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TDMONTHLY MUST READS
July Staff Picks
Coasting through the summer? Ringing up lots of sales? Well, here's a chance to see some toys you might've missed...READ MORE
Ready to watch? Check out TDmonthly’s toy video demos, with highlights on one of our featured categories...
Christmas decorations, handbags, food and apparel are likely to face prices hikes of up to 15 percent for the holiday season...
TDMONTHLY TOY VIDEOS
Watch Novelty Toys
What do you say to a toucan and a toilet paper roll that talk back? Watch TDmonthly's toy videos and find out...READ MORE
TDMONTHLY SHOP TALK
Retailer Spotlight: The Lollipop Shop
Some people, like Jeff Gurley, are able to turn life’s misfortunes into blessings. He took the loss of his job with a dot-com company in 2000 and turned it into a fun (and tasty) adventure, TDmonthly Magazine learned....READ MORE
At the Lollipop Shop in Jonesborough, Tenn., and Kiawah Island, S.C., Owners Jeff and Candy Gurley believe that candy and toys appeal to all demographics....
It’s natural to be hesitant about a toy you don’t know much about. But are you missing big sales by being too cautious?...
Achieving success in retail today is more challenging than it was 10 years ago, four of 10 toy-store owners and experts told TDmonthly Magazine....
Most specialty toy-store owners told TDmonthly Magazine they get requests for items they don’t carry quite often, even daily — but they don’t bring all the toys in....
TDMONTHLY TOP-10 MOST-WANTED LISTS
TDmonthly’s Top-10 Most-Wanted Novelty Toys
When it comes to novelty items, consumer interest ranges from wind-ups to plush to yo-yos to erasers......READ MORE
Which die-cast vehicles are to-die-for in the specialty market? A TDmonthly Magazine survey of 55 specialty retailers revealed that public service vehicles, such as school buses...
Which action figures are the last ones standing? Knights, pirates, dinosaurs and mythical creatures are strongest in battle, 55 retailers told TDmonthly Magazine, with Papo figures by Hotaling Imports dominating...
TDMONTHLY SPECIALTY TOYS REPORT
Final Nominees for Specialty Toys Report!
Submission forms and product samples rolled into TDmonthly Magazine's offices throughout the month of June, and evaluations have yielded a new crop of nominees for the 2008 Specialty Toys Report...READ MORE
TDMONTHLY TRENDS
Sweeten Sales With Edibles
More than half of 55 specialty retailers surveyed recently told TDmonthly Magazine they don’t sell any candy in their store. But sweet-toothed customers aren’t left wanting everywhere...READ MORE
TDMONTHLY TOY REVIEWS
Boys’ Roundtable: Carrera Speed Racer Set is Right on Track
Ready, set, GO! When TDmonthly Magazine’s Boys Roundtable test-drove Carrera’s Speed Racer slot car set, participants were quick to rave about the modernized classic....READ MORE
Lavender-scented and buckwheat-filled, Warm Whiskers aren’t typical stuffed animals, TDmonthly Magazine’s Homeschool Roundtable discovered....
TDmonthly Magazine’s Dolls Roundtable participants recently reviewed Language Littles’ French doll, Jolie. While the two storeowners had several suggestions for improvement, the girls were intrigued by Jolie and enjoyed trying out another language....
TDmonthly’s Girls’ Roundtable reviewers were intrigued with the secret compartment they found in Treasure Chest Pets, a combination of a treasure box and stuffed animal......
It didn’t take TDmonthly Magazine’s Homeschool Roundtable participants long to see that the ease of use and practical application of the Digital Bookmark by Mark-My-Time make it a product to … well … bookmark as a favorite....
Dr. Wright put on her sports mind for this round of reviews, delving into soccer, football and racing. Read on to see how the products scored:...
If you want to know which books to sell in your toy store, find out what the kids have to say. Each month, children's book author Amy Downing reads new titles to children......
TDMONTHLY HOLIDAY PREVIEW
Call in the Elves for These Holiday Toys
There’s always something new in the world of toys, and that playset you didn’t see just might end up a top seller this holiday season. So while you’re sizzling with summer sales, beat the fall rush, too...READ MORE
TDMONTHLY TOY BUZZ
ThinkFun Puzzles Set Brains on Fire
When husband and wife Bill Richie and Andrea Barthello co-founded Binary Arts in 1985, they started with the premise that “having fun is a great way to learn"...READ MORE
Named after the world grid, Griddly Games makes sports-themed games that feature diverse, hand-painted characters. Reisa Schwartzman, now owner and president, took over the bankrupt company in December 2006 and, with Penny Osborn, director of operations, revamped the business....
Buffalo Games began in 1986 as a family business. When Mark Predko, now director of sales and marketing, joined Buffalo Games in 1994, there were only seven people running the company, he told TDmonthly Magazine....
TDMONTHLY POPULAR STORIES
Hollywood ToyBoy: The French Connection
“Why did it have to be the French?” Yeah, yeah ... we all joke about Parisians’ rich food and snooty attitudes, but who doesn’t want to see the City of Lights? Me, that’s who....READ MORE
Between fighting for a national toy safety standard and educating presidential candidates, the Toy Industry Association’s agenda has been a lot more about politics than play these days....
I have a lot of friends among small toy retailers. I sold to them when I ran a toy company in the late ‘90s, and always felt that many large manufacturers were taking advantage of them just because they were small....
June saw an increase for hardware at a 54.3-percent clip, software at 60.6 percent and accessories at 25.4 percent. The entire category grew by a dizzying 57.2 percent. Growth rates in both hardware and software continued to accelerate....
TDMONTHLY MANUFACTURER'S CORNER
What Not to Turn Down in a Downturn
Tempting as it may be, a potential economic downturn is not the time to turn tail and run. As my Granddad always told me, “You’ll never win the kitty if you sit out the hand.”...READ MORE
Last month’s column focused on purging platitudes from your strategic marketing. Today’s marketers use almost identical marketing messages, so “outside perception” reads all things as equal....
Picking up from May’s article on the branding promise, we’ll now look at the second of the 4Ps of branding: positioning — the compact and clear definition of what your company offers....
TDMONTHLY NEW TOYS
Notable and New Toys by Category
See all the new toys we've uploaded in the last month to make your ordering easier...READ MORE
TDMONTHLY UPCOMING ISSUES
Get Ready to Order!
To help you prepare for the 2008 holiday season (really, it’s just around the corner!), TDmonthly’s August Get Ready to Order Issue will feature hundreds of new products in addition to multiple manufacturer specials....READ MORE
Is it a good idea to hold sales in your specialty store? Find out what other retailers say about the when, why and how of marking down items......
Visit the American Specialty Toy Retailing Association’s annual Marketplace & Academy after the show!...