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TDMONTHLY MUST READS
January Staff Picks
Huggable and handmade plush, artistic accents and eco-friendly designs characterize some of the newest items out in the specialty market...READ MORE
It's a fresh, new year ... and time to think about how your 2009 is shaping up...
Jacabee Inc. is releasing the first book in a 12-title series inspired by the American paintings of artist F. Luis Mora...
TDMONTHLY TOY VIDEOS
Multipurpose Goes to the Multiplex
Blankets that turn into balls or dragons. Toy carts that are mobile libraries. Necklaces that make wishes come true: These TDmonthly Toy Videos demonstrate that 2009 will be bringing plenty of innovative products into retailers' and kids lives...READ MORE
TDMONTHLY SHOP TALK
Loyal Customers Kept Specialty Afloat for Holidays
Despite the gloomy economy, only two of eleven specialty toy-store owners told TDmonthly Magazine that their holiday sales were significantly lower than last year's. Everyone else's responses ranged from "okay, considering ... " to "much better than expected."...READ MORE
One of the goals at Piccolo Mondo Toys in Portland, Ore., is to bring a little bit of the world to customers....
From Blokus (distributor currently changing as of 12/08) to Wedgits from Imagability, small, easy-to learn games and toys are the winners when it comes to popular sellers....
Michelle Smith, who owns Piccolo Mondo Toys in Portland, Ore., with her husband, Merrick, tries to bring a piece of the world to her customers....
In my retail store, there were several holiday seasons where sales exceeded our expectations. If you don’t have a plan for this situation ahead of time, you can find yourself spending wildly and blindly — to the detriment of your business....
Ideally, your store has the perfect balance of merchandise that flows in and out the door at just the right time according to customers’ wishes....
TDMONTHLY TOY FAIR PREVIEW
How to Demo Your Toy on Video
If you've signed up for a TDmonthly Magazine Toy Video demonstration at Toy Fair 2009, there's no need for a script and no need to be nervous...READ MORE
Exhibiting at the American International Toy Fair can be overwhelming ... and expensive! TDmonthly Magazine's videos and articles can help prepare you and even show you what it's like. Here's what one newbie vedor told us
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TDMONTHLY NEW TOYS
Notable and New Toys by Category — Specialty Only
See all the new Specialty Toys we've uploaded in the last month to make your ordering easier...READ MORE
See all the new toys we've uploaded in the last month to make your ordering easier...
From plush and blankets that turn inside out to multi-use furniture inspired by animals, there are plenty of fun, new products to ring in the New Year...
TDMONTHLY TOP-10 MOST-WANTED LISTS
TDmonthly’s Top-10 Most-Wanted Books
In November 2008, TDmonthly surveyed retailers across the country about their sales of books for kids, young adults and teens....READ MORE
About 30 percent of 52 specialty retailers who spoke with TDmonthly Magazine in fall 2008 said they don’t carry specific stock for Halloween in their stores...
TDMONTHLY HOT TOPIC
Good Co./Bad Co.: Who’s Fair to Specialty?
In late 2008, TDmonthly Magazine asked 52 specialty retailers to share their preferences for vendors. Which companies can they not live without?...READ MORE
What attracts specialty retailers to long-term relationships with their suppliers? Everything from excellent customer service and return-friendly policies to fast, free shipping and broad product selection...
Under condition of anonymity, 52 specialty retailers were asked by TDmonthly Magazine in fall 2008 which suppliers are their least favorite to work with....
TDMONTHLY TOY REVIEWS
TDmonthly’s Psychologist Mom
TDmonthly Magazine’s Psychologist Mom hung out with a magical elf, discovered an ideal carry-along for a plane trip with kids, and found an ingenious way to help “spot” a lost child in her latest round of reviews....READ MORE
TDmonthly Magazine’s Boys Roundtable went back to the basics with a woodworking kit from Woodland Magic Imports...
If you want to know which children’s CDs may be worth carrying in your store, see what TDmonthly’s Music Expert has to say....
TDMONTHLY TOY BUZZ
Playmobil Offers Foundation for Kids’ Creative Play
Introducing between 80 and 100 themed playsets, accessories and figures every year, Playmobil toys help to stimulate children’s imaginations and create endless adventures....READ MORE
If a robot toy were crossed with an insect, what would you get? A HEXBUG! For Innovation First, the result has been a sellout, with demand overwhelming supply in the products’ first year....
TDMONTHLY POPULAR STORIES
Watching Out for “Watchmen”
A black bat silhouetted against a yellow background. And a smiley face button splashed with blood:...READ MORE
It’s finally happened: my assistant went on vacation. Once a year, I’m thrown into confusion by this and swear I’m going to automate....
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requires that manufacturers and/or importers provide Certificates of Compliance to distributors and retailers for products manufactured on or after Nov. 12, 2008...
Most of the very successful toys in 2008 were driven by movies — “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “The Dark Knight,” Wall-E” and “Iron Man” – and it hence behooves us to look at what films are awaiting us this year and next....
Right now, we are looking back on the worst fourth quarter in toy history and are looking forward to an even worse first quarter....
TDMONTHLY MANUFACTURER'S CORNER
Event Marketing Guru’s Corner: Selling Too Much
The pure, anecdotal sales pitch is dead, and few observers are mourning its passing. Have you noticed how difficult it is for anyone with the word “sales” in his or her title to get a simple appointment?...READ MORE
TDMONTHLY UPCOMING ISSUES
Talk of the Fair
Four days of the latest offerings from companies big and small — plush, games, construction toys, science kits, educational products and more! Will you be able to see it all?...READ MORE
Throughout the year, TDmonthly Magazine's Roundtable reviewers — parents, their children, and occasionally retailers and experts — don their testing gloves and give their honest feedback about dolls, toys, games and infant products...
How does your website compare to those of other specialty retailers? Find out in the ShopTalk section of TDmonthly Magazine's February issue, where former retailer Adeena Mignogna will reveal what storeowners are doing right...
