It’s Not Too Late for a Holiday Toy trends forecast
10/12/2021 by Tina Manzer Every year The Insights Family market research firm – with headquarters in Manchester, England; and offices in the U.S., Brazil,…
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They Did It
10/12/2021 Specialty toy professionals met face-to-face (er, mask-to-mask) in Minneapolis for ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy in August. The show presented new products and bestsellers…
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So Many Dolls to Sell
07/13/2021 Don’t overlook the doll category as a profit center for your store Part 2 of an interview with retailer Peter Laudin from Pattycake…
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10 Questions: Meet Sue Warfield, Officially ASTRA’s President
07/13/2021 1. You’re a new addition to the crayon box. What color would you be? Sue: Brilliant yellow, because I like to always consider…
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Tangled Up
05/04/2021 A colorful, textured sculpture that’s also a fidget is becoming today’s hot collectible by Tina Manzer Let’s take a moment to consider the…
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Positive Reinforcement
05/04/2021 Beautiful Blessings, an ethnically diverse line of 12-inch dolls with curvy, realistic figures, is ready to inspire girls of all ages. by Tina…
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Adults, Their Toys, and What They’re Collecting
02/15/2021 Sales of art toys, also called designer toys or urban vinyl, are booming right now. by Tina Manzer In an era when nontraditional…
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Time for the Great Personal Reset
02/15/2021 2021 is an opportunity to get back to zero and start over the right way, says author Steve Cook by Tina Manzer No…
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Puzzling Out Your Product Mix
11/19/20 The old rules don’t apply The disruption of the last nine months has forced retailers in our industry to re-examine and change multiple…
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The Tradeshow, Reinvented
09/10/2020 Toy Fair Everywhere and ASTRA Camp debut as virtual alternatives by Tina Manzer The Toy Association has cancelled Toy Fair Dallas 2020, scheduled…
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