Rick Derr from Learning Express explains how to keep consumers shopping local by following the principles of ‘Teams, Products and Wow’.

In his last column, Rick told us that the last 10 days of trading in 2022 went from sales of woe to sales are GO. In this month’s column, he tells us how the positive momentum continued into 2023, with sales in the first week of January well above past norms, and he explains what he believes to the key factors to his success.

“While we were all concerned that the ‘local love’ would fade quickly, we are just not seeing that happening. ‘Shop local’ remains strong as long as you follow the three strategic elements of toy store success: Teams, Products and Wow,” Rick explains.

Rick gives us further insight into these three elements and explains in detail what he means by giving his customers the Wow factor.

Rick tells us how he has grown fond of January and how instead of slowing down, he and his team speed up; visiting the buying show in Dallas, working on a new store plan and holding their first event since late 2019, which is going to be a crowd gathering fun-filled Encanto event.

Social media continues to be an incredibly important part of Rick’s marketing. “This has been a key element since our first ad on Facebook in December 2012,” he explains. “We firmly believe that, if used responsibly, and with positive messages, social media allows us to interact in a safe and positive way.”

Finally, Rick comments on the alliance between Learning Express Toys and the ASTRA Toy association, as well as with strategic partners in the UK (Toymaster) and his friends to the north in Canada (Mastermind Toys).

“We are not competitors but allies,” Rick muses. “If we can continue to find ways to share info, products, trends and best practices, I believe we will all benefit from a stronger toy industry, stronger local toy markets, and a consumer who is better informed and appreciative of the value of toys and what they do.”

To read all of Rick’s Letter from America, which appears in the February issue of Toy World, click here.