Games, Playthings and Plush

Getting Kids Loving to Learn (From page 37) when it comes to toys—fewer of them, with greater durability. Johansson said toy companies have been slow to respond to parents’ growing calls for gender-neutral products: “I’ve seen that A. It really confuses shoppers, or B. It turns them off because a lot of parents these days are trying to not be so rigid when it comes to gender assignments. As a buyer I look for things which are neutral to alleviate some of the stress/questions of ‘This is the girl version, this is the boy version’ [of a product]. As a buyer I’m looking for neutral items.”

Boutique owners use different methods to upsell toys while customers browse through the apparel. “I do this [upsell] naturally because I’m a toy store—people come in looking for toys,” Breaux said. “My best tip to upsell is simply ask the customer, ‘Do you need a toy to go with this outfit?’ Sometimes they will want a toy to match the outfit. Someone might ask, ‘Do you have a unicorn stuffed animal to go with this outfit with the unicorn on it?’ Yes, of course we do, and they’re right over here. Books are also great add-ons,” she pointed out.

Hall said getting to know the customer and asking the right question can often lead to a successful sale. “Most people, when they come in, are shopping for someone else. It’s a little bit easier to direct the customer to the toy room to look for a new baby or sibling gift. People like the idea of being able to give toys. Some- one will come in and the person they’re buying for has three other children, and they’ll say, ‘Surely they have everything.’ So what can uniquely be the baby’s? Maybe something like a teether. And I have parents who come in, and they have toddlers, but new things have come out [so they might purchase something]. I have clothing and accessories but also ‘select gear’ for activities like feeding—I try to carry things that are multipurpose and meant to make parenting a little easier,” she explained. Johansson said when it comes to upselling, it is not her style to “be a big pusher of anything. Sibling gifts are really nice. I don’t think people who don’t have kids would think of bringing the older sibling something. Even something small like a coloring book and crayons make the sibling feel seen and appreciated. Or the buyer might want to put something small on the bow of the gift, which makes a nice presentation.”

Durability, sustainability, and longevity are trends when it comes to toys at baby boutiques in the coming year. As parents continue to make better informed, cost-conscious buying decisions, retailers continue to seek out vendors who can meet the needs of their customers. ❖

Striving for Standout (From page 36) something I love to do! A couple things that have helped me a lot - merchandise and group things together that could work really well as a packaged gift. Typically for me that’s colors that look good together, or visually look good together—mix and match and create a nice gift that work well together from one table. Or from a visual appeal standpoint, the items look good together, or a practical standpoint—arrange by category (feeding, bathing) and brand. Second, play with heights and interesting ways to display things. Have a rack with clothing on the top and books or flat things on the bottom. Play with heights so your eye doesn’t have to do a lot of work—you can look around rather than scan a flat table.”

Grouping is a common display method because it’s very effective. “I display by theme—dinosaurs, puzzles, et cetera. If a person does a theming gift, it’s easy to grab like items from different categories. Some toys really need a display piece out of the box. Others are very clear in their display. When some items aren’t moving, take it out of the box and display it. It’s harder to sell the one that’s out of the box, but it does help to sell the item.” Maris Johansson, owner of Broomtail in Denver, Colo., said, adding, “Merchandising is definitely the most important sales tool we have. It’s fascinating to me. We’ll move things around. It’s really fun to try and figure out what will grab someone’s attention, or how to tell a story with an item.” ❖