite an Inventor

Invite a vendor or inventor to demo the product, whether it’s in-store or on Zoom.

Share the story behind the products and wow your customers!

The key is to participate in Neighborhood Toy Store Day, so plan what will work for you and for your customers.

No space for an in-store event or going completely virtual? Plan on keeping it simple – even donating a percentage of your day’s sales to a charitable organization will go a long way in reminding your customers the important role you play in your community. ASTRA

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marketplace and academy

Recap!

T

he world may seem to still be in a bit of a mysterious place in regards to the pandemic that continues to linger, but with vaccinations in place and things slowly returning to normal, large gatherings are popping up in major cities.

It was no different in Minneapolis in early August as ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy got back into full swing. The annual event scheduled for Orlando was canceled last year due to the pandemic, so retailers, vendors and manufacturers seemed to take full advantage at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

It was the venue’s first national trade show since COVID’s outbreak in early 2020,

and ASTRA seemed to be the perfect fit to open things back up.

“ASTRA really brought pure joy to Minneapolis when we needed it the most,” said Jeff Johnson, the Executive Director of the Minneapolis Convention Center.

“That group in particular came with so much positive energy. It was a fun time for everyone, and a fun time for us to serve them. It was really great to have people back in our building and exploring Minneapolis.”

Although COVID-19 still isn’t in the rear view mirror and attendees were mandated to wear masks while attending the event, there was clearly energy in

the room.

While business was indeed being conducted over the four-day trade show, just the opportunity to interact again with others in the industry seemed to be a fresh take.

“It was great to see customers again that I hadn’t seen in a while. It was nice to be in the ASTRA environment,” said Tara Rubino, National Sales Manager for Douglas Cuddle Toys. “It was very, very healthy and very, very positive.”

Erin Griffin, sales rep for the Denverbased Erin Griffin Group, said not only was it nice to see people again, it made her job easier when repping games in particular.

Session Snapshot: Hiring and Retaining Store Staff

Being able to sell games is obviously much more efficient in person, she said.

“When I sell a game to a retailer a owners came together with Nick Tarzia

During an Academy session at Marketplace & Academy, managers andasstore rep, I use the knowledge I get from the (Owner of Awesome Toys and Gifts), and Nick Guffey (Manager of The Toy Store) for a conversation surrounding what manufacturer, I get the knowledge when has worked when it comes to hiring, andretailers what has managers andhave owners ask left questions, and we somedesiring more options. Discussions ranged from needing more staff to navigating current employment circumstances game-play,” she said. “You can’t really to do managing safety for both staff and guests.

Attendees shared ideas for simple motivators and staff enrichment andthat’s identified strategic long term plans when it that by yourself.

We get samples but the same.

Wenot didjust tonsthe of zoom came to hiring and retaining staff to buildnot thequite business (and payroll expense!). things, butcan it’s mean just so the much better

The big takeaway? Empathy and compassion world towhen your staff – remembering birthdays and you’re all together.” celebrating life events go a long way! Keep your store as a positive and uplifting environment: think snacks, your break

Heather Smith, the new president of room, and maintaining a clean and welcoming bathroom.

Above all, prioritize The Good Toy Group, said there was somean open line of respectful communication with your staff. concern entering Marketplace & Academy that there wasn’t going to be a lot of

By Nick Guffey, The Toy Store

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orders written by retailers.

With gift markets in Dallas and Atlanta earlier in the summer, Smith said many orders were written prior to Marketplace & Academy.

“But that didn’t happen. People were writing a lot of orders and were really filling everything they could,” she said about Minneapolis. “That was so positive to see.”

Amy Anderson, Director of Sales for IScream, said their booth in Minneapolis was booked solid and that orders were indeed being written.

IScream focuses on clothing, bags and gifts, and Anderson said in-person trade shows work best for them.

“A lot of people like to see our goods. We change from season-to-season so we’re really trend based,” she said. “We always have new materials so it’s important for people to see it. We were writing orders, and we had reps in our booth writing orders. We really had people in our booth the entire time.”

IScream has 1700 active SKUs, and Anderson said it can sometimes take up to an hour to write an order.

“It was great,” she said. “We loved spending time with them.”

Although there was obvious precautions being taken throughout the weekend, Smith said it still felt like there was some sense of normalcy creeping back into the industry.

“There’s warmth in people-connections,” she said. “That warmth was able to be expressed in person even if socially distant. Given the uncertainties everyone has been dealing with, it was nice to feel some normalcy.”

Johnson said the convention center did all it could to keep everyone safe. Although things didn’t look the same as pre-COVID, he said it felt real.

“It felt like what we were supposed to be doing,” he said.

“Opening our building up and opening our city up felt good and felt the same. Everybody in masks was a little different.

It’s a good thing for right now, but obviously seeing those smiles and getting to know people is something that’s important, it’s part of that human interaction. That part was different, but otherwise it just felt good.”

Jane Hassan of Findlay, Ohio-based Smarty Pants toy store said she was grateful for the extra layer of trying to keep everyone safe. She, too, said she was writing orders the entire time in Minneapolis.

“I thought it was a great event and we took full advantage of it,” she said. “Seeing as we are still in a pandemic, it was a little nerve-wracking in some respects, but I think that the convention center did a fabulous job and were very respectful of making sure their staff was doing everything they could do to keep us safe.”

Next year’s event is scheduled for Long Beach, California from June 5-8. Depending on what the world looks like at that time, ASTRA is looking forward to another big event.

“It’s a start,” Griffin said of the 2021 event. “Who knows what’s going to happen, but Minneapolis was fantastic.” ASTRA astratoy.org • October 2021

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ASTRA news

Meet Your New Leadership at ASTRA for 2021 Every year at ASTRA Marketplace & Academy, board members whose three-year terms are ending exit the board, and new members assume their new roles for three years.

Here’s the new leadership for 2021:

Kevin McGrath has resigned as board member and chairman of the board at ASTRA.

Jeanie Crone

Jean has served on the Board of Directors and on the executive committee, is the new chair, effective immediately. She is the director of sales at ASTRA manufacturer member OjO Games.

“It has been inspiring to see how ASTRA members have endured and revealed their creativity and resilience to get through these past 18 months. I am honored to serve and lead as we emerge from the pandemic. Our association has so much to offer and I am excited about our future,” Crone said.

• Sales Manager, OjO Toys and Games BS in Early Childhood Education and BS in Library Science • 23 years in the apparel industry (retailer and wholesale production and sourcing), 10 years as a consultant (including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development), 12 years in the toy industry (EDC Publishing, Schleich, OjO Toys and Games) • Served on the ASTRA Finance Committee and the ASTRA Executive Committee. Also served on various committees for ASTRA Camp • Past board member of Tulsa Regional ASPCA, Past Chair of the Association of Women in Communications, works as a volunteer for many local non-profits The 2021 Executive Committee consists of Crone, Amy Saldana, Betty Skoke Burns, Tom Rushton, Corey Funkey and Lisa Orman.

Introducing the new class of ASTRA 2021-2024 Board Members TJ Simmons

• National Sales Manager, Thin Air Brands (Vendor) • 15 years in the toy industry • Has worked in all three factions of ASTRA membership– rep (Diverse Marketing), retailer (Harbor Toy Co, Play and managed four stores for Marbles: The Brain Store) and manufacturer (Kahootz Toys and now Thin Air Brands) • Served on ASTRA committees including Membership Committee, CMSR Program (helped create Customer Service portion of program).

• Worked with Big Brother, Big Sister Foundation and numerous toy drives.

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Theresa Duncan

• Owner, Villa Villekulla Toy Store, FL. • Served ASTRA on the Editorial Advisory Committee for past three years.

• Graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10000 Small Business program.

• Served on many boards including Advisory Board for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Northeast Florida, Board of Directors for Ferdandina Beach Mainstreet, appointee on the City of Fernandina Beach’s quasi-judicial Historic District Committee, and Arts and Culture Nassau. Volunteers for Keep America Beautiful.

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Gene Murtha

• Works at SCORE Association (Service Corp of Retired Executives) • 40 years of toy management experience including 16 years at Mattel and 3 years as President of Gund.

• Runs webinars for ASTRA with SBA/SCORE Association.

• Has served on one Corporate Board (housewares industry, profit), several non-profit (non-profit, under-served communities & homeless), and one industry Board nonprofit, (inventors).

• Brings 1) Creative energy: strategic vision based on research, knowledge and insights 2) Discipline: attentive to operating metrics, marketing and financial details 3) Implementation: team oriented leadership, fact-based persuasiveness.

Azhelle Wade

• Worked at Toys R Us, Party City, and Madame Alexander.

• Currently President of The Toy Coach.

• Serves on the Women In Toys Marketing Committee and Recruitment Committee helping to bring and nurture new members into the WIT community.

• Her online course, Toy Creators Academy, empowers newbies in the toy industry with step-by-step guidance, downloadable worksheets, and group coaching.

• Created and delivered webinars about diversity for ASTRA. • Strong communication skills and marketing experience.

Patrick Holland

• Owner, Learning Express Toys of Chattanooga, TN & Mountain Top Toys (a Learning Express store) • Member of the LE Franchise Advisory Council and Marketing Advisory Council; LE Founder’s Choice Award (2020); Highest Toys for Tots donation total across LE franchise (2019).

• Served on ASTRA Exclusive Toy Committee • Core Group member of Northshore Merchants Collective, Chattanooga, and past president of Signal Mountain Business Association • B.A., Ithaca College

Sari Wiaz

• President & Creator of Baby Paper (Wize Choice Creations, Inc) • Member of ASTRA for 8 years; has volunteered at ASTRA since her first M & A • New Member Breakfast worked room greeting new members.

• Education Committee – 3 years • ASTRA Summer Camp Committee • M&A Committee – 3 years • Board Experience includes – Cured Foundation (Current), Kids 4 Kids, Temple board, Sisterhood Board, Hugs From Sammy.

• Graduate of Goldman Sachs 10K Small Business Program, Chicago Cohort. 10KSB Ambassador & a member of 10KSB Voices, advocating elected officials on behalf of Small Businesses.

• Bachelor of Science, Northwestern University

Brice Elvington

• Owns The Toy Shop Florence, South Carolina • BS in chemical engineering with a minor in business, 10 years chemical engineer/corporate development in contract fermentation, 11 years helping plan/build/manage my wife’s pediatric dental office.

• Currently serves on ASTRA Innovation Council….full of unique and innovative ideas!

• Serves on the following boards: - Montessori School and Children’s - Museum of Florence SC. astratoy.org • October 2021

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ASTRA news Congratulations to the recipients of this year’s

ASTRA Excellence Awards!

The ASTRA Excellence Awards recognize the best in the specialty toy industry and honor the companies and individuals who have gone above and beyond in their contributions to their communities and the specialty toy industry.

Retailer Excellence Award

Sales Rep Excellence Award

The Toy Shop Florence, SC

Revenew Sales

Brice Elvington

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Tom Rushton

Manufacturer Excellence Award

eeBoo

Rising Star Award

Chad Sage Plus-Plus USA

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ASTRA news

ASTRA Undergoes a

M

Digital Relaunch It’s full speed ahead for ASTRA as we move forward with a digital relaunch! We are working to transition to a new online membership experience complete with an online community and user-friendly website. The relaunch will roll out in phases and ASTRA staff will host how-to sessions and trainings to help members navigate the new digital experience.

Keep an eye out for more information about updating your member information and set up your member profile. Change is both challenging and exciting and we’ll be here every step of the way to answer questions and guide you through this transition. Onward we go!

P

T

C O

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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.

MANUFACTURERS Abacus Brands, Inc 10400 NE 4th St, Fl 5 Bellevue, WA. 98004 steve@abacusbrands.com www.abacusbrands.com Great Playthings 7701 Commerce Way Eden Prairie, MN. 55344 brad@greatplaythings.com www.greatplaythings.com

PunkinFutz 241 Waverly Avenue Brooklyn, NY. 11205 hello@punkinfutz.com www.punkinfutz.com Slab Dream Lab 196 Alps Rd, Ste 2 PMB 155 Athens, GA. 30606 deidrec@slabdreamlab.com www.slabdreamlab.com Storyastic 437 Graafschap Rd Holland, MI. 49423 dana@danabrown.com www.storyastic.com

Kalan LP 97 S Union Ave Lansdowne, PA. 19050 lgarland@kalanlp.com www.kalanlp.com

Whatsitsface?

9249 Broadway, Unit 200 PMB 837 Highlands Ranch, CO. 80129 joanna@whatsitsface.com www.whatsitsface.com

NimoPlay 55 Cortina Way SW Calgary, AB. T3H0B6 info@nimoplay.com www.nimoplay.com

Wide-eyed 1940 Benecia Ave Los Angeles, CA. 90025 hello@wideeyed.com RETAILERS Baby’s on Broadway 47 E. Broadway Little Falls, MN 56345 sales@babsonbroadway.com Bayou Kids 2385 Gause Blvd E, Ste 9 Slidell, LA 70461 hello@bayoukid.com Beanbag Books 25 W Winter St Delaware, OH 43015 jody@beanbagbooks.com Beanstalk 654 Central Ave Highland Park, IL 60035 hpbeanstalk@gmail.com www.beanstalkhp.com

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the Specialty Toy Industry

Bella Luna Toys 3 Gordon Dr Rockland, ME. 04841 sarah@bellalunatoys.com www.bellalunatoys.com

Family Holiday Traditions, LLC 11056 Sanandrew Dr New Market, MD. 21774 admin@lookoutforscout.com

Big Smile Toys 16 Paoli Shopping Center Paoli, PA. 19301 b.feimster@hardwaretoy.com

Fancy 8370 E On the Mall #E Buena Park, CA. 90620 fancybm@gmail.com

Blue Shark Games & Hobbies 233 W Main St Glasgow, KY. 42141 phil@bluesharkhobbies.com

Heroes and Villains 4533 E Broadway Blvd Tucson, AZ. 85711 mikecamp.comics@gmail. com

Brainstorm 625 N Bridgeport Ter Lindenhurst, IL. 60036

Hijinx Toy Shop 721 8th St. #106 Canmore, AB T1W 2B2. Canada sonjas@shaw.ca

Cape Cod Toy Chest 21 Richard Rd Yarmouth, MA. 02675 cctoychest@gmail.com Chatham Toys 515 Main St Chatham, MA. 02633 Joey_mcisaac@yahoo.com www.chathamtoys.com Children’s Museum of Phoenix 215 N 7th St Phoenix, AZ. 85034 info@childmusephx.org CLK Retail, LLC 207 W 37th St Sioux Falls, SD. 51705 sales@elegantmommy.com Davis Cards & Games 654 G St Davis, CA. 95616 melissa@ davscardsandgames.com DLP Unlimited 9334 S 370 W Sandy, UT. 84070 doylp@dlpunl.com Einstein’s Attic 79 Main St Northport, NY 11768 eattic79@gmail.com www.einsteinsatticnorthport.com

Kitson LA 115 S Robertson Blvd Los Angeles, CA. 90048 operations@ kitsonlosangeles.com Learning Express Toys 4357 Corbett Dr, Ste 100 Fort Collins, CO. 80525 fortcollinsco@ learningexpress.com Life at Home US 276 Fifth Ave New York, NY. 10001 mindy@lifeathomeus.com Little Roots Toy Shop 106 S Washington St Sonora, CA. 95370 ken@littlerootstoyshop.com Morning Glory Stationery & Gifts 1600 Azusa Ave City of Industry, CA. 91748 support@morninggloryus.com www.morninggloryus.com Mudpuddles 407 5th Ave Ann Arbor, MI. 48104 aidenkristopher@gmail.com

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Pinwheels and Play Toys 4313 Upton Ave S Minneapolis, MN. 55410 Bradyschmidt47@gmail.com

Stuffed 145 E Elkhorn Ave PO Box 19 Estes Park, CO. 80517 Info@4-stuffed.com

Rockin’ A B 113 Kentucky St. Ste 102 McKinney, TX. 75069 amy@rockinab.com

The Gamers Den 140 Buchanan St N. Ste 142 Cambridge, MN. 55008 info@gamersden.net

Sanrio Tyler 1212 Galleria At Tyler Riverside, CA 92503

The Nerd Store 807 8th St Greeley, CO. 80631 thenerdstore@yahoo.com facebook.com/thenerdstore

Sprout – A Children’s Boutique 3350 John F Kennedy Rd Dubuque, IA. 52002 tricia@stevesace.com

The School Shop 1224 Towanda Ave. Ste 25 Bloomington, IL. 61701 jcringer@frontiernet.net

The Toy Box 101 W Avenida Vista Hermosa.

Ste 170 San Clemente, CA. 92672 thetoyboxsc@gmail.com Thinker Toys 4400 Singing Hills Blvd Sioux City, IA. 51106 thinkertoys1990@gmail.com Too Cool 5 Woodfield Mall. L105 Schaumburg, IL. 60173 Mike2yu@yahoo.com Toy B Ville 136 Petaluma Blvd N Petaluma, CA. 94952 http://toybville.com

Toy World USA 23191 Fashion Dr Ste 113 Estero, FL. 33928 adam@toyworldusa.com

Wildlings, LLC 510 Butler Dr Phoenix, AZ. 85021 wildingstoys@gmail.com

Toybox 410 Rte 34 Colts Neck, NJ. 07722 Toybox_nj@yahoo.com www.toyboxnj.com

SALES REP GROUPS Group One Associates 309 Evans Ave Toronto, ON. M8Z 1K2 Canada craigs@grouponeassocaites. com www.grouponeassociates. com

Trek Chest 2642 Vista Del Oro Newport Beach, CA. 92660 katijlander@gmail.com Trinity Group International 955 Connecticut Ave Bridgeport, CT. 06607 jasonr@trinitygroupintl.net

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ASTRA welcomes its newest manufacturer members

Kalan LP

NimoPlay

www.kalanlp.com

www.nimoplay.com

Kalan is small, family-owned business and a strong supplier of impulse/trend items for many mass market retailers. We in recent years have added a custom/souvenir division, a pewter jewelry division, and plush division to our mix of fun. We are always creating new and trending items that can meet a vast demographic.

At NimoPlay we create magic places to play. All of us wanted at some point our own castle, house or car to play, and now we want to give our children that special space. Igloos, castles, houses, spaceships – all made in Canada with fast shipping for you and your customers! Not selling on Amazon, only for ASTRA members.

NEW!

CO2

Powered

@PlayREKT

See it in action at:

© 2021 UMAREX USA, INC.

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/TOYTIMES

TO ORDER OR INQUIRE:

479-646-4210 ext. 320 evan.haddick@umarexusa.com

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PunkinFutz

Slab Dream Lab

www.punkinfutz.com

www.slabdreamlab.com

PunkinFutz’s award-winning products inspire playful discovery, choice-making and self-expression. We use universal design, so that all children can enjoy the developmental advantages of inclusion, imagination and child-led play. PunkinFutz products are created with the highest quality materials and responsible sourcing by a workforce of adults with disabilities.

Your most extraordinary build begins on a SLAB, the largest, strongest, baseplate system for brick creators.

Discover the solid, dependable base for the biggest, best project you can dream up. Better design means phenomenal strength, rigidity and grip – bricks and figs stay put on the plate, wherever you put them. Big sizes, rich colors, and super-detailed custom graphics set the stage for your most epic productions.

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index of advertisers

ASTRA Toy Times Magazine, October 2021

Adventerra Games.......................adventerragamesusa.com.................... 19

MW Wholesale............................mwwholesale.biz................................. 39

Amahi Ukuleles...........................amahiukuleles.com.............................. 45

Pepperell Braiding Company.......pepperell.com...................................... 11

American Bubble Company.........bubbletreeusa.com............................. 6-7

POWERUP Toys............................poweruptoys.com................................ 41

Chooseco LLC...............................cyoa.com............................................. 31

SentoSphere USA........................sentosphereusa.com............................ 17

Circuit Cubes...............................circuitcubes.com.................................. 29

Spielwarenmesse........................spielwarenmesse.de............................ 23

Ditty Bird.....................................dittybird.com......................................... 5

The Toy Network..........................thetoynetwork.com............................. 24

edplay.........................................edplay.com.......................................... 42

Theo Klein U.S.............................klein-toys.com..................................... 43

Fat Brain Toy Co...........................FatBrainToyCo.com....... Inside Front Cover

Tonies..........................................us.tonies.com................ Inside Back Cover

FoxMind......................................foxmind.com.......................................... 9

Top Trumps..................................toptrumps.us....................................... 46

Harrisville Designs.......................friendlyloom.com................................ 21

Trophy Music Co...........................grotro.com........................................... 40

Kala Brand Music Co....................kalabrand.com..................................... 13

Ukidz LLC.....................................ukidz.com............................................ 25

KidStuff Public Relations.............kidstuffpr.com...................................... 31

Ultra Pro Int. / Playroom.............ultraprogames.com.............................. 38

Mark-My-Time............................mark-my-time.com.............................. 22

Umarex USA................................playrekt.com/toytimes......................... 44

Micro Kickboard..........................wholesale.microkickboard.com............ 16

Wikki Stix....................................wikkistix.com....................................... 14

Mom’s Choice Awards..................momschoiceawards.com........................ 8

Winning Moves Games................winning-moves.com................Back Cover

MukikiM LLC................................mukikim.com....................................... 15

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

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October 2021 • astratoy.org

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New From Winning Moves Games!

About The Mermaid’s Jewels: String Together a Treasure From The Sea Mermaids have been swimming through the magical Me sea, collecting colorful jewels along the way. They have an over�owing treasure chest full of ��earls� and want you to join in on the fun. Can you string together enough of these treasures from the sea to make your very own necklace?

TM

Learn how to play The Mermaid’s Jewels! https://youtu.be/oL2xkQwfaeE

In the WORDS OVER EASY game, players scramble to come up with words using all the letters, face-up, from the “good eggs” and none of the letters from the “rotten eggs”. When time’s up, players compare their word lists and score for their original words. sc Learn how to play Words Over Easy! https://youtu.be/PfcOvx_XfMU

800.664.7788 x102 or x103 wmsales@winning-moves.com

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WORDS OVER EASY is a registered trademark of Winning Moves. © 2021 Winning Moves Inc. All Rights Reserved. Words Over Easy is a creation of Shenanigans Toys & Games and Ken Gruhl. MERMAID’S JEWELS STRING TOGETHER A TREASURE FROM THE SEA is a trademark of Winning Moves. © 2021 Winning Moves Inc. All Rights Reserved. MERMAID’S JEWELS STRING TOGETHER A TREASURE FROM THE SEA is a creation of Oxford Games Limited. © 2021. WINNING MOVES, WINNING MOVES GAMES, and CLASSIC, RETRO, COOL, & FUN, and Logos thereof, are registered trademarks of Winning Moves Inc. © 2021 Winning Moves Inc., 75 Sylvan Street, Suite C-104, Danvers, MA 01923 USA. All Rights Reserved. Manufactured by Winning Moves Inc., 75 Sylvan Street, Suite C-104, Danvers, MA 01923 USA. Colors and parts may vary. MADE IN CHINA. Wi

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