Special Feature
Toymaster
Be your own master
Toy World spoke to Toymaster’s Paul Reader and Yogi Parmar about the benefits and opportunities of becoming a member, as well as some common misconceptions about the way the buying group operates, which may potentially have dissuaded some retailers from applying to join.
Are there any common misconceptions about membership that you would like to dispel?
Paul Reader, product selection manager
How has 2018 been for Toymaster so far? It has been a difficult and challenging trading year and in line with NPD data, we are trading down with some of the top suppliers. However, due to some fantastic crazes including spinners, slime, Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty, and floam, most of our members’ sales have been stronger than expected and everyone is looking forward to the all-important Christmas sales period.
How many members does Toymaster currently have, and how has your membership grown over the years? Toymaster currently has over 150 members with 250 independently-owned retail stores throughout the UK and ROI. We even have a member in Malta. Our membership has fluctuated over the years in line with the changing retail climate. We have less multi-branch operators and more general market town retailers. We are focused on bricks and mortar retail and are able to offer support in a number of ways, to help independent retailers compete in the challenging trading arena.
What are the benefits of membership for independent retailers? There are many individual benefits, which are summarised in the chart at the end of this article. We pride ourselves on our relationships with both members and suppliers, and are genuinely committed to improving independent toy retailers’ standing within the toy retail market.
The single biggest misconception surrounding Toymaster is that members are required to take part in everything we do, which is simply not true. We provide a simple menu of marketing activities for members to consider. They take part in those activities that they feel suit their business; however statistics show that branding a business or indeed associating with the Toymaster brand drives considerably increased consumer awareness. Marketing activities available to members include catalogues, window display features, consumer promotions, social media activity, and character visits from our popular mascot Toby. Every member decides what they want to take part in and when; nothing is compulsory. All buying, ranging and marketing decisions are made by individual members. We simply ask them to support the activity fully if they have chosen to take part.
How important is it to Toymaster for members to be truly independent? Our biggest strength is that our members are all independent. They run their own business; we are here to help them trade more profitably. Independent toy retailers know their customers and their local community much more intimately than any national chain. Our vision is to make all members a destination store for toys in their town An independent retailer shares all the values that we do. We like to think we help the little guy compete with the big guy on a more level playing field.
Does your relationship with certain companies help when it comes to securing stock? We pride ourselves on our relationships with suppliers and are constantly working to ensure that all our suppliers are working well with Toymaster and our members. We promote two simple working practices for our suppliers: firstly, be serious about working with independents and we will be serious about working with you. It truly is a partnership that we are aiming for. Secondly, positively discriminate in favour of independents.
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Yogi Parmar, operations director This works for our members when we are able to offer hot lines of product that are in short supply. Suppliers like the fact that we can communicate to all members simultaneously and use our newsletter service to outline what is happening; new ranges, launches, stock allocations or any exciting promotional opportunities, along with exclusive items and promotions at times. Our purpose is to ensure the long-term survival of independent toy retailers and we have a 12-month programme of buying, marketing and promotions that supports members.
What does Toymaster offer its members across the year? Here at Toymaster Northampton Head office, we pride ourselves on the service we provide. The communication network between suppliers, members and Toymaster is so important, and goes a long way to enhance the relationship between supplier and member. The May Show encompasses all that we are about and showcases how both members and suppliers are working together to maximise mutual opportunities. The fact that all of the industry’s leading suppliers choose to attend the Toymaster May Show demonstrates how important independents are to the toy Industry as a whole. The May Show is open to all like-minded independent bricks and mortar toy retailers, regardless of whether they are a Toymaster