Toy shop

[hearwegoyo]

Just after a bit of research if that's possible. I've come into some inheritance and I really want to open up a toy shop.

Can I ask what things you like in a toy shop - whether it's the generic toys (like Argos smyths etc) or wooden or something unique

I'm going to the toy fair in 2021 but would like a few ideas some people that aren't my friends.
Thank you

I know from a friend’s experience that independent toy shops are really difficult, but I wish you lots of luck, and I have to admit, I really love an independent toy shop.

For me, I like being able to browse classic toys (Duplo etc), wooden toys that aren’t M&S nor ridiculously expensive and to pick up unusual things - nice puzzles, sticker books etc. I love buying things Like Djeco in store, or picking up food quality things that I would never have thought to look for online.

Pocket money toys of the ilk they have in museum shops - Jacobs ladders, slime pots, that kind of thing. I would also expect to be able to buy paints and art and craft supplies. Playmobil and Lego would be good. I don't have a massive love for wooden toys - they have their place but I wouldn't purposely seek them out (although I do like Melissa and Doug stuff which is predominantly wooden)

I like the Schaffer (I think that the make) toy animal, dinosaur type models.
I like toys that are marketed as unisex and not overtly ‘boy/girl’ toys.
I like science based toys.
I like a pocket money section of cheaper toys that children can spent a couple of pounds of their pocket money on.
I like solid decent toy houses that look like they will last until the grandkids.

I think really though you probably need to think about the area your toy shop is in, what else is available etc and cater to your local area. In a town near us there is an expensive wooden toy shops that does very well, but in another town it would fail....it just suits the area.

One thing I would add is that a toy shop near me dies added event such as a Champaign morning for parents to attend after they’ve dropped their children off at school in the first day in September. I think doing something unique like that and something that will get attention on social media will be good.

As pp stated it'll definitely depend on the area, and general levels of disposal income? Are you in a busy city, semi rural town, costal?

I'm sorry to stomp on your dreams...but you will lose all the money you put into this venture.
People will come in, play with the lovely displays then go and order on Amazon for a lower price always. Some will even do it in your shop on their phones.

It will crush your soul.

You may have more success with board games...but that really depends on the area, and will be stronger business if a board game cafe too...which obviously isn't a goer in a pandemic.

If you could also offer some kind of service or space for buying / donating nearly new toys that would be good. If people bring in old toy, good condition, they get a voucher for x% off a purchase of brand new. When they buy a nearly new, they also get a voucher.

Excellent other suggestions from PPs. Would strongly echo the pocket money price point!

Maybe think about people who go to toy shops to buy gifts - they may not know the child well, but are looking for something around £x-£z, the child is into cars, dinos... can they easily find something suitable when they don't know (eg) popular characters, tv progs.
I think this kind of help can be achieved with clever signage/displays and this would make you easier and more preferable to shop in than others on high street.

Think about bundle offers. So, lots of people (let's be honest, mums!) have a plan to be organised at the start of the year but rarely manage it. It'd be great to go to a shop and get a bundle of classmate birthday presents for the year... all generic enough that they can be used for any party they get invited to. Buy in one go to get a discounted price.

Paragraph fail, sorry!

Since we moved here 10 years ago I have seen three independent toy shops close. The only places you can buy toys in town now are The Entertainer and the basement of Fenwick’s, (oh and Argos I suppose) although there is a Smyths out of town.
I would always go into an independent toy shop but bigger items I would buy cheaper from a chain. What I am looking for is someone to track down quirkier items, that I might not have come across. There is a shop in Islington, can’t remember whether it is After Noah or Gill Wing - and I am considering an hour long journey here before Christmas specifically for that shop, because last year I was able to get loads of stocking fillers from there all at once, things that were fun and I hadn’t seen elsewhere.
Also a good range of educational toys, craft items, unusual board and card games. And small items so children can buy things. There was a shop in Victoria Park, used to sell wooden food in a grocery rack and every time we went we would get a wooden pumpkin or mushroom or chocolate bar to build up a collection.

I worked in one for a few years, one by one they all closed down around here.
Unfortunately independent toy shops cant keep up with the prices in Argos, Tesco, Sainsbury, Smyths etc

I found people came in for a look as it was local and then would buy elsewhere.

You really need to do thorough research on the area you would think about opening up a shop in, and your target market. A shop in an affluent area may fair better than a much less affluent area. Research what kids are into vs the type of shop you would like. Generally speaking though independent toy shops usually can’t compete against the larger retailers, and people will vote with their wallet no matter how inviting a shop is.

I personally look for a range of toys but particularly Lego, quality construction toys and games, arts and crafts, science kit sets, books, unusual quality toys. I’m not into cheap tat but this is good for pocket money toys of course.

Our local toy shop closed down last year as the elderly owner retired and while it had a good selection of stock, they never had a sale. There was a bargain bin that only ever had tat in it. This is the thing - independents can’t compete in sales against the big retailers.

Maybe consider expanding your offering - a comprehensive children’s bookshop and toy shop together? Have a few unusual but quality toys amongst the stuff that you can get at any other retailer - make your shop stand out and make the offering sufficiently different that people will want to visit and purchase. If you have the same toys as the Entertainer etc but at permanently full price you will go out of business fast. You need to balance a unique offering with the popular stuff imo.

Perhaps seek out business advice locally? Maybe your local council or CAB could point you in the direction of someone who has extensive successful business experience who could give you advice.

Anyway, do research research research and good luck!

Sorry I think it would be a money pit.
Unless you offer something different from argos, smyths, amazon.
People would check online to see if they can get what you offer cheaper. It's the way of it. It also depends on your location.
I've just bought a nice playset from amazon for my kids 3rd birthday.
But it would have been difficult to get this specific play set from anywhere else.

What a lovely idea! I would love a shop like this nearby as would my children! I do agree with a lot of what's been said and I do also think price/convenience is incredibly important these days so make sure you focus on those aspects.

I'd like to see an unusual mix - somewhere like TKMaxx often has a nice mix of good quality toys, books and gifts at reasonable prices.

Offering something else in store may also increase the draw - toy displays like model villages are attractive, but how about sweeties (vintage style or pick and mix?) a small coffee/cake shop, dressing up or play area, some simple baby gifts like high end blankets.

Not sure if any of them will work, but just thinking of ways a visit to your shop would be a real occasion, with hopefully some spending on at least a pocket money toy occuring whilst there.

Thank you for all the replies. That is my worry about competing but we only have an Argos in our town as the big supermarkets only have 1/2 an aisle of toys. The Argos is also a good 20 minute walk from town centre. The town has around 25-30k of people.

Nearest big shopping centre is 20 mins drive but they only have kids stuff which I find pricey!

Nearest smyths for instance is over an hour away.

Toy fair isn't until January so I have lots of time to go over the business plan and price points.

Also the design of the shop - I'd prefer it to be magical for the children and they walk in and are wowed rather than just shelf's of toys and books etc

Thank you again everyone. I have been looking at the independent toy shops and getting ideas. (The nearest one to me is about 40 minutes away)

The kind of toy shop that would get me to walk through the door would be one where visiting the shop is a bit of a treat, in the same way that going to a nice warm bookshop with books appealingly displayed and with nice seating areas is a treat.

Pre-Covid, a trip to the bookshop and choosing a book was an outing that was as much about spending time in the shop as it was about buying the book. If it wasn't like that, I'd just buy my books from Wordery. I think shops nowadays have a tough job to compete with online and, as you can't do it with prices, it has to be because the shopping experience is really enjoyable.

I wouldn't set foot in a toy shop selling just all the usual suspects piled on shelves with no other draw, as I will no doubt be able to get Lego or Playmobil cheaper online.

A toy shop with an electric train running around (out of reach of little hands!) and exciting things to see and selling some of the less run-of-the-mill toys to discover would be really good fun.

Until very recently as I now feel that DD is ripe for Playmobil and Lego and plastic will have to start featuring, I'd actively avoided plastic toys unless buying second hand. It would have been lovely to be able to go into a shop that sells the kinds of wooden toys that online shops like Mulberry Bush sell as well as some foreign brands like Djeco, Janod etc. which I associate with quality and being a little different.

I find a lot of the bigger toy shops have a really poor selection of soft toys, and I often have had to search online for nice ones - but soft toys are exactly the kind of thing I’d prefer to see in person, and also often a little harder to search for online for price busting. Maybe have a really nice tempting selection of these, in varying sizes and prices?

A shop in an affluent area may fair better than a much less affluent area.

I live in an affluent town, there are at least 3 independent toy shops I can think of that have all been around for years - none have a lot of plastic toys (except for classics like lego and playmobile), they sell a lot of ethical and wooden stuff. I don't shop there often but they are great for when you need to buy something special for a christening or first birthday.

Maybe come up with something so kids can come in each week and put some pocket money by for that much wanted toy? Agree with the old fashioned sweet shop at the back, people would come to visit that, and during quieter periods when kids are in school maybe you could sell the sweets online, and send them out? There is a a huge market for retro sweets. That is something you could do whilst minding the shop, between customers.

I do love wondering around our local toy shop with the kids. There's nothing like actually seeing and touching the toy before buying. And for the kids experience too.

However......independent toy shops are notoriously expensive, and I will go buy whatever it is from amazon when I get home, where it's considerably cheaper. Sorry.

I probably wouldn't buy big brand toys from an independent (it's just so much easier and cheaper to find online ).

But I LOVE toy shops that sell traditional and handmade toys! Things like wooden toys, puppets, rocking horses etc.

Adding some smaller pocket money toys is also a good idea.

Good luck with your business idea

Location is key. As a PP has said the affluent towns do well but more so the tourist towns. High quality toys, where people will pay a premium.

If you can get exclusive toys.
So someone local makes a toy product and they sell via you.
A local independent toy shop had a childrens hairdresser work from there. So when people were waiting they could browse the toy. Again a lot of the toys were ethical. The shop was located in a trendy town so I guess people were happy to pay for the higher prices of toys.