Edplay September 2022

Dedicated to the Specialty Toy IndustrySeptember 2022 to Permanent From Pop-upColor

AlbuquerqueToysWheelin

edplay.com 3 word Dancing in the Dark Lately it has seemed to be one thing after another don’t so much solve problems as simply move on to new it says something significant about recessions. Some have been so mild that we didn’t know they had happened until they were over, while others have been so severe as to threaten the fabric of society. Most have been somewhere in theTheremiddle.have been recessions back almost to the Love! Love!MAYWITH YOUR HOLIDAYS BE MERRY & BRIGHT! SEE YOU IN 2022! Toy Fair 2022 Booth 5907 GoodToyGroup.com401-284-0610 “Tech less & talk more The Rank Game’s game-ification of conversation.” favorite pick! INNOVATIVE NEW GAMES SHIPPING NOW expa packs hit demoevery graphic”“The nsion PERFECT STOCKING STUFFERS “Tech less & talk more with The Rank Game’s game-ification of conversation.” pick! favorite pick! 3.5 X 4.75 chip@storyastic.com or STORYASTIC.COM

4 September 2022 — edplay.com September 2022 3 Wordplay Dancing in the Dark by Kevin Fahy 12 Keri’s Color Scheme After five years of operating Color Wheel Toys as a holiday pop-up, educator Keri Piehl is making it permanent this fall. 24 Speaking of Pop-ups ... Toys “R” Us is launching another comeback in storeswithin-Macy’s-stores. 18 Blue-sky It with ASTRA A look at the association’s cruisin’ trade show. 22 Retailers Recommend Fabulous Products 26 The Switch to Fall and This Year’s Event in Dallas The Toy Association’s 2023 Preview & Holiday Market 38 Endcap At Storyastic, “We’re not selling products, we’re offering community.” 28 New & True Products 32 Industry News 34 For Your Business Information 37 Advertiser Index 12 22

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September 2022 — edplay.com 7

There were 12 recessions over that 100-year period, but the intervals between them varied widely, and the statistic you often hear about an eight-year average is misleading. Recessions may be separated by a few months or a generation. The first one, in 1907, was typical of previous financial crises in that it was caused by excessive speculation that led to a run on the banks. What makes it special is that it prompted Congress to create the Federal Reserve System to back up the banks and regulate the interest rates at which they borrow money. It was a long time until the next recession, but it was a doozy. From August of 1929 through March of 1933, the GDP declined by about 30 percent and the unemployment rate soared to 25 percent. The economy began to recover in the mid-1930s but fell into another recession in 1937. Preparation for the Second World War finally pulled the nation out of the doldrums in 1939. At least that’s the way economists see it. To historians, it’s all The Great Depression, and it covers the entire decade of the 1930s. I’ve known a lot of people who lived through it, including my parents, and I can tell you that they side with the historians. At any rate, they all agree that the buildup for the war ended the employment problem, as every available factory was conscripted to make planes, ships, tanks, guns, bombs, bullets, uniforms, and all the other equipment that armies and navies go through. In September of 1940 the U.S. instituted its first peacetime draft and, following Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, it began to call up young men by the millions.

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Wordplay (continued

American manufacturing needed workers so badly in the early 1940s that it even overcame its aversion to women and minorities. Anyone with a pulse could find a job. By 1945, however, it was becoming clear that the war would soon be over, and the U.S. began to put the brakes on its astonishing industrial output. Understandably, the economy fell into recession in February of that year. Many economists were worried that all those men leaving the armed services that summer would make the recession much worse, as the economy would not be able to absorb them. Those fears made sense, but that’s not what Americanshappened.hadbeenasked to make sacrifices on the home front for years. There had been shortages and/ or rationing of meat, sugar, rubber, coffee, gasoline, and even soap. They had also been encouraged by the government to save money, partly through the purchase of war bonds, and they had done so. When you put together all that pent-up demand with all that saved-up money, add in all those returning G.I.’s wanting to make (continued on page 8) from page 3) up for lost time, and throw in an exuberant national mood, you don’t get a recession. You get a postwar economic boom of historic proportions. The boom lasted about 15 years, during which time the U.S. economy more than doubled in size. Over the course of this dramatic expansion there were three recessions, and they followed a familiar pattern: the economy would become overheated, spurring inflation. The Fed would raise interest rates to tamp down inflation, and the economy would slow down too much, resulting in a recession.Tobe sure, there were a lot of other factors involved, and I don’t mean to imply that the Fed was solely responsible for those recessions. 561-400-8729 561-935-4303

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You can e-mail Kevin at kfahy@fwpi.com

Wordplay (continued from page 7)

Further, I would add that the Fed’s ability to slow the economy, and its commitment to containing inflation are good things. Most recessions are relatively short and manageable, but inflation can become entrenched and highlySo,destructive.areweheaded into a recession? I can’t tell you, and neither can anyone else. Even celebrity economists are divided, and hedging their bets. Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, who predicted our current bout with inflation, says it is “more likely than not.” New York Times columnist and Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman says it is “less likely than not.” Lesser-known authorities are also about equally split. You may be wondering how much impact a recession would be likely to have on the toy business. According to NPD Group, the industry was up slightly during the first quarter of this year, despite the slight decline in the overall economy.Ihave heard it said that the toy industry is recessionproof, but I don’t believe there is any such thing (except maybe government). The food industry, for example, is considered pretty safe because people have to eat. That’s true, but they can eat less, or waste less, or buy cheaper food, or even grow it themselves. The same logic applies to toys. During the “Great Recession” of 2008, the toy industry declined at about the same rate as most industries. Each recession has its own characteristics and patterns, but I think that we would probably follow the economy into a recession, and follow it back out into a recovery.

8 September 2022 — edplay.com

The real question is not about when the next recession will happen, but whether or not we will survive it. That’s one I can answer. We will.

10 September 2022 — edplay.com We also publish Around The Table a publication of the Game Manufacturers Association Art Materials Retailer for People Who Sell Art Supplies Educational Dealer for retailers who sell to teachers, parents and schools ASTRA Toy Times The Magazine of The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association

brand of Fahy-Williams Publishing Copyright © 2022

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Editorial Director Tina tmanzer@fwpi.comManzer Graphic Artists Maia VanOrman Advertising Director Tim tbraden@fwpi.comBraden Ad Sales Representative Darlene darlene@fwpi.comRyan Enewsletter & Online Advertising Manager Rick rkauder@fwpi.comKauder Production Manager Mark mstash@fwpi.comStash Subscriptions accounts@fwpi.com Editorial Offices 171 Reed Street Geneva, NY 800-344-055914456

About Fahy-Williams We’ve produced custom publications for organizations large and small, in addition to our own magazines, for 39 years. We fund them through advertising sales – that’s our superpower. Advertising is the reason all of the directories, magazines, and industry publications we create generate revenue for our partners. If you can imagine a publication that builds your brand, communicates with your members or customers, AND makes you money, we can deliver it. For more information, visit fwpi.com.

About edplay Founded in 1994. edplay is the original trade magazine for the specialty toy industry. With five printed issues and monthly enewsletters, it reports on new play products, interviews toy experts, and provides bestpractice advice. Kevin kfahy@fwpi.comFahy

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by Tina Manzer

After five years of operating Color Wheel Toys as a holiday pop-up, educator Keri Piehl is making it permanent this fall. Here are her thoughts on the trend of temporary retail, the non-negotiables of good store design, and the value of testing the waters before plunging in.

ColorKeri’sScheme

In September 2017, while her fellow teachers were settling into a new school year, Keri Piehl was setting up something new in Albuquerque – a pop-up toy store for the fourth quarter only. Working for herself might give her better work/life balance she thought, but before she abandoned teaching, she needed to put her theory to the test.

A veteran preschool and elementary-school teacher, Keri planned to operate her pop-up from September through January and then teach during the off season. She had worked enough retail in college “to understand the sort of grind of it.” Later, she helped her friend Carolyn Miye, former owner of Oodles 4 Kids (now Oodles Toys) in Portland, Oregon, “so I also knew the fun of it.

“I wanted to collect enough data to know how to ensure some success or to simply walk away,” Keri explains. “What if I didn’t enjoy it? What if three other toy stores opened and I couldn’t compete? The minute I opened, I started building a wish list of what I wanted and needed to do it full-time. Right now, I’m putting five years’ worth of ideas to good use.”

“I had to explain the concept of a pop-up so many times!” she continues. “I talked to a realtor who had absolutely no idea. Albuquerque is a small market, so I Keri’s mission as a toy retailer is to encourage parents and children to explore fun, colorful and unusual toys as an alternative to licensed toys and electronics.

Locations, locations, locations Her first challenge was securing a temporary storefront. “It was hard to get anyone to rent to me,” she remembers. “There were certainly enough empty spaces, and I had references and insurance. I don’t know what the deal was, but it was like pulling teeth.

12 September 2022 — edplay.com

*NEW*4ZIPPY *NEW* P:414-357-3997 info@mukikim.com www.mukikim.com MUKIKIMSTOCKFORAGREATQ4 Modes

Above: Art and craft supplies are staples at Color Wheel Toys, where free “take-and-make” kits are often available.

Right: Color Wheel Toys provides purchase options at a variety of price points. Keri wants to make sure that kids coming in with their allowance or savings have enough items to choose from.

still have it, I bring the completed order to a local business I partner with, so that the customer can pick it up. I’m paying for Shopify anyway; I might as well use it,” says Keri. The pop-up traditionally employed three parttime employees in addition to Keri, but in 2020 it could have used more. “Three weeks before Christmas, New Mexico shut down because the COVID situation was out of control. I had rented a storefront on a hard corner on purpose because it had windows on two sides. We pushed the shelves right up against the windows so shoppers could step up and point to what they wanted. We would put their order together and literally sell it to them out the door. We did tons of business.”

In Oregon, Keri taught high school students about creative reuse, a practice she uses in her daily life and at her business.

Weary of the pop-down Part of being a teacher is closing up your classroom every year, so Keri was used to an annual spring cleanup/fall

She cautions that if you want to do a pop-up – to try a new location or a different mix of products – you must go into it realistically. “When I told people what I was doing, they said, ‘It must be great! You have all that time off!’ I would say, ‘Hold on. Don’t quit your day job. I don’t live off this alone.’ My spouse works full-time, and he has health insurance and a pension. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have this opportunity to try on a new career,” Keri“Pop-upscontinues.may be the latest craze, but the idea that you work parttime and make money hand-over-fist is a fantasy. Realistically, you’d need family money or a big settlement to fund it. We saved and then borrowed our savings for the business. The business paid us back over time. I don’t have serious debt because I knew what I was getting into.” She didn’t know she’d end up owning the only toy store in “Alltown.theothers closed,” Keri explains, “the last one in 2020. I was a patron of all of them. Without them though, Color Wheel Toys acquired many loyal customers in the past five years. I hadn’t planned on total market advantage, but it has really bolstered my business and helped promote my brand.”

setup routine. But assembling, and then disassembling a 1,200-square-foot store to the bare walls was a different story. When the process became old, it was time for a decision. Keri began shopping for a permanent location, and she knew exactly what she wanted. “Having an easily accessible customer restroom – not a down-the-hall, shared-with-other-businesses setup – was non-negotiable. I was also looking for track lighting, good parking – ADA accessible parking – plus stroller and wheelchair accessibility,” she says. “That last one is so important. At each pop-up location I would walk with a yardstick at waist level to make sure the aisles were wide enough.” She found the spot she wanted at The Village Shops at Los Ranchos, a shopping center on Albuquerque’s busy 4th St. corridor. The complex of buildings has a traditional New Mexico look and is anchored by one of the best restaurants in the state. “Last January when I was packing up, I felt really good about my decision to give the store my full-time attention,” Keri says. “More recently when the movers started transferring everything out of my storage unit into my new space, I was positively gleeful.”

Nassau, the

Blue-sky It with ASTRA

If you haven’t seen the one-liners promoting ASTRA’s Royal Caribbean cruise/tradeshow, you’ve been missing the boat – particularly if you love puns. From “Connect with your PIERS” and “Empty shelves? HULL no!” to “No big OARdeal” and “Oh SHIP! Free hotel nights?” the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association has been joyfully plugging its new event scheduled for February 20 through 24 and embarking from Fort Lauderdale. To recap: plans for the ocean-bound get-together began after ASTRA received the results of a survey it conducted. Toy professionals expressed their enthusiasm for a new ASTRA event in early 2023 to fill the void left by Toy Fair’s move to September. ASTRA stepped up with the cruise idea – something unique and exciting exclusively for Q1 – while keeping its annual tradeshow in its optimal June timeframe. “The Toy Boat gives manufacturers, inventors, affiliates and reps the opportunity to present their newet products to retailers, take orders for existing products, and plan year-round programs,” says ASTRA President Sue Warfield. “Meanwhile, retailers have the chance to place orders and fill their empty shelves while they network and build strong relationships with their Productcolleagues.exhibitswill be open Wednesday and Thursday, February 22 and 23. Exhibitors can reserve round tabletops in three different sizes, priced from $200 to $500.

Bahamas

Instead, meeting planners have discovered just the opposite is true.

Industry experts estimate cruise conferences are 25 to 40 percent less expensive than their landbased counterparts, and today’s big ships have dedicated conference facilities, multipurpose lounges, spacious theaters and state-ofthe-art audio visual equipment – all complimentary, reports travel company Landry & Kling.

20 September 2022 — edplay.com were too expensive, lacked space, and offered much less than hotels provide.

The annual show of the Western States Toy & Hobby Representatives Association (WTHRA) gets underway in Las Vegas just a few days after ASTRA’s cruise returns to port. People who sail on Toy Boat and attend ToyFest will receive a free hotel night in Las Vegas between February 27 and March 3, 2023, and a free hotel night at ASTRA Marketplace & Academy in Columbus, Ohio, which takes place June 11 through 14. Now in its 10th year in Las Vegas, ToyFest presents products from more than 500 manufacturers. In addition to toys, categories on display include gifts, infant and toddler, education & books, STEM, museum, hobby, costume, beauty, and novelty. Buyers can take advantage of fabulous first-quarter specials, unique industry events, and a chance to work with vendors and reps – all in the laid-back and friendly environment ToyFest has become known for.

“Cruises offer incredible value over land programs with inclusive pricing for accommodations, meals, entertainment, transportation, beverages, etc.,” said Dan Meister, CMP, owner of Meister Meetings & Travel Corp. In an article for Corporate & Incentive Travel, he explained that his company always Then Saddle Up for ToyFest February 27 through March 3

• A cruise is perfect for attendees who want to bring their families with them. That’s particularly important to ASTRA members. “Toy Boat is a family affair with programs for kids included,” explains the association. “Bring your kids along and get your work done.” Daily programs for kids are available from about 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and are geared toward these age groups.

• The environment is fun and stimulating. It sparks creative ideas and fosters camaraderie.

September 2022 — edplay.com 21 adds the same kind of packages that ASTRA has added “so guests receive more value and do not have to spend out-ofpocket.”“With more traditional meeting locations you are working with a blank canvas and you build from the bottom up,” said Eldon Gale, in the same article. The director of events for Scentsy, a distributor of scentbased products, recently planned a successful onboard incentive event for 2,000 people. “Cruise ships offer you an incredibly diverse amount of options for dining, entertainment and activities that are already created and are generally included in the base cost of your cruise fare.” Event planners listed a host of other benefits of conferences at sea.

• Passengers travel to multiple destinations with the convenience of unpacking/packing only once.

• The self-contained environment encourages networking and increases attendance at functions. “You don’t have guests going ‘off-property’ when the ship is sailing,” said Shari Wallack, president of travel agency Buy the Sea. “And consider that for evening events, dinearounds and entertainment, guests never need to leave for offsite venues.”

Royal Babies – 6 to 18 months Royal Tots – 18 to 36 months Aquanauts – 3 to 5 years Explorers – 6 to 8 years Voyagers – 9 to 11 years Teens – 12 to 17 years For more information about ASTRA Toy Boat, visit astratoy.org.

Blue-sky It with ASTRA

• Since the staff-to-guest ratio is typically about three times that of most hotels and resorts, attendees receive more personal service.

• Security is greater onboard a ship than at a land-based facility

thegoodgamecompany.com 22 September

From Thea Brown at World of Mirth in Richmond, Virginia

“The board book Mirabelle Has a Birthday (3) from Workman Publishing came out last year, and it’s been a big hit for us. Michael Muller, the author/photographer/illustrator is also the character ‘Mr. Muller’ in the book. He’s a former teacher and kids of all ages love his books and his sweet pup, Mirabelle.“

“We’ve loved the Unicorn Galaxy Cloak (1) from Great Pretenders for years, and the updated unicorn color scheme is delightful. Still wondering when it will come out in adult sizes … asking for a friend.”

retailers recommend 3 4 Fabulous Products 1 workman.com 5

“Cowpie Catapults* (5) from The Good Game Company is hands down one of my favorite silly games of the year. You try to knock over your opponent’s cows with – you guessed it – catapulted cow pies. It’s super funny and almost anyone can play. Even though it’s for ages 6 and up, we sell it to college students all the time.”

shopgreatpretenders.com

The Strawberry Sunset Game (4) from Stellar Factory is a fun strategy game where each player tries to create a better strawberry patch than their neighbors – all before sundown. Sounds easy, right? Play time is 10-20 minutes, so it’s fast paced and great to play over and over again for kids ages 7 and up.

stellarfactory.com 2022 edplay.com

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“Clixo (2) is a 2D/3D magnetic-origami building toy. It offers so many creative and open-ended possibilities. Kids can use it to make shapes, cars, a crown, superhero gloves – the list goes on. They pieces have a good hand feel, are lightweight, and really fun to create with.

for

Catapults is one of 12 products on ASTRA’s Best

shopgreatpretenders.com

*Cowpie Toys Kids List for 2022. Here are the others.

6 9

Preschool Games: Pancake Monster (Blue Orange Games) Games 8-10: Forklift Frenzy (Fat Brain Toy Co.) Active Play: Dueling Stomp Rockets (Stomp Rocket) Arts & Crafts: Build & Grow Tree House (Faber-Castell/Creativity for Kids) Building: Builder Set (Magna-Tiles) Educational: Dig it Up! Glow in the Dark Dinosaur Eggs (MW Wholesale) Preschool: Roboflex (Smart Toys & Games) Pretend Play: Super Cityscape Transport Bucket Set (Hape) Puzzles: 800-Piece Earth Puzzle by Number (Plus-Plus) Science: Ultra Bionic Blaster (Thames and Kosmos) 8 September 2022 — edplay.com 23

“The Bug Vacuum (6) from Thin Air Brands is doing insanely well here. I’m writing another purchase order for them right now – they just blow out the door. It’s hilarious to watch customers just lose their minds over it. A child will bring one home and then the mom will come in to get one for herself.“The realistic-looking swords from Great Pretenders are selling like crazy. I’m watching a little warrior right now walking around the store with a Long Dagger (7) in one hand and a Sword (8) in the other. “I think Speks’ Crags (9) will be popular for the holidays among older kids and adults. It’s a bunch of hematite magnets that come in a tin, like putty, and you play with them in your hands. Crags are a fidget – they feel and sound amazing as you crush and clump them.”

thinairbrands.comgetspeks.com

From Emily Scheid at Hollipops in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

24 September 2022 — edplay.com

Last summer, Macy’s announced a new partnership with WHP Global, the parent company of Toys “R” Us, with plans to roll out the toy brand’s shopping experience in more than 400 Macy’s stores nationwide. This July, the in-store shops began popping up and will continue to do so through October. They range in size from 1,000 to 10,000 square feet for flagship locations in Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco. Some of them may expand an extra 500 to 3,000 square feet during the holiday season. To celebrate their openings, all Macy’s stores will host nine days of instore events, beginning October 15 through October 23, which will include family friendly activities and daily giveaways from brands like Barbie and LEGO. Rather than offer shoppers a temporary taste of the new Speaking of Pop-ups … Toys “R” Us is launching another comeback in within-Macy’s-storesstoresby Tina Manzer

September 2022 — edplay.com 25 Toys “R” Us – as the brand’s pop-up efforts have done in the past – the stores-within-stores are destined to become“Thepermanent.Toys“R”

Us brand will come to life in-store with playful colored fixtures, as well as hands-on demonstration tables for patrons to interact with various toy assortments,” says a Macy’s press release. “The shops will also feature a life-sized ‘Geoffrey on a Bench” photo opportunity for families.Anexperience like a photo op is the backbone of a successful pop-up, says Medallion Retail, a marketing agency specializing in in-store signage, display and shopper experience programs. “Retail pop-ups are a non-passive approach in connecting with consumers; taking brands and retailers directly to the shopper in ways and communities that no one single store could ever hope to achieve,” read a Medallion blog post last year. “Pop-up retail was and is the springboard of experiential retail – executable and realistic, even for those new to the game.”

“Through 2017 on into early 2020, retail pop-up was on a mega ride, fanning out to consumers in activations that were as unique as they were engaging,” the post continued. “We marveled at the depth of imagination that some of these entities displayed to give shoppers a memorable and brandbonding experience. “And then came COVID.” As we all experienced, online shopping became the norm by necessity. More and more people became caught up in the new product offerings they were exposed to online and through social media. After acquiring a taste for unique and independent brands, they’re looking for similar products as they return to brick-and-mortar, says Medallion.“Pop-up retail once again may be the answer. It allows for a nimble, unique and memorable approach in engaging with consumers and promoting brand recognition,” it adds. Toys “R” Us is no match for our specialty toy retail stores that strive to do the same.

Retail pop-ups are a

connectingapproachnon-passiveinwithconsumers

Thursday, September 22 Show Hours: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit toyassociation.org/previewmarket for up-to-date additions to the schedule.

The Switch to Fall and This Year’s Event in Dallas

The timeline/holiday-promotion opportunities theme was first mentioned by Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Toy Association, when the board voted to switch Toy Fair from an annual winter show in February to a fall event. “Fall can deliver a powerful preholiday opportunity for companies to make product news that matters, something that can’t happen in February,” Pasierb posted on LinkedIn earlier this year. “In New York, fall is particularly appealing to allied industries, including licensing, entertainment and studios not currently part of Toy Fair, but

When the Toy Association started the transition to a new-for-next-fall timeframe for Toy Fair New York and announced the retirement of its annual fall event in Texas, one loose thread remained: this year’s previously scheduled Toy Fair Dallas in late September/early October. Based on strong demand from both exhibitors and buyers, says The Toy Association (and probably a reservation obligation to fulfill at the Dallas Market Center), the event was not cancelled. Instead, it was moved up to September 20 through 22 and became the one-off 2023 Preview & Holiday Market. The association expects it will be “where retailers will go to shop for holiday drivers and to scout out innovative products to lay the groundwork for the following year ’s fourth quarter.” Included on the three-day-long agenda is the presentation of the Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards, meaning that for the first and possibly only time, two sets of awards will be given in the same year in 18 categories plus a new one for fall: Ride-on Toy of the Year. “The timing offers a powerful pre-holiday opportunity for toy companies to promote their TOTYnominated products and brands during the holiday shopping season, when toy sales are vital and when products are on-shelf for the holidays,” explains the association.

Learn about Target’s purpose and strategy for creating inclusive products, systems and experiences across the 11business.a.m.to noon Stephanie Bailey, VP of Global Toys, Paramount, discusses career paths in toys. 1:30 to 2: 30 p.m. The Toy Foundation talks about why play matters, and how collective action impacts the toy industry.

Tuesday,&2023SCHEDULEPreviewHolidayMarketSeptember20 Show Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Toy of the Year Awards and Opening Night Party: 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 21 Show Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Programming 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

26 September 2022 — edplay.com

September 2022 — edplay.com 27 important to the business of toys and now intrigued by potentially joining in.” With nearly 250 exhibitors, the preview/market offers buyers from stores large (Hobby Lobby, Spencer’s, Macy’s, and Barnes & Noble are registered) and small (Beyond the Blackboard in Colorado, Imagine That in Kansas, Darien Toy Box in Connecticut, and Barston’s Child’s Play in Virginia are on the list) to see and to touch items that may become next year’s hot trends.

Buyer Marnie Lawrence, senior director of merchandising for Barnes & Noble, will be there to trend spot, she told The Toy Association. “I am particularly interested in discovering new suppliers and new products,” she told them. “After two years of not attending trade shows, the prospect of unearthing new gems at an in-person show is incredibly exciting. Over the course of the pandemic, we stayed in close contact with our vendor partners and capitalized on their new product launches. However, finding new suppliers, innovations, new categories of business –these discoveries happen in person.” In 2023, Toy Fair will be held at the Javits Center in New York, September 30 to October 3. For more information, visit toyfairny.com.

A STRA’s revised and updated Certified Play Expert (CPE) Program will be presented as a two-day course at the Dallas Market Center, Sunday, September 18 and Monday, September 19, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each “Earday.ning the CPE credential will deepen your knowledge about child development and the importance of play – through all ages,” explains ASTRA. “The specialty toy industry is known for toys that are loads of fun and promote healthy, developmentally appropriate play. Becoming well-versed in the art and science of play is an important business strategy that helps differentiate your company’s products or your store from the competition, and builds trust with your customers.”

Participants will receive top-quality, research-based instruction in several core areas, including theories of child development, characteristics of major developmental stages, types of play and their benefits, advocating for play, and making sense of play. Cost: $299 per person Continental breakfast and lunch are included each day.

Go Early and Become a Certified Play Expert

28 September 2022 — edplay.com 4 new & true 1. The Sprite LED Neochrome, Micro Kickboard’s best-selling two-wheel scooter, is now available in neochrome, featuring a rainbow of reflective colors and bright LED wheels for ages 6 through teen. neochromeproducts/sprite-led-microkickboard.com/

2. AcrossAdventuresAmerica from Wikki Stix is the perfect all-American Christmas gift for ages 3 through 5! The interactive board book comes with 36 Wikki Stix and features beautifully illustrated scenes from around the USA! MSRP: $12.50 wikkistix.com

3. Klondice from Mindware is an easyto-learn game of strategy and luck. The rush is on to collect the most gold and earn points by completing the rows on the mine cart game cards. mindware.com chomp, roar, and soar! Get ready for endless hours of screen-free fun and oversized play potential that never goes extinct. magnatiles.com Brand Music features a new texture and six new colors. It’s durable, water resistant, and easy to clean. This real, playable instrument is a veritable treasure in its eyecatching retail packaging.

2kalabrand.com5

8. The Twelve Dice of Christmas from Steve Jackson Games is a fast, fun game and a perfect stocking stuffer! Pick from 12 Christmas-y dice to get the right number to buy the presents you want for Christmas … and keep your friends from getting what they want. sjgames.comretailers@sjgames.com

Scrambled 5’s, numbers speak louder than words. Put on your thinking cap and show your opponent what you are made of! This game calls for quick thinking, strategy, and pure number madness! regalgamesllc.com

September 2022 — edplay.com 29 9 6

playmonster.com10

7. Jolly Pal Dough Roll from Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty is here to help you deliver some ho ho holiday hits. And sNOw Buddy is cuter than this classic wintertime dough roll! Build a snowman or craft something magical this season. landofdough.com

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9. Tag along with Bat and Frog in these bouncy and storiespeep-throughbright from EDC Publishing. They feature lots to spot and fold-out surprises –perfect for preschool! edcpub.com

10. The Magical World of Disney Trivia from Playmonster is a collectible trivia game featuring a unique box and board with original sketch art of fan-favorite Disney and Pixar characters. Fun for the whole family!

30 September 2022 — edplay.com 14 15 new & true 11. Introducing RainBombs from Dreams USA! These scented bath bombs float around the bathtub and leave a colorful rainbow in their wake. Ocean, Unicorn, Space, Cloud and Star themes are packed six per style. MSRP $15.00 dreams6usa.com 12. Measuring 5 feet (152.4cm) long, this space scene from The Learning Journey features all planets within the solar system. With 51 pieces, this jumbo puzzle will keep little ones engaged for hours! tlji.com 13. Need jumbo dice to play a jumbo board game or decoration for a dice-themed party? The possibilities are limitless with Jumbo Dice from GameParts. dice.htmgameparts.net/jumbo14. New for 2022 from MukikiM – Zippy Car! This four-function car features Escape Mode, Follow Mode, Line Tracing Mode, and traditional R/C. Catch me if you can … mukikim.com 15. Our new DDUK25 Glitter Rainbow with a high-gloss finish and improved tuners is the perfect back-to-school reward for musical students in your life. amahiukuleles.com 13

18 17 19 20 16

September 2022 — edplay.com 31

20. Draw, write, erase and repeat – after you create your very own tiedye chalkboard T-shirt or bag with Chalk Me Up’s DIY Tie-Dye kit! chalkmeup.com

17. The wooden Cubika Set of TowersStacking from Wise Elk was designed to help develop creative thinking, imagination, and fine motor skills. Painted with non-toxic water-based paint, Cubika Towers build the ability to recognize and match shapes and colors. wiseelk.us 18. The Mini Deluxe LED is Micro Kickboard’s top-rated three-wheeled scooter. It features motion-activated LED wheels and comes in a rainbow of colors for ages 2 to 5. led-scooterproducts/mini-deluxe-microkickboard.com/

16. The It’s All Me! dolls from Madame Alexander mash up kids’ favorite activities! The 8-inch poseable doll has rooted hair and sparkling eyes and comes in six diverse styles. Each doll for kids age 3+ comes with apparel and accessories. MSRP $49.95. madamealexander.com

19. Trido, a line of high-end, magneticart building sets from Uniche Collective, features tetrahedron and octahedron shapes to help teach brand-new ways of building and designing. The unique magnetic system allows all sides of every shape to connect to another shape. unichecollective.com

Microsoft, Patagonia, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.Companies on the 2022 list have demonstrated resilience amid supply chain woes, labor shortages, and the ongoing impact of COVID-19.

The line includes 12 baby animal sets and 15 medium-sized and large adult animal sets from all continents around the world. In addition to the flexible animal figures, each set contains accessories and a collectible animal card with exciting facts about the species depicted. The QR code on the collectible card leads to even more content.

Katie (Marso) Cooley, the former membership and programs coordinator at ASTRA, has returned as ASTRA’s parttime education coordinator.

The InteliTips system is just one small aspect of the services and guidance MAPP Trap provides to its clients. Specifically, MAPP Trap tracks products on Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Target, Google Shopping and thousands of other e-commerce merchants to find MAP and MRP policy infractions, intellectual property violations, unauthorized sellers and more. The system is currently in use by manufacturers in a variety of industries spanning pet, outdoor, nutrition, toys and more. For more information, visit mapptrap.com. Recording a three-year revenue growth of almost 2,000 percent, Fun In Motion Toys – creators of three-time TOTY Award finalist Shashibo – was ranked No. 281 on the Inc. annual 5000 list. The list represents a one-of-a-kind look at the most successful companies within the U.S. economy’s most dynamic segment – its independent businesses. Facebook, Chobani, Under Armour,

The InteliTip bot evaluates the torrent of market data that brands see every day. It compares it against the brand’s objectives to provide proven best practices in simple language that the brand can use to improve its conditions.InteliTips subscribers receive weekly emails that address changes to their ecommerce conditions and show progress on their brand protection efforts. Whether a brand is experiencing challenges with online pricing, too many unknown and undesired sellers, or intellectual property infringements, MAPP Trap’s machine-learning bot knows and provides best practices and suggestions.

32 September 2022 — edplay.com industry news

Wiltopia. More than 80 percent of the material used to make Wiltopia’s sets and accessories is sustainable – a combination of PCR plastic (plastic that has already been used by consumers and then fed back into the recycling loop), and bio plastics.

MAPP Trap has launched an automated system called InteliTips that assists in online channel management. Machine-learning algorithms and MAPP Trap’s expert knowledge base drive the system.

As schleich enters its 87th year, the company is redefining its mission and branding to better align with its history and connection to childhood joy. An immediate change is a simple, new, bold and modern logo that evokes feelings of playfulness. Emulating the shape of a thought cloud, the design is a nod to the spirit of, “What if?” at the heart of the brand. The brand’s new tagline, “Where stories begin,” is a short but memorable expression of the new brand’sAccordingessence.to a company statement, refreshed brand elements will include new packaging and a re-design of the iconic schleich tag attached to the foot of its animal

Among the top 500, the average median three-year revenue growth rate soared to 2,144 percent. Together, those companies added more than 68,394 jobs over the past three years. In addition to the puzzle-cube fidget-toy Shashibo, Fun In Motion’s award-winning toy lines include Spinballs, Mozi, Glozi, Wandini and Karmagami. Inc.’s top 500 companies for 2022 are featured in the September issue of Inc. magazine. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at inc.com/inc5000.

the largest annual event dedicated to tabletop gaming and culture in North America, FoxMind unveiled Match Madness Duo, a follow-up to the best-selling Match Madness. “It’s in the FoxMind DNA for our games to help its players develop critical life skills while having fun,” says David Capon, FoxMind CEO. “The concept for Match Madness Duo is exactly that – it appeals to younger kids and older players. It helps them develop pattern recognition skills, frustration tolerance, and problemsolving abilities.”

MONTH

Jos joins The Toy Association after more than 28 years at Hasbro, most recently as the company’s principal QA engineer and regulatory specialist. “Jos’s strong technical knowledge of the U.S. and international toy safety standards, his expertise in best practices for toy safety, and his ability to lead, encourage, and guide open discussions and productive decisionmaking within multi-stakeholder working groups ensure that he is the best candidate for this position,” said Ed Desmond, executive vice president of external affairs at The Toy OverAssociation.thenextsix to nine months, Jos will work alongside Alan Kaufman, who recently transitioned to the role of senior advisor of technical affairs. Alan will then fully retire after more than 11 years with The Toy Association and more than 40 years in the toy industry. Neighborhood Toy Store Day, an annual event organized by the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) has become Neighborhood Toy Store Month. During each Saturday in November participating specialty toy stores can celebrate a different theme supported by in-store activities, parent education materials, PR kits and vendor specials.

The four themes for 2022 include STEM-sational Saturday, Family Game Night, All About Art Day, and Make Way For Play Day. Now in its 12th year, the event was designed to showcase the roleimportantspecialty toy retailers play in their communities.Aboutthe switch from “Day” to “Month,” association President Sue Warfield said, “Trying to fit events, sales, promotions and demonstrations into one day was just too stressful, and it spread manufacturers and reps too thin. For manufacturers who wish to show their support, Neighborhood Toy Store Month sponsorships are available.“Our goal is to highlight the power of play our retailers deliver to their communities,” she added. “In addition, we want to drive traffic to their stores during the holidays. To get the specialty toy industry and its neighborhood stores the press coverage they deserve, we are hiring a PR firm to work their magic.”

September 2022 — edplay.com 33 characters. New calls-to-action embedded throughout brand elements will invite fans to share their own stories usingschleich#wherestoriesbegin.isoneofGermany’s largest toy manufacturers and a leading international provider of realistic animal figurines. Its play figures and play sets are sold in more than 60 countries. In fact, schleich generates more than half of its sales outside of its core market in Germany. The company is majority owned by Partners Group, a global private markets investment manager.Jos Huxley has joined The AssociationToyas senior vice president of technical affairs. In that role, Jos will lead the continuing development of technical policies and strategies relating to toy safety, memberservingprocesses,chainsustainability,environmentalsupplyissues,factoryandmore,asaguideforcompanies.

For more information, contact Jenna Stirling at Thisjstirling@astratoy.org.summeratGenCon,

Based in Skaneateles, New York, ChaseDesign works with consumer product goods companies and retailers worldwide on projects that span all shopper touchpoints.

Three Ways to Improve the Shopping Experience during Your Biggest Season

2. As a business, staying ahead and pivoting to more effective marketing channels is important.

“This is driven by a lack of trust in having retailers pick and deliver exactly what the customer wants,” says Joe Lampertius, ChaseDesign president. “Our survey shows 33 percent of shoppers have issues with the quality of products selected and a slightly lower percentage are worried about availability through the digital platform.”“Italso pinpoints several opportunities for retailers trying to take advantage of the new shopping environment. For instance, 10-percent more curbside pickup shoppers complained about the time wasted in their cars waiting for their order in 2022 compared to last year. If the retailers use that captive time average five to 10 minutes with some shopper engagement and improved impulse merchandising strategies, brands and retailers will be rewarded with a more loyal customer and incremental purchases,” he concludes.

Three Indicators that Buying In-Store is Back (at least for groceries)

for your business information Tel: 1-800-899-0711 Fax: treswww.KOPLOWGAMES.com617-482-3423add1Standard & Polyhedral Dice < 4 14 16 17 18201225810 Timers ~ Spinners ~ Pawns & Chips Math & ManipulativesLanguage 8 2 21 10 46.

“With the pandemic receding, online shopping has now clearly become a convenience, and one that comes at a premium price,” said the company’s press release. “The core of shopping trips remain in physical retail, where the vast majority of grocery purchases are still made.”

The survey also found home delivery, which grew tremendously during the two years of COVID-19, is facing challenges such as perceived value offered, given the current inflation affecting consumers. The number of consumers who claimed to “always” use delivery to home when buying groceries dropped by half, 16 percent in 2022, down from 31 percent in 2021, according to the data (#3).

Last year, the number of retail customers using buy-online-pick-upin-store services “all the time” declined from 45 percent to 32 percent (indicator #1). This year it is expected to decline even more.

34 September 2022 — edplay.com

That’s what ChaseDesign discovered in a recent survey, which also revealed that the number of shoppers who use home grocery delivery services – after making purchases online – will also shrink (#2).

In an article for Forbes, Vu Hoang, CEO of market platform RocketLevel, offers the following ways to improve the customer experience. 1. Employ communicationsomnichannelsuchas voice, email, chat, social, text and more.

“How do you currently shop for and purchase products or services?” Vu asks. “Whether it’s live chat, live events or messaging – or Facebook, Instagram, or Google Business – how many are you also using in your business? If you’re not activating the ones you use most often yourself, chances are you’re missing out on several significant sales opportunities.

Social media has become more than just posting photos. Forty percent of Gen Zers prefer using social media over traditional search engines, according to Prabhakar Raghavan, a senior vice president at Google.But in terms of your website, “build up, don’t tear down,” writes Vu. “Instead of revamping your entire website, you could add web chat and make sure all of your stacked efforts (including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Google, etc.) are connected in a way that enables customers to access your offerings in one click.”Investing more into social media and text-based marketing doesn’t mean you can leave your old website the way it is and move on. “That is a common misconception among small business owners, especially those who don’t have the time or money to invest in a new site,” Vu adds.

3. Devise your strategy. Start by creating an offer for your target audience. Here are a few ideas Anna recommended in the guide.

September 2022 — edplay.com 35

• Provide a seasonal discount or create a promotional code to drive sales.

• Collect and share user-generated content to connect with customers.

In a guide she prepared for Social Media Examiner, digital marketer Anna Sonnenberg offered advice on executing successful campaigns, from its essential elements to recommended timelines. Among them were these tips.

• Host a contest or giveaway to boost awareness and promote your brand.

Three Essential Elements for a Successful Holiday Social Media Campaign

• Create a tripwire to pique people’s interest and get new customers in the door. To help you come up with ideas, ask yourself Who is your target customer? What do they want? What’s preventing them from getting what they want? How can you provide a solution?

3. Offer online payments like Google Pay, Apple Pay or Samsung Pay; plus buy now/pay later options that include Affirm, Zilch and Klarna. They give your customers more financial flexibility over their purchases. “The Amazon model teaches us that what customers really want is whatever they want, delivered quickly and efficiently,” Vu writes. “They don’t mind storing their payment information in their account forever because it enables one-click purchasing. In two clicks of a button, you can choose your item, then pay for it and arrange two-day delivery.”

2. Choose your platforms. It may make sense to leverage all the social platforms upon which your brand has a presence, or to focus on just one or two. To guide your decision, review your goals for the next social media campaign and your results from past holiday marketing efforts. “It’s also helpful to consider the built-in capabilities of each platform,” writes Anna. “For example, if a landing page is a key part of your campaign, then Instagram may not be a good fit. Likewise, if product tagging is critical to your campaign, then Twitter may not drive the results you need.”

• Use a loss leader to incentivize more purchases.

• Run social-media ads to amplify reach and revenue beyond organic limits.

A holiday campaign – which should include plans for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Boxing Day shoppers – should be ready to go by early October, she adds. That way, there’s time to work out the fine details before it rolls out in early November. (“Start the planning process in June,” says Anna.) “In most cases, you can wrap up Christmas campaigns right after the holiday, but Kwanzaa and Boxing Day may last into the new year,” she notes. “Aim to report on them in the first half of January.”

• Give away a downloadable or viewable lead magnet to generate leads.

Anna is a proponent for planning sooner rather than later, but small retail businesses may still have time to put together a campaign for an early November launch.

1. Clarify your objectives. For most holiday marketing campaigns, sales and conversions may be the ultimate targets, she writes. But before that can happen, you may need to increase awareness of newly launched products or generate qualified“Onceleads.you’ve decided on one or more objectives, set goals for each,” Anna advises. “Use your team’s key performance indicators for click-throughs, leads, conversions, and/or revenue to set realistic campaign goals and measurable outcomes.”

36 September 2022 — edplay.com producer and marketing exec at Disney Studios, then SVP & publisher at HarperCollins, which included ideating innovative concept-driven titles and curriculum development – not just publishing authors. Dana and I leaned into our backgrounds and skillsets to gamify conversation and interpersonal communication.

It’s All Me! ® makes mash-up fun! It’s All Me!® dolls feature a mash-up of kids’ favorite activities! These 8” dolls are highly posable and engaging, each combining two fun pastimes in one set, with outfits and accessories to match! Six styles, diverse skin tones. Love is in the Details.® www.madamealexander.com833-MADAMEA(833-623-2632) 12/7/21 10:32 AM 38)

Edplay Jan 22.indd 1

DRAUL, Betcha Switchup, and Swipe Swap Swindle require hard skills like math and probability, as well as reading the other players’ body language, rather than just playing the hand you’re dealt. That’s helpful for life application!Ourkids and many homeschooling families participated in our playtesting and supported our Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns. It created strong word-of-mouth marketing and drove traffic to retailers.

RGB HEX:#64CCC9100/204/201 PMS 7423 RGB 156/219/217

What kinds of stores do you sell through?

You’re homeschooling parents. How does that experience influence your products? It definitely influenced the content development. The games have an educational component in the soft skills: interpersonal communication, empathy, understanding and inclusiveness. They’ve waned in the decade since social media has become so pervasive, but they’re so important for civil Ourdiscourse.games

The Rank Game launched at Toy Fair New York in 2020 where it was a favorite pick by ASTRA members. Since then, our primary focus has been to support and partner with independent brick-and-mortar stores. We have also attended ASTRA Marketplace, homeschool conventions, and Christian and Catholic retail trade shows. Buyers at all of those shows are stores that are independently owned and focused on serving customers who value family and community.LongBeach was our second ASTRA show. We found that many retailers, sales reps and distributors had heard of us. At last year’s show, we played The Rank Game with attendees in the aisles to bring people into our booth. This year, it was more of us responding to demand. Will you exhibit at The Toy Association’s holiday market in September? We have a scheduling conflict, but with our sales reps and potential distributors, we hope to have a presence there. Are all your products available now for 2022 holiday ordering? Yes. All 23 SKUs are in stock and shipping now.

endcap (Continued from page

like “What color is your spouse’s toothbrush?” to demonstrate their knowledge of one another. This combination of sharing about yourself and learning about others while competing with one another is the recipe that has worked 100 percent of the time for 20 years now. “The Rank Game predates smart phones by more than a decade. It doesn’t require electricity or learning long, convoluted rules. After reading articles and research about the decline of personal human interaction, and constantly noticing people with their heads buried in their phones, we created The Rank Game to give everyone something fun to do that at the same time promotes interaction with one another – sometimes on a truly meaningful level. “ The Rank Game prompts personalities to come out and provides instant community. You just add people.”

Rank

September 2022 — edplay.com 37 ADVERTISER INDEX Company See ad on Page WebsiteCompany See ad on Page Website Amahi Ukuleles 5 amahiukuleles.com Crazy Aaron Enterprises Inc. ................... 21 ....................................... crazyaarons.com Dolphin Hat Games ........................................ 11 .......................................... dolphinhat.com Dreams USA 9 dreams6usa.com EDC Publishing / Usborne 10 edcpub.com Fat Brain Toy Co. ............................................ 40 .....................................fatbraintoyco.com Kala Brand Music Co. .................................. 39 ............................................kalabrand.com Koplow Games 34 koplowgames.com Madame Alexander ..................................... 36 ......................... madamealexander.com Magna-Tiles ..................................................... 35 ......................................... magnatiles.com Micro Kickboard 8 wholesale.microkickboard.com MukikiM LLC ..................................................... 13 ............................................... mukikim.com MW Wholesale ................................................. 6 ...................................... mwwholesale.biz PlayMonster........................................................2 playmonster.com SentoSphere USA ............................................ 7 .............................. sentosphereusa.com Steve Jackson Games.................................. 15 ............................................... sjgames.com Storyastic 3 storyastic.com The Good Toy Group 3 goodtoygroup.com The Learning Journey Intl .......................... 19 ............................................................ tlji.com The Toy Network............................................. 16 ..................................thetoynetwork.com ToyFest - WTHRA 17 toyfestusa.com U.S. TOY Company ........................................ 24 ............................................. 800-448-5882 Ukidz LLC (d.b.a. UGears US)................... 25 ...................................................... ukidz.com Wikki Stix 20 wikkistix.com Wrebbit Puzzles ............................................. 27 ........................................... wrebbit3d.com

by Chip Brown

The BackstoryGame

“For the past 20 years, whenever we’ve found ourselves on a road trip with friends or family, or stuck in long lines at a theme park, or killing time at the beach or fire pit, we’ve played this game we made up called The Rank Game. For example, we’d ask everyone to rank these four classic rock bands: Beatles, Stones, Who, Zeppelin. Everybody has their own personal preference, and it makes for really passionate “arguments” with various rationale. We made up hundreds of simple, everyday categories like the four seasons: fall, spring, summer, winter. Everyone has their own preferred order and enjoys sharing why. “ Way back in the late ’90s when a bunch of us friends were standing in a long line in Los Angeles, we added “gamification” to The Rank Game. It was kind of like the classic TV game show “The Newlywed Game” in which the couple had to guess each other’s answer to questions

Business continues to grow for Storyastic. In this era of pervasive screentime, people seem to be quite hungry to leave their tech behind to talk with each other more. They seem to be very receptive to products that achieve it.

What did you do for a living before founding Storyastic? Dana was a Walt Disney Imagineer and an educator. I was a endcap Meet Chip Brown, co-owner (with his wife Dana) of three-year-old game company Storyastic. The makers of The Rank Game and other “all-together” games and playing-card decks are on a mission: to “tech less and talk more.” In a recent interview, Chip discussed the unique ability of games to bring people together away from their cell phones, and the company’s support of independent brickand-mortar stores.

We’ve launched 23 SKUs in the last two years; 11 of them this year. We also have several new products launching in 2023, including some high-end wooden games and under-$10 games.This year we published eight innovative playing card decks, including our DuraDeck, Razor Deck and Glow Deck. Razor Deck is a big impulse buy not only at toy stores, but also at gift shops, bookstores, convenience stores and hardware stores.

(Continued on page 36)

The Rank Game is far and away the best seller, and some of The Rank Game expansion packs outsell the others. The most popular are MORE Everyday Life, MORE Adulting, Risky Business, Relationship Goals, The Faith Pack, Sports & Outdoors, and Culture Vulture.

38 September 2022 — edplay.com edplay: Why do you call Storyastic’s games “all together” Chipgames?Brown:

Because they all feature gameplay in which the players play all together at the same time. The game mechanics are such that players don’t have to wait around to take their turn. In 10-round games, we’ve consistently seen seven or eight lead changes, so everyone playing feels like they can win right up to the end.The goal is to bring people together and keep them together. We’re finding that players will forget they even have a phone, much less want to check it often. They’re present in the real world with each other. What are the best ways to demo your games?

At Storyastic “We’re Not Selling Products, We’re Offering Community”

We provide demos to stores that buy as few as 10 units. We try to play a round with retailers so they know how to quickly share our games with their customers and convert browsers into buyers. It’s a win-win-win: we move product, stores move product, and everyday people get great, fun tools to bring their friends and family together for game nights and road trips. Playing is like a trivia night at a pub, although the trivia is about the players’ lives rather than arcane facts or meaningless raunchy content. That said, our Risky Business expansion pack for The Rank Game is quite popular! How’s business?

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