Games, Playthings and Plush

Finding Fun (From page 89) high-quality fabrics. We buy a varied selection of sizes, so our customers have different price point options. We have also seen sales in the Douglas Baby Collection take off, including the adorable ‘Sshlumpie’ baby blankets and machinewashable plush teethers. Wild Republic stuffed animals complement our plush department with more exotic creatures such as sloths, snow leopards, and fennel foxes. Our customers at the beach especially like the nautical animals including squids, whales, and sharks. Their Ecokin line sells well and is also good for the planet. In addition to having recycled hang tags and biodegradable packaging, each Ecokin is made from 16 used water bottles!” She noted Squishables are a longtime best-seller: “We have always done well with the aquatic varieties of this line of super ‘squishy’ plush, but the trendy Comfort Food styles have really picked up in sales recently. Who doesn’t like to cuddle with an adorable ‘Pumpkin Spice Latte’?” Their most popular action figures include the Avengers, Superman, and Batman from Mattel and Hasbro.

Dolls continue to see strong sales, from delicate porcelain models to sweet baby dolls and everything in between. Tidepool’s top sellers in the doll category are “Sea Sparkle Mermaids by Aurora. These dolls continue to be best sellers for us. Customers are attracted to their eye-catching features and soft, shimmering fabrics. The wide variety of mermaid designs make a great beach souvenir for everyone! Also, Corolle and Madame Alexander. Our customers still love these classic doll brands because of their high-quality and beautiful designs,” Lori Smyth said. “The traditional ‘Bebe Calin’ play dolls from Corolle are our best-sellers along with the fun, new Corolle ‘Rainbow Dolls’ with cotton candy-colored hair. Our customers also love the Little Cutie dolls from Madame Alexander for age 0-plus, because they are so cuddly and just the right size for a child to take anywhere!” Smyth added, “Barbies are a perennial item for us. The ‘Color Reveal’ Barbies are an exciting twist to the classic styles and have been selling great. Our customers also love the Barbie playsets with active themes such as cycling and surfing. These dolls make great gifts for the young adventurers.”

At Monkey Fish, Olafsson said, “LOL Dolls still have a following. Little girls aged 4 and 5 will come in asking for them. Baby dolls by Melissa and Doug are popular. My First Dolls—a lot of grandparents come in for them. And Corolle—customers love that line, with the little vanilla smell of the babies. They have a diverse line we carry in terms of skin colors, so they appeal to all of our customers.”

Visibility and consumer education work together to drive sales in each of these categories. Olafsson relies heavily on social media to promote new products and educate viewers/customers about their various features. “Whether you like being on social media or not, that is the key,” she explained. “Whenever we get new shipments, we put it on social media. We’ll post

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