Talking Shop

Retail detail

This month, Rachael, Caroline and Gabriela visited Toymaster’s Regional Meeting in Coventry, where they got the lowdown on which suppliers indie retailers enjoy working with the most, and found out which lines are most in demand with their customers.

John Bentley - Howleys Toymaster, Weymouth

Lego’s point of sale and event planning is great. The March F1 launch has been incredible: you’ve got in-store theatre with the make-and-play items (which create so much interest and excitement), window displays and FSDUs. The company manages to tick pretty much every box. We got behind the range in a big way because we loved it from the moment we first saw it, and Lego’s embargo and onshelf dates means all retailers have to be aligned on each launch, so they become a nationwide event. Other suppliers might try to offer similar, but at the end of the day they’re simply not operating at the same scale as Lego.

That said, many other suppliers work very hard to support indies through events, POS and more. My latest delivery from Spin Master, for example, arrived with hanging banners and shelf strips and I’ve no doubt Toymaster has a window display planned in for it too. Ty provides great FSDUs and is always willing to help out on POS solutions; Beanie Bouncers turned out to be a big launch for us and we needed a bigger stand, but one was quickly sent out with our next order. No trouble, just the sort of switched-on, fast reaction you want and need as an indie.

We run a lot of demo days. We’ve got one coming up for Eugy from Brainstorm, one for PlusPlus and there are more in the works. Craft specialists tend to be pretty good at helping out with in-store events and demo product. As buyers, we’re looking for margin and quality, but after that we need to consider promotion: not just how we can promote a new range ourselves, but what the supplier and Toymaster are doing to promote it. Looking at all three elements helps us decide on our level of commitment.

Pokémon is undergoing something of a rebirth at the moment. Six months ago, we were looking at potential overstocking issues; now we’re facing horrendous understocking. We give our store managers some autonomy to buy Pokémon as they see fit, but I’d urged caution a few months ago thinking that not all launches would sell through. Now, I’m having to tell them: “Forget all that, fill your boots!”

The recent beautiful weather has seen us double our turnover some days. In our two seaside locations, buckets & spades are flying out and our footfall is significantly up. We came out of Christmas looking a little leaner and meaner than we did in 2024, but we still had the right lines in the right places, at the right volumes, so we refreshed here and there before kicking on.

Toy Fair promotions added to the mix – consumers are still seeking bargains – and we’ve been able to curate a good mix of price points suitable for all budgets. We were up in both January and February. Now comes Easter.

I’ve felt optimistic ever since Christmas was over. I don’t know why, exactly; we’re always having to scrutinise the bottom line, our overheads, waste and margin mix. Every day requires analysis and reflection. But despite all our preoccupation with getting it right, there remains that positivity. You need that in this business. We believe 2025 will be a year of growth. With the help of our suppliers – and that means better margins – we’ll fight on.

Steve Kerrison - Kerrison Toys, Norwich

There are lots of great toy companies willing to support independent retailers, whether that support is in the form of craft days, freebies or in-store activities. Brainstorm stands out, as does Character Options. Kandy Toys is an increasingly important supplier for us; the margins and quality are up there with the very best, which helps to make up for the suppliers and brands where we’re feeling the squeeze. Some of the price cutting on Lego last year was bewildering. Lego sells at any price; you really don’t need to promote it at some of the levels we saw at Christmas. Toys are emotive and parents want a good deal, I get that, but I still find myself walking round the fairs, looking at some of the RRPs and gulping. But suppliers like Kandy Toys offer 50-55% margin and our customers love the toys. The beginning of this year has been promising, but the picture is undoubtedly distorted by Lego and Pokémon.

Lego F1 has got off to a strong start while Pokémon Prismatic Evolutions has been nothing short of phenomenal. In fact, Pokémon in general is flying. We saw the first flurry of a resurgence in September with Scarlet & Violet—Stellar Crown Showdown. Prior to that, it had a bit of a wobble, but it’s only been on the up since then. However, we’re hearing of worrying stock shortages at a time when we’re already starved of product. There’s a fine line between scarcity driving demand, and scarcity causing frustrated collectors to give up and move onto something else.

It's difficult to say how the rest of this year will pan out. There are plenty of nice launches in the pipeline, but much will boil down to whether or not the prices are right. Consumers are still thinking more about the money they don’t have rather than what they do, so value is what’s most important. Which again brings us to Kandy Toys and other suppliers that offer product that provides genuine value for money.

Jack Chippendale - The Toy Shop, Cockermouth

We receive excellent support from companies such as Brainstorm, and the business we do with Kandy Toys has massively increased due to the great margins on offer. Collaborating with companies like this is smooth and straightforward; they are very easy to contact, have great online B2B websites, and go above and beyond to support us, for example by providing us with product samples for giveaways and promotions. Another advantage of working with these companies is their outstanding marketing support. They supply us with materials including product images that we can use on our website and social media platforms, as well as POS displays, which is really useful. This support helps in engaging customers and keeping them updated about new stock and what’s available in store.

We are pleasantly surprised that 2025 has started strongly, especially considering that the overall market has not been that impressive. We hope to maintain this sales growth throughout the rest of the year. As an independent shop, we focus on keeping our product range varied; thoughtfully selecting the items we offer, which helps drive sales and keeps us afloat. There's a trend towards more Kidult products, including collectibles and models, which we are keeping an eye on in terms of what we stock. Ensuring we have stock of popular brands like Lego helps keep sales steady, but overall, everything we stock seems to be doing well at the moment - and we hope that continues.

Ben and Wendy Clark - Clarks Toys, Brecon

Toymaster provides huge support with window displays in collaboration with the group’s top suppliers. At the moment we have Lego F1 in the shop window and before that it was Pokémon, with Prismatic Evolutions. Those are two of the biggest lines of the moment and it’s been great to have such impactful displays at the store.

Prismatic Evolutions has been hugely popular with our customers and the Journey Together expansion will have launched by the time this issue comes out, so we’re looking forward to that. The Lego F1 release has been amazing. We enjoyed really high footfall on our first weekend with it, including plenty of adult collectors and F1 fans that brought their kids along with them to check out the range.

Sales were up in January, largely thanks to the above. Consumers clearly have money to spend, including on higher ticket items. The Pokémon League Trainer box is £50 RRP but our customers can’t get enough of them and, as your readers will know, there’s only a handful of Lego sets that can be had for less than a tenner. Far from pick-up lines driving sales, we’re finding it’s the £20-50 items that are going down the best. There are some really loyal fanbases out there, and they’re happy to spend on the brands that mean the most to them.

As we’re in a big tourism area in mid-Wales, Easter kickstarts the year for us. It seems late this year, but from what we’ve seen so far, we’re in for a good 2025.

Kamlesh AminJJ Toys, Gerrards Cross

Lego is one of our standout suppliers, providing us with exceptional support. The company consistently delivers the right products at the right time. Whenever we feel our business is struggling, Lego comes through with exciting new releases that keep customers engaged and sales healthy. Lego also ensures that we receive everything necessary to thrive in a competitive market, including POS materials, display items and comprehensive support. Pokémon is also performing particularly well for us at the moment, due to the popularity and success of the Trading Card Game - especially in the Kidult market.

This year has kicked off well, and a significant factor in this success has been a move to larger premises in a prime location in the town. Our new space features bigger displays that are better organised, providing improved accessibility for our customers and allowing them to view all shelves from top to bottom. In our previous location, clients often overlooked the bottom two shelves, but that isn’t the case anymore. We’re particularly excited about the Outdoor Toys category this year, as we are very near Gerrards Cross Common and often get customers shopping for toys that they can take on picnics and days out at the park. I have already placed my orders with Reydon Sports, one of our top outdoor suppliers, and I look forward to seeing how these will perform in the coming months.

Emma Dadswell - Toys N Tuck - Southend-On-Sea, Essex

Just Play is one of our most supportive suppliers. The team is always helping me out with displays and demo product and is always fair with stock allocation. I’d also give a shout out to Character Options. If I’ve got a problem with anything then they will always help sort it, and the team always gives good insight into stock levels on hot lines. Much like Just Play, Character is also willing to provide demo stock and prizes for consumer competitions, which goes down well.

2025 is off to a great start. A huge number of my sales so far this year, maybe as much as 90%, have been Pokémon. Fans have been going crazy over Prismatic Evolutions; they want it no matter the cost and are willing to pay anything to get their hands on product. It’s been the first release in a while that consumers are happy to queue down the street for, and we’re selling out of each restock within about 10 minutes of opening the store. (Pokémon, if you’re reading this – I need more stock please!) We’ve also enjoyed strong sales of the Lego F1 range, while pocket money toys and collectibles are still selling well too.

What’s noticeable is that we’re seeing lots of older consumers come through the door; it’s not kids buying Pokémon and Lego, it’s grown-ups. They’re the ones with the disposable income, and we’re happy to take it in return for great toys.

Mihir Patel - Woodley News, Reading

We work with various suppliers who provide support for our business. Some of the standout companies that we are currently dealing with include Character Options, Click Distribution, Jazwares and Kayes of Cardiff, which provides us with a range of Mattel products. What I like about working with these suppliers/distributors is that they stay in touch with us. I believe that good communication is a crucial aspect of business, and these companies never fail to do that – plus they follow up to check how things are going. Whenever we have queries, they are there to help, and they keep us up to date with delivery times, which is very useful.

We have experienced a strong start to 2025, and I believe the main drivers of this success have been the kidult and collectibles categories. Items like die-cast collectible cars and action vehicles, as well as Trading Card Games such as Pokémon, One Piece and Disney Lorcana are currently seeing significant growth. Certain IPs, including Skibidi Toilet, have gained huge popularity - the latest Skibidi Toilet range by Character Options has been well received by customers. We’re excited for the months ahead, and we look forward to seeing how these ranges will continue to perform.

Brian Buckby and Heather Buckby - Blewett’s Of Hayle, Hayle

We believe that the best support our suppliers can offer us is face-to-face communication. When they make the effort to engage in-person, it motivates us to support them in return. Tomy is one of the companies that has visited our store and provided us with tailored support and a personalised service that simply cannot be matched by online interactions. Other suppliers that we love to deal with and find hugely supportive include Playmobil and Kayes of Cardiff, which provides our Orchard Toys range. We like to show our appreciation for these companies by helping them in return, and coming to events such as the Toymaster Regional Meetings helps to continue nurturing those relationships which are crucial for our business. Another way in which these companies support us is by providing us with plenty of marketing support, including POS displays. We’ve got big wind jammers to go outside the store, and we’re always on the lookout for displays that will invite customers into our shop.

The start of 2025 has been similar to previous years, a bit slower than the rest of the year, especially in January, but we are looking forward to the upcoming movie releases that should drive sales for licensed toy ranges. Upcoming films like Transformers 8: Rise of Unicron, A Minecraft Movie, Jurassic World Rebirth, the CGI-animated Lilo & Stitch - and the Bluey movie scheduled to come out in 2027 - are all generating anticipation and we expect them to positively impact sales of related toy ranges.

Brendan Will - Will’s Toy Shop, Aberdeen

In terms of the suppliers we deal with, Asmodee has been very helpful. Since our recent changes, we’ve become more of a Trading Card Games store, and a lot of the TCG suppliers are hugely supportive of toy shops that are running leagues for their customers. Brainstorm is another supplier that we have worked together with to enhance sales. Its Eugy line is extremely popular here, and they provide us with organised demo kits which are wonderful to get kids involved in-store.

Our strong start to the year is all thanks to Pokémon; we can’t get enough of it. We’ve made some major changes to the store in the last six months; we’ve got rid of a Post Office and have shifted to more of a gaming focus which has proved a successful move. This gives our customers more reasons to stay in the store past the 10-minute mark, some even stay from three to five hours. If they’re there for over an hour, often they buy a drink or a snack, and it gives them more incentive to buy more product.

Libby Osborne - Osborne Sports & Toys, Rushden Northamptonshire

Character Options is a fantastic supplier to deal with in terms of support and helpfulness. They have fabulous reps who go above and beyond to help you, especially if you want something specific. They still come to our store in person - not a lot of companies do that anymore, so it’s really great to have that kind of relationship.

I’m pleased to report that the year has got off to a very strong start. With such a lot of bad stuff happening across the world right now, I think people just want a distraction from the news and the headlines. Parents want to give their children happiness, and toys can quickly and easily offer moments of joy, truly providing that escape that so many people need in the current climate.

Rob West - Firestorm Games, Cardiff

Asmodee is one of our best suppliers; it has a really great support team, and we have a dedicated contact there who is really helpful. All we have to do is pick up the phone to speak to them – and if they’re not available, they ring us straight back to try and help us out.

Kayes of Cardiff is also really supportive; as we’re based in Cardiff, we’ve developed a really close rapport with them. Philip is great, and we value the personal service you get there. Nothing is too much trouble; if we ask for something that they don’t have, they go out and find it for us.

The year is off to a strong start, and we’ve been doing really well. We’re very big into hobbies and collectibles at Firestorm, and Pokémon is a really key line for us. It’s selling exceedingly well, especially with the new Prismatic Evolution release. You just can’t get enough of it at the moment, and customers are banging down the doors for it.

Jennifer Marquis - Wharf Post Office & Gift Store, St Ives, Cornwall

The year is off to a great start. Pokémon, with the new Prismatic Evolutions release, has been absolutely amazing and has brought so many customers into the store. This new release has set the world alight in Pokémon terms. Another strong brand for us is Lego; this always sells well but having two new launches in January and March really helps at this time of year. Lego F1 has only been in our store since the beginning of March, but we’ve seen really good sales already. I think it’s going to be brilliant, and one that’s just going to keep on selling.

In terms of supplier support, Lego has always been a pleasure to deal with. Asmodee is another favourite; the team at Asmodee is really helpful and supportive, meeting our needs. I must mention Character Options as well – we have the most amazing Account manager in Mandy; she’s brilliant. And of course, we can’t forget Toymaster. The support and guidance the team offers across so many aspects of our business is fantastic.

Matthew BradyGame On Toymaster, Saffron Walden

We deal with a number of toy companies, but Asmodee is my most supportive supplier. I’ve always found that we receive plenty of information from the team as well as fair stock allocations, and the reps have long worked hard to accommodate any request we can come up with. I’m very grateful to them for that.

This year, I’d say business is holding steady – especially when the figures are held up against 2024. There have been some strong early launches, driven primarily by Pokémon Prismatic Evolutions and the Formula 1 range from Lego. Those two have undeniably been standouts, and a welcome start to the first quarter. We’re hoping sales will continue to be encouraging as the year goes on.