ASTRA August 2012

T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E A M E R I C A N S P E C I A LT Y T O Y R E TA I L I N G A S S O C I AT I O N • A U G U S T 2 0 1 2

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ASTRA Celebrates 20 Years With a Night of Fun.

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Find ready to print posters like this one, ad slicks, e-mail templates, press releases and more at www.astratoy.org/ntsd.asp

Message From the Chair

Adapting to Serve

by Linda Hays

sit this morning in my local coffee shop and look out the window at the community I love. The community I am invested in. The community I am so determined my business remain at the heart of, and I feel the pulse of all of your communities all over the country. The ferocity with which you intend to serve, to stay relevant, to stay viable.

In that collective pulse I feel my efforts multiplied and supported, and I find the real strength of ASTRA. I find our shared community. At Marketplace in Baltimore, I heard exclamations of wonder at this vital supportive community we share. From manufacturers, reps and retailers all, a somewhat incredulous head-shaking wonder.

I am sure there is a sense of camaraderie in every industry, but in ours that is committed to providing the tools and toys of childhood - the "things" that bring families together -there is a real sense that we are indeed shaping the future of our communities, of our world. This mission makes us different. There is an urgency to help each other succeed, to support each other through our shared community to better serve our individual communities.

Our customers. Our people. I believe it is this dedication to and support from our communities that enable us to continue fighting the good fight in such everchanging times.

It seems I just get something integrated in my “must do’s” these days, and I have another thing to add. Increasingly these “must do’s” require me to sit at a computer.

This is something I loathe to do, and yet, websites, email campaigns, Facebook, Twitter and now Pinterest have become important components of my relevance in the eyes of a consumer who is changing as fast as the technology that is the catalyst for that change. A consumer we serve. A consumer we wish to continue to serve. So, we sit. We learn. We grow. It is a painful and

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rewarding undertaking.

“We” is not just the retailers; the commitment from so many of our manufacturers is boundless. I can’t count the number of times at Marketplace that I had one or another of them looking earnestly in my eyes and asking, “What can I do to help you succeed?” All options seem on the table, from exclusives, to MAPP enforcement, to in-store promotions and events, to things none of us has even thought of yet.

This is truly a time for thinking outside of the box, for getting ahead of the curve, for innovation and new ways of thinking, for tackling “to do’s” that will enable us to change our focus from survival to prosperity. We are just as important to this world as we think we are. The need for us to adapt and learn and grow and do all of the painful things that a changing market demands of us is real. It is our responsibility to the kind of world we dreamt of building when we got into this business. It is our responsibility to our communities - both those we live in and our ASTRA community.

I would encourage you all to pull out your ASTRA notes, to scan this newsletter for inspiring reviews of sessions you were not able to attend, to find inspiration from your community and tools that will allow you to do even one thing better. I would

also encourage you to think outside the box. To put your brilliant minds to the task of developing new solutions that may allow us all to be more, and to share those ideas. Get on the discussion boards and the committees and continue to contribute and be supported by this wonderful community of ours.

Linda Hays Hopscotch Inc 103 SE Baker St. McMinnville, OR 97128 (503) 472-3702 linda@hopscotchtoys.com

Linda Hays speaks at the 2012 Marketplace & Academy.

ASTRA Newsletter Mission Statement Our mission is to act as a channel of communication for the general membership of ASTRA and to provide information about current happenings and future goals as decided upon by the board of directors, various committees, and ASTRA staff. We strive to provide useful and timely information and support for and about ASTRA members in accordance with the ASTRA mission statement.

We are always looking for good articles and input for the newsletter. Letters to the editor are welcome. Please forward letters, comments, ideas, etc., to the ASTRA office – fax 312-222-0986, e-mail kmchugh@astratoy.org.

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August 2012 5

Board of Directors Chair Linda Hays Chair-Elect Michael Levins

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F E A T U R E S 8

Past Chair Michael Ziegenhagen Treasurer Dana Barnes

Children’s World Sponsors Design Contest Directors Steven Aarons Bob Breneman Lea Culliton Lillian Davis Ann Kienzle Mike Klein John MacDougall Dean May Ted McGuire Robin McLane

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Astra Celebrates 20 Years

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Large Store Panel

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Kudos for a Lifetime of Achievement

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Small Store Discussion Panel

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2012 ASTRA Excellence Awards

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Al Bates in Haiku

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Best Toys Picked at Marketplace

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Child Development:

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Crackle and Commotion with Kizer & Bender

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Spreading Contagious Enthusiasm

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Reaching Out to Children with Special Needs

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Nothing Happens Until Someone … Sells It!

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Building Eye-Catching Window Displays

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Nothing Happens Until Someone … Makes It!

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Protecting Your Assets

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Reps: Communicators and Peacemakers

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Phil Wrzesinski’s Pricing

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Your Inventory Doesn’t Love You

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Run a Successful Neighborhood Toy Store Day

Newsletter

The Importance of Play and Learning

Editor Mary Sisson Assistant Editors Alyssa LaFaro Tina Manzer Graphic Artist Lindsey Williamson

for Profit

ASTRA Staff

41 ASTRA Welcomes Its Newest Manufacturer Members

President Kathleen McHugh

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Membership and Program Coordinator Caryn Giznik Technology and Membership Services Manager Daniel Elacqua Meeting and Exhibit Manager Amanda Zawad Administrative Assistant Sam Adeoye

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The ASTRA Newsletter is published by the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, 432 N Clark St., Suite 401, Chicago, IL 60654, 312-2220984, fax 312-222-0986, e-mail info@astratoy.org.

Website: www.astratoy.org. Copyright © 2012 American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. All rights reserved.

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Message from the Chair President’s Report Ready, Set, PLAY … for Children with Disabilities New Members

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Advertisements are accepted. For more information, contact Rick Kauder, Fahy-Williams Publishing, 800-344-0559; e-mail rkauder@fwpi.com All articles for the ASTRA Newsletter are supplied

by ASTRA and its members, with Fahy-Williams assembling and editing the newsletter, 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.

President’s Report

Why November?

by Kathleen McHugh

he question was asked at the brief session at Marketplace on Marketing Neighborhood Toy Store Day – why November? The question deserved more time and a more comprehensive response than time permitted that day.

For many retailers, November is the start of the holiday shopping season and therefore already a busy time. Many retailers already have plans in the works for their holiday marketing, and decisions about local charities have already been made. So why take an already busy time and add something more to your plates when you need attention for your store at other times of the year?

The simple answer is that the media turns its attention to toys in the fourth quarter when consumers are thinking about the holiday season coming soon and are focused on toys as part of their gift giving. In public relations, if you give the media what they want to make their jobs easier, you have a better chance of getting what you want in return – attention to your message.

There is another, more insidious reason November has become an important time to capture the attention of consumers.

The rapid acceleration of online shopping during the fourth quarter has changed the game for retail. Online shopping last year nearly doubled from the previous year, and every retail expert expects that number to keep growing. Grabbing consumers’ attention in November has never been more important to the health and vibrancy of the specialty toy industry.

American Express started Small Business Saturday in November because they recognized long before we did that small

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businesses are in desperate need of marketing during this crucial shopping period, yet they lack the funds for a national campaign.

Neighborhood Toy Store Day is greatly enhanced by the expensive public relations efforts of Small Business Saturday. Last year, SBS commercials saturated television broadcasting with a simple message that put a face on local businesses everywhere (including one shot of a toy store). The timing of Small Business Saturday complements Neighborhood Toy Store Day beautifully.

In November, we have a chance to tell our story about good toys and healthy play while, at the same time, spreading the important message about why shopping local supports and strengthens communities. You have a choice to make Neighborhood Toy Store Day a part of your holiday season. But we can’t do it without you. Without you there is no story to tell.

So even though you are already too busy to add one more thing to your plate, we hope you will make the choice to help us build Neighborhood Toy Store Day into a recognizable, newsworthy event your customers will understand and support.

Warmly,

Kathleen McHugh

ASTRA Board of Directors L to R: Lillian Davis, Michael Levins, Ted McGuire, John MacDougall, Steven Aarons, Kathleen McHugh, Michael Ziegenhagen, Linda Hays, Ann Kienzle, Lea Culliton, Mike Klein, Dana Barnes, Dean May. Not pictured, Robin McLane and Bob Breneman. astratoy.org

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R e a d y, S e t , P L AY. . . f o r C h i l d r e n W i t h D i s a b i l i t i e s

Latest Research and Trends on Children with Special Needs Market

by Ellen Metrick, Director of Industry Relations & Partnerships, National Lekotek Center, emetrick@lekotek.org

ight down the street from where I work, tucked into a hot retail corridor of Chicago, is a new trend I believe is evolving for a store within a store. Brainchild of a marketing executive-turned-entrepreneur-turned-retailer is a specialty toy store with a specific retail space dedicated to a soaring submarket. It is a market the founder has focused on based on both her heart and her head – children with special needs.

Bellybum Boutique and the new store imbedded within it, The Sensory Kids Store, is capitalizing on a market that is expanding both in number and awareness, and not just in big towns like Chicago.

According to the American Community Survey released in fall of 2011 by the U.S. Census Bureau, one in 20 schoolaged children is reported as having a disability. This represents 2.8 million kids or 5.2 percent of the child population.

This data is part of recently compiled research The National Lekotek Center conducted highlighting statistics and trends in the children with disabilities market. Here’s more of what we uncovered.

There’s a reason the U.S. Department of Labor has predicted a growth in employment of special education teachers in the U.S. by a whopping 17 percent from 2010 to 2020. It has to do with more kids being diagnosed, identified and falling within the category of children with special needs. For example, the

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report in March with some staggering research. Their latest data estimates that one in every 88 American children has been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. That represents a 78 percent increase compared with a decade ago.

New research continues to identify conditions children exhibit that, in the past, have flown below the radar of traditional health care. Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is one example.

According to an April 4, 2012, story in the Chicago Tribune, “Sensory Disorder Diagnosis on Rise,” a study involving 4year-olds in Cook County, Illinois, found that 3.4 percent met criteria for having a sensory processing issue.

Here’s the “aha moment.” Guess what has been identified as an effective treatment for SPD – a bungee swing!

That’s right, what many would consider a toy or play product has crossed over into a form of therapy.

That cross-over from a toy into therapy is a trend we feel is worth pondering, and one that is the cornerstone of all the work we do here at Lekotek. And here is where we get to the heart of this article – you no doubt realize that play offers intrinsic benefits for kids, for adults, gosh, for everyone. For children with special needs, play holds some very important potential – it is a way for them to reach theirs. And toy retailers can be at the fore-

front of conveying that message. It is a message ASTRA believes in, as those of you who attended the retail breakout on products for children with special needs at the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy can attest to.

I don’t know how many of you carry children’s books in your retail offerings, but you have to concede that Scholastic is a good source to watch when looking for predictions of what’s hot in the kids’ market. As the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, they need to be ahead of the trends and know what the market wants. That is why they have recognized, for the first time ever in their annual “Top 10 Trends in Children’s Literature,” the rise of the children with special needs market. Here’s what they say: Trend #9 – Special needs protagonist.

“There is a growing body of literary fiction with main characters who have special needs, particularly Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism.”

We are happy to share more highlights from our research and trends report on the children with special needs market with our fellow ASTRA members. Just email me at emetrick@lekotek.org for a copy. I would also love to hear from other retailers and manufacturers who are focusing on the special needs market. We all know children benefit from toys and time spent playing.

What we are coming to realize is that children with special needs may require those benefits even more.

ASTRA

Children’s World Sponsors Design Contest ecognizing the need for more toys for children with sensory disorders, Children’s World owners Tim and Cynthia Holliday partnered with Easter Seals Southwest Florida to be the lead sponsor in the Design Sense International Design Competition. It was open to anyone with ideas for the design of a toy or sensory aid to help children process their sensory environment.

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The contest drew 44 entries from 23 countries. The winner was announced in February, and the competition was deemed so successful that Children's World, an ASTRA store located in Sarasota, and Easter Seals have agreed to make this an ongoing annual competition.

Marketplace & Academy ASTRA Celebrates 20 Years hen a merry band of specialty toy people formed ASTRA in 1992, they may have had a hard time envisioning a convention 20 years later with more than 1,754 attendees. But many of the original members were in Baltimore to witness the growth of what they’d begun.

While the numbers have grown, the values and passion that sparked the ASTRA idea were still evident.“These individuals were motivated by the desire to bring toys with integrity to American families,” Michael Ziegenhagen said in his last annual meeting address as board chair. “They were passionate about the importance of play in a child’s life. They inspired themselves with quotes from literature, philosophy and science to express their belief in the importance of play and ‘good toys.’”

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• “It is a happy talent to know how to play.” – Emerson • “Almost all creativity involves purposeful play.” – Maslow • “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than a year of conversation.” – Plato • “The creation of something new is accomplished by the play instinct.” – Jung • “Ask not what the toy will do for the child, ask what the child will do with the toy.” – Unknown Another motivation of ASTRA’s founders was noted by ASTRA President Kathleen McHugh. “By sharing ideas and pooling business resources, specialty toy retailers could help each other thrive in the marketplace. They formed a board of directors and ASTRA was born. … From that good idea, we have grown to a membership of over 1,400 members!

“Yet it’s not a surprise to see ASTRA’s growth when we consider what all of you bring to each other. Yes, we have grown enough to make our voice heard – and quite loudly – in the toy industry, but we are still small enough to make real and meaningful connections with each other.

“At age 20, we are just the right size to benefit from each other’s experiences in the market and to nurture each other as we grow our businesses.”

While conventions were on the early ASTRA agenda, the power of the Internet in 2012 may have been hard to imagine in 1992. Daily online discussions within membership categories or between groups allow members to talk about the nitty gritty of business together.

“These dialogues are so important because they happen in real time and address issues like MAPP pricing or the impact of the 10 August 2012

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Zulily flash sales site as they break,” McHugh said. “The more you talk with each other and ask each other questions and solve problems together, the stronger the specialty toy industry will be.”

The Internet has made it possible for independent businesses to bring a united message to consumers.

“Our budget is far from enough for a national PR effort, but nonetheless, our media efforts for Neighborhood Toy Store Day 2011 were hugely successful, with over – and listen to this number – 30 million impressions nationwide! We are optimistic at ASTRA, but 30 million impressions were beyond even our wildest dreams.

“Layer by layer, step by step, that is how ASTRA has grown, and in coming months you will hear more about the next consumer-focused initiative, which is ASTRA’s direct-to-consumer website.” The idea is to draw consumers to a site focused on the importance of healthy play for healthy child development, and while they’re there, direct them to ASTRA stores.

And that ties directly to the mission ASTRA was based on in 1992. Ziegenhagen quoted an early ASTRA president, Karen Scarvie, who described this mission by comparing the beliefs and practices of specialty with that of other channels.

“While they create toys that entertain and distract, we choose toys that engage and empower. They offer toys that direct the play; we encourage toys where the child takes the lead. Their toys promote imitation and conformity; we seek toys that promote creativity and individuality. They consider toys to be possessions; we believe that toys are tools.” – Karen Scarvie

“In the end, we are all doing something that will impact our communities for the next generation,” McHugh said, “providing toys that help children use their imaginations and grow and thrive.”

ASTRA does something similar for its members, she continued. “We bring you ideas and friends and products and programs that help you use your imagination and grow your business and thrive in the marketplace. In that respect, ASTRA is about helping you pursue your own dreams and helping you achieve your own vision of a productive, satisfying life.”

And, as ASTRA’s founders believed 20 years ago, McHugh left the membership with this thought: “Your work matters. Whether you are a manufacturer, a sales rep or a retailer, you provide products and services that make our communities stronger and families more playful and children more healthy.

“Not everyone can say that about their work. But we understand that to our core here at ASTRA. Over the past 20 years, you have showed us what you need to be successful. We are here to support another 20 years of your collective business needs and your dreams.

Thank you for letting us be a part of them.” ASTRA

A special night to mingle and munch among friends.

Celebrating 20 years of sweet success.

MAKE YOUR STAFF SMARTER. FOR FREE! Keep your employees up-to-date on toy industry trends, new products, retail best practices and more with their own subscription to edplay magazine.

Maybe you’re already getting a copy or two delivered to your store, but for a limited time only, we’ll add your employees’ names to our mailing list – FREE. How many do you want?

To sign up for your store’s free subscriptions visit edplay.com Imagine how important your staff will feel, how plugged into the industry it will make them, and how loyal to your store they’ll become.

edplay has been helping toy, game, gift and museum stores for almost 20 years. astratoy.org

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Kudos for a Lifetime of Achievement

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ommunity is one of the core values Jamie Seeley Kreisman embodies in all his activities, his business, his family life and his ASTRA work. You can count on Jamie for commitment, hard work, integrity and good humor.”

That’s how the 2012 ASTRA Lifetime Achievement honoree was introduced, and it took a committee to do it – Jeff Franklin, Jonny Girson and Joanne Farrugia.

“His contribution to ASTRA progressed from volunteer, to committee chair, to board member, to becoming ASTRA’s first manufacturer president at a crucial juncture in our history, when a leader was needed to cement the bonds of community that hold our association together across the whole distribution chain,” they went on.

Accepting the award, Jamie said, “In an interview from years ago, (edplay’s) Tina Manzer asked about my philosophy as it related to running a business. My response then is the same response I’d give today – I believe it’s important to ‘live’ your business consistent with the way you ‘live’ the rest of your life.

“Don’t compartmentalize; at least try not to. Don’t punch in or out, literally or metaphorically. I think the resulting continuity for me has been a critical component of my happiness and of whatever success I’ve had.

“As for me and my dreams … it really doesn’t seem all that long ago that I was in my early 20s, more than a little intimidated when I realized I was actually working for myself! YIKES! I had no clue what the future would hold, but there I was.

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Jamie Seeley Kriesman accepts his award for Lifetime Achievement.

“Now, while I still don’t know what the future will look like, something I do know is that I had a pretty good trick back then. I had a belief that if I imagined a tomorrow better than the day I was in, I could then ‘live’ my way toward that tomorrow. It’s a good strategy – and it still works!”

Jamie is the only person to serve two years as ASTRA president. His tenure on the board’s executive committee spanned a period that saw ASTRA transition to self-management, introduce a trade show component to the annual convention and move from a survival mode to one of substantial growth.

ASTRA

2012 ASTRA Excellence Awards ominated and voted by their peers as examples of excellence, two companies and an individual were honored with ASTRA Excellence Awards during the annual meeting. Awards Committee members Joanne Farrugia of JaZams in New Jersey, Jonny Girson of The Learning Tree in Kansas and Jeff Franklin of Franklinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Toys in Maryland introduced them.

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Manufacturer: Blue Orange, San Francisco, California Outstanding products with great packaging, sales support materials, play day support and samples, outstanding sales staff and customer service, fast and accurate shipping and new product updates earned Blue Orange the nomination. A dozen years since launching Gobblet, they now have more than 30 games. Respect for the earth is woven into their mission as they plant two trees for every one used to produce their games.

Sales Rep: Lillian Davis, Diverse Marketing, Dallas, Texas

Julien Mayot and Adeline Bertix accept the Manufacturer Excellence Award.

Lillian is known for taking care of her customers, including following up on order deliveries and damages, rack program inventories and countless other details. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earned the respect of retailers, fellow reps and manufacturers alike.

Her product knowledge is excellent. She participates in her customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; store events

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Robin Murphy, center, and Christine Blumberg, right, present the Sales Rep Excellence Award to Lillian Davis, Diverse Marketing.

and trains store personnel. She sells by asking questions of her customers and listening to their needs, more like a consultant than a salesperson.

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Robin Murphy, right, presents The Toy Mavenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Candace Williams the Retail Excellence Award.

Retailer: The Toy Maven, Candace Williams, Dallas, Texas Candace has a great eye for products and is ahead of the trend on most new items and brands, seeking out quality and variety. She is a great listener and is thirsty for industry knowledge. She won D Magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Toy Store of the Year last year, and for good reason: The Toy Maven supports and donates to more than 100 charitable causes, and Candace sits on the boards of several of them. Very dynamic, she creates a fun shopping ASTRA environment for her customers.

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Enjoy hours of entertainment with our farm theme games.

Double sided beech figures still made in Germany!

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Best Toys Picked at Marketplace ight here,” said Gwen Ottenberg, patting her pocket. “Eighteen thousand, three hundred sixty-six dollars and eighty-nine cents.”

Owner of Imagine That Toys in Wichita, Kansas and chair of the Best Toys for Kids Committee, Ottenberg spoke from her own experience when she

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urged retailers to play with the Best Toys nominees and cast their votes, then take advantage of ASTRA resources to promote the award winners. Members not at Marketplace could vote electronically.

Last year, Ottenberg had Best Toys fliers printed with her store information and a coupon, and then inserted them in

the Thanksgiving Day newspaper, “along with the big boys,” she said. “I looked good. I looked professional. I looked good.” And a week later, she said, patting her pocket, she’d redeemed 365 coupons and filled that pocket.

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here are the 2012 Best Toys for Kids winners Active Play Kickin’ Putt by BeginAgain (1) OgoSport RAQ by OgoSport LLC (2)

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Constructive Play The ZOOB Challenge by INFINITOY Inc. (3) nanoblock musical series assortment by Ohio Art Company (4) Creative Arts Play Loopdedoo by Ann Williams (5) Sunflowers Master Kitz by Kidzaw (6)

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Early Play Tobbles Neo by Fat Brain Toy Co. (7) Roll & Play by ThinkFun (8)

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Game Play – 3 to 7 years Look Look by MindWare (9) Feed the Woozle by Peaceable Kingdom (10) Game Play – 8 years+ Pajaggle Board by Pajaggle, Inc (11) TENZI by Carma Games LLC (12) Game Play – Brainteasers Perplexus Twist by PlaSmart (13) Rubik’s® The Void™ Puzzle

by Winning Moves (14)

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Pretend – Doll Play Puppet on a Stick™ by Educational Insights® (15)

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Pretend – Fantasy Play E Rangers Headquarters by PLAYMOBIL (16) Pretend – Role Play Kidoozie Deluxe Build A Road with Elevator

by International Playthings LLC (17) Scientific Play My First Super Science Kit

by Be Amazing! Toys (18) Snap Circuits Light by Elenco (19)

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Classic Play – 0 to 7 years Brio Classic Figure 8 Train Set by Schylling Toys (20) Classic Play – 8 years+ Rush Hour by ThinkFun (21)

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Crackle and Commotion with Kizer & Bender

ASTRA Academy

General Sessions

by Debbie Scholl, Fundamentally Toys, Houston, TX

he 20th ASTRA gathering began with an engaging and informative presentation by consumer anthropologists Rich Kizer and Georganne Bender. This high-energy duo was sponsored by Melissa & Doug. The focus of their session was what they call the crackle factor: the need to adjust to the everchanging retail environment and to adopt a constant state of reinvention.

Understanding the customer perspective and experience is paramount to fulfilling their “dream” or expectations. Gone are the days when customers, like sheep, grazed from store to store.

“Lamb customers are now gorilla customers,” they said.

Retailers must acknowledge the consumer’s time constraints while offering a personable, positive and fun encounter. “It’s what the customer thinks that defines us.”

Key suggestions include: asking the customer, “What one thing could we do to improve your shopping experience?”; analyzing “pain points” that make it hard to do business with us; and creating ways to make shopping at your store memorable and enjoyable.

The bottom line – learn to operate from the customer’s perspective.

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High energy duo Kizer and Bender talk about the “Crackle Factor.”

Are Your Promotions Causing Commotions?

Kizer and Bender followed their keynote with two breakout sessions. The first focused on promotions and the need to create “shopper-tainment.” They recommended keeping a promotional calendar and creating events around holidays.

“It’s not about what you have done, but what you can do,” they said. They offered a variety of suggestions, some of which were a bit dated, but overall they presented a variety of ideas that stores could easily implement.

Best ideas: turning your staff into celebrities, charity-focused events and a receipt auction where customers use their receipts like cash. I, particularly, like the poem about childhood and the handprint event they suggested. It’s perfect for Neighborhood Toy Store Day. You can go to kizerandbender.com for a wealth of information on this session and other valuable articles.

Social Media Kizer and Bender stressed the point that social media is about relationships and people. It’s not a selling forum, but an information portal – like an online cocktail party. You must first listen, interact and react. Sales will follow as you build your tribe of loyal fans.

For most of the audience this was not new territory, but it seems to definitely be confusing and time-consuming. The time allotted barely scratched the surface of how to incorporate social

media in marketing plans. Facebook’s ever-changing rules, Twitter hashtags, Pinterest, QR codes, videos, blogs, content is king, etc. I left a little dizzy, and although I agree with everything they said, I have no idea where to find the time to invest in all the social chatter without sacrificing somewhere else.

One must continually post things of interest to the consumer, react to the postings of others and stay vigilant on the ever-growing list of social media. Perhaps one day we will have a session that shows you how to actually accomplish this.

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ASTRA Academy

Spreading Contagious Enthusiasm eople may not remember what you say, and they may not even remember what you do, but they will always remember how you made them feel. And if those in the closing ASTRA Academy session take the advice of Barbara Glanz, closing keynote speaker, they will make people feel special.

Creating workplaces of joy is what Glanz is all about, and in the keynote and breakout session, she focused on keeping staff and customers happy. “Appreciation is a free gift,” she said. “It doesn’t cost you anything.” Yet 65 percent of American workers last year said they got no appreciation all year for the work they’ve done.

“People do not quit organizations, they quit bosses,” she said. With the average cost of turnover equaling a third to five times an employee’s annual pay, according to HR Magazine, creating a culture of caring makes good economic sense.

A business that cares about its customers must care about its employees.

“There’s a spirit you can feel when you go into an organization, of enthusiasm and caring,” Glanz said. She used the word “care” to emphasize. Creative communication, atmosphere and appreciation, respect and a reason for being, and empathy and enthusiasm add up to a place where work is valued and has passion and purpose.

A grocery store employee with Down syndrome gave the perfect example of this atmosphere of caring and how it can transform a business. Search for “Johnny the Bagger” on YouTube and see it for yourself. Two years ago, the store where he works won an award for the best store in the U.S. It started with Johnny.

General Sessions

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Barbara Glanz talks about creating workplaces of joy at the closing session.

ASTRA

Nothing Happens Until Someone ...

Sells It!

ASTRA Academy

manufacturer Sessions

by Kem Clark, Omnicor

his was a good discussion for newcomers to the field of toys and games, and entrepreneurs seeking to launch a new line or even just one item. Moderator Lea Culliton of Haba USA led a manufacturer panel including Tim Paczesny, Education Outdoors; Jennifer Volz, Ohio Art; and Beau James, Corolle.

T

Identifying Trade Shows A consumer show such as ChiTAG, the Chicago Toy and Games Fair, can serve as a focus group for testing a new product.

Igames also stages events, parties and other launch vehicles to generate buzz for new products.

Selecting and Motivating Sales Reps The best way to identify good sales reps was to call retailers and ask for their recommendations. And then the challenge follows – how to motivate them to show your product! First, give them the necessary tools, including sell sheets, catalogs, detailed pricing data and any special offers or terms. One panelist said, “You need to market to the rep to get them involved.”

Additional incentives are strong motivators, including extra commissions and double commissions at various times of the year; spiffs; contests; and providing reps with information on awards as soon as you have received one. Be sure to share your “unique selling proposition” with your rep – what they should be sharing with their customers.

East Coast reps generally handle 10 to 15 lines while West Coast reps handle up to 50 lines. All appreciate information in early December for the coming year, including pricing and special programs or offers. Commissions in the trend-oriented gift

industry run 15 to 20 percent because reps have to learn new lines constantly. The consensus was that 10 percent is the industry standard for toys.

Displays Should manufacturers charge for displays or supply them for free? The consensus was to charge for them, which could be done in a variety of ways, including a free display with a specific amount of product. Though this could cost the manufacturer initially, it would help generate re-orders. It is important to get some noticeable real estate.

Several reps in the audience commented that they don’t like selling displays.

Catalogs Time allowed just a quick discussion on catalogs, including the suggestion of putting a QR code on them, which could take the consumer directly to a demo of games or products. Other suggestions: age-label products, and include the UPC code as well as dimensions. Catalogs should be sent not only to reps but also directly to retailers.

Awards came under the topic of selling materials, as the award companies do a lot of work to get the information out on their awards. JoAnne Oppenheimer is tied in with the “Today Show” and does a lot of promotion there. A spreadsheet of awards received would be a good extra promo piece to accompany a catalog. Some awards can be costly to apply for, but the overall agreement was that they are worthwhile if you promote them well.

ASTRA

Nothing Happens Until Someone ...

Makes It!

by Charlie Hoopes, HoopCAT Games

oderated by Jamie Seeley Kreisman of BEKA Inc., the manufacturer panel included Maggie Qui, Hape North America; Chris Kalberer, Just Jump It; and Mike Klein, Manhattan Toy. Dean Woodard of the Consumer Product Safety Commission helped answer audience questions about the CPSIA testing process. But it was the audience that picked the topics: CPSIA testing, finding a manufacturer and inventory management.

CPSIA conformance generated the most questions. It was clear that smaller manufacturers can be confused about what must or must not be tested, and how often retesting of existing products must occur. Every color must be tested separately, as each color consists of a different chemical combination.

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Manufacturers do not need to retest every production run so long as the same materials are used.

Since chemical testing can be one of the more expensive tests, one way to reduce costs is to reuse the same colors and materials in multiple products. When testing, manufacturers should group products that use the same materials. Testing prices can vary with demand; August is the busiest time of year for testing labs as manufacturers prepare their product lines for Christmas. CPSIA testing is a bigger burden for small manufacturers, since testing costs the same whether you make 100 or 50,000 of an item.

North America, Europe and Asian countries all have different

safety standards, requiring different testing certifications. These different standards become a very important consideration for the North American manufacturer planning to expand internationally.

Next topic: how to find a factory to manufacture your product. The panel recommended developing long-term relationships with factories or agents. While Chinese labor costs have risen 100% in the last four years, there is still an 8-to-1 difference between North American and Chinese labor. The savings in Asian production is in the labor; raw materials cost about the same.

Thus, Asian production makes more sense for products that require a lot of labor, and less sense when a productâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary cost is materials.

Trade shows and Ali Baba (online market website) were recommended as ways to find Chinese factories. Overseas agents are a good way to find reliable factories, and then oversee the actual manufacture of your product.

For green manufacturers, the cost of recycled materials has been increasing due to greater demand.

The final focus, inventory management, is much more complicated for manufacturers who receive different parts from separate factories, and then do their own final assembly and packaging. Reorder is difficult to predict for new products with no prior sales history; the panel had no silver bullets for that problem.

Every manufacturer needs a good ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system to keep track of where their inventory is.

QuickBooks was suggested as a good solution for manufacturers too small for an ERP. ASTRA

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August 2012 23

Reps: Communicators and Peacemakers

ASTRA Academy

rep Session

by Allison White, Sugar B Sales, and Jan Hatch, The Erin Griffin Group

sales rep roundtable and a panel discussion centered on the rep-manufacturer relationship offered reps two opportunities for education and information.

Assigned seating at the roundtable brought on some moans and groans, but splitting up and sitting with new people created a better dialogue. Each table was handed questions to discuss and present to the entire group. The questions were varied: How many lines should one group carry (210!)? What is the best size of a territory and how far is too far to travel in that territory?

(That depends, where do you live?) How do you get your customer to order from you rather than ordering direct? How does a principal rep find a good sub-rep, and what are the criteria of the associate in evaluating a good principal?

Answers were just as varied, but one that kept cropping up was communication. Communication is the key to working with customers and manufacturers alike. Both the retailer and vendor want to know what reps can do for them, and it’s the rep’s job to be as open and honest as possible. The bottom line of being a rep is to establish relationships and maintain them. All territories have different challenges to face and different ground to cover, but communication needs to happen all the same. Phone calls, emails and faceto-face appointments are what further the rep-retailer bond. So, when that retailer grabs a catalog to place a direct order, hopefully she’ll remember the day her rep stopped by to hand-deliver the new catalog and that will make all the difference.

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The panel discussion featured a mix of reps and manufacturers who provided insight on handling that relationship. Like the session before, the overarching idea was that of communication, but every relationship is different. Some manufacturers are very open and forthcoming with information about customers and direct orders, while some don’t feel the need to share much at all.

Vendors have different ways of handling house accounts and direct orders, as well as commissions to their reps. One was a “three strikes” rule for the rep – the rep has three chances to earn the commission before the customer is considered a house account. The “house” status can be reversed, however, if the rep submits an order for that customer.

Another key topic was having manufacturers meet directly with customers. Sometimes it is helpful and other times hurtful to have vendors and customers meet. It all depends on how the rep has informed both parties and is able to mediate the appointment. Overall, it was agreed that most times, having a manufacturer present during a gift show is a positive experience both for the vendor and the customer.

For sales reps, the largest part of the job is to maintain an open channel of information between the retailer and the manufacturer. Customers want to feel important and taken care of, and manufacturers want to know that their products are readily available. Reps need to balance and cultivate those relationships while continuing to be problem solvers and peacemakers.

ASTRA

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วฆ ย วฆ ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วฒย ย ย ย ย วณ ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วฏย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วก ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วฆย ย ย วฆย ย ย ย วก ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วค

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย อดอน ย ย ย ย วก ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วฆ ย วฆ ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ศ ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วก ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วก ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วค

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วก ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วก ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วค

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วก ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วก ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วก ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วค ย ย ย ย วคย ย ย

ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วซ ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ฬทย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย วคย ย ย

ASTRA Academy

Your Inventory Doesn’t Love You

retailer Sessions

by Bob Sisson, Kazoodles

on’t fall in love with your inventory. It doesn’t love you back,” Paul Erickson of RMSA Retail Solutions LLC said in the Inventory Management retail session.

Time determines everything in retail, he said. For example, if this month’s sales forecast for an item is 12, that’s how many you need. If that item comes in 12 different colors, you still need only 12, not 144. And if it takes you 26 weeks to sell those 12 toys, say June 11 to December 10, you probably paid for them in August, but you’re not going to see any revenue for all of them until December.

Most retail problems revolve around money. And inventory is where money is, Erickson said. “Cheaper by the dozen” isn’t necessarily true. Generally, quantity is not worth doing, he said,

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because the savings you get is outweighed by how long you have to carry it. “It’s not how much stock you have; it’s how much new you have.”

He offered this money tip: identify everything in the store that is more than six months old. List the value. If it’s 20 to 30 percent of your inventory, that’s a problem, and it needs to be addressed now.

But what about “I can sell it if we have it in stock”? “That’s a lot easier for a salesman to say than you,” Erickson said. “If you don’t sell it, they aren’t on the hook, you are.” If you want to turn inventory four times per year, don’t stock more than you can sell in 13 weeks.

Increasing sales and turning inventory go hand-in-hand.

Erickson said you must know your average transaction, how

“It’s not how much stock you have; it’s how much new you have.”

(continued on page 28)

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ASTRA Academy

Your Inventory Doesn’t Love You

retailer Sessions

(continued from page 26)

Run a Successful Neighborhood Toy Store Day much each customer spends. The formula: total sales divided by number of transactions equals the average transaction.

If sales are going down, take a good look at your inventory. If something doesn’t sell, mark it down. “Markdowns are the tuition you pay for your retail education. Know why you’re taking a markdown, and don’t do it again,” he said. He advises telling customers why you’re putting something on markdown – defects, end-of-season sale, etc. The price you paid should have nothing to do with the markdown price. Drag customers through the store before you get to the markdowns.

Erickson emphasized Gross Margin Return on Investment (GMROI). “GMROI is the critical measurement for measuring inventory productivity. It says you can make money in different ways. You can make money with merchandise you don’t have a lot of margin on, but you turn very quickly. It also says you can make money on merchandise you have a longer margin on, but your turn is a little slower.”

GMROI is analyzing the amount of inventory you have in your store, on the average at cost over a year, against the gross profit it produces. “If I give you a dollar and you hand me a dollar back, that’s not a good investment. Remember, it is gross margin, not net, and you have to pay your expenses out of it. … So, really, a good GMROI for most retailers is anything probably over $2 back,” he said.

“You think you’re a buyer. There are no buyers. You are an investment broker.

You’re investing your money in inventory,” Erickson said, and you have every right to understand what the proper return on that investment is. GMROI is the answer. The higher the GMROI, he said, the higher the inventory productivity in your store.

For more information, go to www.rmsa.com.

lanning, planning, planning. Start in July. That’s the advice Claudia Towles gave for a successful Neighborhood Toy Store Day the second Saturday in November.

Towles, of aMuse Toys in Baltimore, joined a panel with Sari Powazak of The Dollhouse and Toy Store in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Thea Brown of World of Mirth in Richmond, Virginia.

“I’m the voice of procrastination,” commented moderator Linda Hays of Hopscotch in McMinnville, Oregon. She hopes to do more advance planning this year, but pulled together successful events the first two years of Neighborhood Toy Store Day by just jumping in and doing it. Despite the last-minute planning, the first year she tripled sales on that weekend. In 2011 she raised that by another 25 percent.

Brown joined two other local toy stores to place ads in the local newspaper. While the stores are all different, they agree on the importance of play.

“It’s important to give back to the community,” Brown said. She chose to support Stop Child Abuse Now the first year of NTSD, and Art 180, a local group that helps children express feelings through art, last year.

Towles gave to the Baltimore Child Abuse Center the first year. “I got press in the Baltimore Sun and Facebook tags,” she said. But a lot of people who came in that day had no idea they were supporting a charity. So last year, using Facebook, Twitter and other social media, Towles had her customers vote for the charity. “There was four times as much buy-in,” she said. “It’s important to support a charity that supports you in a way.” The goodwill of supporting a nonprofit has a much better effect than discounting, she said.

Powazak found there was so much going on in her area last November, families were pulled other directions that day. This year she plans to build excitement featuring a Best Toys for Kids winner each week, leading up to a grand finale drawing for a big gift certificate.

Activities help draw people to the event. Brown organized crafts and science led by volunteers. Hays had high school students help with Santa’s mailbox, where kids could write and mail letters right in the store.

With the push from ASTRA, Neighborhood Toy Store Day is gaining traction on a national level as the third annual event approaches. “Every single community hosting Neighborhood Toy Store Day bolsters the effect for all of us,” Hays said.

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Large Store Panel

ASTRA Academy

retailer Sessions

by Charlie Hoopes, HoopCAT Games

ho runs a large store? Panelists Todd Anderson, Hub Hobby, Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota; Nancy Stanek, Toys Et Cetera, Chicago, Illinois; and Margaret Warner, Topeka and Lawrence, Kansas, operate two to four stores each, while moderator Phil Wrzesinski’s Toy House and Baby Too in Jackson, Michigan, has one large (30,000 square feet) location.

What’s the best way to divide the work between owner, managers and staff? Panelists agreed that a store owner must be willing to delegate in order to expand; you cannot grow without relinquishing some daily responsibilities. A successful owner or manager must recognize when a staff member can do something better than the owner.

While these owners delegate some purchasing responsibilities, new purchasers get extra mentorship, and owners and purchasers periodically review sales histories. Summer clearance is a good opportunity to review every purchaser’s decisions from the past year. The panelists held onto the responsibilities they enjoy most, while delegating tasks that fit the strengths of their staff.

Delegation does not mean giving up control. An owner should never relinquish oversight. While the owner does not have to be the bookkeeper, the owner must remain responsible for the

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financial decisions. All panelists agreed that they spend far more time working on their store than working in their store (except for the last six weeks of the year, when even owners become highly-paid stock boys).

Good store managers are the key to a successful multi-store operation. Hire good managers, and then pay them well to keep them. One panelist pays little to advertise; she would rather put that money into her managers. The panel relies on their managers for day-to-day operations and for dealing with employee issues. Owners should realize that every manager has a different style. While a college education is not necessary to manage a toy store, passion is.

A discussion on store staff ended the session. Retail is not a high-paying job, and this affects the labor pool available to store owners. There are times that owners and managers have to deal with employees’ personal issues that creep into their work life.

The staff of a specialty toy store can become like a family, with little turnover. The owner can become like the parent of a large family. While having experienced staff is good, there can be a downside when employees become set in their ways and discourage innovation from the new hires.

ASTRA

ASTRA Academy

retailer Sessions

Small Store Discussion Panel

by Janet Pillsbury, My Toy Garden

T

he nuances of a small store require owners to think a bit differently than our large store partners. This year’s discussion panel – Linda Hays from Hopscotch, Mary Sisson from Kazoodles and Tom Towles from aMuse, moderated

by Jeff Franklin of Franklin’s Toys – was packed with great ideas on a variety of topics.

How to make the most of a small space? Go up! Use library ladders, hooks and other ways to use the air space. Visit other stores to gather new ideas. Rent an off-site storage unit for overstock inventory. Use lower shelves for demo toy space.

How do you select new stuff? Know your numbers. Sellers stay. Bottom goes.

Know who you are. Talk to reps. Listen to customers. Trade with other stores. Read

www.waboba.com

a lot, and not just trade magazines.

How do you advertise? Use a birthday club. Utilize community bulletin boards. Sprinkle postcards around town.

Cross-promote with other store owners – shop local or at other toy stores. Offer to

be a speaker. Get in a local coupon book.

Host a quarterly give back program. Use the Best Toys for Kids flier. Host an event in a public space such as a park. Invite local talent.

ASTRA

Al Bates in Haiku

by John MacDougall, Golden Apple Learning Store

Aa

l Bates has a message so simple, it could be put in haiku form: Fat margin, low cost sales up – pay yourself first your profits triple!

Of course, this message was delivered with charts, graphs and a large dose of characteristic wit. Bates’ sessions

were most helpful to those who completed the ASTRA Profit Survey, as his outline incorporated much of the data that was returned to participating stores.

His sound (though sometimes painful) advice to us to focus on fundamentals was powerful medicine. The first session Bates gave was delivered in a room adjacent to a boisterous room of ASTRA

people learning tips on social marketing, but we were told, in no uncertain terms, that what we were learning was far more vital. Paying attention to the financial details isn’t as fun as marketing, but in the end it will make all the difference.

Notes for these sessions are available at profitplanninggroup.com.

ASTRA

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August 2012 31

Child Development: The Importance of Play and Learning

ASTRA Academy

retailer Sessions

by Mary Sisson, Kazoodles

T

he photo showed brain cells. “At a very basic molecular level, this is where learning happens,” explained Susan Magsamen, director of interdisciplinary partnerships at the Johns Hopkins University Brain Science Institute.

“Healthy cells communicate with each other through really strong synapses.”

Those healthy cells and synapses, genes, temperament and environment all mix to create a unique individual, she said – one that can be modified. “The younger you start, the more cells are in the brain.

They start to prune at 3 to 8 years old. You want to prune them to create healthy pathways.”

Magsamen is a strong advocate of the arts and free play as crucial ele-

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ments of child development. Brain scan images show that when a person practices music, the prefrontal cortex lights up.

Doing improv, that part of the brain doesn’t light up.

“If you’re only allowed to practice and perform, only the self-regulating part of the brain builds up,” she said. “Free play allows the synapses to develop.”

Arts and play are engaging to children, she pointed out. “If they’re not engaged, they’re not learning, because they’re not paying attention.”

Magsamen knows something about the arts for children. She was involved in ASTRA at its inception as the founder of Curiosity Kits, what she termed a love letter.

She described six Cs as a framework for learning: Collaboration: Using the strengths of others to build community; this is one of the hardest concepts.

Friendly Loom Products Communication: Taking others’ perspectives, listening and really being able to hear ties into social-emotional learning.

Content: How language and literacy, science, social studies and math are delivered makes a difference. Children should be encouraged to question and develop curiosity.

Critical thinking: The ability to use knowledge goes well beyond memorizing content.

Creative innovation: Taking all this information, the child makes something new that’s usable.

Confidence: This makes it safe to take risks and fail, “instead of becoming a nation of stagnant followers,” Magsamen said. “The way to build skills is to fail.”

She is one of the instigators of The Ultimate Block Party, a multipronged social movement that champions the importance of play in children’s lives. She also is a founder of the Learning Resource Network. Learn more at www.ultimateblockparty.com and www.l-rn.com.

ASTRA

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August 2012 33

Reaching Out to Children with Special Needs

ASTRA Academy

retailer Sessions

by Mary Sisson, Kazoodles

lay is the occupation of children. Toy retailers know that, but for children with special needs, the statement is doubly true.

Play is a large part of their therapy, and toys are the tools.

Occupational therapists Alyssa Colton and Aviva Lipner, who own Kids Therapy Place in Bogota, New Jersey, inadvertently became toy sellers out of frustration. Trying to find the right toys for their young clients, they stumbled on Toy Fair.

Eventually they opened a store in their therapy center.

Occupational therapists help children develop in the areas of language, social interactions, gross and fine motor skills and appropriate emotional reactions. “We help children learn how to play,” Colton said. “Special needs is a broad category that covers many types of disabilities.” A few of them are the following:

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• Neuromuscular, such as cerebral palsy. More visual toys and toys with bigger pieces are needed.

• Chromosomal, such as Down syndrome. Low muscle tone is one symptom, requiring toys that are easy to manipulate.

• Developmental, such as autism and sensory processing disorders. Too much noise and overstimulation can be difficult.

• Developmental delays. This could encompass any of the areas above or cognitive development.

“More than 7 million children have special needs,” said Steve Pechter, owner of Pechter Play, whose family experiences led him to work with Fun and Function, a company that specializes in products for special needs, and represent lines of toys that emphasize purposeful play. “They don’t need special toys. They need to be directed to toys that will help them grow and learn.”

34 August 2012

According to Colton and Lipner, these are the kinds of toys that enhance development: • Toys that require thinking and are engaging, but aren’t overly stimulating.

• Construction toys that challenge and interest children.

• Toys requiring creativity and imagination.

• Toys with minimal sensory overload.

• A variety of crafts.

• Toys that encourage cause and effect.

• Games with a beginning, middle and end. These are especially important for kids with sensory issues.

In short, toys that are carried in specialty toy stores are the best for kids with special needs. And the environment of a specialty store is the perfect place for families to shop, Pechter said.

He urged retailers to develop special needs sections within their stores. Puzzles, problem-solving games, board games encouraging social skills and communication, toys promoting speech and language development, tactile and sensory active play products, writing and cutting kits and chewing and oral products, all in one spot, could make shopping easy for families whose children have special needs.

Some participants prefer a different approach. They talk to the parents, then tell them to stay put while the salesperson gathers suitable toys. “I’m creating a section in a basket,” one retailer said.

Whether the store has a permanent display or uses the gather-the-toys technique, approaching these families takes the same degree of respect offered any parent. “Make sure they’re comfortable,” Pechter said. “Ask the child what he likes to play with.

As you build rapport, he may open up to you.” Don’t focus on the diagnosis, but on the child’s interests and goals.

For help in choosing toys for children with special needs, check www.ableplay.org or www.autismcommunitystore.com.

ASTRA

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ASTRA Academy

retailer Sessions

Building Eye-Catching Window Displays

by Peg Scholtes, Capitol Kids

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fancy bird cage, banners, toys and a gingerbread model of Pufferbellies were strategically placed in the front of the room as enticed attendees gathered to learn from fellow toy store owners, mother-daughter team Susan and Erin Blanton from Pufferbellies in Staunton, Virginia. They engaged a huge crowd, anxious to learn about building eye-catching window displays in their ASTRA presentation.

Window displays are a hallmark of their historical city store, and they constantly seek inspiration and embark on almost monthly themes. Perennial Gardening Month, Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, Dairy Month (and Dairy Alternatives), book covers and wondrous windows celebrating seasons and the holidays are just a few of the things their displays celebrate.

Susan and Erin have created a legend in Staunton and around the country through the use of photos that they post on Facebook, blog about and even make into postcards, a legend that they build through finding inspiration, developing careful plans and executing their vision.

They shared wonderful pictures that illustrated their presentation, and Erin shared her Pinterest pages (pinterest.com/pufferbellies/window-inspiration/).

Although clearly more talented and artistic than most store owners, Susan and Erin presented concepts and ideas and encouraged other participants to share their successes and failures. Attendees left the workshop inspired to go back to their stores and build eye-catching window displays. The Blantons’ presentation can be found at http://prezi.com/wt6pqndmfyii/ building-eye-catching-window-displays/.

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Erin Blanton’s Store

1. Find your inspiration 2. Develop your plan 3. Execute your vision From the Blantons’ presentation.

Find inspiration everywhere, urged Erin Blanton in the windows presentation. A window in an upper-end chain store inspired her to create this one.

Protecting Your Assets

by Dana Barnes, High Five Inc.

rR

ic Edelman, twice named the number one independent financial planner by Barons, gave a compelling talk on building your company’s footprint and taking care of your personal finances so you can actually think about retiring.

He listed three stages of business success: 1. Hobby – For people who don’t necessarily need the money but want something to do.

2. Job – For those who don’t want to or can’t work for someone else. The caution here is falling into the trap that you have essentially created a job for yourself, are not forward-looking and you stop earning when you go home.

3. Company – Establishing a company’s footprint by branding your store’s name so you continue earning even when not there.

Example: Michael Dell. Even when he was in the room, people referred to the company as Dell.

This third component is where Edelman identified the number one thing business owners do not plan for – success. Business owners need to make sure they are protected for the “what ifs” in business. If you die or are disabled, can the company pay its bills? Are you adequately covered by BOE (business overhead expensed) insurance if your disability goes beyond the limits of your coverage? Do you have a partnership agreement that spells out buy/sell terms, or what happens if one owner dies or becomes incapacitated? These and many other issues need to be addressed and can be if you are working with a good certified financial planner.

Edelman moved on to taking care of personal finances and the role a good certified financial planner takes. At Edelman Financial they work with four basic rules: 1. Diversification – With 16 asset classes, Edelman noted that since it is impossible to predict performance, investments are diversified in all classes to varying degrees depending on the client’s risk tolerance.

2. Investment rules – Always stay invested. For example, the S&P has averaged 5.7 percent growth rate over the past 20 years.

However, if you were not invested in the top 20 market moving days over that time period, you would have realized a gain of zero percent.

3. Rebalancing – Where many firms rebalance portfolios on a quarterly basis, Edelman’s evaluates on an ongoing basis and rebalances immediately if any part of a portfolio falls out of established parameters. During the tumultuous 2008, their clients’ portfolios were rebalanced an average of 29 times.

4. Keep costs low – Edelman Financial trades in institutional mutual funds and ETF’s which carry a load of just 0.3 percent. A typical retail mutual fund will charge about three percent, which over a lifetime of investing can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Edelman Financial offers free, no obligation analysis of your current financial situation. Log on to www.ricedelman.com for more information. You may be glad you did.

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ASTRA Academy

Phil Wrzesinski’s Pricing for Profit

retailer Sessions

by Mary Langley, Frog Pond Toys & Lily Pad Cafe

P

ricing is all about the customer’s perception. People think that because we’re “specialty toys,” we’re expensive, but we offer something the big box stores don’t – value.

There are two types of customers: transactional and relational. Transactional customers have done their homework and are looking for a deal. The relational customer will be loyal and wants our help and advice. It is the relational customer who brings in 70 percent of our profit, so we need to work hard to keep those relationships!

Pricing comes down to a value equation – value equals the point when the price of the item equals what the customer feels they will get out of it. We should strive to have the perceived worth of the merchandise equal the actual price.

Ways to increase sales include signs, merchandising, demonstrations and product knowledge. What happens when a customer asks, “How much is it?” We get defensive. Before we answer, we need to talk about the features and all the positive attributes the toy offers – it increases the perceived value! Then tell them the price, and it’ll seem worth that little bit extra.

Numbers are very important to people. Don’t price things just above $5, $10 or $20 (no $5.99, $10.99 or $20.99 pricing).

If the customer only wanted to spend $5, you’ve lost that sale. If you raise that $5.99 price to $7.99, it will feel like that item should have been $10, and is a better deal.

Bad pricing numbers are three, six and 13; ones and eights are giveaway numbers. Good numbers are two, four, seven and nine. Take all your threes and eights and turn them into fours and nines. If your item costs $1.75, don’t price it at $3.50, take it up to $4.99 (it appears to already be a $5 item)! If your item costs $6, we tend to price it at $11.99. That’s a bad number – raise it to $14.99. You can’t do this to every product, however. Be selective.

When you raise the actual price, don’t worry much about transactional customers, worry more about your relational customers. Have a sale once a year to appease your transactional customer. To keep our relational customers happy, we need to create value in our stores. Know your customers’ names, know your products, give product demonstrations. Go that extra mile!

ASTRA

YOUR BUSINESS IS MORE THAN FUN AND GAMES. It’s introducing products. Following trends.

Understanding retail and knowing what sells.

And Gifts And Decorative Accessories is right there with you providing the news you need and the exposure you want to keep you informed and in front of the gift and toy industries.

Print & Online Subscriptions Available Now! Don’t forget to ask about our special rates for ASTRA members and make sure to sign up for our FREE eNewsletters!

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ASTRA Welcomes Its Newest Manufacturer Members Bio-Rad Laboratories Hercules, California www.explorer.bio-rad.com Bring real life science into your home with Bio-Rad’s Genes in a Bottle™ DNA kit! Using patent-pending technology, this comprehensive and easy-to-use science kit allows you to make your invisible DNA visible – so you can see and show it off to all your friends in a cool helix keepsake.

Brand 44 Colorado Denver, Colorado www.brand44co.com Brand 44 has several lines that encourage kids to get outdoors!

Geomate Geocaching GPS & Accessories – Geocaching is a fast growing treasure hunting game with millions playing nationally.

Slackers Zipline – Several kits, including ones with seats to ride!

Slackers Slackline – “Tight rope walking activity” offering a teaching line that helps kids learn!

tive board game where kids will have so much fun completing challenges and trivia, they won’t even realize they’re learning.

EOLO SPORT, Inc Miami, Florida www.eolosport.com EOLO SPORT has produced innovative, active, outdoor games, toys and kites since 1980. Their leading brands – Funtrix, Eolo Air Toys, Wind Games, Pop-Up Kites, Classic Kites, Stunt Kites, Eolo Sport Kites and Radsails mountain boards and buggy carts – are now available in over 110 countries. To learn more visit www.EOLOSPORT.com. For more information contact Ken Ninomiya, U.S. Sales Manager. E-mail: ken.ninomiya@eolosport.com. Phone: (305) 777-0663

gamevesting Wichita, Kansas www.homevesting.com Kansas board game creator Wes Smith has partnered with real estate investor Jim Bell to start a new company, Chloe & Co. / TriPITS Gamevesting LLC, and they’ve created their first licensed game, Charlotte, North Carolina HomeVesting™. The game, billed as “The Property Investment www.tripitsjewelry.com TriP.I.T.S. Jewelry is personally inspired trinkets to share. TriP.I.T.S. Game,” aims to teach the average person how to “Rescue, Rehab was created by tween Chloe Larson for other tweens. Colorful glass and Resell” real estate. beads with inspirational charms and a unique clasp to convert your Hog Wild LLC necklace to a bracelet, ponytail holder or mix and match with your Portland, Oregon friends. Just twist the silver bead! Endless possiblities. www.hogwildtoys.com Hog Wild designs and manufactures toys, gift and novelties – like CollectA the Pig Popper, Power Popper and Rubber Band Shooter. We’re Hollywood, Florida great with boys and most products are for ages 8 and up. We’ve www.collectaus.com been serving specialty retailers since 1996 and are located in CollectA® is known as one of the leading manufacturers worldPorkland, OR (pun intended). (503) 231-6465 (OINK). Visit our wide of the finest scaled replica collections. Our products are of website at hogwildtoys.com. the highest quality in both sculpture and painting. CollectA® designs replicas to provide both knowledge and entertainment to HoopCAT Games children and parents of all age groups. Please visit us at New Freedom, Pennsylvania www.collectaus.com. www.hoopcatgames.com HoopCAT Games is a new family business located Curious Chef/Tailor Made Products between Baltimore and Harrisburg along the Pennsylvania/ Elroy, Wisconsin Maryland border. We create family board games – games easy www.curiouschef.com Curious Chef® is the only complete line of cook- enough for children to learn, yet deep enough for parents to enjoy.

HoopCAT Games is ready to do whatever it takes to get our first ing utensils designed to meet the unique needs of children.

With over 50 items, our products are designed with ease of use, game, Fill the Barn, onto family game tables across the U.S. safety and function in mind. Best of all, they are actual cookImprov Electronics ing tools that really work!

Kent, Ohio www.improvelectronics.com Eat to Win LLC At Improv Electronics, we’re using LCD technology in a whole Rochester Hills, Michigan new way! The Boogie Board LCD eWriter is the paperless, elecwww.eattowingame.com Obesity in children has more than tripled in the past 30 years, accord- tronic alternative to memo pads, notebooks, sketchbooks and other writing/drawing mediums. Write, draw or play, then press ing to the CDC, and Eat to Win is fighting back with what children do best – playing games. Eat to Win is introducing their new interac- the erase button and start over! astratoy.org

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Jesse James Games Eagle, Idaho www.jessejamesgames.com The National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval Winner 2012. Wangle is a picture-themed card game where Wangle Sticks add an exciting and fun twist; frantic play with all players in motion, at all times. Players build their hand, then try to be the first to sneak a Wangle Stick.

Jungo Toys Los Angeles, California www.jungotoys.com Founded in 2011 by longtime friends Mike Cheshire and Tom Aiezza, Jungo Toys specializes in reviving and innovating classic games. Jungo recently entered the market with its breakthrough product, Flickerz – the first flickable flying disc. Jungo Toys is located in Los Angeles, California, and manufactures all its products locally.

Jupiter Creations New York, New York www.jupitercreations.com Jupiter Creations, founded in 2005, has offices in New York and in Hong Kong with sales in over 60 countries.

Innovative, well-designed and affordable products provide a stimulating creative experience for children and families. SpinForce: The radio control battle game where two cars race around the arena trying to knock out their opponent in a centrifugal force.

Flying Eagle: American bald eagle remote control helicopter. My Doodle Chair: A cardboard chair that holds up to 150 pounds.

Mugz the Ice Cream Maker: Makes ice cream without batteries in less than three minutes! Choco Fun Do: Battery-operated children’s chocolate fondue maker.

Lay-n-Go LLC Alexandria, Virginia www.layngo.com Lay-n-Go is a patent pending/multi-award-winning activity mat, cleanup, carryall and storage solution that converts into an easily transportable shoulder satchel allowing for quick and effortless cleanup of small toy pieces at home or on-the-go! Play for hours, clean up in seconds!

Marvelously Well-Mannered Arlington, Virginia www.kindnesskingdom.com Marvelously Well-Mannered LLC created Kindness Kingdom, the only manners/etiquette tea party princess board game on the market. It makes manners education fun and approachable by wrapping it in the pink bows that little girls 5 and up adore.

Travel along the jeweled path answering manners questions and collecting charms for your bracelet board.

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O.B.Designs USA LLC St Augustine, Florida www.obdesigns.net O.B.Designs has a growing international reputation as designers and suppliers of high quality, stylish and fun(ctional) children’s gift and decor items. We also aim to be recognized as an ecologically and socially responsible company, committed to minimizing unnecessary packaging and using recyclable and sustainable materials wherever possible.

Petsapalooza LLC North Royalton, Ohio www.petsapalooza.com Petsapalooza makes fun, educational and socially conscious games for animal lovers. Fur-Ever Home® allows players to experience the thrill of helping animals home. Pet Frenzied™ is a get-up-and-move memory card game where pets hide, and you seek. All games are made in the USA! Visit www.petsapalooza.com.

Princeton Tec Trenton, New Jersey www.princetontec.com Princeton Tec offers exciting kids’ headlamps and flashlights with an emphasis on quality, durability and allowing a child’s imagination to run wild. We’ve been creating quality personal lighting for the past 35 years here in our American facilities. We offer exclusive specials, great margins, excellent pricing, freight allowances and terms.

School-Rite Fresno, California www.school-rite.com School-Rite Handwriting Instruction Guides help children learn to write. They guide the pencil through the letter so they feel the shape and motion of making the letter. Suitable for children of all ages, they are especially helpful for early childhood education, special needs, left-handed learners and home instruction.

Sentosphere USA Boca Raton, Florida www.sentosphereusa.com Sentosphere offers unique art sets and activity kits, dedicated to serving specialty stores only. As a previous retailer (owner), my customers were pleased to find a different arts and crafts item, with the quality and cachet of “made in France.” Our products teach children that they can have fun creating compelling works of art.

Super Duper Publications Greenville, South Carolina www.superduperinc.com Super Duper Publications is the fun, educational toy company with unique products like Jeepers Peepers Ask & Answer Question Game (seven-time national award winner, including Good Housekeeping 2011 Best Toy Award); four-time winner Lids ‘n Lizards Photo-Vocabulary Game; and poppin’ top neverlose-your-dice-again The Dice Dude.

TWC of America LLC/ tweber Adell, Wisconsin www.twcoa.com American made since 1986! Educational, nature-related products and tools for children and adults. We offer a wide assortment of professional quality butterfly/pond nets, catch and release nature (observation) houses, deluxe display/exhibit hobby cases, flower presses, insect display cases, insect pins, wooden kits. Look, learn, wonder, enjoy and share for a lifetime! For questions, email us at custserv@twcoa.com, or call (920) 994-4195.

Vante Toys Brooklyn, New York www.vantetoys.com Visit www.vantetoys.com to see the most unique, original and creative toys ever! You will see for yourself.

ZAZZY PALS Duluth, Georgia www.zazzypals.com Like dogs? You’ll love Canine Cardz, a new morethan-a-card game by ZAZZY PALS. Inventor Randy Bieniek brings her 3-D paintings of real dogs to life as you read their true stories, “fetch” bone game pieces and play eight classic games such as Woof, Dog Catcher, Mutt Match and more. Draw-a-Dog cards, colored pencils, and sketch pad included for extra value in a cleverly designed clear cylinder. Ages 5 and up, for one to five players. Come fetch some fun!

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New Members RETAILERS A & V Toys LLC Robert Heywood 2002 Richard Jones Road Suite B-100 Nashville, TN 37215 (615) 800-7754 nashvilletn@brilliantskytoys.com www.nashvilletoystore.com ABC School Supply Maria Andonie 14 Calle 6 Ave N.O Barrio Las Acacias San Pedro Sula, Honduras (979) 871-6072 Fax: (504) 255-2236 mandonie@abchonduras.com Adventure Hobbies & Toys Stacy Martin 1645 North Franklin St. Christiansburg, VA 24073 (540) 382-2871 Fax: (540) 260-3463 rchobbies@verizon.net www.nrvhobby.com Amato’s Toy and Hobby of New Britain Sheri Amato 283 Main St. New Britain, CT 06051 (860) 229-9069 amatohobby@sbcglobal.net www.amatosnewbritain.com Board Silly Puzzles & Games Lynda Shupe 44 Old Orchard St. #3 Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064 (207) 934-4020 lynda@boardsillyonline.com Bounce-n-Play Forrest Mitchell 127 Seminole Ct. Charlottesville, VA 22901 (434) 973-1111 Fax: (434) 973-2149 forrest@bnpstore.com Brian’s Toys Inc. Brian Semling W730 State Rd #35 Fountain City, WI 54629 (608) 687-7572 brian@brianstoys.com www.brianstoys.com Brown Bear Toys Pamela Leland 161 S. Orchard Ave Ukiah, CA 95482 (707) 463-0163 Fax: (707) 463-1983 brownbeartoys@sbcglobal.net

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If any of the information below is incorrect, ASTRA truly apologizes. Please contact us immediately at info@astratoy.org.

C.S.A. & Company Michele Miller 175 Main St. Brookville, PA 15825 (814) 849-8225 Fax: (814) 849-8225 itsabuck@gmail.com

Hearthside Books & Toys Deb Reifenstein 8745 Glacier Hwy. Juneau, AK 99801 (907) 789-2415 deb@hearthsidebooks.com www.hearthsidebooks.com

ecomom Emily Blakeney 241 W. Charleston Blvd Suite 190 Las Vegas, NV 89102 (310) 997-2229 emily@ecomom.com www.ecomom.com

I Love Toys & Trains Jodi Walpole 16 S. Smith Street New Buffalo, MI 49117 (269) 469-6811 Fax: (269) 231-5287 jodiedehne@hotmail.com www.ilovetoysandtrains.com

Einstein’s Attic Lynn Usher 79 Main St Northport, NY 11768 (631) 261-7564 Fax: (631) 261-7564 einsteinlynn@yahoo.com www.einsteinsattictoys.com Fantastic Kids Toys Inc. Steven Reis 1503 3rd Ave. New York, NY 10028 (212) 452-1048 dan.weiss@fantastickidstoys.com Funky Monkey Toys & Books Stanley Groenmaw 360 Wheatly Plz. Greenvale, NY 11548 (516) 484-0966 Fax: (516) 484-8010 stanleygroenmaw@aol.com G. Willikers Locust Valley NY Inc. Asceir Asceirsson 22 Forest Ave. Locust Valley, NY 11560 (516) 671-3335 Fax: (516) 759-9765 asgeir@gwillikersgifts.com www.gwillikersgifts.com Gift Closet Richard Santos 111 Mohawk Dr. West Hartford, CT 06117 (860) 233-4112 rich@portone.com www.giftcloset.biz Giggle Monkey Toys Karen Shepherd 104 Public Square N. Dahlonega, GA 30533 (866) 919-9880 karen@sheercorp.com www.findcooltoys.com

Imagination Station Denise Magstadt 221 Central Ave Whitefish, MT 59937 (406) 862-5668 Fax: (406) 863-9602 whitefishtoys@montanasky.com Jerry’s Toy Store Jerry Hickman 74 Main Street Medway, MA 02053 (508) 533-3861 Fax: (508) 533-7751 JLHickmanjr@gmail.com www.jerrystoystore.com Kazoo Toys – Montgomery, Alabama Braden Lee 7850 Vaughn Road Montgomery, AL 36116 (334) 244-4199 Fax: (334) 239-0337 kazootoys@att.net Kidstop Children’s Boutique LLC Vivian Montgomery 3333 Frederica St. Ste. 1 Owensboro, KY 42301 (270) 926-6433 Fax: (270) 926-6410 vivem29@bellsouth.net Knowledge Nook The Toy Place Brenda Allegrezza 112 Johnston St. Longview, TX 75601 (903) 753-8741 Fax: (903) 757-6980 allegrez@yahoo.com www.teachingsupplystore.com

Launching Success Learning Store Jen Zimmermann 133 Prince Ave. Bellingham, WA 98226 (360) 527-2641 Fax: (360) 527-1223 jen@launchingsuccess.com www.launchingsuccess.com Masquerade LLC Robert Schank 1362 Naamans Creek Rd. Garnet Valley, PA 19061 (610) 494-4120 Fax: (610) 494-9303 bschank@masqueradellc.com www.smarttoysstores.com Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s Maida Anisman 2700 Lancaster Rd. Unit 102B Ottawa,ON K1B 4T7 (613) 523-3663 Fax: (613) 523-9326 mtw@bellnet.ca www.mrstiggywinkles.ca MudPuddles Toys & Books Kate Noreen 16420 SW Langer Dr. Sherwood, OR 97140 (503) 625-7699 Kate@mudpuddlestoys.com Music Box Inc. Marc Lasky 160 Thames St. Newport, RI 02840 (401) 849-6666 Fax: (401) 849-0920 marc@musicboxnewport.com MyToyBox LLC Debbie Bartlett 4055 Commercial Blvd Cincinnati, OH 45245 (513) 753-9703 customercare@mytoybox.com www.mytoybox.com National School Products John Nowell 1523 Old Niles Ferry Rd. Maryville, TN 37803 (865) 984-3960 Fax: (865) 983-9355 Nowell@nationalschoolproducts.com Oodles 4 Kids Carolyn Miye 11487 SW Davies Rd. #2107 Beaverton, OR 97007 (503) 810-1443 carolyn@oodles4kids.com

Peapods & Petticoats Terri Schroeter 3320 West Wadley Suite 20 Midland, TX 79707 (432) 934-2369 terri@peapodsandpetticoats.com Pennsylvania Toy Academy & The Party Shop Inc. Candi Naro 705 Olde Hickory Rd Lancaster, PA 17601 (717) 569-2286 patoylady@aol.com Percy’s Burrow Laurie StPierre 550 Center St. Auburn, ME 04210 (207) 376-3225 percysburrow@gmail.com www.percys-burrow.com Planet Kids Ariel Tavasi 168 East Main Street Prospect Park, NJ 07508 (646) 752-3885 ariel@planetkidsny.com Play Clothes LLC Sarah Alden 345 River Street Manistee, MI 49660 (231) 398-9450 sarah@play-clothes.com www.play-clothes.com Polka Dot Toys Jennifer D’Elia 129 Throckmorton Ln. Old Bridge, NJ 08857 (732) 687-1167 polkadottoys@verizon.net Puzzle Me This John LeClair PO Box 1043, 290 Commercial St. Provincetown, MA 02657 (508) 487-1059 Fax: (508) 487-8326 PuzzleMeThis@comcast.net www.puzzlemethis.com Rock Paper Scissors Inc. Mary Olson 871 Knottingham Drive Ottawa, IL 61350 (815) 431-0811 mary871@sbcglobal.net RockIsland Sun LLC Bradley Ishii 304 Hanamaulu Street Honolulu, HI 96825 (808) 735-5442 Fax: (808) 943-9219 bradleyish@aol.com www.thinkertoyshawaii.biz

Stone’s Education Superstore Carol Madison 3800-A Tryon Road Raleigh, NC 27606 (919) 821-7210 Fax: (919) 834-1487 carol@stones-education.com www.stones-education.com Stork & Bear Co. Mary Elaine Moore 610 Main St. Frisco, CO 80443 (970) 668-5937 Fax: (970) 668-0116 memoore@colorado.net www.strokandbearco.com Straight A’s Educational Supplies, Toys, and Gifts Kenny Friedman 180 E. Post Road White Plains, NY 10601 (914) 437-8922 Fax: (914) 437-8920 kenny@straightAseducational.com www.straightaseducational.com The Read Apple LLC Pamela Duveneck 113 Taylor Street Two Rivers, WI 54241 (920) 323-0805 thereadapple@lakefield.net www.thereadapple.com Timeless Toys Neil Rogers 2213 Oak Bay Ave Victoria, BC V8R 1G4 (250) 598-8697 comeplay@timelesstoys.ca www.timelesstoys.ca Toy Loft Linda Coletti 719 Main Street East Aurora, NY 14052 (716) 652-3277 Fax: (716) 652-1980 callaway@roadrunner.com Toycorner Carol Zimmerman 2930 Chain Bridge Road Oakton, VA 22124 (703) 255-3232 Fax: (703) 255-3232 toycorner@ix.netcom.com Toys To Love Bailey Kinney 1715 Post Oak Blvd Houston, TX 77056 (713) 599-0099 toystolove@yahoo.com

Tree House Toy Shop Margy Pein 45 Baltimore St Cumberland, MD 21502 (301) 759-4869 fun@treehousetoyshop.com www.treehousetoyshop.com Triple Toys LLC Lynn Brown 9002 Chimney Rock Rd. Houston, TX 77096 (713) 726-9616 Fax: (713) 726-8722 info@greenscenestoys.com www.greenscenestoys.com Twig Shawn Slome 99 S. Elliott Rd. Ste 1 Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (919) 929-8944 shawn@twigliving.com www.twigliving.com Who’s Toy House LLC Somer Kingsbury 512 Main Street Ste 160 Rapid City, SD 57701 (605) 716-4386 Fax: (605) 716-1172 whostoys@hills.net

MANUFACTURERS Bio-Rad Laboratories Ingrid Miller 6000 James Watson Dr Hercules, CA 94547 (510) 741-6815 Ingrid_Miller@bio-rad.com www.explorer.bio-rad.com Brand 44 Colorado Edward OBrien 169 Corona St Denver, CO 80218 (303) 399-0482 Fax: (303) 945-7990 ed@brand44trading.com Bridge Street Toys Holly Fawcett 82 Ox Bow Rd. Neston, MA 02493 (781) 237-5005 Fax: (781) 237-5445 customerservice @bridgestreettoys.com www.bridgestreettoys.com

Broder Concepts Inc. DBA Redorb Donna Broder 280 S Beverly Dr. Ste. 404 Beverly Hills, CA 90212 (310) 272-7279 Fax: (310) 858-9552 info@huggalo.com www.huggalo.com Chloe & Co./TriPITS Kara Larson 6746 Wynfaire Lane Charlotte, NC 28210 (704) 651-6621 klarson1@carolina.rr.com www.tripitsjewelry.com Clump-O-Lump/Knock Knock Randy Erlandson 1635-B Electric Avenue Venice, CA 90291 (310) 396-4132 Fax: (310) 396-4385 randy@knockknockstuff.com www.clumpolump.com CollectA Gay Nombrado P.O. Box 220444 Hollywood, FL 33019 (786) 431-1947 Fax: (954) 362-4317 beckygarcia@collectaus.com www.collectaus.com Color My Bath LLC Jenette McEntire PO Box 52117 Tulsa, OK 74152 (918) 398-4040 Fax: (918) 398-9200 janette@colormybath.com www.colormybath.com Curious Chef/Tailor Made Products Taylor Crenshaw 101 Juneau Street Elroy, WI 53929 (800) 929-8227 Fax: (608) 462-5287 tcrenshaw@tmadeproducts.com www.curiouschef.com Dbox Puzzle Shawn Scott PO Box 18900 Boulder, CO 80308 (318) 308-9168 shawn@dboxpuzzle.com www.dboxpuzzle.com

Eat to Win LLC Jammi Roscoe 1025 Barneswood Rochester Hills, MI 48306 (248) 224-8011 jroscoe@eattowingame.com www.eattowingame.com Eolo Sport Inc. Sophia Georgeo 12800 NW 38 Ave Miami, FL 33054 (305) 777-0663 Fax: (305) 777-0664 sophia.georgeo@eolosport.com www.eolosport.com Fair and Green LLC Neena Jha 1132 Clinton St 209 Hoboken, NJ 07030 (845) 517-4297 Fax: (201) 221-8062 neenajha@fairandgreenstore.com www.fairandgreenstore.com Fine Print Publishing Company Emily Gurvitch PO Box 916401 Longwood, FL 32791 (815) 642-4642 Fax: (815) 642-4642 emily@fprint.net www.fprint.net Flat River Group LLC Gail Jackman 306 Reed St. Belding, MI 48809 (603) 293-4455 Fax: (603) 293-7223 gailjackman@metrocast.net The French Stationery Co. Roland Gauthier 1 Central Ave # 110 Tarrytown, NY 10591 (914) 366-6636 Fax: (914) 366-6810 roland@aladine.com gamevesting Wes Smith 2116 E. Central Wichita, KS 67203 (316) 806-2514 Fax: (316) 854-5482 gamevesting@gmail.com www.homevesting.com Glimmer Body Art David Follett 2311 W 205th St Ste 103 Torrance, CA 90501 (310) 787-8700 Fax: (310) 787-8228 david@glimmerbodyart.us www.glimmerbodyart.com

Great Circle Works Ashley Cameron 2730 Brighton Rd. Unit A Oakville, ON L6H5T4 (416) 830-7536 Fax: (801) 996-1020 info@greatcircleworks.com www.greatcircleworks.com Hog Wild LLC Joe Rooper 221 SE Main Street Portland, OR 97214 (503) 231-6465 Fax: (503) 233-0960 joe@hogwildtoys.com www.hogwildtoys.com HoopCAT Games Charlie & Christina Hoopes PO Box 237 New Freedom, PA 17349 (855) 428-4648 Fax: (866) 498-4424 info@hoopcatgames.com www.hoopcatgames.com Improv Electronics Kevin Oswald 343 Portage Kent, OH 44240 (330) 673-8784 Fax: (330) 673-4408 koswald@kentdisplays.com www.improvelectronics.com Jesse James Games Christie Mitchell 46 North Arrow Creek Ln. Eagle, ID 83616 (801) 860-3690 cmjjg1@gmail.com www.jessejamesgames.com Jungo Toys Tom Aiezza 505 N. Figueroa St #729 Los Angeles, CA 90012 (818) 257-8009 info@jungotoys.com www.jungotoys.com Kickboard USA Julie Hawksworth 4700 36th Street SE Grand Rapids, MI 49512 (616) 242-0044 Fax: (616) 242-0524 julie@kickboardusa.com www.kickboardusa.com KidSmart Solutions Jennifer Schaefer Smith 85 Albrecht Dr. Lake Bluff, IL 60044 (847) 604-2410 Fax: (847) 574-0432 sales@kidsmartsolutions.com

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August 2012 45

Klutz George Funk 450 Lambert Ave Palo Alto, CA 94306 (650) 687-2710 Fax: (650) 857-9110 george_funke@klutz.com www.klutz.com

Playaway Toy Company Inc. Herbert T. Pfefferle 108 Park St. PO Box 274 Bear Creak, WI 54922 (715) 752-4840 Fax: (715) 752-3011 htp.playaway@live.com www.playawaytoy.com

Super Duper Publications Jennifer Bird PO Box 24997 Greenville, SC 29616 (864) 284-4518 Fax: (864) 284-1162 jbird@superduperinc.com www.superduperinc.com

Kregco-Kid Hip Janet Hannemann 33175 Temecula Parkway Suite A423 Temecula, CA 92592 (951) 587-0800 Fax: (951) 587-0808 info@kidhip.com www.kidhip.com

The Preschool Adventures of Scuba Jack Beth Costanzo 16 Gibbs Hill Drive Gloucester, MA 01930 (978) 491-0747 Fax: (978) 283-7478 beth@adventuresofscubajack.com www.adventuresofscubajack.com

TWC of America LLC/tweber Terry Weber W8406 South County Road A Adell, WI 53001 (920) 994-4195 Fax: (920) 994-2411 custserv@twcoa.com www.twcoa.com

Lay-n-Go LLC Amy Fazackerley 1702 Hackamore Lane Alexandria, VA 22308 (703) 300-6671 Fax: (703) 995-4916 amy@layngo.com www.layngo.com

Princeton Tec Brad Strahm PO Box 8057 Trenton, NJ 08650 (609) 298-9331 Fax: (609) 298-9601 bstrahm@princetontec.com www.princetontec.com

Mattel Sales Inc. Fernando Lopez 333 Continental Blvd.

Ed Segundo, CA 90245 (310) 252-2626 Fax: (310) 252-2539 Lopezfer@mattel.com

Pritty Imports Ruth Hamilton 7008 Ulrich Dexter, MI 48130 (734) 426-2518 ruth@prittyimports.com www.thecozycollection.com

Nilo Toys Nile Ernst 4011 Avenida de la Plata #302 Oceanside, CA 92056 (760) 842-7730 Fax: (760) 295-3469 nile@nilotoys.com www.nilotoys.com

SCHOOL-RITE Judi Rush PO Box 12547 Fresno, CA 93778 (559) 224-3978 Fax: (559) 438-8911 judi@school-rite.com www.school-rite.com

O.B. Designs USA LLC Janet Hoffman 1805 Windjammer Ln St Augustine, FL 32084 (904) 537-7777 Fax: (904) 823-1333 jan@obdesigns.net www.obdesigns.net

Sentosphere USA Fred Gross 5428 NW 20th Ave. Boca Raton, FL 33496 (561) 400-8729 Fax: (561) 935-4303 sentosphereusa@comcast.net www.sentosphereusa.com

Petsapalooza LLC Carianne Burnley 5850 Valley Parkway North Royalton, OH 44133 (440) 230-9329 Fax: (866) 238-0547 carianne.burnley@petsapalooza.com www.petsapalooza.com

Soft Blocks Damian Monteleone 515 Belleville Ave Glen Ridge, NJ 07028 (347) 628-6982 damian@softblockstoys.com www.softblockstoys.com

46 August 2012

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Vante Toys Alex Shlaferman 134 Bay 26th St. Brooklyn, NY 11214 (718) 676-5584 Fax: (718) 568-0258 alex@vantetoys.com Z & Z Toys Corp.

Zaid Mohammad 6608 White Post Road Centreville, VA 20121 (703) 220-0153 zaid@goofygrinmonsters.com www.goofygrinmonsters.com Zanzeebandz LLC Jimmy Bracco 241 Rope Mill Pkwy Woodstock, GA 30188 (602) 492-6933 Jimbracco@gmail.com ZAZZY PALS Randy Bieniek 2050 Woods River Ln Duluth, GA 30097 (404) 918-3313 srsjrj@charter.net www.zazzypals.com

Stephanie Casanova Sales Stephanie Casanova 132 Atlantic Ave. Massapequa Park, NY 11762 (576) 541-8383 Fax: (576) 541-8558 Toys 2000 Inc. Linda Coucher P.O. Box 5870 Spring Hill, FL 34611 (352) 684-7822 Fax: (800) 927-1817 McCarthy and Heidt Andrea Friedman 15 Taylor Rd New Milford, CT 06776 (860) 350-2235 Fax: (860) 350-2434 Andrea57@charter.net Roberts Sales Corporation Diane Garbaccio 813 Westwood Ave Rivervale, NJ 07675 (201) 746-0258 Fax: (866) 297-1063 dianegarbaccio@optonline.com Sunshine Sales, Inc Sandy Lepire 1080 Carol Lane Lafayette, CA 94549 (925) 299-0727 Fax: (925) 299-0729 slepire@sunshinesales.com Stephanie Casanova Sales Dons Marshale 132 Atlantic Ave. Massapequa, NY 11762 donsm11@verizon.net

MANUFACTURERS SALES REPRESENTATIVES

McCarthy and Heidt Tricia McCarthy 31 Sunset Path Sudbury, MA 01776 (978) 460-4483 Fax: (978) 443-0909 triciamccarthy@comcast.net

Roberts Sales Corporation Ross Alber 19 N. Lakeside Dr. Medford, NJ 08055 (609) 953-4304 Fax: (609) 953-4305 ralbersales@aol.com

Sunshine Sales, Inc Kim Newett 1080 Carol Lane Lafayette, CA 94549 (925) 299-0727 Fax: (949) 612-0282 kimnewett@gmail.com

Eric Berman Associates Patricia Bloise 31 Hartford St Natick, MA 01760 (800) 999-7029 Fax: (800) 204-0042 31pat@comcast.net

Sunshine Sales, Inc Suzie Noal 1080 Carol Lane Lafayette, CA 94549 (925) 299-0727 Fax: (925) 299-0729 suzienoal@yahoo.com

Sunshine Sales Inc. Andrea Peterson 1080 Carol Lane Suite 105 Lafayette, CA 94549 (925) 299-0727 Fax: (925) 299-0729 peterson@sunshinesale.com Roberts Sales Corporation Judy Pitson 40-18 Kuiken Terr.

Fair Lawn, NJ 07410 (201) 794-1991 Fax: (201) 490-1728 judy_pitson@yahoo.com Roberts Sales Corporation Craig Roberts 345 Springhouse Lane Moorestown, NJ 08057 (856) 866-1660 Fax: (856) 273-1718 Roberts Sales Corporation Bill Roser 3439 Stratford Rd. Wantagh, NY 11793 (516) 783-0522 Fax: (516) 783-0676 billroser@aol.com Roberts Sales Corporation John Schaeffer 2647 Hewlett Ln. Bellmore, NY 11710 (516) 826-1690 Fax: (516) 977-4604 john_schaeffer2000@yahoo.com Roberts Sales Corporation Mike Schmidt 6219 Mossway Baltimore, MD 21212 (410) 646-0997 Fax: (410) 464-0997 mikeschmidt33@aol.com McCarthy and Heidt John Shay 19 Grasshopper Ln Acton, MA 01720 (978) 263-5581 Fax: (978) 263-4143 johnwshay@comcast.net McCarthy and Heidt Jim Spiegel 31 Sunset Path Sudbury, MA 01776 (978) 460-4483 Fax: (978) 443-0909 jimspiegel@comcast.net ASTRA

“Empowering America’s Retailers” POINT • • • • •

OF SALE Customer Loyalty and History Lookups High Speed Credit Card Authorization Elimination of End of Day and Month Processing Real-Time Data Transmission Gift Card/Store Credit Tracking

PURCHASING • • • •

Exceptional Open to Buy by Company or Store Forecasting and Allocation Seamless Special Order Processing Automatic Reordering

INVENTORY CONTROL

REAL-TIME RETAIL RELIABLE

FLEXIBLE

• • • • •

Automatic and Recommended Transfers Markdown Management Encyclopedic Audit Trail Real-Time On-Hand Inquiries Physicals without Business Interruption

INTUITIVE E-COMMERCE

PARTIAL CUSTOMER LISTING Barston’s Child’s Play The Children’s General Store Crackerjacks Creative Kidstuff Curious Kidstuff Doodlehopper 4 Kids Froggies 5 and 10 G Whillikers Green Caboose Growing Tree Toys Jackrabbit Toys

Kits ‘N Kaboodle Larson’s Toys & Games Once Upon a Time Pip Squeak and Wilfred Playfair Toys Smart Toys and Books ToySmart Timeless Toys Toy House Toys That Teach Wondrous Things Zoom

• • • •

Real-Time E-Business and Fulfillment Fed-Ex and UPS Interfaces Instant E-Mail Confirmations Comprehensive Fulfillment

ORDER ENTRY • • • •

Real-Time Allocation and Fulfillment Order Management Tools Pick Tickets, Packing Slips, Invoices Back Order Status Reports

REPORTS • • • • • •

Sales and Trend Analysis Color and Size Analysis Location Comparisons Daily/Weekly/Monthly Sales Gross Margin Return on Investment And Many More Throughout!

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