Talking Shop

Talking Shop It’s showtime!

Indies told us what they value the most about being a Toymaster member and what they’re hoping to get out of the May Show this year.

Carl Blatcher - JAC Stores, Ramsey, Isle of Man

JAC Stores is a proud member of the Toymaster group and there are quite a few perks that have huge benefits. These include central invoicing, the marketing side of things - windows and catalogues, the FOB programme and access to consolidated purchase/sales data from across the group, to help us assess if we’re missing anything that other members are doing well with. If I had to choose one, I would say the centralised invoicing system, which is really easy to use and is a huge time saver. We make one payment to Toymaster, as opposed to individually to each of the many suppliers we deal with. Ultimately, this helps keep staff costs down and creates a better utilisation of staff member’s time.

Being able to deal with Zuru via Toymaster is a huge opportunity. It has a really strong range and Snackles in particular has been a best-selling line for us in the past year. There are some new Christmas options coming that Toymaster is facilitating through its FOB programme, which I think will be really strong. My top selling Squishmallows are always the seasonal lines for Easter, Halloween and Christmas, so I expect the Christmas Snackles to be equally popular and be an additional opportunity on top of the rest of the Zuru range.

The Toymaster Show is the last chance to see products before we start selecting the range for autumn/winter and place orders for Christmas. Seeing the product in person makes a huge difference as you can see the size, quality, packaging etc, which you can't get a real feel for when you're just looking at a digital catalogue. These factors can drastically affect your purchasing decision. There are always lots of brilliant deals to be had at the May show, and that helps with the margin issues we’re all facing. It’s also always a really enjoyable and useful way to catch up with both suppliers and members. Product wise, you can find out what’s working for other members that you might not have tried - and share what’s not working. It’s also interesting to discuss general business challenges you are experiencing, and you might just find a solution by speaking to another member who has gone through similar difficulties.

Whilst I like to stay positive, I think there a few challenges this year. The biggest one is that there is still harsh pricing activity in the market, which is affecting margins, all whilst we are battling rising costs across the board, with the main one being labour costs. Another challenge is continuing to drive footfall throughout the year. We could really do with a craze to help drive some extra footfall; there hasn’t really been any major craze to go after for a while. But if we keep focusing on bringing in the latest, new products at the right prices and holding in-store events as and when we can, footfall will follow.

Simon Steel - Toy City, Wood Green, London

Aperk of being a Toymaster member is being able to utilise the teams expert supply chains and the opportunities being a member presents us. Each year, I attend two regional Toymaster meetings, the May Show and London Toy Fair. The regional meetings are great because they’re local and there are certain conversations that you can have there that you can’t always have in the bigger meetings. The last Toymaster meeting I attended was in March for the autumn/winter buying programme. After the meetings, the team send further emails with more information on what we had discussed, and it feels a lot more personal and exclusive that way. I think if you’re not a part of this as a smaller retailer, then you’re missing out.

This is my nineth year at the May Show and I think it is wonderful. It all takes place in a great hotel up in Harrogate, is an opportunity to get a lot of work done in a short space of time - and there are great social events in the evening where

we get to catch up with old friends and meet new people. In the earlier part of the year, there are a lot of previews, but when you go to the May Show, seeing the products in the flesh and ready to place orders, everything comes together. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to see anyone that you’ve missed at past meetings or shows, or who hasn’t had the opportunity to visit our shop; it’s important to have a catchup with them.

2023 was an indifferent year because there was a lot of price crashing, so coming into this year, I’m being relatively cautious. Some suppliers’ prices are coming down – but not everyone’s, making it a bit of a mixed bag. That’s where I see the challenges this year. There are lots of opportunities with certain suppliers who are prepared to help us because they see what we are doing and how it is beneficial to them and to the consumer. I like to get to the May/June period to see how I’m going to approach Q3 and Q4. As this is right around the time of the Toymaster Show, it’s excellent timing.

Jean and Heather Hodgins - Hopkins Toymaster, Wicklow Town, Co Wicklow

We find TIMS and central billing through Toymaster to be the most beneficial aspect to being a Toymaster member. It is very convenient to have all suppliers’ invoices in one place and there is a vast amount of information readily available regarding our purchase history, breakdowns and statistics. It's also very easy to manage invoicing issues and claims, and keep track of discrepancies.

The May Show is the most important event for us in the year. We can meet all our suppliers in one place and see new product ranges. It's essential to view, handle and demonstrate new toys so we can understand the quality before purchasing, and it’s also a great buying opportunity, maximising the show deals. We have back-to-back appointments made for each day to utilise our precious time in the most efficient way. It is also the time to meet and chat with other members.

As with all brick-and-mortar retailers, we have seen a huge increase in the costs of our overheads and the rate of pilferage. However, the single biggest challenge we face is to maintain our margin to combat rising costs, all while remaining competitive on price and range. Additionally, the value of carriage paid orders to Ireland has increased dramatically since Brexit, which has impacted when and how often we can order.

For independents, it is hugely important to be able to be flexible, to duck and dive in and out of hot licences, toys, etc, and the increased carriage restrictions mean we are less able to respond to best-sellers and provide as quick a service to customers requests. We maintain a strong relationship with all at Toymaster and we know that they are working closely with suppliers to have these rates lowered, and are always fighting our corner regarding pricing.

Emma Dadswell - Toys N Tuck, Southend-On-Sea, Essex

TIMS is such a beneficial asset to Toys N Tuck. This is the invoice management system that Toymaster operates, meaning that rather than individually paying each of our suppliers, we just pay Toymaster in one consolidated payment and they do the rest of the work. It may seem a bit of a boring perk to highlight, but this is a massive time saver on our end and means we can focus on more fun stuff.

I always enjoy the Toymaster May Show because it’s relaxed and the suppliers all have time for you. They want to speak to you about your business and needs. Toy Fair in London is great to see product, but it’s very appointment based, whereas the May Show is all about the independents’ needs - and you feel that. We get some of our best in-store support and deals out of conversations had at this show.

This year, as ever, the struggle is making a profit and standing out in such a competitive market. Toymaster is always looking to support its members by negotiating better margin mixes, which is something we need to make sure that we are able to compete with nationals. Toymaster does its best to secure the right deals, exclusives and early launches for us to feature in our stores, catalogues and window features throughout the year, adding extra opportunities for us to show our customers that we have the right products at the right prices.

Running an independent business can feel isolated, as there is often nobody that you can often ask for advice, but Toymaster fills that gap; they are always happy to have a chat on the phone, or even pop by the store to personally catch up and offer advice where they can.

Kate Hateley - Brigg Garden Centre, Brigg, North Lincolnshire

It’s difficult for me to name just one advantage of Toymaster membership. However, as garden centres and not your average toy shop, using Toymaster as a supportive platform for help plan our ranges is vital. Being guided by Toymaster in ensuring we have the key categories covered in our toy departments helps to ensure we cater for our wide customer base.

The May Show provides all the key suppliers in one great venue. It is so well organised and is without a doubt a significant start to our buying calendar for Christmas. Meeting existing and potential new suppliers, as well as viewing ranges for our key trading period, all in a few days, feels very productive as well as enjoyable.

Last Christmas, we were hit by all the pricing activity that happened from the bigger retailers, so there will be a shift for us this year, and we will be more selective when it comes to ranging. Our pastimes collections are doing really well, as the demand for crafting and hobbies continues to grow, so we will be looking to extend this area. Toymaster will play an important part in helping us achieve this.

Alan Marquis - Wharf Post Office & Gift Store, St Ives, Cornwall

Defining a single Toymaster perk is difficult. There are so many, but if we were to break it down to one key word it would have to be information. This could be new product launches, purchase data analysis, the Toymaster forum or the regional meetings where we get the chance to speak to other members and share stories, have a general moan and share our sales successes. It is all so valuable.

This is the perfect time to stock up on some amazing new products as we enter our busiest time of the year. July and August are our Christmas down here in Cornwall, so we have to get it right, and Toymaster gives us the perfect window of opportunity to get things right at the time that is best for us.

At the May Show, the golf day on the Monday is a must, as is the chance for afternoon tea at Betty’s –and of course, the Toymaster evenings at the Majestic are legendary. The challenge is to stay up until the bacon sandwiches are handed out, although I personally think this is a thing of folklore as I have never managed it yet.

This year, the squeeze on customer spend is a problem, but with all the information on hand from Toymaster, we can adjust our stock holding and product range accordingly.

Helen Bellenie - Toys N Trends, Whitstable, Kent

If I had to pick one perk of being a Toymaster member, it would be the Toymaster Portal. We’re able to access such a vast number of suppliers, agents, new products and informative advice through the Toymaster member forum, with reminders of upcoming events, promotions and the brilliant central invoicing system (TIMS), all at the touch of a button. Monthly invoices are rolled into one each month. With all this in mind, we can give more time to planning in-house events, social media, merchandising efficiently and having fun.

With the smaller, more personal and vast selection of supplier stands, showcasing fantastic offers for current and future purchases and including what’s in-store for the remainder of the year, the Toymaster May Show is an unmissable show to attend. There’s such a warm welcome and excellent communication from Toymaster to plan your stay, as well as a great buying experience from beginning to end.

The cost-of-living crisis is still very much out there; this, plus the unsettled weather and seasons, is causing us to re-think what we would normally purchase, as well as how much, at certain times of the year. With the busier times ahead, we are looking forward to mixing things up to ensure we offer affordability. This is where the Toymaster Portal comes into its own.

Carol Glennon - Fagan Toymaster, Mullingar, Co Westmeath

There are a number of perks to the Toymaster membership that I find are great for our store. However, the support from all of the guys at Toymaster, along with interaction and advice from other members, is priceless.

The May Show is vital for meeting reps face to face, the avail of show offers and to view what the different suppliers think are going to be the top toys for the autumn/winter. It’s also a great opportunity to meet companies that are new to dealing with Toymaster and see if they have anything that we have a gap for and are missing in our store. In regard to challenges that lie ahead this year, as always, we are making sure that we remain competitive with the majors. The Toymaster group is extremely supportive in organising promotional events and offering products from our suppliers to help with this challenge.

Andrew Olley - City Cycle Centre, Ely, Cambridgeshire

There is a massive amount of experience and knowledge in the Toymaster organisation. To be able to pick up a phone and have a conversation whenever you need, with the Head Office or other stores, gives you a huge amount of confidence. I've never known anyone at Toymaster be anything other than helpful, on the ball and super-friendly.

I love the venue in Harrogate for the May Show and I love the show's friendly atmosphere. Above everything else, I love the fact that it's a proper Buying Show. The second half of the year lies just ahead, with Christmas in the distance but within sight. It is the ideal time to set in place the ordering for the rest of the year, and any supplier not offering a proper incentive to encourage this is missing out. The show is always really well run and it's great to catch up with everyone. The May Show is unmissable because, often, the year hinges on these few days.

We've been trading as a department store for over 50 years and I'm very fortunate to still be able to talk regularly to one of the founders of the business. With all those years of experience to draw on, you’d think that he would have seen everything, but he says in all that time there has never been a dull moment. He wisely advises that meticulous preparation is important, but being prepared and able to change your plans at a moment’s notice is crucial. He's very old now, but he's got a point!

Donard McGreevy - McGreevy's Toys District, Westport, Co Mayo

For me, the single biggest perk of being a Toymaster member is TIMS. It cut out time dealing with several different suppliers and has reduced the amount of time I spend on admin. Having just one invoice in the month is a huge benefit for me. The May show is unmissable as it gives me time to meet all my suppliers and discuss everything with them face to face. I get a chance to see new products and benefit from supplier deals they are offering. It’s also a good opportunity to meet and discuss both setbacks and opportunities with other members.

This year will be challenging as prices remain higher for us on some branded toys compared to leading toy retailers. As consumer spend has decreased, it will be a challenge to buy right, but getting a successful product and margin mix is crucial. Toymaster has helped as they give a huge amount of information on which products are selling the best. This is key information and it’s important to tap into it. I think the key to success this year will be in offering value for money for my customers.