News

22.04.2020 // Take care of your business!

Stores are closed, pedestrian areas are deserted, and online shops are booming. The current circumstances we find ourselves in because of the coronavirus are changing people’s shopping habits. But this will also pass in time, stores will re-open and city centres will be bustling with life once again. Use this time until the first costumers return to your store to work on your business.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE FIRST IMPRESSION

There are always things that are put into cold storage. Firstly, because you don’t have the time to take care of them, and secondly, because your focus is on your customers and their needs. Currently, no customers can come to your store, but this has a silver lining: time. Make good use of it. For example, when was the last time you completely and thoroughly cleaned your store? Clear out the shelves, take care of the hardest to reach spots and make everything shine. Your customers will feel the difference.

SAY GOODBYE AT LONG LAST

Trending products‘ lifespans are getting shorter and shorter. What was all the rage yesterday may evoke indifference today. That makes planning your purchases difficult. Nevertheless, you should get rid of once-trendy products in due time and move your attention towards the future. Definitely check out the last tip for this: residual inventory is great for a sale campaign on social media. And by the way, keep your eyes peeled on social media, because most trends are born there.

TIME FOR A MAKEOVER

Surprise your regular customers and rearrange your store. You will be impressed by the positive effect rearranging your displays, putting a carpet in the entrance area or using different decorative elements can have. There are certainly retailers near you that offer such products for you to pick up or to order online. Don’t forget your shop windows either. Your store may be closed, but don’t let it become invisible.

THE GREAT ADVANTAGE OF BRICK AND MORTAR RETAIL – THE EMPLOYEES

Social contact has been reduced to a minimum, which is moving many purchases to the internet. But that contradicts with our human nature. Isn’t everyone longing for contact to other people, interacting with each other and simply being with one another? Fulfil this wish by training your employees. Use one of the many free video conference options such as Google Hangouts or Zoom. In doing so, everyone can be kept up to date from their computer at home and – what is even more important - personal contact to your team is maintained. Each customer should be warmly welcomed, and in addition to giving advice, you should take the time for a little chat. Your employees ought to know that especially when you reopen your store, it is paramount that each and every customer feels appreciated. Your customers for sure will tell their friends about their positive experience in your store. Use the power of word-of-mouth marketing.

OFFER MORE THAN JUST WARES

You want people to talk about you even more? Then you should inspire your customers with fresh ideas. Theme nights and creative sessions in your store will not only make you a trendsetter, but also promote the sales of the advertised products. Provide your store as a meeting point and offer your customers real experiences. You can of course use recent and new arrivals as the theme, but why not put a real classic in the spotlight? Start now by planning your next game night. Whether it’s about board and card games for the whole family or to serve as inspiration for children’s wish lists for Christmas – whatever makes customers happy.

STILL NOT ENOUGH?

With brick and mortar stores now being closed, people are spending even more time with their smartphones. Use this time to your advantage and position yourself and your store on the relevant social media channels. Facebook and Instagram have a strong presence through which you can reach most of your customers. Post pictures of the measures you are taking in your store, make people curious of what is to come after your reopening. Draw attention to your current inventory and theme nights you are planning by posting about them and advertising them with the chat function. In doing so, you are personally available to your customers and create virtual togetherness. The time in which your shop remains closed does not have to be lost completely. Use these tips and your business will profit from them when normality has returned. Make your shop ready for "famished customers". We will make it through this crisis together if everyone in the industry holds together.

10.04.2020 // Have a wonderful Easter!

20.03.2020 // The endless appeal of board games

Social play in order to escape screen time There are several reasons behind the renaissance of board games:

Firstly, there is a fundamental benefit of board gaming that is genuinely timeless. People are social animals, we live in/interact with other people around us. Sometimes this social interaction needs an aid or a prop to keep things fresh, to avoid any bickering or other negativity and to have fun with family and friends. This is the fundamental purpose of board games – social facilitation. Technology has not taken this benefit of board games away or delivered it any better to date.

Secondly, society and people in general are now struggling to combat the reality of excess screen time – staring at small screens all day is not such a positive thing in terms of lifestyle, social cohesion and eyesight among other things. Therefore, the toy industry as a whole and board games specifically are benefiting from their deployment as an antidote to screen time – both for our children and for ourselves! Parents nowadays struggle to get their kids off devices, in fact many children would be looking at tablets all day if left to themselves.

Board games and toys in general offer play patterns which are perceived by the majority of parents to be more worthy and more positive. The more we come to rely on/be hooked on these devices, the stronger this counter reaction becomes. In reality, that doesn’t mean parents succeed in using board games to get their children off screens, but it is a definite purchase driver, even if usage doesn’t always follow purchase!

New game concepts make games a relevant medium

Thirdly, we have a much healthier, much broader array of board games available to us today than we did say ten years ago.

The glorious fact about this massively powerful trend is that it is still in the infancy stage – look forward to many more games pushing the boundaries to come – that ‘staleness’ that permeated parts of the board games industry some time back is thankfully long gone.

06.03.2020 // Happy Women's Day!

04.03.2020 // March 2020 - interesting toy events at a glance.

These dates for the toy industry you should remember in March 2020!

01.03.2020 Children's DayNew Zealand

04.03.2020 - 05.03.2020 AIMPLAS - Seminar Biopolymers and Sustainable Composites Valencia, Spain

06.03.2020 Internationale Spieleerfinder-Messe Haar, Germany

10.03.2020 - 11.03.2020 Amazonworld Convention Munich, Germany

10.03.2020 - 11.03.2020 POS connect - Retail Messe Munich, Germany

11.03.2020 ECO TOY DAY - AEFJ & AIJU Madrid, Spain

16.03.2020 - 17.03.2020 Licensing Leadership Summit 2020 New York, USA

17.03.2020 Children's Day Bangladesh

22.03.2020License Global - ASD Gift Show Las Vegas, USA

08.01.2020 // Why adults represent a relevant target group for traditional toys.

We are all familiar with the joy on children’s faces as they leave a toy store the proud owner of a new toy. But our enjoyment of playthings does not end on entering adulthood. In some markets, the purchasing power of "kidults" is growing.

Most toys are made for children but bought for them by adults. So there is nothing unusual about adults, whether parents or relatives, buying toys. Adults buying toys for themselves is not a new phenomenon either. However, there is still lots of potential here for the toy sector to produce and market traditional toys aimed specifically at adults.

Kidults range across many age categories. Taking a look at the purchasing power of various age groups, however, the Millennials (18–34 year olds) account for around half of the spend among adults buying toys for themselves, followed by Generation X (35–54 year olds) at around a third. 18 percent of the Baby Boomer generation (55 years+) buy toys for themselves. Adults without children spend more money on toys for themselves than adults with children, and are also more likely to buy on impulse, for instance when browsing in a toy department.

STILL YOUNG AT HEART

Scientists have long known that play is not a childish pursuit, but a creative one, encompassing board games, outdoor play, challenging building block projects, meticulously detailed model trains and much more. Some adults see playing with toys as the antithesis to growing old. Keeping active takes on increasing importance as we age, and so does having fun. Playing with toys is simply a welcome diversion from working life for some, but a passionate long-term leisure pursuit for others. People are also happy to spend a bit more money on this kind of recreational activity.

The term kidults is more commonly applied to men. This is hard to justify, considering women are just as interested as men in finding enjoyable diversions. However, the impression remains that the more costly toys in particular with lots of technical bells and whistles are mainly purchased by men and also specifically marketed to them. Model construction and hobby toys as well as model trains are considered male domains, but tech toys also tend to fascinate men more than women.

Meanwhile, traditional creative pastimes such as painting, handicrafts and crocheting are seen more as female pursuits. However, there is so much variety when it comes to toys that typical gender-based preferences are actually only apparent in individual areas.

The increasing enthusiasm among adults for toys is surely also attributable in part to the DIY trend, which can be seen in the hardware and other sectors. There is an inexorable boom in this area – thanks to the Internet as well. Doing things for ourselves and following assembly instructions are just part of the appeal. Even more so, DIY has become a means of personal and creative development, allowing us to actively reshape parts of our life and giving us the freedom to frame our own rules.

PRODUCTS FOR KIDULTS

A few toy manufacturers have recognised the potential of this "big kid" target group. And it certainly matters that adults have bigger budgets than kids when it comes to buying toys.

However, the companies must also satisfy the higher standards of grown-up consumers and try out new approaches to product design and marketing in order to offer this target group attractive toys.

24.12.2019 // Happy Holidays!!!!!

18.12.2019 // Happy St. Nicholas Day!

St. Nicolas day in Ukraine.

This holiday is celebrated annually on 19 of December. It is one of the most beloved children's holidays. Its significance is quite large, with this connected with a huge number of temples, named after this saint.

St. Nicholas was the patron saint of farmers, sailors, fishermen, traders, sick, poor and children. The peasants prayed to him so that the Saint would protect them from dangers.

The traditions of this holiday are borrowed from other countries. Germany first began to celebrate the day of Nicholas (December 6). Students of church schools on that day were treated to sweets. After a while, the holiday passed from schools to each house. Obedient children waited for gifts and disobedient one’s birches.

Ukrainian children waited for the arrival of Nicholas on the night of 18 to 19 December. In different regions the place of the gift is different. In Western Ukraine, children find gifts in shoes, and in the east under the pillow.

St. Nicholas, according to popular beliefs, cooks all night for children. He bakes a star biscuit that looks like him.

Now in each family of our country, the child receives a gift for the St. Nicholas Day. In addition, the traditions of this holiday are honored in every school and kindergarten. Children receive as gifts not only sweets but other pleasant souvenirs and gifts.

The nights on St. Nicholas are attributed to magical properties. If a person makes a wish this night, it will come true.

11.12.2019 // How the toy industry can respond to the smartphone generation.

The children from the smartphone generation represent a great opportunity for the toy industry. There is no reason to be scared or worried when thinking about this generation, as there are tons of good ideas the industry can embrace when offering a toy that could be really appealing. One of the most important things to consider is to understand the differences that distinguish them from previous generations.

TRUE DIGITAL NATIVES

The current generation of children is a generation that has been exposed to new technologies basically from birth. They are true digital natives with a very early exposure to technology. For children today, the distinction that adults make between technological and traditional toys is not that clear. For them, both are playthings. This generation of children is getting used to playing in a way in which they can, for instance, build something with bricks in the real world and then expand the experience digitally. And they get excited playing in both worlds. That is why offering good combinations of games that involve both conventional and digital options is a great way to reach them. For both manufacturers and retailers, it is relevant to be constantly aware of the new possibilities the latest technology can offer. Nowadays, it’s good to have in mind advances in technology such as virtual and augmented reality, holograms, robots, 3D printing, immersive projections, and so on.

EXPLORE THE WORLD WITH ALL SENSES

However, one aspect that has to be considered is that parents are increasingly worried about the negative impact that the exposure to new technology has on their children. Parents will appreciate technological toys that encourage children to be active, play outside and have contact with nature and other children. Therefore, the challenge is to offer good quality toys that, even if they implement technology, support children’s appropriate development in many different areas. To achieve this, it is important to consider that children need to play experimenting with several materials. They need things that encourage them to explore the world with all their senses, mainly in a physical way. 

A VERY SOCIAL GENERATION

Sharing messages and images has become part of children’s fun time. Manufacturers and retailers can reach them with toys that are inspired by some of the most common social media features. One of the easier aspects to integrate is, for example, emojis. Some companies have already taken advantage of the use of this universal language in their toys. But there are plenty of other options if you think about playthings that allow children to be connected while texting or posting images. In this context, it will be absolutely relevant to consider how to develop these toys with data safety in mind.

GAMIFICATION TURNS EVERYTHING INTO A GAME

We all know by now that today’s children stop playing with toys at early ages. The phenomenon is linked to the tendency that children nowadays grow up faster but also to the little time to play they have, as they are more involved in extracurricular activities than ever. However, the fact is that they do not really stop playing. Therefore it’s worth thinking about converting regular daily things into playful objects. One way of doing it is through "gamification", turning all sorts of things kids are surrounded by into a game. Think for instance of wearables, bracelets or watches that become toys. They present a new way to offer games to children in a modern and attractive product.

KNOW YOUR TARGET GROUP

Understanding the attitudes and preferences of the smartphone generation will put the toy industry into a position to offer toys that are actually very appealing to them. They are more social than ever, more informed and updated about the latest trends and technologies. Instead of being discouraged by this new generation of children, manufacturers and retailers should be encouraged by the challenge and the great opportunity to create and offer a new generation of toys.

03.12.2019 // December 2019 - interesting toy events at a glance.

These dates for the toy industry you should remember in November 2019!

01.12.2019 - Operation Toy Train: Middletown & New Jersey Railroad Middleton/New Jersey, USA

02.12.2019 - Licensing International France Holiday Paris, France

03.12.2019 - Licensing International Canadian Holiday Party; Toronto, Canada

03.12.2019 - Women in Toys: Southern California Chapter: WIT SoCal Holiday Party; Hollywood, USA

03.12.2019 - Toy technical seminar in Italy — The future of your toys: are you ready for 2020?; Cabiate, Italy

04.12.2019 - 06.12.2019 - 14th European Bioplastics Conference; Berlin, Germany

04.12.2019 - Licensing International International Halloween Show; New York, USA

05.12.2019 - Women in Toys: South Florida Chapter: 9th Annual Toys, Tacos & Tequila Networking Event; Boca Raton, USA

05.12.2019 - Internet World Academy: Amazon Workshop: Advertising, Marketing & Optimierung; Online

07.12.2019 - Women in Toys: Central Florida Chapter: WIT Ugly Holiday Bowling Party; Orlando, USA

07.12.2019 - Operation Toy Train: Dover & Delaware River Railroad; Dover, USA

08.12.2019 - Operation Toy Train: Dover & Rockaway River Railroad; Dover, USA

10.12.2019 - Licensing International YPN Music Retail Licensing 101; Hollywood, USA

10.12.2019 - Women in Toys: Northern California Chapter: Holiday Celebration & Speaker; Oakland, USA

11.12.2019 - Licensing International LA Holiday Party; Hollywood, USA

11.12.2019 - Women in Toys: Dallas Chapter: Holiday Game Night & DinnerIrving, USA

12.12.2019 - Women in Toys: Southern California-OC Chapter: Holiday Show & Tell Party in the OC!; Tustin, USA

23.12.2019 - Children's Day South Sudan, Sudan

25.12.2019 - Children's DayCameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon.