Online Toy Shopping Gaining Popularity
By Michaele Birney Arneson
January 1, 2003


“I enjoy shopping online without the hassle of driving from store to store, and the added bonus of the product being shipped directly to the receiver,” said Lisa Marie Metzler of Beulah, Mich. “My work schedule leaves little time to shop the brick and mortar stores, plus I live in a rural area and it’s a 30-minute drive to go shopping.”

Online stores are also accessible to shoppers around the world. “I can get toys related to my English culture that are unavailable here,” said Katie-Anne Gustafsson of Eskilstuna, Sweden. “For example, books in English instead of Swedish and toys and games that are commonplace in the United Kingdom but not Scandinavia. I was able to purchase the newer Baby Einstein titles long before they were readily available in Europe by ordering direct from the Baby Einstein site in America.”

What they look for

Although the volume of online sales continues to increase, serious online shoppers are still picky about who they buy from.

“Security of the site, return policy, and shipping guarantee are very important factors for me,” noted Metzler. “Live customer service is also a plus if I’m trying to find a specific item or need help determining what size to order. If the company doesn’t deliver a quality product or I have trouble returning something, I will not purchase from them again.”
And just like traditional shoppers, good deals are important.

“Being offered deals or free shipping and handling will make me willing to go back to a specific online store,” noted Durbin. “After all, if it’s free to ship, then it’s just like going to the store…without the horrible hassle.”

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