Talking Shop

Pulling out all the shops

Our indies tell Marianna Casal how the year is going for them so far and what they are looking forward to this summer, among 2023’s steady stream of new products and a packed slate of blockbuster movie releases.

Steve Kerrison - Kerrison Toys, Norwich

This year started strong, but footfall dropped after Easter and has been a bit quieter than usual. We are still seeing some effects of the cost-of-living crisis, but I hope the summer holidays will be more positive. We are planning some instore events for the summer which will bring in customers and help drive sales; events such as make & takes, colouring competitions, game demos and character visits. Playmobil character visits are always a draw, and we would love to see Freya Chocolate Rabbit from Sylvanian Families. We have a lot of great quick-play games instore which would be great to demo and get into people’s hands, such as Asmodee’s Dobble.

In the first quarter of the year, Lego and Pokémon have been flying, and Playmobil, MGA’s Miniverse, Squishmallows and pocket money toys are also great sellers. New movies this year have stimulated a lot of sales and there are more summer launches to look forward to that we expect to push particular brands. Following the Transformers: Rise of the Beasts premiere, we saw our action figures and collectibles perform really well for a couple of weeks. Hasbro increased the price of Transformers products and due to the number of collectors, people were prepared to accept the new price points. Hasbro’s Spider-Man action figures sales have also surged after the release of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

We expect that the Barbie movie this month will boost Barbie sales generally, even though there are no specific toy launches, and we also have a great action figure selection for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, ready for the film in August. In light of Disney’s centenary, the new Disney minifigures have been popular and with the recent rise in temperature, sales have increased in outdoor toys, garden items, paddling pools and slides.

For the second half of the year, it seems as though Bitzee is the product that everyone is getting behind. We have heard from US toy retailer Rick Derr that it has got off to an amazing start in the States, so hopefully it will receive the same reception here in the UK. There is also a new Little Live Pets launch – the range sells well so we will be bringing in a new dog which I expect to be in demand as an exciting new Christmas present.

The million-dollar question is what the second half of the year will look like. We are all waiting to see if interest rates rise and if energy prices will change. Food prices still seem to be rising, so it’s quite unpredictable to know how much people will be willing to spend this year at Christmas. I am expecting our Christmas Club to be a lifeline for more parents this year, enabling them to put money to one side each month towards presents. Budgeting is at the forefront of more people’s minds, and I hope that we can help people.

As an independent store owner, all I can hope for is that we receive the same loyalty and support we give to our suppliers. There are a lot of products independent stores simply can’t stock that our customers want. Toy companies need to remember that we support them through thick and thin, and it’s great when they support us in return and help us to get the stock we need. At the end of the day, we are dedicated to supporting our suppliers. Without them, we don’t have a business whereas all the supermarkets and value stores don’t really need toys; it doesn’t matter to them if they destroy price points. My message to suppliers would be ‘support the independents, and we’ll support you no matter what!’

Steve Weston - JJ Toys , Gerrards Cross

In 2023, sales have been driven by plush. Squishmallows and Ty in particular have really exceeded our expectations. The age range is interesting – the market has shifted to include teenagers and young adults who seem to be very much enjoying collecting plush.

Footfall has been a bit down, but the average spend per customer is higher. People are more conscious of their budget and considered about their spending, prioritising better-quality items. As this is something JJ has always been about, high quality items rather than trying to stock everything, we’re perfect to cater to that trend. We still carry a selection of pocket money items which will always sell as pick up lines, but we have found the £35- £50 price point goods are what is making up the bulk of sales. Pokémon is still absolutely huge, and Lego is a very solid part of our business. These lines need little promotion or price offers, but our customers have welcomed things like Commotion plush bundles too, where they can see they are getting value.

We introduced Funko Pop! last year which has been very successful. A brand which has seen a strong resurgence lately is Hot Wheels, which is very popular. It’s also good to see the impact of films on sales is returning, in fact anything media-led always sells well. Spider-Man and Transformers licensed products have been in great demand, and we have Paw Patrol merchandise in ready for the upcoming movie. Things kids watch on YouTube also fall under this category, and nowadays it’s how companies like MGA keep its brands fresh. L.O.L. Surprise! is another bestseller, with a range that keeps on diversifying. I love what they’ve done with the new Mini sets.

The recent hot weather has sparked a huge spike in paddling pool sales, in fact in all kinds of outdoor toys. We have ordered gel blasters to add to the range, which we will ensure are sold to the right age group.

Our community in Gerrards Cross, which has a population of 8,000 people, is a huge part of our business. We work closely with the local schools; we donate toys for school fetes and offer our large gazebo when they need it. The town’s Picnic in the Park event is coming up in July, where we have a big stand and can get out there and interact with the community. We like to collaborate with brands to offer our customers extra reasons to visit the store, events such as a visit from Pepper Pig always go down well.

We are working on strengthening our social media presence, marketing and ecommerce. We’re starting to do some email campaigns this summer. This will improve our communication with the community, letting them know about new products coming to the store. We began experimenting with Instagram last year and it has been absolutely superb. We have a very good following and as soon as we post a new product, people buy it faster than before. We’ve been experimenting with a small website but are about to become part of a bigger website, Yipp-e, a site for independent retailers. We have always offered click and collect but will now also have a delivery option. We hope this will give customers an alternative to shopping with the big guys.

Sales are up from last year and the year before that, so if we continue in that direction, we will be in for a good Q3 and Q4.

We are already looking towards Christmas and are very excited about Bitzee from Spin Master. We have high hopes for this product; it was the standout at the Toymaster May Show. The popularity of digital toys seems to be growing and, although right now people are buying toys to use outside in the sunshine, we are preparing for when the weather begins to cool down and considering more digital products to bring in.

John Bentley - Howleys Toymaster, Weymouth

It was a challenging start to the year, but the last half term was very encouraging as new ranges such as Pokémon, Squishmallows and Hot Wheels came in – sales really started to pick up.

We’re feeling confident about pushing forward into the summer months which is our peak season. We have a strong beach and garden selection because all our stores – also in Dorchester and Bridport – are close to the seafront. Thanks to the recent heatwave, paddling pool sales have gone crazy, and with kids around on holiday or on days out, beach gear is selling well. We take summer very seriously in all our shops and are always prepared with lots of stock. We have everything for fun in the sunshine, from paddleboards and sandpits to buckets & spades and kites – no stone is left unturned.

The heatwave has been fantastic, although not so much for our staff who need to be carrying boxes. But the sun puts customers in a happy mood – especially when they’re on holiday – which makes them more willing to spend.

One difference we’ve seen this year is that jigsaws, model trains and games have continued to sell into spring and summer, rather than dropping in sales after winter when everyone begins to go outdoors. People are continuing these sort of interests all year round now. And plush, which used to be quite seasonal or primarily in the infant category, is now popular all round. This is in part thanks to the Squishmallows craze, although licensed plush such as Jazwares’ Pokémon, as well as Ty Beanie Babies, continues to be in high demand.

The 100 Years of Disney mini figures are selling well. We see steady sales from collectibles such as Funko Pop and, unsurprisingly, Lego continues to be a bestseller year after year.

We like to support new products, but we also need to keep in mind our key buying strategy, ordering products that we are confident will suit our customer base and will sell well. Margin is an issue, and we have to be selective to achieve workable profit. Recently, we’ve taken delivery of new lines from Schleich, L.O.L. Surprise! which is still a bestseller, and Disney products because of the 100 years celebration. There are new Hot Wheels in store; it’s one of our best buy brands and we like to keep the selection fresh, and Tech Deck is also selling well.

With a small team and small stores, we don’t have room for big in store events, but we attract customers with our friendly, helpful service and front of house impact. We have plenty of things going on in the shop so customers can see the products to their best advantage, and cheerful music makes it a fun place to be.

At the moment, our focus is on the busy summer period, but we have begun to place orders for later in the year. We’ll be bringing in Bandai anime – we’re looking to build the presence of anime in the store – One for Fun’s pocket money range, which is good all year round but also works well for stocking fillers, and Golden Bear. We try to carry a wide range of lines, from the big players like Hasbro, Mattel, Spin Master and Lego down to smaller companies, which we love to support.

Despite the expected difficulties this year for any retailer, we’ve got the experience and heritage to rise to any challenge. We have a loyal following in each of our stores, and staff who know their customers. I’m happy that we have a range of products people want to buy, and we continue our success by keeping an eye on our overheads as well as waste and margins. If we can deliver an increase on sales, we will get through the year with no problems.