Talking Shop

Shopmasters

With the Toymaster May Show fast approaching, indie retailers share what they are looking forward to in Harrogate and what they enjoy about being a Toymaster member, as well as how business has been over Easter.

John Fagan - Fagan Toymaster, Mullingar, Co Westmeath

There are a number of perks to being a Toymaster member, such as the coordination of details in the supplier directory, the organisation of the Christmas catalogue and the provision of promotional window display material.

What originally drew me in to becoming a Toymaster member was the availability of the toy catalogues and the access to manufacturers and suppliers. As an independent, it can be very difficult to get access to these. We work with all our suppliers through Toymaster; Lego would be our top, then probably Mattel. We also work closely with Orchard Toys and Asmodee. In total, we currently deal with between 60 and 70 different suppliers. At the May Show, there will be over 100 suppliers, but we’re trying to cut back a little bit and not be duplicating product ranges. So, we will probably be dealing with around 60 at the show.

The May Show is really a fantastic opportunity. You get to meet all the suppliers, view offers and promotions and it is a must for planning and purchasing for Christmas. The key part of the show is that you get to see so many suppliers over the three days, so you get an overview over a short space of time of what’s new, what’s coming and what’s in catalogues.

If you’re not at the show, you’re waiting for sales reps to come and see you, which can go on for two to three months. You lose sight of what you saw in the first month by the time you get to the third. From a planning point of view, it’s really good to see all the suppliers in the same few days so you can really get an overview of the marketplace for Christmas. We go to the January Toy Fair as well, just to refresh after the holidays and see what’s new, but when the May Show comes around, you’re ready to get into serious purchases for the coming months.

Our first objective at the show is to see all the promotions, catalogue lines and new product that are available, and then look at purchasing. With a focus on margin delivery, we need to continue reviewing product ranges and suppliers.

We go to the May Show with a very open mind. We’re trying to find out what’s new, if there are any new films coming out that will attract different kinds of product that will be associated with it, and what the companies have committed to putting into the Christmas catalogues. We take 14,000 catalogues and distribute them locally, so we need to have all the product that’s in those catalogues. You have to know what’s coming in advance, so you can have good stocks of the product that you’re promoting and marketing.

At the show, I have appointments all day Tuesday and Wednesday to make sure I see the people I prioritise, and then I have a bit of blank space on Thursday to wander and pick up anyone that I didn’t get to see.

Retail is always a challenge, and within that comes opportunities. Toymaster pulls together lots of information and analysis on product and suppliers which is key to our decision making. In every difficult area there’s always opportunities, and Toymaster helps us in that respect by delivering information on what’s happening in different areas. That way, if I’m missing out on anything, I can pick it up and hop on the bandwagon. In fairness, when some of the manufacturers see a trend happening, they usually send out an email about how they’re having a great run and what stock is performing well.

Being an independent, you can react week-on-week. Some of the bigger organisations have different planning and procedures that they have to go through before they can order new lines. I can make a call at the end of the day and jump on something right away.

Currently, it’s 20 degrees over here, which is unheard of at this time of the year. It’s only going to last a few days, but a lot of outdoor product is moving; sales of play stands, slides and swings have really kicked in. The longer the nice weather stays, the better.

Easter is usually good for us. We feature our specialist lines during Easter; this year it’s a focus on outdoor products. We do a bit of marketing in that respect, so people know we have the product and come straight to us. This period really kicks off the rest of summer.

Andrew Olley - City Cycle Centre Department Store, Ely, Cambridgeshire

Toymaster supports us in so many ways: with advertising, the catalogues, excellent window displays, central invoicing systems, and also in person and online. What I value most has been the individual advice and support that I've received whenever I have needed it. There's a lot of knowledge and experience at Toymaster HQ that members can tap into.

At Toy Fair, in the dark depths of January, it's always very exciting to see everyone's beautiful, bright plans for the year. But now, it's time to get down to the details. The Toymaster show is perfectly timed at the end of May, when we are about to step into the second half of the year. Visitors can get a final glimpse of the product for the all-important third quarter, and then it's time to get to grips with the serious business of buying. I enjoy the May Show; whilst it is an event where everyone is looking towards the Christmas season and getting down to the serious business of buying, as it takes place when the weather is warming up (hopefully), that means the show usually has a relaxed, summery feel (even if there might be the odd torrential storm rocking the Marquee).

Just getting around to cover everything and see everyone at the May Show is an achievement, so preparation is key, and I do a lot of work in advance. I particularly take note of any stock deals, offers and catalogue lines that will be useful to the business. Attending the May Show has become increasingly important to me, as a valuable opportunity to see products and meet suppliers that I couldn't see otherwise. I've been a buyer for a very long time, in different types of retail, and one of the major changes I have noticed over the years is a lot fewer representatives visiting actual shops. There are a few exceptions, and we appreciate companies that still make the effort, but that makes the May Show a rare chance to see products in the flesh and catch up with some of the larger suppliers in person.

Sales were excellent during the Easter holidays. We ran Lego Make and Take events which went down really well, and we had a variety of competitions up and running during the entirety of the break, which were very well supported. All of this encourages footfall. A great Eugy display in the window has attracted customers in store, and we sold lots of the new Eugy animals as Easter gifts. It's been an excellent start to the year, with some super launches that have helped sales overall.

Calum Pearce - Bicester Toys & Thorntons, Bicester

The Easter season was steady for us. Having a bright, sunny half-term brought people out to enjoy the sun, which has also helped with our ice cream and summer toy sales. So, we’d say that it’s been a positive period overall. We’ve seen strong sales across our water guns, bubble machines, tennis racquets, badminton racquets and other general outdoor products. Other best-sellers this quarter include Pokémon Prismatic, which has been seeing plenty of demand, and we have also expanded a little bit into Magic: The Gathering and further into the trading card market in general. Another one of our highlights is the Lego F1 and Speed Champions sets, which have been performing very well.

One of the biggest benefits of being a Toymaster member is the strong sense of community that it offers. The group has grown significantly, and being part of it exposes us to plenty of different approaches and ways to communicate with other indies. Another brilliant benefit is the many meetings/shows which are organised throughout the year. These provide us with invaluable opportunities to connect with suppliers in person and see their products firsthand, rather than just through a catalogue. Without these meetings, our contact with suppliers would be far less frequent, making this aspect one of the major advantages of our group membership. We find the regional meetings particularly useful. The group has recently moved them to Coventry, which I think works very well, as the event now boasts a bigger space with more suppliers. Attending enables us to get in front of most of the companies we work with, all in one place.

The kidult market is overflowing with new products this year, and we are looking to expand our portfolio by adding some new lines. We are currently working with Toymaster’s Paul Reader, who is advising us on what new items to incorporate into our offering based on our existing collection. Our existing kidult ranges include Pokémon, Airfix, Lego and Warhammer, but we are looking into adding some anime figures and exploring some other avenues that might be beneficial to our 10 stores. Paul has been able to highlight opportunities for growth and expansion; his advice is much appreciated, and something that’s available to our fellow Toymaster members. (For more on this, see p.6 of this supplement).

One of the main challenges we are currently dealing with, along with most other independent retailers, is the rising cost of living and its effect on customers. Being members of Toymaster means we are part of a community where strategies that have worked – and those which haven’t. It’s good to be part of a supportive network where we can discuss and explore new ideas together.

This year, our plans to expand and to find new suppliers to work with will present us with new opportunities. We’ll develop our business by ensuring we have a point of difference to other toy retailers, and by making sure we’re adapting to the new retail world.

Harvey Alexander - The Hobby Shop, Faversham

I’ve been a Toymaster member for the past 10 years and initially wanted to join the group to gain access to major suppliers like the Lego Group. Since then, Toymaster has given me access to plenty of ranges that I probably wouldn't have discovered on my own. I find the fact that the group provides sales analysis of products very helpful, as it allows us indies to know what’s selling well and choose what to stock with confidence. If we’re thinking of taking on a new range, we can check the figures to work out whether that range should do well for us.

Lego continues to sell very well for us, with the F1 Speed Champions being the most popular of the recent releases. Additionally, the Lego Creator 3-in-1 Wild Animals range has been enjoying success, alongside the Pokémon TCG, which is one of the most highly requested items at our shop.

It’s been a quiet Easter bank holiday for us; it’s usually a bit busier, but the weather has probably been the reason why we’ve had less footfall. However, we have seen some sunny days, and these brought people out and the town was noticeably busier. We’re hoping for better weather to arrive soon, as this will help bring more customers in.

Ian Bailey - Baileys Toymaster Gorey, Wexford, Ireland

We’ve been a member of the Toymaster buying group for almost 10 years now, after moving into toys from a completely different business. When we first joined, we received plenty of advice from the team which really helped our business grow. Being a Toymaster member has enabled us to network with other members, making us feel like we’re part of a community, as well as gaining access to a wide variety of suppliers, which has been hugely beneficial for us as a business. Other benefits include being able to opt in to central invoicing, which makes matters much easier and less time-consuming for us. Recently, Toymaster has provided us with very useful advice on how to merchandise our product ranges effectively.

The Toymaster May Show is our main buying event of the year, one which allows us to see all the autumn-winter ranges in the flesh and connect with suppliers face-to-face. What we hope to achieve at this year’s event is bringing ourselves up to date on all the new ranges - and getting the best deals possible for the next season, as well as meeting some new suppliers. It will also be a fantastic opportunity for us to network with other Toymaster members.

We’re looking forward to planning for the second half of the year and looking at how we could refresh our product offerings. I personally find attending the May show invaluable, it helps us to properly see the value and the quality of the products; it’s so much better to see them ‘in the flesh’ and get a feel for them.

Particular challenges that I feel most indie retailers are struggling with at the moment are maintaining a good margin and controlling costs. Costs have increased a lot in the last few years, so I suppose that keeping them under control while maintaining turnover is the biggest target. As Toymaster members, the offers from suppliers are crucial to help us enhance our margin and help mitigate challenges.

I think the biggest opportunity for us this year is tapping into the kidult and collector market more. We have increased our adult-focused ranges, including our kidult Lego range and our model kit and collector ranges. Additionally, following the success of Pokémon, we have expanded into other collectible card games. Attending the May show will allow us to talk to other members about their experiences with the new ranges we have brought in, to make sure we’re on the right track and see if there are any other product ranges they recommend that we could add to enhance our collectibles offering.

Easter sales have been encouraging, and the sunny weather resulted in us selling more outdoor products for a few weeks, particularly wheeled toys, which have been performing well.