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MESSAGE From the Chair

by Michael Levins

Givers and Takers

on’t let the title of this article fool you. This is not a political commentary or an attempt to recall the now infamous video secretly taken at a Mitt Romney fundraiser during the last presidential campaign. Rather, the concept of being a giver versus a taker is something far less controversial and, in fact, I would argue more essential to our daily lives as individuals, family members, neighbors and residents of our local communities. When you apply this concept to our association, it can be the very energy which tips the scales and becomes the difference maker for the long-term health of ASTRA. For the vast majority of our membership, business is challenging. Each and every day we face a multitude of disruptive forces, such as rapid changes in technology and shifts in buying attitudes. Be that as it may, we do not have to face these challenges alone; we can work together to build and strengthen our businesses. Challenges to our businesses should be the very instigators that push us to share and give more to one another. The idea of giving and sharing should be the foundation we build upon and the formula we adopt for success. I recently read an article in Scientiﬁc American about a book titled “Give and Take,” written by Adam Grant, a Wharton business professor. While many of us consider the most successful people to be the “ones who do whatever it takes, the ones with the sharp elbows, the ones who know how to take what is theirs,” Grant actually argues through his research that “some of the most successful people – not just in business, but in many realms – are in fact classic ‘givers,’ people who genuinely try

to help those around them.” Think about it. If we could get enough of our membership to successfully change their current paradigm of how success is achieved, we would take an important step toward greater association health as deﬁned by ﬁnancially successful reps, retailers and manufacturers. I do think ASTRA is different from many other trade associations, in that the general level of sharing and helping others is relatively high. You could argue that as an association we are moving in the right direction. However, I also genuinely believe that whether you are a rep, manufacturer or retailer, there is much more that we can do for one another to enable us to reach a critical threshold which would be the ultimate difference maker. Business is not a zero sum game. The act of sharing and working together does not diminish one group over another. Whether we are competitors or not, there is more to achieve by working together when interests are aligned. In fact, mathematically, our ability to give and help each other proactively in the ASTRA community is more akin to a force multiplier with radical upside potential. Think of the power we hold simply by sharing ideas, identifying trends ahead of the powerhouses of retail like Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target or any other big box retailer, and reinforcing our best practices throughout the Association. The board is working on your behalf to implement a wide range of programs which will help improve communication and our basic business practices, as well as raise the “expertise” bar for all. Think of how much more effective these initiatives

would be if we all felt an obligation to reach out and help each other. More successful retailers mean more successful reps and manufacturers. Healthier manufacturers mean better products for reps and retailers to sell. Reps who add legitimate value to their retail customers and manufacturers strengthen both groups. This is not rocket science, but it is something of which the importance is often underestimated. Professor Grant further states that “once an organization is composed mostly of givers and matchers, it can be quite effective to create marketplaces for help exchanges, so that people know what others need and how they can contribute.” Next time you have an opportunity to reach out and offer a bit of essential advice to a fellow member or to lend a helping hand when the need is apparent, please don’t hesitate be a GIVER!

Michael Levins innovativeKids 50 Washington St., Norwalk, CT 06854 (203) 838-6400 Ext. 301 mlevins@innovativekids.com

astratoy.org • October 2014

Board of Directors Chair Michael Levins Past Chair Linda Hays Chair-Elect Dean May

October 2014 • astratoy.org

Treasurer Lillian Davis

Features

Secretary Ann Kienzle

MONEY MATTERS 14 18 20

TOY STORIES 24

30 32

Directors Todd Anderson Bob Breneman Thea Brown Dee Farrell John Giacobbe Tim Holliday Jeff Pinsker Erik Quam Claudia Towles

Message of Crowd Tilt: “You Matter” Trade Shows: Making the Most of Time and Space Wholesale Pricing Differences Between the US and Canadian Toy Markets

Neighborhood Toy Store Day 27 Figpickels Celebration 27 Store Becomes Toy Test Lab NTSD: You’ve Planned. Now Promote! How Can Reps Best Help the 4th Quarter?

Magazine Editor Mary Sisson Assistant Editor Tina Manzer

TRENDING NOW 36 40

The Shop Local Message: Make Sure It’s Accurate Millennial Moms: Your Prime Customer

Graphic Artist Jen Srmack

ASTRA Staff

ASTRA NEWS 44 44 44 46 48

E-Fairness Campaign Involves Customers ASTRA Ofﬁce Moves Jenan Madden, 1952-2014 ASTRA, AIB Urge “Yes” on Marketplace Fairness Meet the New ASTRA Board Members

Departments 5 Message from the Chair 7 President’s Report 10 Ready, Set, PLAY … for Children with Disabilities 12 Focus On Member Relations

Director of Member Relations Sue Warﬁeld Associate Director of Meetings and Exhibits Amanda Zawad Associate Program Planner Laura Sweitzer

50 New Members 52 ASTRA Welcomes Its Newest Manufacturer Members 54 Index of Advertisers

ASTRA Toy Times Magazine 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 magazine. Letters to the editor are welcome. Please forward letters, comments, ideas, etc., to the ASTRA ofﬁce – fax 312-222-0986, email kmchugh@astratoy.org.

6 October 2014 • astratoy.org

President Kathleen McHugh

Marketing and Communcations Coordinator Dee Marsden Membership Services Associates Katie Marso The ASTRA Toy Times Magazine is published by the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association, 432 N Clark St., Suite 305, Chicago, IL 60654, 312-222-0984, fax 312-222-0986, email info@astratoy.org. Website: www.astratoy.org. Copyright © 2014 American Specialty Toy Retailing Association. All rights reserved. Advertisements are accepted. For more information, contact Rick Kauder, Fahy-Williams Publishing, 800-344-0559; email rkauder@fwpi.com. All articles for the ASTRA Toy Times Magazine are supplied by ASTRA and its members, with FahyWilliams 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

by Kathleen McHugh

A Busy Summer for ASTRA

f you thought that the conclusion of ASTRA’s Marketplace in June signaled a slow-down of activity for the ASTRA board and staff, you would be mistaken. Since the convention, projects and strategic initiatives roared to life, keeping staff and volunteers very busy. We are thrilled to announce the hiring of the director of member relations, Sue Warfield. Sue is an industry veteran with years of experience as a retailer, sales representative and vendor. She is a seasoned, well-rounded toy professional who knows the specialty toy industry intimately. More importantly, her passion for the toy industry is sincere. As an active member of ASTRA, Sue was recently the membership chair and served on the ASTRA board for seven years, including as its chair. By filling this position, we take the first step on the board’s first initiative: promote member cooperation. The director of member relations will be responsible for helping us all move from reactive to proactive when it comes to the challenges and conflicts our members face. She will begin by reaching out to every member so that we can learn from you how we can work together more efficiently and cooperatively. Some of her duties include identifying trends and making sure you are aware of them; putting together special buying and advertising programs; and increasing awareness of the programs already in place. There is still much more to do to fulfill this initiative; hiring Sue was just the first step. You can reach Sue at swarfield@astratoy.org. As we thought about the new initiatives we hoped to get under way, it became clear we needed more staff to get things off the ground. That need inspired a move to larger quarters which took place in early September. Step by step we are building the foundation for launching into the second initiative: create new educational and certification programs. The ASTRA board believes these programs are important to the long-range health of the industry. By creating and raising standards, we can be viable business partners in this progressively complex business environment. As I mentioned last time, the Technology Committee is taking on the third initiative: strengthen members’ use of technology. As the committee is discovering, the toy industry is far behind in the use of the specific technology it needs to operate efficiently. It will be exciting to see what they come up with over the next several months. You can help them by answering their survey questions, a small contribution of time and energy. Even with all these new initiatives getting off the ground, we are still excited about Neighborhood Toy Store Day on November 8. By now, retailers have received packets with stickers, press releases and instructions on how to get their store involved in the celebration.

We also sent similar packets to sales reps so that they could share the information with their customer stores. More information and new themes for postcards, posters and ad slicks can be found online. Help make Neighborhood Toy Store Day a success. Get started now. Thanks for reading, see you soon.

Warm regards, Kathleen McHugh, president

Η͙/ƚ ŚĂƐ ďĞĞŶ Ă ǀĞƌǇ ůŽŶŐ ǁŝŶƚĞƌ ĨŽƌ ǇŽƵ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƚŚĞ ĐŽƵŶƚƌǇ͕ ĞƐƉĞĐŝĂůůǇ ĨŽƌ ƚŚŽƐĞ ƉĂƌĞŶƚƐ ǁŚŽ ŚĂǀĞ ƚƌŝĞĚ ƉƌĞƚƚǇ ŵƵĐŚ ĞǀĞƌǇƚŚŝŶŐ ƚŽ ŬĞĞƉ ƚŚĞ ŬŝĚ ĞŶƚĞƌƚĂŝŶĞĚ͘ tĞůů ŶŽǁ ǇŽƵ ĐĂŶ ƉƌǇ ĂǁĂǇ ƚŚĞ ŝWĂĚ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ǀŝĚĞŽ ŐĂŵĞƐ ďĞĐĂƵƐĞ ǁĞ ŚĂǀĞ ƐŽŵĞ ĨƵŶ ĂƌƚƐ ĂŶĚ ĐƌĂĨƚƐ ĂŶĚ ƚŽǇƐ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞǇΖƌĞ ŐŽŝŶŐ ƚŽ ůŽǀĞ͘ ,ĞƌĞ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ ŝƐ >ĂƵƌŝĞ ^ĐŚĞĐƚ ĨƌŽŵ dŽǇ /ŶƐŝĚĞƌ͕ ŐŽŽĚ ŵŽƌŶŝŶŐ >ĂƵƌŝĞ͘ 'ŽŽĚ ŵŽƌŶŝŶŐ͊ ,ŝ͘ zŽƵ͛ƌĞ ƌŝŐŚƚ͕ ƚŚĞƌĞΖƐ ƐŽ ŵĂŶǇ ƚĞĐŚŶŽůŽŐǇ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ ŽƵƌ ŬŝĚƐ͘ /ƚ͛Ɛ ŐƌĞĂƚ ƚŽ ŐŽ ďĂĐŬ ƚŽ ŐŽŽĚ ŽůĚ ĨĂƐŚŝŽŶĞĚ ƉůĂǇ ůŝŬĞ ĂƌƚƐ ĂŶĚ ĐƌĂĨƚƐ͘ /ƚ ŝŶƐƉŝƌĞƐ ĐƌĞĂƚŝǀŝƚǇ͕ ŬĞĞƉƐ ƚŚĞŵ ďƵƐǇ ĨŽƌ ŚŽƵƌƐ ĂŶĚ ǁŚĞŶ ƚŚĞǇΖƌĞ ĚŽŶĞ͕ ƚŚĞǇ ŚĂǀĞ ƐŽŵĞƚŚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞǇΖƌĞ ƌĞĂůůǇ ƉƌŽƵĚ ŽĨ͘ tĞ͛ƌĞ ŐŽŝŶŐ ƚŽ ƐƚĂƌƚ ǁŝƚŚ ƐƚƵĐŬ ŽŶ ĨƵŶ͘ tĞ ŚĂǀĞ ŽƵƌ dǁŝŶŬůĞ dŽƉ dƌĞĞ ,ŽƵƐĞ͕ ƚŚĞ ŬŝĚƐ ĂƐƐĞŵďůĞ ƚŚŝƐ ϯĚ ƐƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĞ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞŶ ƚŚĞǇ ƉƵƚ ƐƚŝĐŬĞƌƐ ŽŶ ŝƚ͘ dŚĞǇ͛ƌĞ ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŽǁŶ ƉůĂǇ ƐĞƚ͘ / ůŽǀĞ ƚŚĂƚ͘ /ƚ ƐŽƵŶĚƐ ǀĞƌǇ ďƵƐǇ ĚŽǁŶ ƚŚĞƌĞ͘ KŬ͊͘͘͘͟

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astratoy.org • October 2014

8 October 2014 â&#x20AC;¢ astratoy.org

READY,forSET, PLAY... Children With Disabilities

Expert Advice With

Holiday Cheer

by Ahren Hoffman, Manager of Industry Relations & Partnerships, National Lekotek Center, ahoffman@lekotek.org

ourth quarter is upon us, and it is time to bring in those holiday shoppers! One of the most rewarding experiences I have had in my career was collaborating with Geppetto’s Toy Box of Oak Park, Illinois. At my previous employer, we set up a stress-free night of holiday shopping. Together, we organized an “after hours” style evening of successful shopping between a specialty retailer, Geppetto’s Toy Box, and a local nonproﬁt, West Suburban Special Recreation Association (WSSRA), that provides recreation programming for children and adults with special needs. We notiﬁed the press to share our partnership and invite the community to come and shop. Geppetto’s was staffed with child development experts from WSSRA to assist with toy selections and checking off those shopping lists. To add magic to the

evening, wine and light appetizers were served, and of course free gift wrapping was offered with every purchase. Shoppers were even able to leave their purchases at Geppetto’s and return to pick them up later. This special event created both awareness for the importance and credibility of specialty retailers and advocacy for a local community nonproﬁt, which received a percentage of sales from Geppetto’s Toy Box after the event. What separates your specialty store from others? Service and customer relationships. In-store special events, like an evening of holiday shopping, allow you to give back to your community. By organizing special events that matter to your customers (and to you as a retailer), your store will stay top of mind and build goodwill. It has been years since I was involved in this holiday shopping event, but the experience has stuck with me ever since. Creating an in-store event doesn’t have to be a big ordeal. Here are some other ideas that you could implement this holiday shopping season: • Host an invitation-only event to your best customers. Allow them to bring a friend and offer them special deals. • Collaborate with a local therapist to recommend a listing of toys that will promote developmental milestones. Provide this list to staff or create fun shelf talkers to hang up around the store to make customers aware of the skill beneﬁts. • Allow customers to shop on your website and pick up in store, gift wrapped and ready to go.

10 October 2014 • astratoy.org

• Shop for your customer! Allow them to fill out a gift profile along with price range and, voila, their shopping is complete. • Pick a local organization to donate a percentage of holiday sales and publicize this initiative. • Decorate, decorate, decorate. Who doesn’t love holiday lights, especially at night? It will sure be attention grabbing! • Connect with your local bakery and see if they will donate some cookies or other treats to welcome customers into the store. • Use your display windows and end caps to showcase toys and play products for different personalities – for example, the “Sporty Dude” or the “Darling Diva.” Display favorites for different ages in those personality categories. • Influence customers on social media with ideas and tips for holiday shopping. Many shoppers use social media to find the perfect gift. So, this holiday season, create a holiday shopping haven for customers new and old. When shoppers are stressing over gift giving and hurting for time or ideas, be the retailer they trust for the best gifts by taking a page from Geppetto’s Toy Box. Cheers! Lekotek is a not-for-profit and leading authority on toys and play for children with disabilities. Lekotek is dedicated to providing children of all abilities access to the benefits of play experiences. Visit www. ableplay.org for a complete listing of toys and find us on Facebook. ASTRA

FOCUS On Member Relations

Ready to Listen, Ready to Work by Sue Warﬁeld, ASTRA Director of Member Relations

irector of Member Relations …what does that really mean? I recently saw a post on my Facebook page from a friend that was worth reposting. It said, “The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply.” Oh, does that ring true! I thought about this quote a lot and how it relates directly to this new position. In my years of experience – both professionally and personally – relationships are what we build our foundation upon. The basis of a good relationship is communication, done in a positive manner, taking all the input and truly listening to understand. Only then can

12 October 2014 • astratoy.org

we move forward to determine what we can do to make our lives and businesses grow. I’m a ﬁrm believer that we must be happy, personally, to grow professionally. While I realize that being happy is a subjective state, and that current economic challenges can affect this, having support of a community – be it direct family, a business community, or both – can make a huge positive impact on our personal attitudes and well-being. When we are happy, we can then focus on ideas and thinking beyond the day-to-day stresses, to work toward improving all that we do. One of my mantras is, “It’s amazing how much you can accomplish when you

don’t care who gets the credit.” Think about it … if we all work together, developing programs that help each and every segment of our membership, not worrying about whose idea is best or whose input was most valuable, or if “I” benefit the most, our possibilities for growth become nearly endless. With all this in mind, my first goal is to reach out to all our members, calling and getting input from you as to what you see as our challenges and also your ideas on how to move those challenges into opportunities for growth. I promise you this – I will listen and I will be taking notes. My mind is full of ideas, some of which I’ve put on paper as possible future programs. However, ideas and programs can sound great on paper, but in the end, if they don’t work for our members, they are useless and a waste of our time and energy. I have a plaque on my office wall that is right in front of me as I work. It is titled “21 Suggestions for Success.” The first one states, “Find the right life partner – this one decision will determine 90 percent of your happiness or misery.” In the middle there are great statements such as these: “Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully,” “Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know,” “Commit yourself to constant improvement,” “Stop blaming others,” “Take responsibility for every area of your life,” and more. Last on the list is this: “Don’t do anything that wouldn’t make your mom proud.” I am extremely excited to work with the ASTRA staff, our great volunteer base, and all of our ASTRA members to move our organization as a whole, and each of our members individually, to be thriving, profitable and fantastic specialty toy businesses. I’ll be starting by communicating with all of you and building our relationships so that we can understand what each member segment needs to meet today’s challenges. I will encourage more participation from our members on the discussion boards, committee involvement, and proactive input from everyone so when programs are developed, they will be eagerly and enthusiastically embraced and used by all. Director of Member Relations … that’s

quite a task, and one that I’m totally ready to take on. The second statement on my Suggestions for Success plaque is “Work at something you enjoy and that’s worthy of your time and talent.” There could be no other job that I would enjoy more and I feel is as worthy as this.

Bring on your comments, suggestions, and input. I can be reached by email at swarﬁeld @astratoy.org or phone 312-222-0984, ext. 800. I hope that not only my mom would be proud, but that each of us as ASTRA members can say with even more conviction, “I’m proud to be an ASTRA member.” ASTRA

astratoy.org • October 2014

MONEY Matters

Message of CrowdTilt:

“You Matter”

by Linda Hays, hopscotch toys, McMinnville, Oregon

n August I did something bold, terrifying and extremely unconventional. I asked my community to get behind my little store and vote it in with their dollars. I told them of some challenges I had been facing, and some plans I had to grow my business to be of more service to my community. Then, I launched a Crowdtilt. They responded with immediacy. The phone started ringing with people wanting to know what they could do. By the end of the month, they had run bake sales, bought and painted tiles for an installation in the store, come out in droves and paid to watch “Toy Story” in a local theater, run lemonade stands, ﬁxed my furnace, bought t-shirts, bought birthday party packages, straight up donated funds, and purchased toys like it was Christmas.

14 October 2014 • astratoy.org

Individuals from both my toy community and my local community sent me emails and gave me phone calls of support, encouragement and commiseration. Turns out we are not the only retail store in my community that is struggling. Nor are we the only toy store to be working harder than ever to stay in business. As my campaign progressed, I heard conversations taking place about the importance of keeping purchases local, anecdotes from more than one customer about the epiphany of a friend or neighbor on the matter. People were coming right out (continued on page 16)

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MONEY Matters (continued from page 14)

and telling me that their buying habits had changed as they realized that their decisions made a difference. The people of my community felt empowered. Many were able to see quickly how making conscientious decisions consistently

16 October 2014 • astratoy.org

could affect their local economy. Our community is, of course, a long way from being out of the woods, but the Crowdtilt has started a meaningful conversation. I intend to keep that conversation open.

There are so many messages to today’s consumers – our community members and customers – that paying more than you have to is foolish. They have been encouraged to believe that cost and price are the same thing. There are few messages that outline the value inclusive of tax base, job opportunities, quality of life and increased property values that locally owned businesses create. When they put their money on a raft and send it out of town they knock the legs out from under all of that. We need to create those messages. “We gift wrap” is not a strong enough argument of our importance. Yes, we need to provide excellent service, quality innovative products, and a fresh, exciting, and inviting retail experience. We also need to be clear on the fact that we matter. We matter in more than a cute storefront, “don’t you just love to touch it before you buy it?” way. We matter in even more profound ways than providing quality toys to children that help them develop strong minds and family relationships. Our businesses, and all locally owned businesses, make the money spin around our communities. We pay local electricians, lawyers, accountants, doctors and mechanics. Our remotely owned competitors do not. We do. We raise the property values in our community through our tax base contributions, and our creation of desirable shopping districts where community and commerce are two sides of the same coin. No one ever bought a house anywhere because they had the best Wal-Mart. I took so much away from the Crowdtilt experience, but the most important is that we matter. The contributions that we make and the emotional connections between community and commerce that we forge in the next generation are so important. I matter. You matter. We need to feel quite certain in that and clear in telling our communities the ways in which we matter. Then we need to boldly ask for their support and let them know with gratitude how much they matter. ASTRA

MONEY Matters

Trade Shows Making the Most of Time and Space by Mary Sisson, Editor

ith a whole new year of trade shows ahead, how can manufacturers be sure they’re getting the best return on their investment in time, money and effort? “Trade shows cost a fortune,” said Damien Crocker, national sales manager with The Orb Factory. “A lot of people spend a lot of time quantifying the cost ...What a lot of people forget are intangible things. At every show you have the opportunity to have 10-minute conversations with people.” Making those conversations happen means putting yourself and your company out there at shows. To do that most effectively, ASTRA asked the advice of Crocker; Kevin McGrath, president and owner of The Original Toy Company; and Ryan Hamilton, co-owner of Geared for Imagination.

Choose the Right Shows Who, ultimately, is your audience? Knowing this will help you target the right shows. If you sell to specialty only, a mass

18 October 2014 • astratoy.org

market show misses the mark. If you don’t carry juvenile products, you’ll be bypassed at the ABC Show. “We started off doing every one of them,” Hamilton said. “It was an all-out effort to see what would work. Dallas, Atlanta, New York Toy Fair, stationery shows, gift shows – our products cross over.” Now, non-negotiable shows are Toy Fair and ASTRA. “The others, we evaluate more and more.” “For us, as a rule, we like to try everything,” Crocker said. “What we try to do is test things, give it a try. If we’re not trying something new, we’re treading water.” Hamilton recommends new vendors spend the money to go to New York and walk Toy Fair before paying for six nights in a hotel and a booth. “Talk to other vendors,” he said. Relying on independent sales reps at regional gift shows helps vendors expand their reach. “So many are done in showrooms,” Crocker said. Not having to ship a booth and its contents cuts costs considerably.

Plan Your Booth “We’re all faced with the same ultimatum: What space do you need to exhibit?” McGrath said. Drayage (the cost of shipping the booth and its contents to the show), carpet rental, booth size and location, which products to show, phone lines, electricity rental, Internet access, banners hanging from the ceiling ... “Weigh what it’s going to cost me and what I’m going to get in return.” “Try to make it visually interesting,” Hamilton said. He uses the same distinct ﬂoor covering and displays a lot of product to draw the eye. “Keep the messaging simple. A lot of times when buyers are trying to move through quickly, they want to know how to say ‘yes’ to the brand.” He recommends making it clear what the products are, what products go with what, and what it will take for a retailer to get started. Hamilton and his partner, Brett Faber, built a shipping crate that becomes their booth. While others may wait hours for their crates to arrive out of storage at the end of a

show, they can just pack everything in the booth/crate and be on their way. Orb Factory’s booth is totally modular, with 2-by-3.5-foot slatwall panels that can be conﬁgured to work best in the space. “For us, we operate under the theory that if it’s not there, people won’t write it,” Crocker said. “Make sure you have enough space to display everything.” Orb Factory’s trade show supplies are stored in a Pennsylvania warehouse, and Crocker sometimes spends several days there inventorying and repairing. When he wants the design team’s perspective, he brings the whole display back to the home ofﬁce in Nova Scotia.

Trim Expenses “The cost of trade shows in general is definitely not coming down,” McGrath said. “You’ve got to be creative, got to look at every dollar you’re spending.” Know exactly what you’re shipping, what it weighs and its dimensions, and get shipping quotes, Crocker recommends. “Use fellow manufacturers as a sounding board (when choosing a shipper). The ASTRA community is an open book as far as that’s concerned,” he said. Companies can save money shipping to an advance warehouse rather than directly to the show. Especially for shows at the Javits Center in New York, this is much cheaper than paying Javits’ charges to take the shipment from the dock to the show floor. Investing in a strong crate up front can save money in the long run. “There are no kid gloves in the trade show freight handling world,” Hamilton said. “Buy the biggest, beefiest wheels.” His company teamed up with three others, sharing a 20-by20-foot booth at the Atlanta Gift Show this year. While they serve similar customer bases, their collaboration brought each company different buyers. And each only had to send one person to the show. “It was a fun experiment. I think we’ll do it again,” he said.

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Know the Rules and Your Goals Study every page of the exhibit manual to understand costs, deadlines and all the rules. McGrath recommends mapping out a game plan, with shortterm and long-term goals for trade shows. “Have a structure that makes you think, ‘What makes the most sense?’ Every year or couple of years, go down your checklist and ask, ‘Do I need this?’”

Shows Are Still Important While analysis of trade shows shows trafﬁc declining overall, surveys show they still are an important part of manufacturers’ strategy. With 27 years in the toy business – 15 since he founded Original Toy – McGrath has seen a lot of shows. He remembers the beginnings of ASTRA and sees that vision being fulﬁlled in the current ASTRA Marketplace. “They’ve made it a conducive show to do business,” he said. “One of the biggest things going for it is the interaction with everyone, for all those people to be in the same room and have a great conversation.” “The big thing that stands out for us that makes ASTRA so different is just the time we get to sit down with retailers,” Hamilton agreed. “There are so many opportunities to naturally interact. I really enjoy catching up with other vendors, too. We bounce ideas off each other.” “The toy industry has done an amazing job at remaining peoplefocused,” Crocker agreed. ASTRA

astratoy.org • October 2014

MONEY Matters Wholesale Pricing Differences Between the US and Canadian Toy Markets by Karin Belanger, Scalliwag Toys, Belleville, Ontario

anadian toy stores face many of the same problems as do Americans: a perception that we are the “more expensive” option; increasing competition from discount chains and online retailers; and a demographic pressure related to declining birth rates. One problem particular to Canadians is that wholesale prices here are often higher than those in the United States. When we purchase from an American supplier, there are two possibilities: either we are offered the U.S. price list and pay the bill in U.S. dollars, or we are offered a price list that

20 October 2014 • astratoy.org

has been rendered in Canadian dollars. Buying in U.S. dollars means price differences due to normal currency exchange ﬂuctuation. The problems begin with the second possibility, when Canadian dollar wholesale prices set by the company – or by its Canadian distributor – may deviate wildly from the current exchange rate. Here’s an example. A U.S. games manufacturer wholesales a card game at US$5.

(continued on page 22)

MONEY Matters (continued from page 20)

The retail price in the United States is $9.99. This company signs a deal with a Canadian distributor, who changes the wholesale to CDN$7.50. The standard Canadian retail price will be $14.99, a difference of $5.00 as far as the consumer is concerned. If a Canadian traveled to a store in the U.S. and purchased the game there, the converted retail would be only CDN$11.25. So retail prices on this product are not only more expensive thanks to the exchange rate, they are also higher by a further $3.74 thanks to the inﬂated prices charged by the Canadian distributor. Canadian retailers thus have to spend more dollars to maintain the same inventory levels. More dollars in inventory mean fewer in the retailer’s pocket. Time was, these pricing discrepancies were less important. Online selling has changed all that. When a Canadian customer Googles a product, the larger U.S. market guarantees that he will see a U.S. dollar online price from Amazon, Toys “R” Us or Target. What can we do about this? We always ask U.S. suppliers whether we can buy directly from them. If they say no (maybe they have signed an exclusive distribution deal with a Canadian

wholesaler), and if the price divergence is signiﬁcant, we’ll take them through the math and then point out politely why we won’t be buying their product. If the Canadian consumer – however wrongly – feels ripped off by seeing a higher price in your store, your store brand will be damaged. And if enough Canadian retailers make it clear that they are not interested in paying more than strictly necessary, wholesalers will listen. Sometimes we can buy directly from the supplier in U.S. dollars, using a shipping address across the border. We collect the shipment, pay Customs fees, duty and taxes, and bring it back. It’s not an entirely trouble-free solution but it can be worth it. We can often take advantage of FFA or ASTRA show specials – not otherwise passed along by Canadian distributors – to help increase our gross margin on every affected SKU. We decided long ago that each SKU we stocked had to meet benchmarks for proﬁt and turns. Now, when we look at products, we ask ourselves not only “Is it cute?” and “Would it sell?” but also “Does the price make sense?” Only if all three questions can be answered with a resounding yes do we say “We’ll take it!” ASTRA

22 October 2014 • astratoy.org

TOY Stories

Neighborhood Toy Store Day:

Create the Best Yet!

t’s coming soon: the 5th annual Neighborhood Toy Store Day on Saturday, November 8. How can your store make it the best yet? Check out these ideas from your ASTRA colleagues.

Start Planning Now! While some stores begin their NTSD planning at the ASTRA convention in June, most report starting their planning two months ahead of the date. Oops, don’t have two months? Don’t worry. One store last year started planning the Tuesday before, and still pulled off an event that got local TV coverage and a 16 percent sales increase.

Consider Size, Location While large stores can set up a dozen activity stations around the store, small stores don’t have the space or personnel. Climate allows some stores to spread out onto the sidewalk, while those in colder areas are relegated to indoor space. Location in a mall, downtown, a museum or a freestanding building also affects what activities will work. So use others’ examples for inspiration, and tailor a day that’s made for your store.

Get Kids, Families Involved Activities of all kinds will draw families to your store. Here are some ideas that worked last year. The Grow-cery in Glen Rock, New Jersey, created a scavenger hunt that asked participants to walk around town and list the store address

24 October 2014 • astratoy.org

on the sheet for 25 of the 60-plus stores mentioned. Everyone who turned in the paper received a prize – and knew the town better, too. Earth Explorer Toys in Indiana began the day with a Rock Zionsville scavenger hunt. The store had hidden 12 rocks around town, and each child who brought one in got a prize. Magicians, professional balloon artists, face painters, jugglers, Mrs. Fisher Cat and Cookie Monster all made appearances at stores around the country last year. SkippyJon Jones is scheduled at MudPuddles in Sherwood, Oregon, this year. “Since we had a magician, we sent out press releases for the free show, so the only advertising expense was the magician,” said Dave Campbell at Amazing Toys in Great Falls, Montana. Product demos make great activities – after all, they’re toys. LEGO contests, yo-yo-competitions, art activities, puppet kits, games, glitter tattoos, indoor bowling and more let kids get hands-on experience with toys.

Offer Prizes and Giveaways ASTRA manufacturers make this one easy. Check the ASTRA website for vendor deals and giveaway offers. Prize drawings are a great way to get contact information for customers. Some stores put together goody bags for all the children who attended, while others had an age-appropriate gift for every child. Still others rewarded winners of skill or trivia contests. Drawings for gift certiﬁcates bring the winners back to the store. G. Williker’s Toy Shoppe in Hood River, Oregon, made a lollipop tree. The color on the tip of the lollipop stick designated the prize level the child won – samples from trade shows or straggler merchandise.

Support a Charity “We use this as our day to kick off our Toys for Tots drive,” said Tim Holliday of Children’s World in Sarasota, Florida. “We have a Marine in dress blues in the store, and that generates a lot of conversation and interest in the program. We do a partial match on donations, so people’s giving goes even further.” Donations to charity at various stores ranged from $300 to over $1,000 in toys or a percentage of sales.

Make Wish Lists “We use that day to promote our Christmas Wish Lists,” said Phil Wrzesinski of Toy House and Baby Too in Jackson, Michigan. Every child who walks in the door gets a clipboard and a Wish List to fill out, which are kept on file at the store, with a copy made for the parents. “The Christmas Wish List is key because the kids are now making lists of things they won’t find in any other store in town, so it gets the parents back in the store. Plus, having the list on file at the store gets the grandparents, aunts and uncles in the store.”

astratoy.org • October 2014

TOY Stories Offer Specials Some stores used Neighborhood Toy Store Day as an occasion for a big sale. KB Learning Center in Illinois had a huge sidewalk sale and had planned to do activities with the children. “We were so busy we couldn’t,” owner Karen Schaefer said. They saw a 100 percent increase in sales that day. Other stores offer percentage-off sales or sales on speciﬁc items for the day.

Promote Best Toys For Kids One store tied red balloons to all the Best Toys For Kids winners. Another had a “try-it” zone highlighting the Best Toys in stock. The Gumdrop Tree in Minnesota let each child vote for their favorite from their display of Best Toys winners.

Serve Refreshments Say “celebration” with food – cookies, cake, simple allergy-free treats and drinks, juice boxes, donuts, hot cider, lattes – whatever works in your store and with your customer base.

Market, Market, Market Chick-ﬁl-A stuffed one store’s postcards in kids’ meal boxes last year. ASTRA provides art, ad slicks and news release

templates for stores to make their own. Beyond the local newspaper, radio or TV outlets, plus the store blog and email, look for neighborhood newsletters, children’s groups’ communications and anyplace to hang a ﬂier.

Why Bother? While a few stores reported no increase in sales, most saw increases from 10 percent to as much as 186 percent or even 300 percent that day. But the longer-term value is in promoting a specialty toy store as a vital part of the community – and of families’ holiday shopping plans. “Our goal is to get them excited about our store and the toys we offer so they will come back later in the season,” Wrzesinski said. While the timing sometimes conﬂicts with Veterans Day or other local events, Bob Breneman of G. Willikers! Toy Shop in New Hampshire thinks it’s just right. “This can have a big impact on a store’s pre-holiday shopping,” he said. “Even if customers don’t spend big that day, they still had some fun and could start their shopping list.” ASTRA

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TOY Stories Figpickels Celebration Drew 800 Local Shoppers

igpickels Toy Emporium’s “Board of Directors,” ages 6 to 14, were at the center of a three-ring circus that transformed the Resort Plaza Shops in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, for Neighborhood Toy Store Day 2013 and the store’s eighth birthday. More than 800 locals came to celebrate. The board spent the afternoon presenting their favorite toys from the previous week’s toy test and helped everyone ﬁll out their Christmas wish lists, recalled Figpickels’ Susan Sommer. “We served more than 300 pieces of cake, 400 cotton candies and 400 sugar scrub sundaes; and applied more than 300 glitter tattoos.” The board of 12 members was chosen from over 350 entrants encompassing the entire region through an essay contest designed to encourage students to creatively and effectively communicate. They tested more than 500 toys in a magical arena inside the shopping center. Mrs. Fisher Cat came to visit, as did Coeur d’Alene’s own beloved Mudgy the Moose from the book Mudgy & Millie, published by Figpickels Press. ASTRA

Store Becomes Toy Test Lab

t Artbeat Creativity Store & Studio in Arlington, Massachusetts, last year, kids were handed lab coats, glasses, magniﬁers (to keep) and a clipboard to test, evaluate and record their impressions of 10 toys drawn from staff favorites and the Best Toys for Kids list. The form went home along with a coupon. Kids could enter to win prizes by telling Jan Whitted and her staff what they liked about any of the toys, along with the parents’ email. That’s her grandson in the lab coat on the promotional poster.

ASTRA

astratoy.org • October 2014

TOY Stories

NTSD: Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve Planned. Now Promote! By Kathleen McHugh, ASTRA President

tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fall again. The kids are back at school, the weather is changing, and the toy industry is racing to get ready for the all-important fourth quarter. This means November 8 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; national Neighborhood Toy Store Day â&#x20AC;&#x201C; should be circled in red on your calendar with arrows pointing to it. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the day independent toy stores join in a nationwide celebration of healthy play, top quality toys, and shopping locally. ASTRA created Neighborhood Toy Store Day to help consumers understand the specialty toy difference and to help drive customers to specialty toy stores. Once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve planned a memorable day, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to promote it.

Reach out to local media and mommy bloggers. Pick three to ďŹ ve local reporters and bloggers who cover family issues and send them the press release ASTRA provides.

Follow up with a phone call to invite them to your store on Neighborhood Toy Store Day. Toy lists are often attractive to journalists as the holidays approach, so use ASTRAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Toys for Kids list as a hook to interest reporters. And send a notice to the calendar listings in your local parent publication or website.

Reach out to your customers. Most retailers have multiple ways

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to reach their customers: through newsletters, e-blasts, on Facebook, and on their website. The Neighborhood Toy Store Day message has already been written for ASTRA retailers. Log in at astratoy.org/ ntsd.asp to ďŹ nd press releases. Remember, the objective is to remind customers about the advantages of shopping at a specialty toy store, so even if they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come to your store on Neighborhood Toy Store Day, your outreach means they are still getting the specialty message at the critical time of year.

Tie-in with a local charity. If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t already have a local charity you support, call a non-proďŹ t preschool or child care center. Agree to give them a percentage of your sales for the day and you can be sure that they will help you promote your Neighborhood Toy Store Day event to the parents they serve. Mount a simple window display. Your window display for Neighborhood Toy Store Day doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be complicated. Again, Best Toys for Kids award winners may help attract attention and highlight the specialty difference. To support our membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; outreach efforts, ASTRA provides sample press releases, online marketing tools, ad slicks and e-marketing templates and other resources to help you plan for the big day. Check out whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s available to your store as part of your ASTRA membership at astratoy.org/ntsd.asp and decide how you want to put Neighborhood Toy Store Day on the map in your community. ASTRA

30 October 2014 â&#x20AC;˘ astratoy.org

astratoy.org â&#x20AC;¢ October 2014

TOY Stories

How Can Reps

Best Help 4th Quarter? by Mary Sisson, Editor

s we enter Fourth Quarter, sales reps can play a crucial role in its success for retailers, and therefore, the whole specialty toy industry. We asked a group of retailers what they need from their reps during those frantic months. Names have been omitted to encourage free sharing of opinions.

Information It starts with current line lists and frequent updates of vendors’ freight and dating specials. But information doesn’t stop there. “By being honest with us about best sellers, product availability, if/what big box carries, (reps) help us to make informed decisions that are right for our stores,” a retailer said. Another has reps who email weekly during November and December with current stock levels, out of stocks, and other information. “This is really, really helpful once a week, when I’m ﬂush with dollars and ready to order quickly, but need accurate info.” (continued on page 34)

32 October 2014 • astratoy.org

TOY Stories (continued from page 32) Reps are in a key position to let retailers know of products they may not have ordered that are getting a lot of reorders at other stores. “I can’t take the chance on every new product, but if I hear something good from a rep I trust, then I will be more than willing to give it a shot,” said one buyer. One of the best things a rep can do is alert buyers about strong-selling items that are at risk of selling out or are not shipping until late November or December. This makes a big difference for retailers who might get caught without those items for the holidays. Monthly line lists and specials from rep groups remind retailers to check inventories and judge whether they need to order from any of these companies. “This ensures I’m always aware of the good deals when they come up, and since I get those emails monthly from many of my

reps it means I’m checking on most of my lines monthly as well.” While monthly specials emails are appreciated, mass emails on products “guaranteed to be the hottest line! Perfect for your store!” are not, especially when that product is not a good ﬁt. Some retailers prefer a quick email with one manufacturer’s name in the subject, detailing the terms and why this deserves a look, with minimal attachments.

Knowledge This can be summed up in two short sentences: Know your products. Know your customers. One retailer, who owns two different types of stores, is amazed at how few reps stop by the toy store to see what’s new and check on inventory before meeting with the owner at the other store. “A good rep takes time to talk to customers, observes kids, notices what shoppers

look at and isn’t worried about the immediate order,” a buyer said.

Reminders “Remind us to put cancel dates on our orders – no sense getting product on 12/26,” said one retailer.

Communication Returning phone calls or emails in a timely manner is very helpful. “There are times when I am ready to place an order and a rep is MIA. A quick email letting me know that rep is busy but will be in touch in a few days would be appreciated.” Communication works both ways, retailers pointed out. “We have to be speciﬁc about what helps,” one said. “For me, it’s paperwork and data so that I can make decisions on the ﬂy. For other folks, I think extra hands are more helpful.”

Accuracy “The biggest help is just getting orders put in correctly, on time, and with the right specials/promos applied,” said a retailer. Another added, “Personally, what I need from my reps right now is them calling their manufacturers and conﬁrming that my orders have or will ship on the correct day. I’ve had POs they’ve never gotten, they used my cancel date as my ship date, and mostly, the manufacturer just hadn’t bothered to ship my PO. So I need my REP to make sure I get what I ordered. That’s what I really need. Thanks for asking.” “If it is a fall special, don’t just say ‘Fall Special’ for terms. Spell out what the fall special is that applies,” one retailer said. That person suggested frazzled reps keep a checklist: correct addresses and contact information, cancel date, whether or not the customer wants back orders. “Let’s add, ‘Please actually place my orders!’” said a retailer who had to scramble at the last minute when an order wasn’t placed for an event.

Availability “I don’t know how you put this, but reps should not be going to sales meetings in

34 October 2014 • astratoy.org

Vegas during our busy time,” wrote a buyer, whose sentiments were echoed many times over. “They should also be available on Saturdays and Sundays to answer emails and calls. When it is crunch time they should be working like we are, 24/7.”

Relationships “It’s endless the value they provide by coming to work the shop or events,” said a retailer. “It’s not about free labor. Product training on site. Getting to know my biz. Connecting on a human/personalized level, etc.” That retailer wasn’t speaking from experience, though; no rep has come in at least two years, though she’s asked three this year. Another said, “I guess we are spoiled. My local reps have always been there when asked. I have had help moving the store, unpacking their large orders, wrapping and selling when they come in for a meeting and I get busy on the ﬂoor, taking me to lunch, coming to events and usually being responsive within 24 hours.”

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A few more wishes • Check manufacturers’ websites to make sure stores that carry product are listed, and stores no longer in business or carrying that product are not. • Food for the staff is always appreciated, as are giveaways and donation items. • Provide UPCs on purchase orders for stores that request them. • Help with returns and getting credits applied quickly. • Provide holiday signage and samples to help stores push products. And from a retailer who used to be a sales rep, there was this: “While some reps seem to be doing ﬁne, many are struggling … they face the same issues we do and the vendors ding their commission at every turn. I was treated so rudely as a rep a few times and it was usually by retailers who were not organized or expected too much or thought because they were the customers they were able to do whatever they wanted.” ASTRA

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astratoy.org • October 2014

TRENDING Now

The Shop Local Message: Make Sure It’s Accurate by Mary Sisson, Editor

hen even Wal-Mart starts promoting “local” in its stores, it’s time to step back and take a look at the heart of the “shop local” message and what it truly means for independent businesses and their communities. “As the localization movement grows, more Chambers, for-profit companies and others are trying to make a name for themselves or profit from buy local/pro local messaging,” Jeff Milchen, co-director of the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA), told leaders of local alliances. “Unfortunately, some of these initiatives compete with your group for attention and funding or dilute the meaning of ‘local’ by using it to include any business with a local outlet, regardless of ownership.” Even some pro-local organizations muddy the message by exaggerating statistics on the economic benefits from independent businesses to the point where nobody knows what to believe. “This has come back to bite many groups,” Milchen said. A plethora of studies can be found on websites such as amiba.net, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (islr.org), and the private research group Civic Economics (civiceconomics.com). Averaged across 10 communities in a study commissioned by the American Booksellers Association, spending at indie retailers generates 3.7 times more direct local economic benefit than spending at chains. Part of that benefit stems from the multiplier effect, when locally-owned independent businesses, owners and employees spend business revenue within the region. The total impact is determined by measuring three components: • Direct impact, spending done by a business in the local economy; (continued on page 38)

36 October 2014 • astratoy.org

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• Indirect impact, as dollars the local business spends at other local businesses re-circulates; and • Induced impact, the additional consumer spending as employees, business owners and others spend their income in the local economy. Studies with a number of variables tend to reach the same conclusion: Independent retailers return more than three times as much money per dollar of sales than chain competitors. The landmark 2004 Andersonville study showed a total impact of 68 cents per $1 of spending stayed in the local community, compared to 43 cents at a

chain store. Any retailer paying vendors knows the whole 68 cents doesn’t stay in the community. But the multiplier effect ultimately generates that much after additional spending cycles. Milchen urges spreading that message, along with the idea that local also means independent. Franchises may be owned by local people, but they have the beneﬁts of group purchasing, branding and marketing. Independent means the ability to make decisions even down to the name of the business. In Princeton, New Jersey, the Princeton Regional Chamber of Commerce heavily promotes not just buying local, but buying independent. “We don’t tell you you can’t buy

from a larger store or chain,” said Peter Crowley, president of the Chamber. “But here’s what you’re doing when you buy from a local independent. We’re getting the message out that independent businesses are vital to economies.” Because the message is positive, the Chamber has had no complaints from larger businesses. American Express’ Small Business Saturday is an opportunity for local organizations and businesses to leverage and amplify the local message. AMIBA co-director Jennifer Rockne’s theme is getting the message out there. “Try to be in the media as often as you can. Pitch news stories, write letters to the editor.” Just make sure the message is accurate. ASTRA

38 October 2014 • astratoy.org

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astratoy.org â&#x20AC;¢ October 2014 39 Follow us on

TRENDING Now

Millennial Moms: Your Prime Customer

ant to get a better handle on exactly who your customers are and what drives and motivates them? “Study the millennial mom,” said Katherine McHenry, owner of Building Blocks toy stores in Chicago. “They are the bulk of your customers unless you are in a retirement or touristy area.” And, she added, “I’m considered a millennial mom, by the way.” According to the U.S. Census, about 46 percent of women ages 1834 – more than 16 million – have given birth to at least one child. Other studies, such as a survey by BabyCenter.com, ﬁnd that the split between working mothers and stay-at-home moms is almost even. These moms have been shaped by a variety of inﬂuences, with technology at the top of the list. “They are always on their phone,” McHenry said. “Some of us rarely sit in front of a computer – make sure your marketing targets smart (continued on page 42)

40 October 2014 • astratoy.org

astratoy.org â&#x20AC;¢ October 2014

TRENDING Now (continued from page 40) phones, because that’s what we all have.” Millennials grew up in a time that included 9/11, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economic collapse and fallout from the Great Recession. Highly educated but underemployed, studies show they tend to be generally

optimistic and resilient but also stressed, according to a May 2013 article on Millennial moms in USA Today. One researcher quoted in the article, Ron Coughlin of Strottman International, said, “All this uncertainty made these Millennial parents realize the thing

they can control is making their kids’ childhoods the best they can be.” Strottman’s report shows these moms as having a strong “mom” identity, a playful, hands-on approach to parenting, nostalgia for a simpler life, and a team approach to families, the USA Today article said. Millennials “love to celebrate everything – baby reveal, milestones, half birthdays, birthdays, ﬁrst day of school, last day of school, etc.,” McHenry said. “Everything is a reason for a gift or a trip to get ice cream. You can use these events to market and also have products that tie in.” They love social media and can’t imagine how mothers did motherhood without smart phones. McHenry shared how she’d posted about an app she likes in her mom group and by the next day she had 37 comments, over 100 likes, and free product as a result of other moms signing up for the app. “My main reason for sharing is I love this solution and know that moms want it.” She pointed out that convenience, service and being well taken care of are important to Millennial moms. “I guess anyone would want that, but when a Millennial mom gets that kind of service, she tells ALL her mom friends and loves to be the one who found the business or the product. That’s where social media ties in. These moms love sharing and showing other moms.” Millennials “feel very responsible for our entire children’s upbringing – education, health, eating habits, etc.” McHenry said. “Mainly, we are pretty much paranoid about it. All of the marketing feeds into this. If it’s good for my kid, I want it.” Finally, McHenry points out one important thing about Millennial moms: “We hate to be assumed. The role of the mom is so varied – not just working or stay-at-home. And if it’s stay-at-home, those moms do not want to be assumed as your stereotype mom who cooks, cleans, etc. They like to call themselves C.O.O. of the home or other creative titles. Millennial moms are very insulted if you box them, so this is important to keep in mind when you market or advertise.” ASTRA

42 October 2014 • astratoy.org

astratoy.org â&#x20AC;¢ October 2014

News

ASTRA, AIB Urge “Yes” on Marketplace Fairness

ote for the Marketplace and Internet Tax Fairness Act (MITFA). That was the message sent to every member of the U.S. Senate from the 14 member organizations of the Advocates for Independent Business (AIB), a coalition of associations and organizations that represent locally owned, independent businesses serving a consumer market. MITFA would level the playing ﬁeld for independent brickand-mortar businesses, which are currently operating at a ﬁve to 10 percent competitive disadvantage to online retailers that are not required to collect sales tax. It would allow states and local governments, if they choose, to enforce existing state and local sales and use tax laws – so long as they simplify collection of those taxes and exempt small online retailers from collection requirements. About $23 billion in tax revenue goes uncollected as the law now stands. Last year, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the Marketplace Fairness Act (MFA). But with little progress in the House of Representatives, sponsors decided to add the e-fairness legislation of the Internet Tax Freedom Act, a law that prohibits

46 October 2014 • astratoy.org

states from levying taxes on Internet access, which is set to expire November 1. In July, the House passed its own extension of the law, the Permanent Internet Freedom Act, which would extend the tax ban permanently. The House bill does not include an Internet sales tax provision. If the MITFA passes the Senate, it will have to be reconciled in conference committee with the House version of the bill. “Sales tax fairness would not institute a new tax, nor would it burden small businesses with extra tax paperwork,” the letter argued. “Instead, it would level the playing ﬁeld. Main Street retail stores give back to their communities in ways that outof-state retailers do not: We provide local jobs; we employ local services; we remit sales tax revenue that pays for roads and ﬁrst responders, among other services. Yet the current system penalizes Main Street retailers by providing out-of-state e-commerce retailers with an unfair sales tax advantage.” AIB’s member organizations represent more than 100,000 small businesses that employ about 600,000 people and pay more than $10 billion in annual payroll. ASTRA

astratoy.org â&#x20AC;¢ October 2014

News

Meet the New ASTRA Board Members Todd Andersen

Todd is co-owner of Hub Hobby Center, an award-winning hobby and toy store with two Twin Cities locations. He has over 25 years of retail experience, and has been responsible for the continued growth and diversiﬁcation of Hub Hobby into a superstore that the whole family can enjoy. Prior to joining Hub Hobby Center, Todd was a research food scientist with Novartis for 12 years. Born and raised in the Minneapolis area, Todd is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, and received an MBA from the University of St. Thomas. He just recently celebrated his 35th wedding anniversary, and is the proud father of four sons and one daughter. Todd co-owns Hub Hobby Center with William Barker, his best friend for more than 40 years.

Erik Quam

Erik is director of product development at Fat Brain Toy Co., a position he’s held ssince 2009. He’s a specialty toy industry veteran, having worked in the industry for 17 years. “I was an out-of-work actor who was lucky enough to ﬁnd a temp job that became a passion,” Erik told us. At Fat Brain Toy, he’s helped to bring more than 50 items to the specialty toy market, including such hits as Tobbles Neo, Squigz, Peek-a-Doodle Doo and Teeter Popper (all winners of ASTRA’s Best Toys for Kids). His background in mail-order catalogs, merchandising, brand management and product development, brings a unique perspective to the board. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Erik earned his Master’s in ﬁne arts – acting/musical theater from Minnesota State University. He still acts, and has recently act appeared in “The Boys Next Door,” “Chicago” and “The Wizard of Oz” in Omaha. appe Erik and his wife, Sara, have four daughters ranging in age from 9 to 1. Er

Dee Farrell

Dee is senior vice president and an owner of Neat-Oh! International. With an undergrad degree in clarinet performance, she became a techie, and worked at Open Text, an enterprise software company. She moved from tech support to consulting and worked with small businesses to analyze their processes and build the systems they needed. Eventually she worked with Fortune 500 companies. In 1995 she joined new startup Neat-Oh! She thought she knew about innovation, but, “I was shocked and thrilled to see how every year, toy companies work tirelessly to develop new toys and innovate unique concepts – and then must bring them to market for $19.99 or less. What a challenge!” she said. Dee is responsible for sales, marketing and business development, and is very involved with Neat-Oh’s website and computer systems. ASTRA

48 October 2014 • astratoy.org

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Wishing You a Prosperous Holiday!

West Coast debut of new products straight from New York Toy Fair

1EVGL

Check our website at www.toyfestwest.com for current promotions, registration materials, and more.

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

MANUFACTURERS 88 Unlimited Kean Chan 15505 Long Vista Dr., #220 Austin, TX 78728 (512) 252-8884 kean@88unlimited.com Capstone Thomas Kalgren 505 Lincoln Dr. Edina, MN 55436 (952) 224-0527 t.kalgren@capstonepub.com Cassidy House Scott Cassidy 2297 Harvard St. Palo Alto, CA (650) 387-0607 scassidy@gmail.com www.cassidybooks.com

Child to Cherish Gordon Lowe 720 Challenger St. Brea, CA 92821 (714) 990-1590 gordon@childtocherish.com www.childtocherish.com

Creative Minds/Marvel Education 82 Wall St., Suite 1105 New York, NY 10005 (212) 662-7005 marvel_ed@yahoo.com www.marveltoys.biz

Petit Collage Lorena Siminovich 925 Guerrero St., Studio C San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 839-8299 lorena@petitcollage.com www.petitcollage.com

Tonni-co Mollie Thonneson 235 Harrison Ave. Jersey City, NJ 07304 (201) 938-0686 mollie@tagtheartgame.com www.tagtheartgame.com

Choon’s Design Sally Duquesnel 48813 West Road Wixom, MI 48393 (248) 924-3151 sally@rainbowloom.com www.rainbowloom.com

Fitivities Sandy Slade 670 E. Parkridge Ave., Suite 104 Corona, CA 92879 sslade@ﬁtivities.com www.ﬁtivities.com

Pine Tree Publishing Leann Smith 50 Hummel Blvd. Grove City, PA 16127 (800) 995-2093 lsmith@pinetreepublishing.com www.pinetreepublishing.com

Treasure Bay Don Panec PO Box 119 Novato, CA 94948 (415) 884-2888 don@treasurebaybooks.com

Compendium Inc. Emma Sorensen 2100 N. Paciﬁc St. Seattle, WA 98103 emma@compendiuminc.com www.live-inspired.com

Flash Sales Barry Rub 4401 NW 167th St. Miami, FL 33055 (786) 428-2400 barry@ﬂashsales.com Fotorama USA Kristie Raycroft 19925 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite #100 Cupertino, CA 95014 (408) 973-7876 kraycroft@fotoramausa.com www.fotoramausa.com

Begin their stories with Taggies™.

800-451-4387 marymeyer.com 4AGGIES s 7UBBA.UBS s "ABY -ATS

50 October 2014 • astratoy.org

Playing Unlimited Inc. Frank Weihrauch PO Box 27740 Las Vegas, NV 89126 (408) 644-2067 FrankW@playingunlimited.com www.playingunlimited.com Roxo Marty Schonberg 2240 Greer Sylvan Lake, MI 48320 mschonberg@getroxo.com www.getroxo.com

FUN Incorporated Andrew Michals 333 Alice St. Wheeling, IL 60090 andrew@funinc.com www.funinc.com

Splash Party Inc. Chialeh Wang 13731 Oak Crest Dr. Cerritos, CA 90703 SplashPatyInc@gmail.com www.SplashParty.com

MerryMakers, Inc. Clair Frederick 3540 Grand Ave., Suite 200 Oakland, CA 94610 (510) 451-2254 clair@merrymakersinc.com www.merrymakersinc.com

The Horizon Group USA John Skrajewski 45 Technology Dr. Warren, NJ 07059 (908) 810-1111 jskrajewski@hgusa.com www.horizongroupusa.com The Purple Cow America Inc Ran Yogev One Corporate Dr. Grantsville, MD 21536 (855) 589-2818 ran@the-purple-cow.com

Vermont Christmas Company Susan Brodeur PO Box 1071 Burlington, VT 05402 (888) 890-0005 sbrodeur@vccwholesale.com WhomBatz, LLC Lukas Strickland 5992 N Nodding Ave. Palmer, AK 99645 (907) 841-8029 lukas@whombatz.com www.whombatz.com Zwirl Sports Inc. Mike Reno PO Box 1562 Pleasanton, CA 94566 (415) 518-6349 mike@zwirlsports.com www.zwirlsports.com

SALES REPRESENTATIVES Mike Clifton Clifton Company 919 N. Shore Dr. Southport, NC 28461 (888) 373-2888 cliftonco@atmc.net www.cliftonco.net

Francois Portelance Francois Portelance Agency 15 Tangreen Crt. #903 Toronto, ON M2M 3Z2 (416) 580-1594 fppp@rogers.com Diane Sirois SGM Sales 400 Grande Cote, Suite 302 Rosemere, QC J7A1K7 diane@sgmsales.ca

RETAILERS Archie McPhee Mark Pahlow 1300 N. 45th St. Seattle, WA 98103 (425) 349-3838 mark@mcphee.com www.mcphee.com JumpStart Toys LLC Mary Sanderson 5316 Park Ridge Flower Mound, TX 75022 (817) 875-7270 cs@jumpstarttoys.com

Little Things Toy Store Mitchell Szpicek 145 7th Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11215 (917) 816-8210 littlethingstoystore@gmail.com Livi’s Loft Angela Ledtke 1536 Crescent Rd. Clifton Park, NY 12065 livisloft@gmail.com Museum Tours Inc Barbara Ayers 2517 SE Mailwell Dr. Milwaukie, OR 91222 (503) 794-7100 barbl@museumtour.com

Red Balloon Bookshop Holly Weinkauf 891 Grand Ave. Saint Paul, MN 55104 (651) 224-8320 holly@redballoonbookshop.com www.redballoonbookshop.com

The Collection Yvonne Fugate PO Box 162 Waitsﬁeld, VT 05673 (802) 496-6055 collection@madriver.com www.vtcollection.com

The Boulder Bookstore David Bolduc 1107 Pearl St. Boulder, CO 80302 (303) 447-2074 davidbolduc@gmail.com www.boulderbookstore.com

The Journey’s Treasures Heather Fulkerson 17001 Alico Commerce Court Fort Myers, FL 33967

ASTRA

astratoy.org • October 2014

Welcomes Its Newest Manufacturer Members 88 Unlimited Austin, TX www.88unlimited.com 88 Unlimited brings innovative and unique product concepts to the U.S. market, including Perfect Petzzz, GloWalkers, and Paulinda. Perfect Petzzz offers a life-like alternative to pet ownership. GloWalkers combine functionality, fun, and safety in LED light-up shoelaces. Paulinda Super Dough offers creativity and fun in a safe turnkey DIY kit to sculpt your own whimsical characters. Choon’s Design Wixom, MI www.rainbowloom.com Rainbow Loom is now recognized in the toy industry as an innovative and top-selling product, and has most notably been honored as 2014’s Toy of the Year. Choon’s Design is now excited to share a newly expanded line of products, including the Monster Tail kit, finger loom, and charms. The popularity of the Rainbow Loom has also blossomed into an active social community of Loomers, with thousands of video tutorials available online and Rainbow Loom clubs nationwide, enhancing the interactive experience for all crafters. Compendium Inc. Seattle, WA www.live-inspired.com Compendium creates award-winning gifts, stationery and children’s products that amplify meaningful moments of connection and inspiration. A stellar performer in many children’s specialty stores for years with products such as Lunch Mail and Tickle Monster, Compendium continues to broaden and expand its children’s offering of thoughtful, well-designed books and gifts. Fitivities™ Corona, CA www.fitivities.com Destined to be a classic, Fitivities includes the perfect mix of simultaneous small- or large-group play that can be adapted to fit all combination of ages indoors or out. With a roll of the dice and flick of a spinner, Fitivities gets everyone moving! Part board game, part workout, and all fun!

52 October 2014 • astratoy.org

Goldbrick Games, LLC New Ipswich, NH www.goldbrickgames.com Goldbrick Games is a family owned company that creates games for people who love to play them. Our line includes Rumble Pie, Perpetual Commotion and our upcoming release, Skosh, the team-play trivia game for people who have more fun ﬁguring it out than knowing it all. Petit Collage San Francisco, CA www.petitcollage.com Petit Collage is a lifestyle brand for modern families. With her team of designers, artist Lorena Siminovich creates modern games, toys and puzzles and more inﬂuenced by midcentury design. With over 250 eco-friendly products, Petit Collage manufactures everything in a sustainable way using the best-quality, most forest-friendly materials available. Playing Unlimited Inc. Las Vegas, NV www.playingunlimited.com PlayMais is a natural children’s crafting material made in Germany. It is made from corn, colored with food coloring and is 100-percent biodegradable. PlayMais sticks together when moistened and also onto many different surfaces. It can be cut, rolled, squeezed and therefore shaped into any form. PlayMais is all about creativity and imagination. Roxo Sylvan Lake, MI www.getroxo.com ROXO interchangeable charm bracelets allow people to show who they are and what they love on a simple accessory. ROXO’s colorful silicone bracelets feature interchangeable chrome charms showcasing iconic brands like Disney, Marvel Comics and more. Mix and match charms, swap out band colors and create something truly unique.

Splash Party Inc. Cerritos, CA www.SplashParty.com Splash Party Inc. offers the patented and award-winning water balloon gadget, Easy Fill and Tie. It is geared toward people of all ages, enabling users to fill and tie many different types of water balloons easily and quickly. It’s finger-friendly and a lot of FUN. Watch for more innovative toys from Splash Party in the future. The Horizon Group USA Warren, NJ www.horizongroupusa.com The Horizon Group is the leading supplier of activity kits in the USA, and offers an unmatched combination of value, quality and innovation. Horizon’s on-trend brands feature products for both girls and boys that are sure to drive incremental sales and profits for specialty retailers. www. craftprojectideas.com

WhomBatz, LLC Palmer, AK www.whombatz.com WhomBatz designs and manufactures a line of padded foam mock-weaponry – “WhomBatz” – for tweens. WhomBatz are used in a light-contact game designed for kids to engage in safe, light contact play-ﬁghting that promotes physical exercise, the development of motor dexterity, and interactive entertainment. Zwirl Sports Inc. Pleasanton, CA www.zwirlsports.com The Original Zwirl ball is back! The ’90s phenomenon exploded on the scene, winning fans across America. Re-imagined now with exciting new colors – red, blue, green and orange – it’s available in large and small sizes. The unique spiral design and space-age foam make it easy and fun to grip, throw and catch. Great for all ages. mike@zwirlsports.com ASTRA

The Purple Cow America Inc Grantsville, MD The Purple Cow is an international brand of games, puzzles and activity kits with educational value. Our mission is to offer high design and innovation at affordable prices. We sell in more than 30 countries worldwide and in more than 20 languages. The Purple Cow America was launched in 2013. The majority of our clients are bookshops, specialty stores and gift shops. Tonni-co Jersey City, NJ www.tagtheartgame.com TAGtheArtGame engages players in painting, drawing, and collaging while they work together creating a unique piece of abstract art. The game is played with and includes cards, dice, art supplies, and a color wheel. TAG is easy to learn and fun for all ages. Any number of people can play. Vermont Christmas Company Burlington, VT Bursting with bright colors and magniﬁcent details, our huge selection of Advent calendars includes something for everyone, with themes from reverently religious to wildly whimsical. Our proven selections of Advent calendars, Advent wreaths, Advent candles, Christmas cards and holiday themed jigsaw puzzles all feature fun gifts and tasteful novelties that your customers will return for time after time. Holiday traditions for the whole family! astratoy.org • October 2014

TOY TIMES MAGAZINE, October 2014 Index of Advertisers 4D Cityscape Inc.

4dcityscape.com

A Wish Come True

awishcometrue.com

ALEX

21, 56

Asmodee Editions

asmodee.com

AZ Books LLC

azbooksusa.com

Corolle Inc.

corolle.com

Crayon Rocks

crayonrocks.net

DeLano/EPI Printing Inc.

epiinc.com

Dream Big Wholesale Doll Clothes

dreambigwholesaledoll.com

Elenco

elenco.com

Enlivenze LLC

enlivenze.com

Extra by Mayﬂower

Folkmanis

Games Workshop

28,29

games-workshop.com

Gollnest & Kiesel

chalaisassociates.com

Green Kids Club Inc.

green-kids-club.com

GUND

gund.com

Harrisville Designs

harrisville.com

InRoad Toys

inroadtoys.com

IAmElemental

iamelmental.com

Jax Ltd Inc.

jaxgames.com

Kidstuff Public Relations

kidstuffpr.com

Legendary Games

Made in the USA

8, 9

extrabymayﬂower.com

Manhattan Toy

manhattantoy.com

folkmanis.com

Mark-My-Time

mark-my-time.com

Franklin Fixtures

franklinﬁxtures.com

Mary Meyer Corp.

marymeyer.com

GALT

galttoys.com

Merchant Technologies

mtpos.com

MukikiM LLC

mukikim.com

The Orb Factory

orbfactory.com

Pink Poppy Inc. USA

pinkpoppy-usa.com

PlanToys

plantoysusa.com

PlaSmart

plasmarttoys.com

Safari Ltd.

safariltd.com

Sentosphere USA

sentosphereusa.com

Specialty Toys Network

stoysnet.com

Stork Babies - The Fiammetta Toy Co. 53

mystorkbabies.com

alextoys.com

The Magazine for

People Who Sell Toys

Celebrating

years of toy stories

54 October 2014 • astratoy.org

pocketfarkel.com

TEDCO Toys

tedcotoys.com

Thames & Kosmos

thamesandkosmos.com

Time Timer LLC

timetimer.com

ToyFest West - WTHRA

toyfestwest.com

Wikki Stix

wikkistix.com

Winning Moves

winning-moves.com

Zeenie Dollz LLC

zeeniedollz.com

Zoofy Intl.

zooﬁes.com

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astratoy.org â&#x20AC;˘ October 2014

Muck Maggot

Skunk Mantis From the polluted sewers of the ﬁlthy city to the rancid pits of rotting trash dumps come… Stink Bugzzz! These eight vile characters are stinky and they know it. Give ‘em a squeeze to release a foul, retched stench!

STINKBUGZZZ.COM

Parasite Pack

Swampy Skeeter

Trashy Turdmite FOR ORDERS:

ORDERS@ALEXBRANDSMI.COM FAX: 734-454-9540 PHONE: 800-329-TOYS WWW.ALEXBRANDS.COM

56 October 2014 • astratoy.org