Spring forward
Retailers make the most of spring and summer toys with savvy seasonal merchandising
By Lauren Kellachan -- Gifts and Dec, 3/1/2001 12:00:00 AM
Signs of spring are cropping up in toy stores as the weather begins to break into more temperate climes. Consumers, having had their fill of the sedentary months, look again to the outdoors for fun. Retailers in areas guided by the changing seasons are moving their spring and summer fare front and center. At the same time, merchants whose stores are located in regions where temperatures are high year-round are trying to figure out how to move merchandise in what generally turns out to be their coolest selling period.
To successfully merchandise the category, retailers have schooled themselves in what works by keeping a keen eye on what their locale dictates. As one Florida entrepreneur notes, the buying strategy in the southern state differs totally from that of the Minnesota toy store that may stock up on more board games than bikes.
Equating her merchandising techniques with that of southern Florida clothing retailers, the passage of seasons is marked not by outdoor temperatures, but by changes in color and holidays, says Nancy Joseph, owner of Charly & Hannah's, a 1,200-sq.-foot toy store in Coral Gables, Fla. She alters her displays by adding more kites in the windy spring months and wheelbarrows and gardening tools in the fall months. Year-round, she stocks balls of all shapes and sizes, flying discs, jump ropes and Kettler bikes. For this storeowner, the challenge of spring/summer is never-ending.
Another hotspot, Auntie Hilary's Toys and Books in Tucson, Ariz., has the unusual distinction of having its slowest sales during the sweltering months. "We would be missing the boat if we didn't carry spring and summer toys year-round," says Karen Lebow, owner of the two stores, "but it gets upwards of 114 degrees and people go away to the beaches and hills. The second store in the foothills has a steadier flow of customers, so geography has a tremendous impact on how much and what we order. The snowbirds from New York, Chicago and Alaska come from November through May and then they go. Just like that! This makes a big difference on our market and ordering patterns."
Lebow likes to order toys that have year-round appeal and has had success with sand and water toys from Galt and International Playthings. Bathtub toys that can also be used in a pool environment are good sellers, and Lebow plans to experiment more with some pool toys this year based on customers' requests. Travel games and puzzles are a must for indoor play on those 100-plus degree days, as are flannel boards, paper dolls, magnetic games and CDs and cassettes for summer car trips. Portability and containment are key components, as is play value. Children finish school in May and parents look for items that travel well and include the whole family.
Gertie Balls and Pedal and Go riding toys from Small World Toys, BRIO sand toys and Toysmith's gardening tools and accessories help drive a strong spring and summer business at Smiling Moon Toys in Logan, Utah. Situated in an old Victorian house, the 2,000-sq.-foot store displays its bubble toys, insect collecting jars and nets, flower presses and Go Fly A Kite kites and windsocks on its porch in good weather and right at the front of the store. The seasonal sales are vastly dependent on how hot or cold, wet or dry the summer actually is.
Running hot and cold
The precipitation can certainly make the difference even in Sioux Falls, S.D., where a winter snowfall was making Sharon Busch, owner of Toys and Treasures International, wonder if spring were ever coming. "We try to start gearing up right after Valentine's Day, particularly if shipments come in," she says. BRIO buckets and sprinkling cans, preschool baseball bats and balls and kites begin to make a showing around this time at the stores' two locations.
A specific area for outdoor toys is set aside at Toys and Treasures International year-round with another reason in mind. "People come in here looking for something like a Gertie or hobby ball because they can help in developing gross motor skills," explains Busch. "Even if the toys can't be used outdoors as intended, we sell enough throughout the year to keep them stocked and on display."
Luna juggling sticks, yo-yos, outdoor science toys and balsam gliders round out the selections at what Smiling Moon Toys owner Cheryl Kemp calls an old-fashioned traditional toy store that caters to a conservative consumer. Having come from a Montana specialty toy store, Kemp has had to learn the regional differences when stocking the Utah shelves. Wooden toys are popular where the area population is largely Morman, and Kemp makes it a practice to carry brands that stand behind their product.
The change in seasons is new for fledgling Treehouse Toys in North Canton, Ohio, where the 2-year-old specialty store has just gone full circle. Owner Christine Lee is now getting more specific in her merchandising efforts. "This year we went to Toy Fair with a game plan for spring and summer," she says, "now that we've got our feet wet and have gone through the selling seasons in totality. We'll start early for Easter shopping and go straight through September with anything that you can toss, throw or put in water." Past successes have included Stomp Rockets, Fun Balls by Small World Toys, kites and pogo sticks.
A heavy shopper for spring/summer at Toy Fair, Nancy Stanek, owner of Toys Et Cetera in Chicago and Evanston, Ill., says she's up and running by February and closing out the category by the beginning of summer. Mainstay vender Go Fly a Kite's ripstop kites are higher in price than the plastic versions but are great sellers, she says, along with BRIO Toys' plastic shovels and pails. "The BRIO name moves the line," Stanek says. Small World Toys is another reliable spring/summer supplier.
Nature toys the likes of creature catchers and nets are seasonal, but ant farms and other insect products by such manufacturers as Uncle Milton and Insect Lore, can get year-round shelf space. Stanek notes she gives year-round shelf space to Bosun Sailboats from Reeves International.
"In late February and early March we start getting the sand and water gear ready for the real selling season, which is April and May," Stanek notes. "By the end of June, we're looking to close that stuff out."
Looking for a jumpstart
Whether stocking shelves for three months or four quarters, retailers are looking feverishly for what's budding in the proverbial garden of spring and summer toys. A drought of new selections in recent years has made the category somewhat stale, they note, and increasingly more difficult to keep displays fresh. A dearth of new items or a unique twist on an old favorite continues to keep specialties on the prowl at Toy Fair and regional shows. They freely admit, however, that they're not sure what they're looking for.
"I have no complaints on overall sales," Charly & Hannah's Joseph says, "but I would like to see a few more boys' items for the outdoors" other than a football. "Don't get me wrong," she adds. "The traditional toys-baseballs, bats, water toys-have their place, but the category needs a jumpstart."
Ginger Mulligan, owner of Fantasy Island Toys in Fairhope and Mobile, Ala., also sees a lull in outdoor boys' and sand toys. "Even the footballs and such are the same-old, same-old," she explains. "We would love to see some smaller companies jumping in on this."
Louise Boothillette, merchandiser/buyer at Kids Town in South Burlington, Vt., is also anxious to pick up some new outdoor product but doesn't claim to know where it will be coming from. "If I knew what exactly I'm looking for, I'd make it myself and forget the middle man," she jokes. BRIO and Small World Toys beach and sand toys, along with Just Jump It jump ropes and Go Fly A Kite kites and accessories are year-round staples at Kids Town. An important component of all product available at Kids Town is the support that the manufacturer brings to the table.
"I just love Go Fly A Kite," Boothillette remarks. "Its customer service is top notch and, they back the product by replacing parts directly to the consumer. Playmobil is another great company, and I'm anxious to see its new stuff."
Traditional balls, bats and Fun Ride's cable toys are always found displayed in a manner that Boothillette says is similar to her cooking style. "I don't have a specific recipe but I just know what it is that has to go up front and in the windows as the weather gets warmer," she says.
Fantasy Island Toys' coastal area locations tend to carry spring and summer goods all year with kite sales picking up in mid-January and a concentration of product hitting the shelves by March 1 to accommodate the northerners coming down for spring break. The front section of the stores are filled with kites by Go Fly A Kite that draw people into the store where sand buckets and other sun and surf items are scattered throughout the aisles.
For Mulligan, the problem is getting manufacturers to come through with product on her timetable. "This is a beach area that picks up in March," she says, "so if we could have stuff on the shelves it would be perfect. But what we see at Toy Fair is often not available so soon." Mulligan would like to see toy makers getting their catalogs to the specialties by Jan. 1 so they would be able to place orders earlier in the season.
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