From Our e-newsletter

What’s “Free Shipping Day”? November/December 2008 by Kari Anderson The term “Black Friday” has been around since the 1960s and has become part of our vernacular. Click here to read this article.

What Toy Safety Legislation? March/April 2008 by Kari Anderson In the lull following last fall’s toy recalls, toy safety advocates were hard at work preparing legislation to make toys safer. Click here to read this article.

Trick or Treat September/October 2009 by Tina Manzer Make-believe takes the top spot for children’s costumes for the fifth Halloween... Click here to read this article.

Trick or Treat November/December 2009 by Tina Manzer Make-believe takes the top spot for children’s costumes for the fifth Halloween in a row, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2009 Halloween Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey, conducted by BIGresearch. Click here to read this article.

The Cashwrap Rap January/February 2008 by Doug Fleener Having a well-designed, well-maintained cashwrap is an important element of your customers’ experience. Click here to read this article.

Shopping for Toys on Black Friday September/October 2007 by Kari Anderson Last Thanksgiving, I had the pleasure of spending the holiday in New York City. Click here to read this article.

Shoppers Will Buy More Toys, Says Survey November/December 2009 According to results from a survey from the National Retail Federation and BIGresearch, more people plan to buy toys this year ... Click here to read this article.

Reach Your Neighbors With Saturation Mail July/August 2008 by Kari Anderson A toy retailer once told me that even though her store had occupied the same space for over a decade,... Click here to read this article.

Picking Puzzles for Little Learners September/October 2009 by Kari Anderson “The urge to figure out puzzles seems to be as ingrained in human personality as the urge to make language or art,”... Click here to read this article.

Pay No Attention to Those Negative Holiday Headlines November/December 2009 Retail expert Bob Phibbs predicts the general news media will regurgitate depressing Black Friday and holiday retail sales declines this year as it has for the past 10 years, even when there were positive increases. Click here to read this article.

One Quarter Down, Three to Go March/April 2009 The first quarter 2009 is ticking to a close, and perhaps the best thing most toy retailers can say about it is “good riddance! Click here to read this article.

No Kites for Easter? March/April 2008 by Kari Anderson Weather influences how people shop. Click here to read this article.

New Rules -- Understanding Shape-Based Mail May/June 2007 by Tina Manzer “Letter, flat or parcel?” is becoming a business mantra as mailers work to wring out savings from the new postal regulations. Click here to read this article.

National Survey Indicates Holiday Shoppers Chose Local January/February 2010 A survey conducted by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance shows that consumers deliberately sought out local stores when they shopped for holiday gifts Click here to read this article.

Meeting Tactics to Encourage Innovation July/August 2009 by Tina Manzer As the fourth quarter approaches and the recession remains in full swing, even the most optimistic retailers are saying, “Is there an end to this particular tunnel?” Click here to read this article.

Meeting Tactics to Encourage Innovation July/August 2009 by Tina Manzer As the fourth quarter approaches and the recession remains in full swing, even the most optimistic retailers are saying... Click here to read this article.

Manufacturers Comment on Copycats March/April 2007 by Stacy Majewicz Copyright infringement, copycat products and the proposed code of ethics are hot topics in the toy industry right now,... Click here to read this article.

Managing Employees of All Ages January/February 2010 If you’re like most independent toy-store owners, you’re using this retail transition time to step back and look at your store with new eyes. Click here to read this article.

Malls Are Ready for a Re-Think November/December 2009 by Tina Manzer From all reports, the mood at the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) New York conference in December was upbeat ... Click here to read this article.

Let's go outside! ... Okay, now what? May/June 2008 by Kari Anderson Television companies are realizing that nonstop TV watching isn’t good for their audience members. Click here to read this article.

Is TV Bad for Babies? March/April 2009 by Kari Anderson The jury is in. Television viewing by babies doesn’t help but doesn't harm their language and motor skills. Click here to read this article.

Holiday Headlines November/December 2009 Retail expert Bob Phibbs predicts the general news media will regurgitate depressing Black Friday and holiday retail sales declines this year as it has for the past 10 years ... Click here to read this article.

Help Parents Get Organized January/February 2009 by Kari Anderson January is all about fresh starts, clean slates and New Year’s resolution Click here to read this article.

Help Parents Get Organized January/February 2009 by Kari Anderson January is all about fresh starts, clean slates and New Year’s resolutions. In addition to quitting smoking and losing weight, getting organized is perpetually on the top-10 list of changes to make. Click here to read this article.

Halloween Sales Are a Treat for Retailers September/October 2008 by Kari Anderson While news broadcasts spout doom and gloom about the economy, the forecast for Halloween sales is anything but scary. Click here to read this article.

Give Your Store Street Appeal May/June 2006 by Tina Manzer Most experts agree that you have roughly seven seconds to capture the attention of a potential shopper. Click here to read this article.

Gifting Goes On All Year July/August 2006 by Stacy Majewicz As we all prepare for the 2006 holiday gift-giving season, we thought it was a good time to check in with gifting guru Pam Danziger, author of Why People Buy Things They Don’t Need. Click here to read this article.

Everyone Loves Coupons September/October 2008 by Kari Anderson September is National Coupon Month, and in a recent survey of 1,000 people, the Promotion Marketing Association’s... Click here to read this article.

Effective Keywords Increase Unique Visitors July/August 2009 by Tina Manzer Speaker and consultant Bob Phibbs, also known as the Retail Doctor, says toy stores need to change how they “talk” to their customers, and take full advantage of the Internet. Click here to read this article.

Effective Keywords Increase Unique Visitors September/October 2009 by Tina Manzer Speaker and consultant Bob Phibbs, also known as the Retail Doctor, says toy stores need to change how they “talk” to their customers, and take full advantage of the Internet. Click here to read this article.

Effective Keywords Increase Unique Visitors July/August 2009 by Tina Manzer Speaker and consultant Bob Phibbs, also known as the Retail Doctor, says toy stores... Click here to read this article.

Connect at the ASTRA Convention May/June 2008 by Kari Anderson When you’re running an independent business, it’s easy to feel as though you exist in a vacuum. Click here to read this article.

Choosing Wisely January/February 2007 by Stacy Majewicz Attending Toy Fair is an exciting, fun-filled experience for many retailers. Click here to read this article.

Buyer Attendance Up at Toy Fair March/April 2010 More than 1,100 exhibitors displayed an estimated 100,000 new toys and youth entertainment products across more than 345,500 net square feet of exhibit space ... Click here to read this article.

Buyer Attendance Doubles for 2008 ASTRA Event July/August 2008 by Susan J. Oliver The 2008 American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) Marketplace and Academy happened June 22 through 25, and happened big. Click here to read this article.

Beef Up Your Books January/February 2006 In the latest issue of edplay magazine, toy store owner Mary Baker Blades of Ginger and Pickles provides practical tips on creating a book section in specialty toy stores. Click here to read this article.

“Everybody Knows My Dog” July/August 2007 by Kari Anderson Retailer Kate Tanner, owner of Kidstop Toys in Scottsdale, Arizona, was sitting at a red light one day when she noticed that the kids in the car beside her were pointing at her. Click here to read this article.

Awards Matter to Moms January/February 2009 by David Katzner, The National Parenting Center The International Toy Fair begins in New York amid the continuing gloom of the nation’s economic woes Click here to read this article.

Awards Matter to Moms January/February 2009 by David Katzner, The National Parenting Center The International Toy Fair begins in New York amid the continuing gloom of the nation’s economic woes. Click here to read this article.

Avoid a Parking Predicament November/December 2006 by Stacy Majewicz Retailers strive to make sure that a customer’s experience in their stores is a positive one. Click here to read this article.

Are They Listening Yet? May/June 2009 by Tina Manzer At a hearing of the House Small Business Committee’s Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight last Thursday (May 14), small businesses testified on the negative impact on their businesses ... Click here to read this article.

5 Steps to Better Marketing January/February 2008 by Tina Manzer What were the results of your marketing efforts last year? Click here to read this article.

10 Tips for Better E-mail Marketing November/December 2007 by Kari Anderson On October 23, Shopatron, an online order-fulfillment company, hosted a webinar about e-mail marketing. Click here to read this article.

"Get the Biggest Cashwrap Counter That You Can" March/April 2006 by Tina Manzer “Whoever throws the best party wins, and running a store is like having a party every day,”... Click here to read this article.