A luxurious plush bear made of 100 percent pure Australian sheepskin, the Flatout Bear can be used as a toy or a comforter for all ages. It can be hand-washed, has baby-safe eyes and nose, comes in six different colors, and even has a “please phone home” tag, where a phone number can be written as reference if the bear is lost.
— “The Flatout Bears: They’re hand-made of Australian sheepskin,” was how Kim Smith, owner of Red Wagon in Woodstock, Vt., described one of the surprise sellers in her store.
— “Plush — a lot of day-in, day-out good business,” was the reply for surprise sellers given by Rich Gordon, owner of Learning Express in Exton, Pa.         
— Twelve of 27 retailers that TDmonthly spoke with cited plush items as surprise sellers in their stores — a testament to the enduring appeal of the category.