Popular toy sales stalwart Glyn passed away in November. 

Toy World is sad to report that Glyn Davies passed away in Liverpool on November 20^th, after catching coronavirus. Glyn had turned 70 in July.

Glyn worked in the toy trade for many years as a rep and national account executive for several toy companies, including Blue Box, Rainbow, Mondo and Fisher Price. His final role of a long and distinguished toy trade career was at Bandai. Julian Boyers, former managing director at Bandai, commented: “I was deeply saddened to hear of Glyn’s death, which happened very quickly and unexpectedly. I had known Glyn for many years and made his acquaintance while attending numerous stock rooms and trade shows in our early toy careers. Glyn was quite an extrovert, always ready with a joke (I remember him turning up at Manchester airport, en route to New York toy fair, wearing a pair of flip flops, as if to go on the beach) or to recount a story. Together with a lively personality, this made him a natural salesman. Apart from his love for his family, his other lifelong interests were Tranmere Rovers football club and visiting the casino for a flutter at the tables. Glyn was another character that the toy trade will miss but never forget.”

Glyn’s daughter Lisa told Toy World: “Dad loved working in the toy trade. He had so many great memories of all the people he met and places he visited along the way.”

Our thoughts are with his family – his wife Liz, daughters Lisa and Rachael and granddaughters Amelia, Sophia and Emily.

Virtual platform Show Cloud has continued to evolve, helping to support suppliers and retailers. John Baulch finds out about the new features that have been added.

Ian de Kretser and Chris Jones

We first introduced Show Cloud to readers of Toy World back in the summer. The online showroom, which was developed by UK toy industry doyen Chris Jones and his business partner Ian de Kretser, is the perfect platform to help toy companies deal with many of the challenges presented by the current virtual trading climate. In essence, Show Cloud helps suppliers to maximise opportunities in a world of virtual selling, enabling buyers to buy, sellers to sell and brand managers to manage brands.

As the year has progressed, Show Cloud has demonstrated its flexibility by incorporating a host of new features which allow suppliers and their teams to work more productively and efficiently. Chris points out that one of Show Cloud’s strengths is that it is a one-stop shop for the new virtual way of working: “The platform enables the whole team to come together in one place. In some cases, people have started working for a new company and have never been to the office or met their team members in person, yet alone seen the range in the flesh. New starters can at least familiarise themselves with the range and brand architecture, including pricing, as it is all housed in one place.”

With trade shows cancelled and face to face previews and meetings continuing to prove difficult to arrange, many suppliers have been looking at how best to demonstrate their new lines to customers, and according to Chris, Show Cloud has several valuable options to facilitate this: “The most important customers need one-to-one presentations, but with suppliers needing to preview a large number of customers, it is not always easy to fit everyone in individually. So, we have incorporated a live stream area into the platform, enabling suppliers to pre-record an event and then invite their customers to view it at their convenience. This saves valuable time, as well as helping to include customers in different time zones, who can watch the presentation whenever it suits them.”

Another new feature that helps to replicate the trade show experience is the Virtual Tour option, explained by Ian: “Customers can click on a product to bring up more details. They can even rotate a product to get a better view. Of course, it’s not the same as picking it up, but it’s a huge improvement on a static image. It can also give you a good idea of the size and scale of a product.”

As the key autumn winter selection period begins, suppliers have to contend with a unique set of challenges over the coming months, but this is where Show Cloud really excels, as Chris outlines: “Ultimately, Show Cloud is a very affordable business continuity service, offering significant productivity and cash savings. It is there as a support vehicle throughout the year, but it really comes into its own during preview and Toy Fair Season. Many companies are looking to reinvest some of the money they have saved through Toy Fairs being cancelled to help them stay in touch with their customers – and this is exactly what Show Cloud does.”

If you would like to find out more about Show Cloud and how it could support your business, Chris and Ian would be delighted to demonstrate the platform to interested toy companies and highlight what it can do: to learn more, simply book a demo at showcloud.com.

Click here to read the full interview in the December issue of Toy World Magazine.

Toy World spoke to a selection of indie retailers to find out how they have been coping before, during and after the latest lockdowns.

Faced with ever-changing challenges, independent toy retailers around the UK continue to demonstrate their flair for problem-solving, adapting their businesses to make sure customers can get hold of toys for Christmas.

“We approached the second lockdown feeling much more prepared and could step straight into the lockdown routine that was established previously,” commented Andrew Olley of City Cycle Centre, Ely, Cambridgeshire. “We felt we knew what we were doing and how things would work moving forward, and more importantly our customers knew what to expect from their local toy shop. Reopening this time round should also be easier since our social distancing measures are already in place and will not alarm customers, who are used to the new way of shopping nowadays.”

As shops across England reopen their doors after the second lockdown, we ask what has been most highly sought after in the run up to Christmas. Justine Elliot of Thornton’s Toymaster, Chippenham, told Toy World: “Lego, Schleich and jigsaw puzzles have been performing strongly recently. A lot of people took up jigsaws during the first lockdown and have evidently carried on over the last few months. Playmobil has been a top seller for us throughout the year. We moved to bigger premises a year ago, which meant we could expand our offering. 2020 will be our second Christmas at the new place, and many of the key lines that we introduced for the first time last year are performing even better this year.”

Nicky Tossell, manager at Youings in Barnstaple, added: “I think the goal for consumers this year has been to find products that can involve the whole family, and Lego fits the bill perfectly. As well as Lego, puzzles have been flying off the shelves. I have made sure to get plenty of family games and puzzles in stock for Christmas as I’m sure they will continue to be very popular.”

With the final month of 2020 underway, independent retailers are well in the midst of what is traditionally the busiest time of year for the high street. However, with England only just coming out of lockdown, indies reveal their expectations for what is hoped to be a short but sweet festive trading period on the high street post-lockdown.

“It is difficult to predict exactly how December will look in terms of business,” commented Victoria Simpson-Forrest, Forget-Me-Not Toys and Books, Culcheth, Warrington. “The weekend before lockdown 2 felt like Christmas with regard to footfall and sales – so it is possible that we have experienced the main peak in Christmas trading, and the rush may drop off. Personally, I expect people will continue to shop throughout the season and shoppers will still be coming in for last minute gifts in December. More consumers are shopping local which should continue right up until Christmas, as customers spread out their purchases. I hope it will, as that will give the high street a boost, after what has been a tough year for retail in general.”

Andy Tipping, Marlow Toys, Marlow, concludes: “We wait in anticipation to see what will happen and keep hopeful that retail won’t be too impacted going forward. It is all about trial and error when living in the current climate and a lockdown, but from the interaction on our social media with the local community, the mood looks positive, which can only be a good sign for Christmas trading over the coming weeks.”

Read the full Talking Shop feature in the December issue of Toy World, here.

ParcelHero is warning of a Christmas delivery meltdown as online orders continue to skyrocket.

Despite high street stores re-opening, the home delivery expert ParcelHero is warning of a Christmas delivery meltdown as online orders continue to skyrocket. It says many retailers are now advising standard delivery times of up to 14 days, scrapping express delivery options and making their final order dates for Christmas even earlier.

The return of high street shopping has not slowed the surge in online shopping. As a result, some retailers are struggling in the face of unprecedented demand, warns ParcelHero. Its popular shoppers’ Christmas deadline tool is recording many stores’ last order dates being brought forward significantly to ensure delivery in time for the big day.

ParcelHero’s head of consumer research, David Jinks MILT, explains: “It’s too early to say if it will snow at Christmas, but we can forecast a delivery meltdown if stores don’t pull back final order dates dramatically. That’s why it’s good to see many stores taking early action.”

Many stores have brought forward their Christmas final order dates, including Disney Stores, which has bought its final order date forward to 22^nd December, instead of 23^rd as originally planned.

Several stores are taking further action, such as Cath Kidston and The White Company, which have both suspended next-day deliveries.

“Due to Covid, Christmas was always going to stretch retailers and their delivery partners. Last year, 387 million of the 462m Christmas peak deliveries were online shopping orders,” says David. “This year, retailers’ deliveries alone will put an estimated 592m parcels in the system in the weeks before Christmas. That’s in addition to all the parcels people are sending to their friends and relations during lockdown.”

He adds: “Given the strain on delivery services already, we won’t be at all surprised if many more retailers change to even earlier final order dates as Christmas nears. That’s why our continually updated Christmas deadlines tool is so useful for keeping shoppers in the know with all their favourite retailers’ final order dates.”

Click here to check the easy-to-use retailers’ final order and final mailing dates tool.

Toy World spoke to 8th Wonder’s senior business and product development manager, Andrea Gornall, and sales and marketing director, Louise Tyrer, to discuss the company’s expansion plans moving forward.

Though 2020 hasn’t exactly panned out to be the year we all expected, 8^th Wonder – which specialises in the design and manufacture of character plush, wooden toys, and nursery and gift products for the global toy market – continues to thrive in its 23^rd year as a business. The company has adapted to the challenges presented by the pandemic and is ending the year with a raft of new licensing deals, successful Q4 launches and a strong portfolio lined up for spring/summer 2021. Having already recorded 40% growth this year (at the time of writing), the company is expected to be up by nearly 70% by year end.

“We have had a fantastic year, in fact our best year yet,” enthuses Louise. “Of course, 2020 has come with its challenges, like adjusting to remote working and having to do all of our previews online, via Zoom and Teams. But through it all, the team has been fantastic and really flexible. All of our spring/summer previews were conducted virtually, we have taken steps to support our growth plan and invested heavily in domestic stock for autumn/winter 2020, which will help us end up where we have forecast. We’ve backed strong performers and evergreen properties like Paw Patrol, Hey Duggee and Bing heavily, to support both our existing retailer partners and new partners coming on board.”

As part of its expansion plans, 8^th Wonder has strengthened the team this year with 12 new appointments across both the China and UK (Wigan) offices. Andrea Gornall joined the company in May and has since helped the company to grow its licensing presence significantly, to include a raft of high profile names covering a wide array of sectors.

“We have been reviewing the structure of the business and looking at our ambition and growth plans over the last few months,” explains Andrea. “Whilst the company has been in business for 23 years, licensing is something we have only really been doing over the last 2-3 years, and this year we have taken on an additional 10 new licences, which is fantastic. Current releases include our new Paw Patrol wood and plush ranges. New licences in the pipeline for spring/summer 2021 include a partnership with Little Tikes in the role play market, and with Paddington for plush and wood, plus the likes of L.O.L. Surprise!, Minions, Jurassic World and Battersea.”

With the focus shifting heavily into digital marketing for at least the early part of 2021, whilst the UK grapples with the impacts of Covid-19, the company is now seeking agencies to work with to develop its marketing plans. The company is also working hard to make changes to its own showroom in order to maximise its capabilities.

As plans for a productive 2021 get underway, talk turns to the fast-approaching festive season. Although this year’s holiday season has certainly been unique, 8^th Wonder has harnessed the opportunities presented over the last few months and launched plenty of new additions in time for Christmas, including Hey Duggee plush chairs and new products across other core properties such as Bing and Paw Patrol.

“We have launched 50 new lines over autumn/winter, which have all experienced a really strong start,” comments Louise. “In this climate, both children and parents have reverted to seeking traditional play patterns. In essence this is perfect for our business, because we are all about traditional toys and sustainability, particularly within our wooden offering. One thing for sure is that Christmas won’t be cancelled, so we will make sure we support our retail partners, whether that be online or in store, by getting stock out to them and getting our message across to consumers in the best possible way.”

“By the end of the 2020, I am positive that we are going to hit our targets and report a successful year, despite things being a bit ‘doom and gloom’ for everyone personally,” adds Andrea. “For me, seeing the results of everybody’s hard work will be a satisfying end to my first leg at 8^th Wonder.”

Read the full interview with Louise and Andrea in the December issue of Toy World, here.

Customers shopping with The Entertainer online and in store were encouraged to donate an additional toy to help a family in need this Christmas.

The Entertainer has helped to generate a whopping 22,000 toy donations for The Big Toy Appeal in partnership with the Salvation Army.

Following a difficult year for many families due to Covid-19 and the financial impacts of the virus, The Entertainer asked customers shopping online, and in store, to donate an additional toy to a family in need this Christmas to enable all children to experience the wonder of opening a toy from Father Christmas.

Perhaps acknowledging just how difficult a year 2020 has been and the increased sense of community spirit and support for others, The Toy Appeal online donation was the retailer’s best-selling line on Black Friday, marking the warm generosity of The Entertainer’s shoppers.

The toys will now be delivered to The Salvation Army and distributed to families across the country in time to place them under the Christmas tree.

Gary Grant, founder and executive chairman at The Entertainer, commented: “We are delighted with the amount of donations we have received for this year’s Big Toy Appeal and we are so grateful to our customers for their generosity. Following a challenging year, many families are experiencing overwhelming difficulties trying to give their children a toy to open on Christmas morning, so we are delighted that we could team up with The Salvation Army again and provide some help and happiness for those families most in need.”

The Entertainer has also re-introduced its Christmas Quiet Hours, which will be taking place every day throughout December in its 171 stores across the country. The initiative aims to create a calmer shopping environment for autistic people and for any shoppers who find the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping an uncomfortable experience.

Store staff have previously undertaken additional training to help them support customers who may be overwhelmed by the sensory overload that Christmas shopping can cause. Whilst other retailers will be turning up the Christmas music and adding flashing lights, The Entertainer will be turning off its Christmas songs and dimming the lights for the first hour of trading each day.

The Christmas Quiet Hour will be in operation from opening until 10am at each store throughout December. The Entertainer has also extended its opening hours nationwide wherever possible, from 8am-8pm Monday to Saturday so that shoppers can visit its 171 stores across the country with more flexibility than before. Opening times will vary for each store but all information can also be found here.

The #SafeSocials initiative will offer students access to some of Britain’s most loved board games including Articulate Fame and The Logo Game: Best of Food.

During a freshers’ experience like no other, over two thirds (68%) of students believe that Covid-19 has had a negative impact on their mental health since starting university. Only 20% of those surveyed claimed that their mental health has not been impacted by the pandemic.

Revealed in a study conducted as part of The Student Housing Company’s wellbeing programme, the research also found that 93% of students believe Covid-19 has made it harder for them to make friends at university.

In response, The Student Housing Company is seeking to expand the support it provides through its industry leading Student Wellbeing Strategy – a unique 9-pillar framework which tackles students’ spiritual, mental, cultural, social, environmental, physical, academic, financial and career needs – by trialling new schemes and partnerships to help students through the months ahead.

With the study revealing that almost a third (28%) of students are now actively playing board games as an alternative way of keeping themselves entertained, the student accommodation operator is piloting a #SafeSocials initiative, which will offer students access to some of Britain’s most loved board games including – Articulate Fame, The Logo Game: Best of Food, The Harry Potter Wizarding Game, Sketchy and The Best of Christmas (Not for Kids).

The scheme, which is being trialled at Bentley House in Birmingham, Depot Point in London and Arran House in Edinburgh, is being run in partnership with Tomy, the exclusive distributor of Drumond Park games, and is designed to help students build strong friendships with their flatmates and have fun in a safe, Covid-19 compliant environment.

As part of its ongoing wellbeing programme, The Student Housing Company also added a fully digital wellbeing campaign toolkit to help ensure students are supported as far as possible during the pandemic, as well as a ‘Let’s Chat Series’, where residents are invited to virtual meet and greets with other students from around the world.

Mary Wood, general manager UK and International at Tomy, said: “We’re delighted to be working with The Student Housing Company to bring a little joy to students arounds the UK during these strange circumstances. Our Drumond Park portfolio has grown expeditiously in recent years, with games becoming increasingly popular across different age groups, including students, as a great way to socialise and bond.”

Sky Brown has been honoured with one-of-a-kind doll as Barbie highlights positive role models to further the Barbie Dream Gap Project.

Barbie has announced 12-year-old skateboarder Sky Brown as a Barbie Role Model by unveiling a one-of-a-kind doll created in her likeness, to highlight how she has broken boundaries for the next generation of girls.

Sky Brown is a professional skateboarder and surfer. Sky will be competing for Team GB next year in the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, making her Great Britain’s youngest Summer Olympian ever, and the youngest Olympic athlete since 1936. Sky began skating and surfing at the age of two and quickly became a phenomenon when short videos of her gained millions of views on YouTube.

As the original girl empowerment brand, Barbie is dedicated to shining a spotlight on powerful, diverse role models to inspire the limitless potential in every girl, and this year honours women breaking barriers in sports. The doll is dressed in Nike activewear and holds a skateboard, ready for adventures on and off the ramp.

The doll was gifted to Sky as she recovers from injuries from her worst fall yet, breaking her left wrist and hand and suffering skull fractures earlier this year at a skate park in California.

Sky’s already looking forward to recovering and picking up her skateboard. She commented: “I’m going to push boundaries for girls with my skating and surfing. I’m going for gold in 2021 and nothing will stop me. Having a Barbie created in my likeness is one of the most incredible things that’s ever happened to me. I hope other girls my age can see what is possible when you follow your dreams.”

Earlier this year, Sky released a book titled ‘Sky’s the Limit’ – a compilation of stories and inspirational quotes illustrating Sky’s journey so far. Sky hopes to continue making history while inspiring fans of all ages across the world.

This year, Barbie is spotlighting female role models in sports, in an effort to close the Dream Gap; the time when girls start to doubt that they can be anything. Research shows that when girls play sports, they report higher levels of confidence, which in turn breaks down barriers to girl’s self-belief.

The Barbie Dream Gap Project is an ongoing global initiative that aims to give girls the resources and support needed to continue to believe that they can be anything. Barbie is working to close the Dream Gap by: highlighting role models, encouraging purposeful play, and donating funds.

To build its presence in the UK toy market, Haba has appointed Amaroni as the British sales distributor for its toys and games. 

The German-based toy manufacturer plans to build on its presence in the UK toy market by officially appointing Amaroni as the British sales distributor for Haba toys and games from the end of 2020 onwards. Over the last year, Amaroni has been the UK sales agent for Haba and will now take the next steps towards further business growth for Haba through enhanced nationwide representation.

Established in 1938, Haba has come a long way from its roots as a wooden block toy manufacturer and currently has a presence in over 50 countries globally. Whilst wooden toys remain at the heart of the company’s extensive range, the organisation has diversified its offering significantly and nowadays its catalogue showcases over 2,000 educational toys and games. Ongoing innovation and improvement delivers over 400 new products each year and all bear the hallmark of quality, safety and sustainability of materials that Haba has a reputation for.

Haba and Amaroni are both fully aligned in their priorities to offer quality toy products that bring joy, inspiration and creativity to learning, and it is of great importance to both organisations that this is achieved in a socially and environmentally responsible way.

For further information, please contact Amaroni on 01205 260 384 or visit www.amaroni.com.