Toy Times October 2022

Welcome to the Holidays, Time to Ramp Things Up

Time. It can mean so many things to each one of us. In our professional life, our member categories all have a different perspective:

For retailers, it’s what they have planned for the entire year. Long hours, staffing issues – even greater than what they have experienced throughout this past year, dealing with customers that often wait until the last minute to visit their neighborhood store as their saving grace, and then there’s also general exhaustion!

For manufacturers, it’s rush orders, getting sample shipments and catalogs ready for January shows, sales rep meetings – both in-person and via zoom - and a review of the year’s figures.

For sales reps, it’s handling desperate calls from retailers to check on shipments and inventory availability of best sellers, helping out in stores, sales rep meetings to learn new products, and updating their line lists and price lists for 2023.

I remember working all sides. My first retail holiday season was as an assistant manager at a hobby and craft store. I came home on December 24 to take a nap on the couch, and I didn’t wake up until the following evening when I realized I missed the entire Christmas Eve and Christmas Day family events. I guess my family

Holidayfigured I needed the sleep! As a sales rep, those frantic days leading up to December 24 had me running to stores, working with manufacturers over the phone. On December 26, I was at it again, pricing out catalogs, sorting through samples and planning my road trips for January. When I worked with my husband on the products he made, we spent December sending out - or delivering - products right up to the 24th. On the 26th, we started inventory and began the production schedule for January. There is no real rest for our industry as January sends us into show time mode.

My question is, “How do we handle this craziness and not burn out?”

We are in the toy business and it is imperative – especially as independent retailers – to constantly work at showing our value as neighborhood and community resources. But we need to refresh as well.

Here are my suggestions for keeping energy and enthusiasm as we work through the holidays:

1. Rely on one another. Find yourself a “buddy” within our ASTRA community that you can check in with – if not daily, then weekly. Share experiences, vent, have a few laughs. It will give you that boost you need to keep the spirit up! If you want help finding a buddy, give me a call. I can connect you with another ASTRA member for the month of December.

2. PLAY. Take time to try out some of the great products that surround you. In our Certified Play Expert Program, we note the importance of play for all ages. Author and psychiatrist Stuart Brown, MD, compares play to oxygen. “It’s all around us, yet goes mostly unnoticed or unappreciated until it is missing,” he said. Play brings joy. And it’s vital for problem solving, creativity and relationships.

3. Take time to appreciate the staff and co-workers around you as well as family and friends. We all need to feel appreciated, and a little extra gratitude towards those we are around daily goes a long way in relieving their stress and our own.

It’s our time of year to shine brighter than ever. While on vacation in Denmark with my husband, there was a plaque in our Airbnb that my husband translated for me. It simply said:

Nobody can do everything. Everyone can do something. Together we can do it all.

Let’s do this together!

Sue Warfield

Board of Directors

chair TJ Simmons

past chair Jeanie Crone treasurer Theresa Duncan secretary Tom Rushton directors Ron Solomon, Sari Wiaz, Gene Murtha, Azhelle Wade, Brice Elvington, Patrick Holland, Cassidy Smith, Darby Zahradnik, Maryam Al-Hammami, Sandra Malott, Rachel Jones

Magazine

editor Tom Savage assistant editor Briana White graphic artist Maia VanOrman

Editorial Advisory Committee

chair Tom Savage Amanda Gummer, Genius Expert

Theresa Duncan, Villa Villekulla Toy Store Tami Murphy, Grand Prix International Lisa Orman, KidStuff PR

Kemi Tignor, Little Likes Kids LLC Allison White, Sugar B Sales Phil Wrzesinski, HABA USA

ASTRA Staff president

Sue Warfield membership specialist

Jenna Stirling

special projects and events manager

Michael Foldeak communications and marketing coordinator

Briana White administrative assistant Ashlee Cammack education coordinator

Katie Cooley

Toy Times Magazine is published by the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, 312-222-0984, info@astratoy.org, www.astratoy.org.

Copyright © 2022 American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. All rights reserved.

Advertisements are accepted. For more information, contact Rick Kauder, Fahy-Williams Publishing, rkauder@fwpi.com, 315-789-0458.

All articles for Toy Times are supplied by ASTRA and its members, with Fahy-Williams assembling the magazine, and managing the advertising sales function.

ASTRA reserves the right to accept, reject, or alter all editorial and advertising material submitted for publication.

Advertising in ASTRA does not imply endorsement of products and services. Opinions expressed in articles contained herein are those of the authors, not necessarily of ASTRA or its individual members. The information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable.

message from the chair

Dear ASTRA Community,

Let’s

focus on constants. Over the last two years, there has been a ton of uncertainty in our industry. The uncertainty has come with an ever-changing landscape involving rising costs, container delays, inventory issues, store closures, and a pandemic, to name a few. But I have good news: some key aspects of the success of our industry remain the same. Innovation, People, and Demand will continue forward even through the harshest of times.

Innovation in our community is constant. Every Holiday season we find products, gifts, and features that we’ve never seen before. Variations on classics even provide much needed modernization to evergreen product carried in our retail outlets. Our ability to navigate these rocky and uncertain waters is the innovation that has gotten us to where we are today and what will allow us to continue to be successful.

Innovation is what allows us to be forward thinking. There’s a reason we see curbside delivery in our toy stores and B2B direct sites from our sales representatives. It’s the same reason we get to attend an industry gathering like none that’s ever existed in ASTRA’s Toy Boat in February. It’s because the toy industry is and should be the leader in imaginative and experimental thinking.

As we continue to be forward thinking, now is the time to invest in our people. ASTRA is a community of amazing talent that feeds off of each other for continued success. It’s a model that only works in our industry where the success of others directly effects the success of our own

business ventures. We have competitors sharing ideas and best practices in order to help the industry as a whole. It’s essential we apply that same model to our colleagues, employees, and those with career aspirations.

We have a steady flow of talented young individuals in our country, yearning to find a start to their career. These people come from colleges and high schools, and many are already working in retail toy stores or as interns with manufacturers but are unaware of all this industry has to offer. Our ASTRA community is the perfect source to mentor and cultivate this young talent because people are constant in this industry.

Lastly, Business 101 teaches us about supply and demand. The toy industry has a luxury that many others don’t, in that every Holiday season it’s expected that toys (above all other products) will be wrapped up for children to enjoy everywhere. New customers are being born every single day and that demand remains constant every single year especially around the holidays. We’re in a unique position with demand that allows us to be forward thinking and capitalize on our business every Q4.

Our industry has constants that we can rely on as we move forward. Let’s rally around those through this Holiday Season. Innovation, people, and demand will continue to illuminate and guide us through any path of uncertainty.

T.J. Simmons

Our elderly population is growing.

In western cultures, we’re almost at the point where 20 percent of the population is over the age of 65, and it is a lucrative market. Grandmothers account for 27 percent of all consumer spending and they will spend 2.5 times as much as the average person. They are also making 95 percent of the purchasing decisions for their family.

So what does that mean for the toy industry?

We are continuing to learn more about how important play is across the lifespan. Play provides the following benefits:

• Improved cardiovascular health

• Improved mental health

• Interpersonal relationships

• Executive function

• Energy

• Reduced Stress

• Motivation

• Creativity

These benefits do not change as we grow from children into adults. However, somewhere lost in the roller coaster of the teenage years, we lose the desire to play that we had as younger children. Despite this, adults need to play more than ever. In fact, research is beginning to point to play as a way to prevent cognitive decline as we age.

The Importance of Intergenerational Play and Games

by Acey Holmes and Dr. Amanda Gummer

As adults, we often need to be re-taught ways to play. The elderly can engage with toys in two ways :

1. For their own wellbeing and to prevent age-related cognitive decline.

2. For their grandchildren, to support their learning and wellbeing.

These two are not mutually exclusive and intergenerational play may be the answer.

generally in a lot of social settings together. Play is an excellent common ground for young and older generations alike.

This doesn’t always mean hopping on a bike and riding to the park for some swinging and sliding (though that would be amazing). Older and younger generations can gather together around a table (or a screen over distance) to play a board game together.

Playful intergenerational relationships can be incredibly beneficial to all parties involved. The younger generation can learn from the older generation about family, history, and personal life experiences. The older generation is more likely to stay active and engaged when younger generations are involved. However, these generations aren’t

Specifically, board games can be an incredible generational connection. Old classics like Monopoly are often popular with both age groups, but introducing new offerings such as Labyrinth has the added benefit of the younger generation being presented with a safe opportunity to teach something to the older generation. Both generations being able to offer something to the relationship can make the relationship stronger.

Community organizations could also benefit from these relationships. The local recreation center could consider adding a role playing game night to the weekly bingo and bridge schedule. Having individuals from two (or three!) different generations attending the same events

has the added benefit of enhancing and supporting the local community. The older generation might have access to jobs the younger generation wasn’t aware of, and vice versa! The younger generation may be more willing to help their older generation (mowing lawns, buying groceries) as they build relationships with them.

Intergenerational play not only benefits the individual playing, but those around them, and also their communities at large. Specialty toy retailers have a unique opportunity to contribute to this phenomenon.

Grandparents may be more likely to take a grandchild shopping at these types of stores, rather than just the toy aisle while on the weekly grocery shopping trip. Creating end caps or displays with a focus on intergenerational play can have benefits for the retailer and the consumer.

A great way to re-learn play is to play with children, who are indeed the experts!

What if Toy Brands and Retailers Joined Forces

for Omni-Channel Success?

By Bill Erpelding Distribution Management

Fallis a great time of year. For many, the harvest season brings pleasant weather, back-to-school festivities, football and fun-filled Octoberfest activities. For those in retail, it also means getting ready for the critical peak holiday season — the season so many of us depend on to close the year on a high note.

Getting ready for the holiday spike involves a lot of forecasting, inventory planning, and promotional and merchandising

activities. Suffice it to say, preparation for the holiday season may continue to prove ever-challenging for specialty toy retailers in today’s landscape with supply chain issues, inflation pressures and the need to adapt to the pace of ecommerce acceleration.

While that acceleration has cooled a bit lately, there’s plenty of evidence that it’s still expanding, especially during the holidays. According to Adobe, the Digital Economy Index analysis that covers over

one trillion visits to U.S. retail sites, 100 million SKUs, and 18 product categories, holiday online spending set a record in 2021, not to mention an overall record for the full year. Adobe is forecasting online retail will surpass $1 trillion for 2022, setting another record with no signs of slowing. By 2026, it’s expected to grow to over $1.6 trillion and account for over 21% of total retail sales.

Great energy is put into creating a successful holiday season and for good reason, but what about mapping out a strategy for long-term success as customers continue to rely more heavily on online channels?

The age of omni-channel

No one would argue that the pandemic created major shifts in consumer behavior spurring sizable ecommerce growth. However, shoppers have now returned to brick and mortar stores with an entirely new set of expectations surrounding both online and in-store experiences. Current trends point to shoppers seeking flexible, omni-channel shopping experiences as the lines between in-store and the digital domain begin to merge.

Omni-channel is more than just having an online store. Social media is playing an increasingly key role in driving consumer demand. Among customers who made retail purchases online, 59% made a purchase directly from social media and 27% of customers surveyed say they are interested in purchasing directly on social media, a number that jumps to 44% for Gen Z, according to Square 2022’s The Future of Retail Report. The online store is clearly the anchor, but social channels are instrumental in meeting your customers where they are.

There are countless benefits to having an online store, and with the right partnerships, retailers can expand

product lines and assortments, creating an endless isle without the added inventory expense and risks. For local and regional retailers, an online presence helps cast a wider net, breaking down geographical barriers. All of these benefits clearly cultivate newfound sales revenue, but ‘omni-channel’ goes well beyond just the ability to capture additional business online.

Today’s omni-channel customer relies on both in-store and online resources for a seamless shopping experience. BOPIS (Buy Online Pick Up In Store), BORIS (Buy Online Return In Store), ROPIS (Reserve Online Pick Up In Store) and product subscriptions have not only become commonplace and support a seamless shopping experience, but also support a retailer’s ability to maximize revenue and lifetime value per customer.

The case for omni-channel

It’s here to stay

According to the Square 2022 report and a McKinsey & Company US Consumer report, retailers deploying an omni-channel strategy will continue to deliver a better customer experience, and in turn, have better results.

• 60-70% of customers are shopping in an omni-channel way.

• Online shopping is essential. Today’s shoppers make 37% of their retail purchases online.

• Retailers using ecommerce report that on average 58% or their revenue comes from online sales.

Embracing omni-channel A Vision!

Imagine if there was a way for independent toy retailers to easily participate in today’s omni-channel world and reap the numerous rewards. It’s possible with the right partnerships between retailers, the brands they sell and a centralized ecommerce solution.

Current technology makes it easier than ever to create online storefronts with platforms like Shopify, BigCommerce, Squarespace and many others. Brands (and distributors) that have a vested interest in the success of the independent toy retail channel could participate by providing digital product content and offering direct-to-consumer drop-shipping via a centralized third-party fulfilment provider. In this model, technology deployment, inventory management and order fulfillment are streamlined ensuring the consistent delivery experience customers expect. Sure, brands would have to collaborate and devote time, resources and inventory for such an endeavor, but it seems like a worthwhile effort that would pay major dividends.

This concept of aligning the right resources to offer a holistic solution would go a long way in supporting the long-term health of the specialty toy retail channel allowing them and their brands to thrive well into the omni-channel future!

Staying Energized After the Q4 Frenzy

n the retail industry, especially for toy retailers, we all know that the fourth quarter is the biggest and busiest. After the frenzy of receiving inventory, hiring and training seasonal employees, selling, wrapping, restocking, and taking (hopefully few) returns, how do retailers stay energized and motivated as they head into the slower months of January and February? And how can their sales reps be there to help?

It takes a collaborative effort, but moving into the new year can be fun

“One of the ways I shift gears into Q1 is by having recaps of the prior year at the early shows,” said Leah Pickering, owner of Kazoodles Toys and ASTRA Certified Play Expert. “The shows and markets in January and February (ASTRA Toy Boat, ahoy!) are a great way to get reenergized because you can connect with other retailers,

manufacturers and sales managers, and your reps. I often use toy reps as a sounding board to help me process any upcoming trends or overly enthusiastic buying situations from the previous year.”

Sales reps usually have great insight to the new trends and hot products because they see what’s new even before the holidays. Manufacturers meet with reps in early December to present their releases for the coming year, so when the January shows hit, the reps are prepared and can easily inform their customers about the best new items.

Most reps and retailers have great relationships that allow them to work together and create a plan for the new year. They talk about what products and brands are strong sellers and trending, and what new categories or items they might bring into the store.

“I talk to my reps about new merchandising ideas, promos that come

with high-quality displays that will upgrade the look and feel of my store, and trends they’ve seen from manufacturers for the upcoming seasons,” Pickering said.

“I particularly like to talk about animal and color trends, but any trend will invigorate me and bring new life to my buying and planning.”

Planning is one of the most important steps when heading into a new year. Strategizing with your rep to set expectations for working together in the coming months will ensure the biggest pay-off for both sides. Planning includes everything from tradeshow schedules, in-store events, in-person appointments, communication expectations, and sometimes even social media opportunities.

Reps always like to know from their retailers the best ways to work with them, because every retailer is different. Setting expectations on communication is key, because one-size does not fit all.

While some retailers prefer email, some

like phone calls, but others might simply like to text, or have a mix of everything. Establishing your preferred method with your rep at the outset can help you both stay on the same page and make sure important information isn’t lost to a busy inbox.

Lastly, one of the best things to look forward to in January and February that can give an instant energy boost, are new catalogs. That might sound silly, but for reps and retailers alike, it’s always a happy mail day when a new catalog drops from your favorite manufacturer! An even better surprise is if the rep drops them off to you in person and shares their favorite new things. It also doesn’t matter if you’ve already looked at a digital version, because it can’t compare to flipping through a hard copy and circling the items you can’t wait to see in person, or gush about with your rep. Sometimes there’s nothing more motivating than knowing you’ll have new toys on the shelves soon.

PR Tips for Fourth Quarter

By Lisa Orman KidStuff Public Relations

It’s

beginning to look at a lot like...fourth quarter in the toy business, which means it’s GO TIME. All hands-on deck.

Our industry had to get really flexible and do things radically different the last two years, but then as now, promoting holiday gifts in the media and social media are very important and can make or break your season.

Whether you’re a retailer or a manufacturer, everyone can participate with media and social media. Here are some tips I’ve utilized over the past 28 years of running a toy and game public relations firm:

• Stores can call, email or fax local media and invite them to come to the store to see your Top 10 Gift ideas, or some or all of the ASTRA Best for Kids award winners if you have them. Or offer to come to the TV studio or newsroom with a bin full of

Toddler & Preschool Activity Card Games

toys to show. Either way, have notecards handy with the name of the toy or game, price, and why you love it.

• Vendors can send out a press release about their best-selling toys or games to media and offer to send a sample for review.

• Show the fun of toys and games on social media. It’s recommended to post at least twice a week, and as you start to collect content from influencers with their reviews, include User Generated Content (UGC) on about one-third of your posts or content.

• Vendors who won awards, now is the time to share that and quote why you won, on social media and with press. Show the seals on your home page and/or product pages of your website.

• Vendors who sell certain toys to retailers they want to curate can tag the retailer’s social channels when they post, to help bring attention to the store and the toy’s presence in their store.

• Vendors, this isn’t the time to quibble about sending free samples for media and social media reviews. It’s the minimum

of what’s needed, expected, and required. Many big vendors pay large cash fees plus free product - that’s the environment.

• Retailers can invite influencers to come to their store and shop with a gift card so they can write about their experience shopping in a small store.

• Get your feet wet with Halloween promotions, then lead into Neighborhood Toy Store Month.

• I f you reshare content on social media, make sure to tag the source (reviewer) and thank them in your caption.

• I f you’re on TikTok, try getting more active on it. If you’re not on it, set up a channel, familiarize yourself now before things get crazy, and try posting there regularly. We’ve seen clients get over 1 million views of posts that “went viral” and it can be very meaningful to your business.

This holiday season should be relatively back to normal, and that means it should be for media and social media too. Here’s hoping everyone has a gangbusters season!

POP’s Young Inventor Challenge

is Excited to Work With You and Your Store

Mary Couzin, Founder and President of Chicago Toy and Game Week (ChiTAG) and People of Play (POP), is super excited to be sailing on the ASTRA Toy Boat to meet and share with you a new program created just for ASTRA members.

“What is the Young Inventor Challenge (YIC),” You Ask?

The Young Inventor Challenge is an annual contest, now in its 16th year, that aims to inspire the next generation to use creativity, critical thinking, and STEAM skills in the invention and innovation process. Its goal is also to connect professionals within the toy and game industry to mentor these young innovators in their design process.

The YIC provides an opportunity for children ages 6-18 to develop and pitch their original inventions to major toy and game companies, industry professionals, members of the media and the general public. This unique and educational experience ignites imagination, creativity and presentation skills like no other, providing a means of taking these inventions to greater heights, with professional critiques from our industry experts.

POP is the only young inventor program that has sponsorship and mentoring participation from top toy and game experts around the world. Many of the winning inventions have been licensed by these global companies that can be found on store shelves today, and at least one winner has gone on to work in the toy industry after graduating from school.

What are the Benefits to ASTRA Members?

POP welcomes ASTRA retail members to become “Local Headquarters” for the 2023 YIC event. Retailers interested in a beta

test or a soft launch this fall, just send Mary a note (marycouzin@ gmail.com)

Brand Building. Participation in YIC gives ASTRA members a proven promotional platform that builds local recognition for members and builds the ASTRA brand including generating local and national attention.

Member Value. Participation in YIC will draw young inventors to ASTRA stores to purchase materials for their “tool kit”, and to establish a relationship with the retailer as a mentor.

Marketing. As winners are announced in the Fall of 2023, ASTRA and its membership will benefit from media attention at the local and national level

Industry Leadership. ASTRA stores participation in the YIC becomes a career portal for youth, a successful promotional platform reaching children and schools, and attracting broad media attention.

• POP media announcements will include par ticipating ASTRA stores as the local HQ for YIC.

• ASTRA stores will be recognized in the POP web site and YIC “store locator” online in 2023.

• POP will supply par ticipating stores with window and in-store signage to announce YIC.

• POP will supply par ticipating stores with suggestions on how to handle YIC store events.

• YIC registrants will be directed towards an ASTRA “tool box” of inventor stimuli.

• YIC registrants that enter through ASTRA members will have entrance fees waived.

• ASTRA stores will agree to support YIC registrants by serving to critique, guide and mentor the registrants.

• ASTRA stores will be asked to promote themselves as YIC HQs through their local media and local schools, social media and on-line announcements.

• ASTRA members who have winners will be recognized in announcements as 2023 awards are distributed and invited to be part of the media tours.

• ASTRA stores that participate will automatically be enrolled in trial subscription of the People of Play network at no cost.

About POP

People of Play is the toy industry’s most comprehensive networking and resource hub. Both in-person events around the world and a social platform and industry portal where toy industry veterans, newbies, inventors, buyers, job seekers, recruiters, consumers, and others come to find each other. Get up-to-the-minute toy industry, event, and product news; participate in live online educational and networking events; browse a vast library of expert resources; and peruse and post to the industry’s only dedicated social feeds, one for consumers and one for industry.

Buy Early, Buy Often

A Cliché or a Smart Retailer Practice?

By Philip C. Wrzesinski

Buy

early, buy often. It is a phrase retailers have heard so often that it is almost cliché. Write smaller orders but write them more often. Don’t wait until you can write the big order. It sounds like a ploy, but sometimes it is the absolute best advice.

Take 2021 for example. First, the supply chain issues meant you needed to buy early just to get into the queue for goods that may or may not even show.

Second, the media was predicting a serious lack of product for Christmas and whipped the general public into a panic. For most retailers this was a boon as October became the new December.

The stores that bought early and often, sticking to what was in stock and available to ship, fared the best.

But what about this year? Inflation, war, and elections have people hunkered down. The media isn’t whipping anyone into a shopping panic. Barely anyone is even mentioning supply chains (and those that do are crying wolf since last year turned out better than predicted). Everything points to a late Christmas instead of an early one.

Does buy early, buy often still apply?

SUPPLY CHAINS

Lockdowns in China. Potential strikes in Long Beach and Europe. Overflow now congesting east coast ports. Lack of truck drivers to deliver the goods. The supply chain issues haven’t improved over last year. Delays in receiving containers vary from three weeks to three months or longer.

While your vendors are working as hard as ever to mitigate the delays and uncertainty, there is still so much out of their control.

One thing buy early, buy often does is help your vendors forecast their inventory needs better. They see the trends of what retailers want and can adjust earlier to make sure they have what you need. This is true every year, but even more so when hard decisions must be made because of supply chain issues.

You are doing your vendors a favor which, in turn, helps them better support you.

TRENDS

The other thing buy early, buy often does is help you see trends earlier. Even in years where most customers wait (like this year is shaping up to be), there will always be early shoppers. Those shoppers help you fine tune your mix for the holidays.

The key is to be strategic in your orders. Use them to gauge customer interest and be ready to adjust on the fly.

OVERSTOCKS

Because of last year’s supply chain issues, many of your vendors stocked up early this year (or received huge orders late last year after the selling season was over). There may be some opportunity buys available to you if you buy now.

Ask your vendors for stock updates. Order only what is in their warehouses. Keep the assortment lean and wide, then go deep on the products that trend well or have great opportunity for margin.

TALK TO YOUR REPS

Your sales reps know who is shipping and who isn’t. They see it every day. They also know what products are trending, are running out, are having issues. Their top vendors are communicating this with them regularly. Talk to your reps to find out where you need to order deep and who will be able to supply you the best.

BEST PRACTICES

The two things buy early, buy often does best is first keep your inventory nimble. You can adjust more quickly to trends and outof-stocks when you write more orders. You can’t sell what you don’t have, yet the longer you wait to write a big order, the more items you won’t have.

Second, it improves your cash flow. The math shows conclusively that smaller orders written more often keeps more money in your bank account for all your other bills. In a year where customers are expected to be late, more money in the bank now makes a lot of sense (cents?).

NOT A CLICHÉ

Buy early, buy often is not a cliché. It is a smart business practice. It takes extra work on your part but makes a world of difference in your ability to keep your store fresh and stocked with all the right stuff.

When the customers do arrive, you will be ready.

Be sure and join us at Marketplace & Academy in Columbus, Ohio in June 2023.

Marketplace & Academy in Columbus will feature a new floor plan to make the show floor more inviting, along with new educational opportunities for all!

ASTRA will continue to work with the Black Inventors Hall of Fame that also presented at Marketplace & Academy in Long Beach.

Booth Sales will open the second week of October, with Sponsorship Opportunities opening in late October. Attendee Registration opens in late December. Summixt Expo will be sending out the space draw schedule.

Visit exhibit@astratoy.org for more information.

And don’t forget all of the other things that we love at Marketplace & Academy, such as the Game & Kit event, Toy Sync Battle and our opening night party!

By Philip C. Wrzesinski

Training Your Temps for the Holidays

Theholidays are coming. Time to put on your HR hat and start interviewing for seasonal workers. The biggest challenge this year will be finding those people. The labor market has arguably never been so tight.

The other challenge – the one you face every single year – is how to get those folks trained and quickly up to the standards you have for your store. We spoke with several ASTRA Members to get tips on some of the ways they prep their seasonal help.

Make Them Great at Something

David Castillo of Red Balloon Toy Store in Salt Lake City says he gives his holiday workers a more narrowed scope of responsibilities focusing on the things that are easiest to train.

“ We make sure to make them great at fewer things instead of making them ‘pretty good’ or ‘okay’ at a lot of things,” Castillo said.

This helps free up his permanent staff to do what they do best –sell to the customers.

Cynthia Compton from 4 Kids Books & Toys in Indiana agrees. “Every year I find one ‘new’ way to wrap something in our store,”

she said. “Maybe one year I teach how to make gift bags for plush from wrap, one year I teach how to wrap a Bilibo, or show how to wrap on the diagonal when a piece is too short. That gives newbies a skill that puts them on the same level as seasoned wrappers and increases their confidence.”

Checklists

Several retailers mentioned using checklists for training to make sure everything gets covered. One retailer said she uses an opening and closing checklist so detailed even a brand-new employee can follow it.

“ The better you spell it out, the easier it is to train and see consistency,” she said.

Check lists also take some of the guesswork out of training by giving you a script to follow.

Along the same line, cheat sheets for everything from store policies to gift suggestions by age group can be handy for your seasonal help to keep in their pocket. Just having it often gives newbies the confidence they need to be the professional you want.

Videos

Bob Negen from Whizbang Training suggests you create a short and simple video for every item on your checklist. It doesn’t have to be polished or rehearsed, just a minute or two of you showing someone else how you want something done. That way everyone has visual proof of exactly how you want things done.

Scripts

Another tip Compton recommends is to have scripts of explanation for some of the special services you offer. “We review HOLD and RETURN policies, and everyone adopts the same sentence or two of explanation,” she said.

Making sure everyone is giving out the same message is important for keeping customers happy during the busy season. It also saves you time when your employees know the right thing to say and don’t have to keep bugging you to answer basic questions.

Customer First

While several retailers mentioned the most important part of training is teaching that the customer’s needs always come first, Ann Kienzle of *play in Chicago takes that notion a step farther. “I

always remind them to [sell] with the customer’s budget in mind and not their own,” she said. “What a college kid thinks of as expensive and what a grandma, aunt, parent thinks of as expensive are usually two different things.”

College Kids

Speaking of college kids, a few retailers said they rarely need to hire a lot of new employees for the holidays because they keep high school kids on the staff year-round who often come back on their holidays breaks once they go away to college. “We like to hire and train high schoolers who come back to work for us on break in college,” said Stephanie Sala from Five Little Monkeys in Northern California. “They are already trained and jump right into our busiest time of year knowing just what to do.”

Invest the Time

No matter what you do to train your holiday help, the two important things are to set aside the time to do that training, whether it’s done by you, by your manager, or by videos; and have a plan for what you want to accomplish. Not only will your store run more smoothly throughout the season, but you also never know when that seasonal person is going to step up to be your next rock star staff.

Best Toys for Kids Get Ready for another GREAT change!

For2023, our ‘Best Toys for Kids’ awards will change and be renamed ‘The ASTRA Play Awards.’

Why?

As our committee worked on sorting through all the nominees, members were often hindered by two words: Toys and Kids. What is the real definition of a toy? Are the products we sell in our neighborhood toy stores only for kids?

After great deliberation, the committee brainstormed new names that could

encompass what we are all about: fostering good play for all ages. Our Certified Play Expert Program quotes research done on the importance of play for child development as well as refreshing our brains as adults. The name ‘ASTRA Play Awards’ became the obvious choice.

With this new name, and soon-to-come broader criteria for product to be put forth for consideration, our 2023 Play Awards will expand the opportunities for product nominations. As we move into the holiday season, watch for the nominations to open in mid-December.

Retailers, as you are opening boxes and stocking shelves, take a photo of items you think should be nominated. When you attend shows in January, look for new items that jump out at you, and take a photo (ask for permission in the showrooms first).

To nominate, all you need to do is send the photo via text to Jenna Stirling at 312-283-7144. Include your name and your company name. It is that easy!

To increase our nominees for consideration, ASTRA will be sending members of our ASTRA Play Awards to January gift shows to look for products to nominate as well.

Our awards are the only award program that winners are voted on by strictly by retailers. We do not charge a fee to be considered. There are great products out there just waiting to be noticed and recognized.

Let’s go find them for our 2023 ASTRA Play Awards!

It’s Now Known as Neighborhood Toy Store MONTH!

We heard you

Trying to fit events, sales, promotions and demonstrations into one day in November is just too stressful and spreads manufacturers and reps too thin. That’s why we’ve made a change, and Neighborhood Toy Store Day is now Neighborhood Toy Store Month!

What are we planning?

There will be four different themed

weeks throughout the month that will be supported with in-store activities, parent education, PR kits and of course, vendor specials.

The four themes are:

- STEM-sational

- Family Game Night

- All About Art

- Make Way For Play

Since each theme will last a week, stores can plan their events at times during the week that work with their schedule and staffing availability. Neighborhood Toy Stores gained ground over 2020-21 as COVID was at its worst and no one could travel. Consumers were more focused on local businesses and how important they were to help them through the many challenges of the stay-at-home work force and stay-at-home school learning. Let’s keep that going during Neighborhood Toy Store Month!

We’ve hired Brilliant PR to help us get the word out and help our retailers get some local media attention, so be sure to let us know if you are participating! Contact Jenna Stirling at jstirling@astratoy.org if you need more information.