Following this year’s Toymaster May Show, Toy World caught up with independent retailers to discover their key takeaways, standout product ranges and outlook for the coming year.
Described as a cosy and friendly trade event, the Toymaster May Show allows independent retailers to view products in the flesh and make new connections within the industry. After visiting multiple stands and receiving useful demos in this year’s show, several indies reported feeling excited and optimistic about stocking new product ranges that they believe will do well in their stores.
Sarah Gooding of Gullivers Toys and Gifts in Edinburgh told us that she found this year’s Toymaster May Show to be very informative and with a personal touch. “Harrogate is a brilliant location, and it is always a well-hosted event that lets you view products in a relaxed manner,” she said. “I personally find it more effective when there are fewer, select products on display, as this allows more room for discussion to take place and is less overwhelming.”
Sarah highlighted the new blasters from Hasbro’s Nerf brand and products featuring classic licences that bring nostalgia to kidult consumers as the target audience in her store. “I also enjoyed the Basic Fun stand; the company always has plenty of great licensed toys that bring nostalgia, including My Little Pony and Care Bears,” she added.
Carl Blatcher of JAC Stores in Ramsey, Isle of Man, told us that, after doing his ‘window shopping’ at Toy Fair, the Toymaster event gave him a great opportunity to place orders with a strongly margin-focused approach. “John Adams’ Go Viral game, Mattel’s Wednesday Monster High Doll, SpongeBob Miraballs from Bandai and Squishalongs from Jazwares all stand out as strong lines,” he said. “Mr Beast from Moose is one licence I’m keeping my eye on as well, and the Story Dream Machine from MGA Entertainment really caught my attention.”
Meanwhile, Deidre Reilly of The Hobby Shop in Sligo, Ireland, discovered several different lines at the show that she’s now planning to bring into the store. “There are the Wasgij puzzles from Galt, and there have also been new Lego and Professor Puzzle lines that we’ve liked. We’ve also seen a lot of hobby and collectible products, and some arts & crafts lines that we’re really interested in getting into The Hobby Shop as well.”
To read more about what these retailers had to say following the Toymaster May Show, click here for the full feature, which appeared in the July issue of Toy World.
