NEWS SPECIAL TOYS“R”US
“We’re excited
to get started” Dr Louis Mittoni, CEO and managing director of Toys“R”Us ANZ, ANZ talks to TnP about plans for Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us to return to the UK in 2022 What’s your career background? I trained as a computer scientist, physicist and chemical engineer, and studied (and applied) my learning in software development and machine learning to e-sports wholesaling, logistics and then ecommerce retailing, establishing Mittoni Technology and Hobby Warehouse, and extended that to Toys“R”Us - a much-loved brand since childhood.
Tell us a bit about Toys“R”Us in Australia. We relaunched Toys“R”Us in Australia in late 2019, restarting almost from scratch, but managed to acquire the shopper database from the former business which was accumulated over many years by the former Toys“R”Us teams. The business is currently online only. However, we are constructing physical experiential
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While Toys“R’’Us Australia has a ‘digital-first’ ecommerce approach, that will be followed by physical experiental interactive stores - it’s much more than being just about ‘products and prices’
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stores that are scheduled for completion from mid-2022 onwards. Of course, like many businesses - and in particular those in the toy industry - the world shifted on its axis at the commencement of 2020 - around the time that the toy fairs in Europe and Australia were wrapping up. We weren’t prepared for the pace of sales growth during the pandemic, and we were certainly grateful to have been in the business we are in. In late 2020, our group was acquired by an ASX listed public company, which has enabled us to invest in state-of-the-art technologies, which we will be able to apply to other locations, including the UK. While Toys“R”Us Australia has a ‘digitalfirst’ ecommerce approach, that will be followed by physical experiential interactive stores for the young, and the young-atheart to enjoy - it’s much more than being just about ‘products and prices’.
Did you know… Toys“R”Us ANZ is an Australian-based listed company with a mission to enrich the lives of people by encouraging exploration, creativity and living life more fully through the enjoyment of toys and hobbies. In addition to distributing products throughout Australia for key partners via its trading business Funtastic, the company acquired 100% of the Hobby Warehouse Group in November 2020, including Australian ecommerce websites Toys“R”Us, Babies“R”Us and Hobby Warehouse and the distribution business Mittoni Pty Ltd. The company changed its name from Funtastic to Toys“R”Us ANZ on 24 June 2021.
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Our belief is that toys are an important part of childhood that informs development and inspires life choices. Toys and play help children develop their imagination, collaborate, problem-solve, explore, create, or simply express themselves freely. We do, however, believe digital-first is the right strategy for how toy and baby shoppers are - and will be - exploring and purchasing products currently and into the future. The UK, US and Australia all have high internet shopping rates. Our very wide range of items is best offered nationally online, and then in key areas in large format, destination experiential stores, allowing children to experience toys before purchasing.
How would you describe your range? We aim to offer a wide and deep range of toy and baby items and categories, providing shoppers with a vast choice from well-known and trusted brands, as well as upcoming new and soughtafter brands. We aim to have the widest range possible in the market and are well on our way to achieving this in Australia, and will endeavour to do the same in the UK.
What’s your selection criteria? We work closely with our partners and are open to ranging new items and items from new and niche suppliers.
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