Top Selling Stickers at Zoo Gift Shops

What are the top-selling stickers at zoo gift shops? It not only depends on each location as to what types of stickers do best, but some gift stores find stickers are just not resonating with customers at all.

At the Big Bear Alpine Zoo in Big Bear Lake, Calif., Merchandising Manager Christine Bice said she finds this is the case. She observes hardly any interest in stickers among shoppers. “We really do not sell them. There is not much demand for them. We do have a few decals, but they are not a big thing for us.”

Like Bice, Tom Harvey, owner of Safari Zoological Park located in Caney, Kan., does not offer stickers in his store. He focuses instead on items that have plenty of appeal already, namely plush animals and T-shirts.

The sticker story is different at Zoo Montana in Billings, where Guest Services Manager Kathy Barton has just ordered a large number of new stickers. She can’t project as yet which ones will be the most popular overall, she noted. But there’s one thing she does know: “Top-sellers will most likely feature our animals on them. I had some car decals with silhouettes of our popular animals, and they did very well.”

Stickers are also important sellers at Wildlife Safari in Winston, Ore., according to Gift Shop Supervisor Crystal Banks. Banks is currently planning new designs for summer orders. Keeping sticker design fresh and positive is what is most important for sales, she said. ❖