Toy Boutique Fundraiser Tells Possible Story
Posted by jim on November 13, 2008 under Consumer Experience, Toy Trends | 
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We just finished our toy sale from November 2-4 to raise money for the local chapter of Youth for Christ. For an Internet toy retailer like us, not only are these sales great to help raise money for local charities – they also provide a unique opportunity for us to interact with our customers face to face.
I learned a few things – or possibly was just reminded of them – as I wandered the sales floor and spoke with customers. For one thing, Melissa and Doug products really sell when they can be touched and seen up close. They really capture the imagination. I remember seeing their new lines two years ago in NYC at Toy Fair and getting excited about them. Unfortunately, the Internet has become somewhat saturated with their product. In person though, it is an easy sale. What I did not realize was that people still love stuffed animals – and the bigger the better. The Melissa and Doug plushes ranging from dogs to dinosaur, from $20 to $100, were a huge hit and some major eye candy at the YFC boutique.
Next, I was very encouraged by the response to the Leapfrog Tag. If you haven’t seen it in person or watched it in action, take a look at this clip from the Leapfrog YouTube Channel. I will be shocked if this doesn’t make the Top 5 toy list this year.
Learning How to Play Hot Spot
Another manufacturer whose product has become a bit saturated on the net is ThinkFun. Formerly Binary Arts, ThinkFun hit it big years ago with Spin-Out and then Rush Hour. This year we had a great time showing folks how to play my newer favorites: Hot Spot and Pete’s Pike. And they sold as a result.
Finally, books always sell pretty well at these type of events. This year we are featuring We Both Read books by Treasure Bay. These are innovative books for children and parents to read together. The left page is read by the parents, the right by the child (which is written based on the respective grade level.
But the best part of the whole 3 day event was getting to speak, face to face with consumers and tell them why we bought certain product, show them how to enjoy the games we’ve chosen and really just to connect on a personal and emotional level.
If you would like to learn more about Youth for Christ, please visit the national chapter’s web site at www.yfc.org or our local chapter at www.cdyfc.org.