Special Feature - Talking Toy Fair

Making the most of Toy Fair

Toy Fair offers independent retailers in particular an unmissable chance to check out what’s coming in the year ahead, put themselves on the radar with some of the UK’s biggest and best toy suppliers, and network with friends and colleagues from across the country. Here, a selection of indies, as well as representatives from the BTHA, Toymaster and Playroom, reflect on what makes Toy Fair a must-visit show, how visitors and exhibitors can prepare, and what makes the indie sector so crucial to the success of the UK’s Toy industry.

Majen Immink - Head of Toy Fair

Toy Fair is the first opportunity of the year for UK retailers to view product demonstrations and get hands-on with thousands of toys and games, including many brand-new launches and lines for the year ahead, all under one roof. With more than 250 exhibiting companies in attendance, retailers have a plethora of stands to visit, showcasing a huge range of products from construction toys, plush, boardgames and puzzles, to tech toys, collectibles, dolls and vehicles, plus much more.

The 3-day event provides opportunity for networking and creating new business, whether that’s building on existing relationships or forging new ones. Retailers can also take advantage of an array of on-site retail offers available only to those who attend the show - including deals exclusive to independent retailers.

Our advice on making the most of Toy Fair is always to do your research, so you know exactly who is exhibiting and who you want to see, as well as plan your time at the show well in advance. Toy Fair is an incredibly busy event and the three days can go by very quickly. A lot of exhibitors will book meetings in advance, so we highly advise that retailers do the same as much as possible.

However, also make sure you leave some time in your diary to walk around the show; you never know what you might find. This year we’ve re-branded the Greenhouse, located in the Grand Hall, as the ‘Gold Zone’. In its 20th year, this is once again a hub of smaller and up-and-coming companies, with many looking to make their mark on the industry. Make sure you pay the area a visit.

On the Toy Fair website, you can find the extended Online Exhibitor List with company and product information as well as contact details to help plan your visit. The full exhibitor list and floor plan is available on the Toy Fair website: www.toyfair.co.uk

Paul Reader - Commercial director, Toymaster

Toy Fair is a great opportunity to get an overview of the market and make decisions about which suppliers to use for a particular range of products. It also allows retailers to see new products first-hand, so they don’t always have to rely on sales agents (who may or may not visit their store). The fair is a major showcase opportunity, and not just for the exhibitors; two or three days walking the aisles and meeting with suppliers will go a very long way towards putting an indie and their business on the radar of all the major toy companies. It’s a can’t miss event – alongside the Toymaster May Show, of course.

Planning is key to a successful trip. Indies will find that most of their top suppliers are on hand not only to present new products, but also to discuss any issues they may have. Discussing exit plans on slow lines is best done at the same time as considering new lines, so have your numbers and issues ready to go. Offering independent buying deals is a great way to encourage indies to pop onto stands and take a look around. They like nothing more than a good deal. I’d also urge suppliers to ensure product launches and availability are in line with the rest of the market. First-to-market opportunities sit well with independents and provide important early reads as well as feedback straight from consumers. Indies are a great place to road test new brands, whereas other retailers often decide their fate long before a line has been given a realistic chance.

It goes without saying (and has long been acknowledged) that indies are the backbone of the toy industry. They may not be a supplier’s No. 1 account, but they offer 12 months a year of valuable shelf space, have the best, most knowledgeable staff, and their expertise and service is second to none. Suppliers serious about helping indies not just survive but thrive are very welcome to find us at the show and discuss how working with Toymaster can help make this a reality. We are here to help.

Lisa Dyson - Games Crusade, Harrogate

Toy Fair is a great chance to regroup post-Christmas and begin planning for the year ahead. It’s great to have everything toy-related all in one space; at some fairs, you have to sift through companies that have no relevance to the toy industry. We also love the opportunity to catch up with industry colleagues and suppliers. Having your own business can feel relatively solitary, but at London Toy Fair it feels like you’re a part of something bigger.

We always hope to find something new that we can get excited about for the year ahead. Our store is known for its demonstrations so finding products that lend themselves to this is a key priority. We instinctively know what will work - and often it’s not the mainstream products. The hardest thing is seeing products that excite you, then having to wait until autumn/winter to get them in stock.

We only make a select few appointments at Toy Fair so that we’ve got time to discover new suppliers. Making a plan of key suppliers and their locations beforehand is a good idea so you don’t waste time covering the same ground. At the show, we gather all the relevant information and then place orders on our return. Suppliers often put on show offers, and usually they’re happy to honour the offer if the order is placed that week, which is well worth doing. We’ve learnt over the years to take lots of photos as invariably you see so many new products that you forget some. It’s always nice to flick through what you have seen on the train home as a reminder.

The show would be even more enjoyable if there were fewer closed stands and walk ins allowed. Sometimes you only hear about a product whilst you are actually at the show, but if you haven’t made a prior appointment, some stands won’t allow you to look around. This seems counter-productive - in a tough economic climate, these suppliers are reducing their number of potential customers. We also find minimum order requirements for some companies are too high; reducing the threshold for show orders would encourage smaller businesses to try new ranges.

The independent sector is crucial because it brings variety to the high street offering. Indie retailers have the time and passion to demonstrate and learn about new products and can be great advocates for them. They also tend to be active on social media, meaning additional marketing to a more localised audience.

Sarah Gooding - Gulliver’s Toys & Gifts, Edinburgh

Toy Fair offers us a first-hand look at the latest toy trends, product launches and upcoming best-sellers from many different suppliers, both mainstream brands and smaller, more niche ones. Seeing products and demos in the flesh, and receiving samples, helps give us the confidence that the products are right for our customers. Toy Fair is also an amazing opportunity to build relationships and engage directly with our suppliers and other retailers, which is sometimes hard given our location in Scotland.

Our aim is to explore new products and trends; ones that excite us, that won’t just get plopped on the shelves but enthusiastically shown off to our customers. We don’t just go for what’s trending and new. We’re open to toys that are perhaps a little different, focus more on sustainability, for example, or traditionally styled toys in keeping with the style and vibe of our shop. Ultimately, Toy Fair is a chance to refresh our offering, find inspiration and gain a better insight into the ever-expanding, exciting world of toys.

If you’re attending, my advice is to plan ahead. Toy Fair is very large, and time passes very quickly. It’s best to have a list of stands you want to visit and mark them on the map. At the same time, be open to discovery. Leave time to explore and discover unique suppliers you might not have heard of before. Taking plenty of notes and photos is great way to stay on top of everything you’ve experienced while at the fair. It can rapidly get overwhelming and by the time you’ve visited a few stalls you’ll have received a lot of info; it’s just good practice to jot down little reminders to refer back to. And lastly, don’t be afraid to ask plenty of questions. Toy Fair is diverse, with people coming from all over and from very different businesses and backgrounds. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to the relationship between buyers and suppliers, so be sure to ask about ways suppliers can tailor things to better suit your needs, such as lower MOQs and mix & match lines.

Suppliers: making your product details, pricing and order terms clear and easy to access is incredibly helpful and enables us to make informed decisions more efficiently. It also allows us to explore stands and products independently; it can be frustrating when all the info is only accessible via a member of staff. As a smaller business, it’s challenging to take time away from the business for the full three days, so time is more limited for us and unfortunately, we can't have an appointment with everyone. A hybrid experience of both independent and guided exploration would be the best of both worlds.

We love receiving takeaway samples and demo products, and we utilise these products as display items in our shop to help our customers engage more with what they’re buying.

Independent toy retailers bring a personal and magical touch that larger chains just can’t replicate. Our hands-on, knowledgeable approach helps us develop meaningful relationships with our customers. We get to know our community, and this is reflected in in the way we recommend and showcase products to them. We understand the joy and wonderment that toys can bring, and we all want to invoke that feeling in our customers.

Trade shows like Toy Fair provide an opportunity for us to connect directly with suppliers, learn about new and unique products, and also gain insights that allow us to stay competitive. When independents are well-represented at such fairs, it helps maintain a healthy balance in the industry. We can offer consumers variety and help preserve the magic of the independent toyshop. This diversity helps keep the UK toy market more passionate – and more competitive.