Toymaster Touching Base

A helping hand

Toy World spoke to suppliers to find out how they go above and beyond to support independent toy retailers in the UK & Ireland, on everything from window display programmes to MOQs, demo stock to event support and more.

Nicola Bergot - UK managing director, Magic Box Toys

Although we’re a whole new team in the UK, we possess significant industry expertise including marketing, sales and dedicated customer services, and benefit from a great team of experienced field sales agents. We operate from a recently-opened UK office and our products ship from a UK warehouse operation too.

We offer independent retailers a low carriage paid order value, and we support that with really strong everyday margins. As we head to indie trade shows, those strong margins will be enhanced with special show offers, POS solutions and launch FSDUs.

Our brands, meanwhile, are supported with masses of content - webisodes, TV commercials, stop motion videos, influencer videos and more - and we’re launching dedicated social media channels for the UK too. Every brand has a full marketing campaign behind it too. And not just TV: we are totally focused on reaching young consumers and parents in every way possible and we will be punching well above our weight with our marketing efforts.

Taken as a whole, our 360-degree approach means Magic Box is now able to fully support and service its independent UK & Ireland customers.

Lewi Hillier - UK Sales & Operations director, Click Distribution

We’re very proud to be working with so many fantastic independent retailers across the UK & ROI. We offer a huge selection of the hottest and best-selling toys and collectibles licences in the World, all with a very small MOQ - just £250 carriage paid. Each of our retail partners have their very own dedicated account manager with whom they can discuss the next big thing, as well as access to our website, where customers can place orders 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In addition to our fantastic customer service and great range of exclusive products, we love to support all independent retailers with window displays, catalogue listings, TV/social media tags, free stock to giveaway to consumers and in-store events. For every order placed at the Toymaster Show this month, each independent retailer will be placed into a draw to have the chance to win possession of the Official Premier League Trophy for one day. The lucky winner will be able to display the trophy in their store, giving their loyal customers a very rare photo opportunity. Other prizes are available, so come and say hello at the show for more information.

Jeremy Pateman - General sales manager, Toys2Market

Toys2Market offers a very flexible and friendly service to independent retailers, an ethos we have built our business on.

We are more than happy to work with independent customers who require specific, bespoke window displays across our extensive product range, which spans construction toys, toy vehicles, soft toys, collectibles, puzzles and much more.

Our minimum order quantity is £150 ex. VAT United Kingdom and £300 ex. VAT in Ireland. We ship multiple lines to suit our customer in an economic way and are always happy to help with packages.

Toys2Market has a well-known team of sales agents which works alongside James Triptree, managing director, and myself. The company is focused on providing quality products and first-class service and has a reliable product supply that will keep your shelves full. Toys2Market can also provide staff to support events as well as demonstration and competition stock.

Additionally, with notice, Toy2Market can supply point of sale material for customers that wish to forge a lasting business relationship with us.

Mary Wood - General Manager UK & Ireland, Tomy

Tomy believes in supporting all its customers but takes a special pride in having a strong and ever-growing business with independent toy retailers. Both our brands and relationships have been nurtured and prioritised over our 40-year history here in the UK.

In terms of ranges, we do have some large, mass market brands, but we also have brands which are particularly strong with our specialist toy retailers which are both well-known and well supported. Heroes among them include Britains and Lamaze, as well as the ‘new kid on the specialist block’, Fatbrain.

Our relationships are as important as our brands. Kingsley Matthews, our sales director, is a diehard champion of the independent business within Tomy and is supported by a very dedicated field sales team of agents, who are, I believe, the best in the trade. Our customer service team, based in Exeter, is also extremely well versed in understanding the needs of these customers, many of whom have become friends with team members over the years. We believe in interacting directly with our independent customers, meaning we are accessible in person and don’t make them interact with some faceless, automated ordering process.

The Toymaster Show is a must-visit event in our calendar. We very much appreciate the opportunity to be able to meet again in person and share plans for new launches which we think will be a good fit for our Toymaster and independent customers.

Nicola Fox- Haggarty - Commercial director, UK Sales, Hasbro

Hasbro has worked closely in partnership with Toymaster and its members for a long time. Over the past few unprecedented years, we’ve had to review our strategy and work hard to stay connected with members. For example, we held our first-ever Hasbro virtual showcase in February and have also created virtual catalogues and virtual previews.

We continue to support Toymaster’s main media focus, getting behind the group’s catalogues and programme of window campaigns throughout each year. In addition, we run our own promotional calendar and FOB range in parallel. We provide our customers with Point of Sale material across our brands, create stand out in-store theatre and run events, demos and competitions where able to do so.

Since the end of 2021, our teams have been excited to be back on the road and visiting Toymaster members in their stores. Hasbro was also recently invited to attend the Toymaster Regional Shows. It was great to see members face to face again, and to take them through our lines in person.

The team is looking forward to attending the Toymaster May Show again in 2022, where we’ll be showing plenty of physical samples of our great new 2022 toys and games to Toymaster members.

Paul Dearlove - Marketing manager, Schleich UK & Ireland

First and foremost, Schleich supports its independents by supplying a variety of merchandising stands and solutions designed to make the point of purchase as attractive and eye-catching as possible, and effectively maximise sales. This includes branded fixtures and illuminated stands as well as bespoke instalments. We’re always open to discussing individual requirements with retailers, whether that be simple stands, window displays or giant animal models.

We also provide secondary promotional displays for incremental sales opportunities and prizes for competitions on an individual basis. In addition, we actively support our customers with catalogue features and window displays, again supplying bespoke window decoration sets.

Katy Fletcher - Head of Marketing and Product Development, Ravensburger

As a business whose games, puzzles and Brio range have seen strong growth in recent years, supporting independent toy retailers has always been at the forefront of our retail strategy, regardless of size. As a family business, something we’re immensely proud of, we understand the importance of ensuring strong partnerships with all, and of making all retailers feel they’re a part of the Ravensburger family.

In-store theatre is key to enabling our brands stand out when consumers walk into an area of a toy shop where they have a strong retail presence. An example of this is our hugely popular Brio train. This is superb for displaying product, delights toddlers and parents alike, and is bespoke to stores with which we have a long-term partnership. The success of the Brio train is further boosted by the broad Brio product range and strong sell-through.

Point-of-sale solutions are of year-round importance to us and our retail partners, particularly when it comes to games. Promotional consumer offers are often highlighted alongside product, and window displays, front-of-store promotions and new launch demonstrations by store-staff all add value when it comes to delivering strong sales.

With games, it’s key to use a variety of marketing assets at peak selling periods, in addition to those highlighted above, so that consumers are aware of the full value of a game and don’t require in-store staff to know every minute detail. Highlighting digital content to parents ensures they can download additional resources online that extend play and entertainment. This is complemented with bespoke videos and social media content (Facebook and Instagram) that we provide retailers for use as visual entertainment on in-store TV screens.

We know that events make a difference. Enabling children to play, engage and be entertained counts for everything. There’s nothing better than in-store play to ensure the best possible outcome for our independent toy retail partners.

Collectively, our sales and marketing teams make a concerted effort to ensure regular in-store visits: the time we have with the owners of independent toy retailers means we get honest and valuable feedback. This helps us deliver on their requests and drive that all-important consumer footfall.

Simon Prest - Sales director, Orchard Toys

We offer independent toy retailers free in-store point of sale materials including banners, header boards and shelf strips, enabling them to deliver strong Orchard Toys merchandising displays that are eye catching and engaging to the consumer, and help drive footfall and sales. For customers that are investing in sales promotions in-store, we also offer free promotional packs.

Events and calendar occasions provide a great retail opportunity for independents. We support indies with relevant and themed content and free in store activity sheets that they can utilise to piggyback on events, from Back to School to Bonfire Night and National Puzzle Day.

Amy Saunders - Sales director UK, Just Play

Supporting independent toy retailers is hugely important to us. They are the heart of the toy industry, keeping the traditional toy shop experience alive for all to enjoy. We are fully committed to further building strong collaborations and partnerships with the indie sector as we move through 2022.

Window opportunities add great value through increased awareness and visibility. This is not only invaluable to us but also to our licensor partners. To have your brand exposed on hundreds of high streets - you can only guess at the number of eyeballs that will see it. We want to help bring the theatre back to toys and toy stores, and we’re therefore working on experiential elements for our brands. Slinky is a good example of this. Not every store has stairs so we will provide some, allowing retailers to create in-store theatre, showcase our brands in an exciting way, and encourage their customers to get hands on with product. Independents are experts at creating lasting memories and we’re committed to supporting this in any way we can.

To help drive footfall, we like to offer exclusive products and first to market opportunities. This gives consumers good reasons to visit their local toy store, and in turn we receive additional support from the retailer. On top of the in-store theatre and exclusives we offer, we can also provide a vast range of digital assets. These help create a different kind of experience via digital and social media platforms. We love being able to tag Toymaster and its members in our online activations.

Speaking personally, I’ve worked with the independents for over 25 years and the relationships I’ve forged along the way are priceless. The insight gained through honest two-way communication is invaluable, and I cannot wait for Just Play to become a must-have supplier in the eyes of the stores we’re working with.

Adam Moore - Marketing communications manager, Playmobil

For Playmobil, independent toy specialists are at the heart of the toy industry. A trip to a local toyshop is such a special time for children and parents: they get to engage with not only the toys, but a whole toy brand and what it stands for. With this in mind, Playmobil makes sure it offers toy specialists an array of engaging in-store and brand activations to help them bring Playmobil to life.

Our dedicated Display & Merchandise team is available to activate all types of point of sale and displays to keep families engaged with Playmobil. From eye-catching stock location and bespoke window displays to till point solutions, our team really helps bring the brand to life in-store. Even the smallest of retailers can benefit from shelf strips, banners and flags. Alternatively, merchandising a Playmobil area makes sure the consumer journey is focused and easy.

Playmobil also offers a loyalty card programme which is exclusive to bricks & mortar stores in the UK and Ireland. The scheme helps promote collectability and drives consumers back to store again and again, maintaining both brand and retailer loyalty. As well as all this, we also have great giveaways such as activity and colouring sheets. These expand the brand and shop experience, even when kids are back at home.

We can activate our roadshows for the ultimate in-store experience. These are a great way to bring brand focus to stores and let parents experience first-hand all the Playmobil brand has to offer. Roadshows can include engaging elements such as pallet displays and interactive experiences, as well as interactive play tables that let kids discover what their favourite set might be.

There are all sorts of ways that Playmobil can help to bring the brand to life: talk to your local territory manager to find out more.

David Mordecai CEO - One For Fun

We work closely with Toymaster to ensure that we provide the best possible service to independent toy retailers, employing special business development managers in each area who can assess each retailer’s needs and assist with display options. Our customer service is exceptional, and the regular feedback we receive from independents reflects this. A low minimum order of £150 carriage paid is a major incentive to work with us too.

Our PR and marketing teams liaise with Toymaster to promote the Toymaster brand at the same time as promoting our products across all media outlets. A strong social media presence also assists retailers: we draw awareness to our products among consumers whilst also keeping the trade informed.

James Connolly - Sales and product development director, Mojo Fun

In August 2021, Mojo Fun launched its own UK-based distribution network. Since then, we’ve been listening to the concerns and expectations of many small and independent retailers. Those concerns and expectations are not difficult to address: they boil down to supplying quality products in a timely manner and being treated with respect.

As we approach our first Toymaster show, we do so with the following promise. Mojo will provide high quality products with a good depth of stock from our UK based warehouse. Fast order turnaround (within three days of order receipt) and quick delivery (within five days of order receipt) will be backed up with first class customer service. During the show we’ll also be offering an additional 5% discount and a free display for new accounts with orders in excess of £1,000, while existing customers spending £750 or more will receive an additional 5% discount.

More than anything, we want indie retailers to know that we’re nice people to do business with.

David Allan MD - Toynamics UK & Ireland

Toymaster Members are a very important audience to us and supporting them is key to our business. In addition to great product, our support packages are designed to drive independent sales. We believe that focusing on ranging Hape in store is key to the success of the brand within independent toy stores.

Florian Loh - Area sales manager, Northern Europe, Bruder

In general, and from a supplier´s perspective, it’s important for Bruder to maintain an enhanced level of availability in order to best serve its customers. This is especially true even in very challenging times such as those we’re seeing now, with regards to disrupted supply chains, increasing raw material and energy costs.

At the same time, Bruder is investing heavily in digital communication channels such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, guaranteeing an effective and state-of-the-art year round sales approach. This will really help boost sales at indie toy retailers in the UK and Ireland.

Kate Gibson - Managing director, Gibsons Games

We’re committed to supporting our independent retailers and have several initiatives just for them. This year, for the first time ever, we are producing an exclusive jigsaw puzzle for independents every quarter. Our loyalty card scheme remains popular: when customers buy six jigsaw puzzles from the same retailer they get the seventh free, encouraging loyalty to that retailer as well as the brand. In addition, we have special sale offers from time to time and great offers at trade shows. We also provide free ‘half cuts’, finished jigsaw puzzles perfect for wall displays. We love to promote our indie customers on our socials too, and to make ordering easy we have an online ordering portal. Of course, they also get the opportunity to buy from a supplier who predominantly manufactures in the UK.

Clive Wooster - Managing director, Geomagworld

We support them in a number of ways. Firstly, our array of POS solutions, demonstration trays and FSDUs allow indie toy specialists to show off all the fun and play value offered by Geomagworld. Secondly, we will have an exclusive Toymaster show offer to take advantage of, carefully tailored to the independent sector - all will be revealed in Harrogate. Finally, our modest carriage paid level means retailers can order little and often, as demand requires.

The Toymaster Show is a significant opportunity for Geomagworld to meet with its independent toy retailers. With their unrivalled ability to display and demonstrate our lines to consumers, indies are a key touchpoint for us.

Nikki Janowski - National account manager, Bladez Toyz

We work to offer relevant evergreen licences across a great range of products, designed to offer a point of difference at a great recommended retail price point. Bladez also offers a low minimum order value and low minimum order quantities, and delivers quickly and efficiently.

We pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service and believe in building strong relationships with our customers. We keep our retail partners informed and up to date about stock levels, new product launches, trade events and special offers.

Carmel Wright - Marketing manager, DKL-Beysal

DKL-Beysal prides itself on retail support. To bring our product range to life, we provide stock for in-store fun days. Fun days are always popular: they’re a proven way of attracting more consumers into stores.

We will be running several promotions throughout the year to support our retailers, one of which will be offering sample packs that shop owners can give away with each purchase. We also offer competition stock should retailers wish to host online or in-store competitions.

To further support retailers, we have relevant POS and will continue to ensure a timely flow of product.

Steve Asbey - National account manager, Cheatwell Games

Independent toy retailers have always been at the heart of everything we do here at Cheatwell. 2022 is no exception: we’re continuing to offer exceptional support. Aside from our exciting new games set for release in Q4, this spring/summer we’re launching numerous new impulse lines retailing for under £10, as well as shelf-ready POS solutions to highlight the ranges in-store. Promotions and incentives will run throughout the whole year, and this year’s Toymaster show deal is one of the strongest we’ve ever offered.

We’ve also maintained our 2021 pricing on all our pocket money toys and games in order to hit crucial retail price points, and despite the rising transport costs we have kept our carriage paid values and payment terms the same for both the UK and Ireland. It’s never been a better time to look closely at the Cheatwell offering.

Chris Beardmore - UK head of Sales, Learning Resources

Each year, Learning Resources launches over 100 innovative educational toys and games that help children learn through play. To help our Toymaster trade customers choose the right product mix for their markets, the Learning Resources sales agents are on hand to offer guidance in product selection and quantities.

Our sales agents regularly visit trade customers and maintain regular contact to share important brand updates. All our trade customers have access to the Learning Resources Marketing Resources Centre (MRC). Through this online portal, customers can access a wide array of marketing assets including product images for in-store and online use, product descriptions and brand guidelines.

Campaign-related assets and guidelines are also made available via the MRC to help our trade customers create their own fun in-store displays and activities to engage with shoppers each season. Our company also offers support in the form of prizes for in-store competitions and interactive events, as well as a library of free printables ideal for in-store activities. These are available to download from our website: www.learningresources.co.uk.