 |  News07.03.2018 // Happy Women's Day!Dear Ladies, We wish you a lot of Happiness, Joy, Kindness and High Spirits today and always! Be beautiful, young, desired and loved 😀 . | 06.03.2018 // Achieving customer loyaltyAs children grow, their needs and wants change. This opens the door to tremendous opportunities for the toy trade, as the current crop of parents is more amenable than ever to individual recommendations directing them towards age-appropriate toys for their children. Lifecycle recommendations and loyalty programmes play an important role in this. Hardly any target group responds better to measures aimed at ensuring customer loyalty than parents. They have clearly predictable needs when it comes to buying toys for their children, which means there is opportunity for the toy trade to turn them into loyal repeat purchasers. At the same time, today’s parents are more confused than ever by all of the advice and options when looking for the right toys. And this is precisely where toy retailers can impress parents through what is known as life cycle recommendations – completely tailored toy recommendations based on their children’s ages. Building up a database for life cycle recommendationsHowever, you have to know your target groups well for this, especially how old the parents’ children are right now. Online retailers have a number of ways of approaching this, such as analysing their customers’ shopping baskets or asking for the age of the children during the ordering process. But brick-and-mortar retailers can also use newsletters designed accordingly to find out how old their customers’ children are at that time. For data protection reasons, however, customers must always be informed about the use of their data and consent to this. There are also interesting possibilities for life cycle recommendations on Facebook, as advertisements placed there can target parents directly with age-appropriate toys. Only parents with kids in the specific age group are then shown the relevant advertisement. Disney has perfected the principle of life cycle recommendations. The entire customer journey is supported, from infancy through to the teenage years, and parents receive regular hints and tips on which of the company’s toys are right at that time. This offers Disney a dual return, as over time both parents and children become loyal fans. Customer loyalty as a success factorLoyalty programmes are another interesting option for toy retailers. Using these, retailers can gradually turn first-time buyers into repeat customers and recommenders, thereby saving valuable resources. However, you need more than bonus points and customer cards to build customer loyalty. Customers want services targeted individually at them which create value for them. This is especially crucial nowadays: the more similar the ranges offered by retailers, the more a retailer has to engage with customers in order to hang on to them in the long run. Small surprises are often enough for a lasting effect. Personalised gifts which go beyond typical promotional items show appreciation for customers who shop in your store. When it comes to toys, small lifestyle accessories or (collectors’) items which give children a feeling of having also gained a little "trophy" from the shopping experience are some suitable ideas. Services which provide uncomplicated support to parents with any problems, at every contact point, especially add a lot of value. This relates to product availability, delivery times, payment options and complaints in particular. Offering a service that people are not yet familiar with is a real trump card. One such service that is still not widespread is offering a gift receipt, for example. This is included with the gift and allows the recipient to return the product without needing the sales receipt. By then providing advice, retailers can help with the search for the right product and maybe, with just a little effort, even acquire new customers who are impressed enough with the wide range of services to return again.
>. | 27.02.2018 // Do Dads now have a say in their kids’ play?Raising a child is no longer for mums only. Men, too, are becoming more and more involved in the education of their offspring. And it goes without saying that such fatherly commitment impacts the choice of toys. Who decides on what to play?The choice of toys that make it into a children’s room and who decides on them depends largely on the child’s age. The older the child, the more autonomous its decision about what it wants to have around. Whereas initially, adults play the decisive role when it comes to choosing a product, a child will develop personal preferences once it goes to nursery school or Kindergarten. Playing and toys, next to being a pleasant way to pass time and learn, also express a child’s affiliation with a peer group. Toys reflect valuesA parent’s taste and intention alone are not decisive – a child’s social environment is increasingly important. The decision either in favour or against a licenced product or product category is for the child alone to make: “I wish to identify with a specific group around me – and distinguish myself from another group to the same extent.” But still, this decision is naturally not entirely separate from the parents’ values and preferences. They share their conception of the world through their education. Based on the parents’ imprint, a child will later develop its own ideas as to what it likes to surround itself with. A mixture between influences from parents, peers, role models and media are the result. Dads show greater responsibilityDads are ever more aware of their role and example function and impart their own values to the child through the way they live. This perception of educational responsibility is becoming visible also by the growing share of fathers taking parental leave. Media and manufacturers focus on fathersThe media landscape equally reflects the fatherly interest in education and thus also in the child’s product environment: men’s magazines such as Men’s Health publish special issues dedicated to fathers and thereby promote how to combine the role of being a man with that of being a father. And even toy makers target product lines for small children to fathers. The soft toy maker Sigikid, for example, launched the “Papa & Me” line which tries to bridge the gap between stereotypical masculinity and an infant’s cuteness. Play time is quality time Robert Franken, Digital & Gender Consultant, aptly makes the connection between daddy-time spent with the child and the choice of toys: Men should spend time with their offspring to make sound, informed decisions as a father, and this applies even and especially when it comes to toys. It is a personal matter close to my heart that my son is not confronted with gender clichés and obsolete role models from his early childhood days on. Be it mum or dad, every time parents play with their children, they convey their own biography and values to their offspring, also through the product environment which they choose. In light of multi-media gaming worlds that children of digital natives grow up with, the bright spot is that this highlights more bridges towards ‘digital’ parent-child bonding: The new generation of parents know their digital game worlds and gaming. That is a definite advantage of today’s dads over those of past decades whose children moved in completely different game worlds to the ones they experienced in their childhood. Enticing dads to embrace an active father roleTrue: The process of involving dads in the decision-process is still in its infancy. But the trend towards more daddy-involvement is clearly noticeable. It is thus now the job of toy makers to help them reach the next phase so that male role models adopt their educational influence in the future with great joy and in a positive way. Internal studies by toy makers emphasise this, says Marco Krahl. “Their findings are the same: Fathers contribute more these days to the decision on which toys to buy than they did ten or twenty years ago.”
| 23.02.2018 // NY Toy Fair 2018: Toy Association to reveal Top Toy Trends for 2018The organisation, the team behind the annual event held in New York’s Jacob K Javits Convention Centre, will present its forecasts at this year’s exclusive Toy Trends Briefing. The Toy Association is preparing to reveal its thoughts on the toy trends set to dominate Christmas sales this year at the 115 North American International Toy Fair. The organization, the team behind the annual event held in New York’s Jacob K Javits Convention Centre, will present its forecasts at this year’s exclusive Toy Trends Briefing. Toy Association trend experts will provide analyses of each trend and give live product demos using toys and games from the show floor. A Q&A session will follow. The session is open to all Toy Fair guests and will be held in Room 109, Hall 1E at the Jacob K Javits Convention Center, New York. Founded in 1916, the Toy Association is the not for profit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. It aims to lead the health and growth of the US toy industry, worth around $107billion. | 16.02.2018 // One Click Retail releases Amazon toy sales insightsOne Click Retail has released an analysis of Amazon's 2017 toy sales results, showing some interesting trends in the platform's performance. Toys sales generated an estimated $4.5 billion in the US in 2017, showing an increase of 12 per cent over last year's results. "By Amazon's standards, 12 per cent growth is relatively low, but this occurred in a year when total US toy sales stagnated," the report by OCR's VP sales and marketing, Nathan Rigby. "Major brick-and-mortar retail chains declared bankruptcy while Amazon's market share kept growing and is now responsible for roughly 1 out of every 6 dollars spent on toys in America." European results in Europe were more pronounced, with Germany's toy sales growing 42 per cent, after flatlining the previous year. While toy sales generally declined in France, Amazon sales shot up by 78 per cent. One Click Retail attributes a major part of this success to the increased popularity in robot toys, a category which grew by 32 per cent in 2017. "Though it remains a relatively small category with only $50 million in estimated sales, last year's two bestselling toys were both intelligent robots for kids: Cozmo by Anki and LEGO Mindstorms EV3," continues the report. However, robot toys' popularity may have plateaued, as Anki's Cozmo has dropped off the bestseller list and few new products have entered the market. NERF enjoyed a strong year, bolstering the Active Play category. "This is consistent with an overall trend toward active play," details the report. "The fastest-growing Toy category of 2017 was Outdoor & Sports Toys with 46 per cent growth led by the NERF gun and the Little Tikes Jump 'n Slide Bouncer (number four Toy of 2017). This is the countertrend to the touchscreen technologies that have begun to dominate the toy industry, and suggests that parents are making an effort to encourage more physical activity." The report concludes by highlighting the growth of traditional toys and the pre-school sector. Dolls with a collectable aspect are hot right now thanks to the rise of MGA's L.O.L. Surprise line, while pre-school and infant toys have climbed from number three to become Amazon's largest toy category with $650 million in estimated sales in 2017. | 14.02.2018 // Happy Valentine's Day 2018!Valentine’s Day, also called St. Valentine’s Day, holiday (February 14) when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. The holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. The festival, which celebrated the coming of spring, included fertility rites and the pairing off of women with men by lottery. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I replaced Lupercalia with St. Valentine’s Day. It came to becelebrated as a day of romance from about the 14th century. Although there were several Christian martyrs named Valentine, the day may have taken its name from a priest who was martyred about 270 CE by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus. According to legend, the priest signed a letter "from your Valentine" to his jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended and, by some accounts, healed from blindness. Other accounts hold that it was St. Valentine of Terni, a bishop, for whom the holiday was named, though it is possible the two saints were actually one person. Another common legend states that St. Valentine defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war. It is for this reason that his feast day is associated with love. Formal messages, or valentines, appeared in the 1500s, and by the late 1700s commercially printed cards were being used. The first commercial valentines in the United States were printed in the mid-1800s. Valentines commonly depict Cupid, the Roman god of love, along with hearts, traditionally the seat of emotion. Because it was thought that the avian mating season begins in mid-February, birds also became a symbol of the day. Traditional gifts include candy and flowers, particularly red roses, a symbol of beauty and love. The day is popular in the United States as well as in Britain, Canada, and Australia, and it is also celebrated in other countries, including Argentina, France, Mexico, and South Korea. In the Philippines, it is the most common wedding anniversary, and mass weddings of hundreds of couples are not uncommon on that date. The holiday has expanded to expressions of affection among relatives and friends. Many schoolchildren exchange valentines with one another on this day!  | 08.02.2018 // Greetings from Ranok-Creative at the International Toy Fair in Nuremberg!!!These were five impressive days full of new acquaintances, business contacts and clients' visits! We are thankful to each of you and we are looking forward to next year's show! With best regards,
Ranok-Creative Team | 25.01.2018 // HOT NEWS!!! Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair NürnbergÑompany "Ranok-Creative" is announcing that upcoming Spielwarenmesse 2018 will take place in Nurnberg from January, 31 till February, 4. We are pleased to inform you that we are among the exhibitors and would like to invite you to visit our stand E-20 in Hall 10.0.  | 23.01.2018 // The future of retailing: pioneers forging new paths to profitabilityWhat is the true future of retailing? Some of the industry and the press coverage have been dwelling upon the popularity and growth of online retailing, and the demise of physical retailing space, what many have called the “retail apocalypse.” And with thousands of retail locations shuttered in the USA since 2016, this is a reality - for some. However, there are other experts that are pointing to a counter-trend. A future of retailing that envisions physical retail shopping, paired with an insatiable consumer passion for innovation. A vision that focuses on retail spaces embracing tactile and in-person experiences to delight shoppers, and products that are integral to solidifying that sensation of discovery. There are some positive examples of brick-and-mortar retailers that have provided welcome experiences for consumers and received both encouraging customer support AND money in their cash registers. This is a profitable sign that the brick-and-mortar retail trend focus can be a working model, for retailers who are willing to shake things up. Listen to your customersNever say never. Listen to your customer’s requests and meet their needs. The TrendWatching team has reported that Everlane, a prominent online fashion retailer has just opened a flagship retail fashion outlet in New York City, in December 2017. The brand, who originally stated over five years ago that they would NEVER open a retail outlet, has listened to their consumer base, and met their high-touch demands for a store where they could touch and feel the fashions, and a place where they could return merchandise in-store. This launch store location does combine online shopper profiles, linked to their POS (point-of-sale) in-store retail experience, by requiring their customers to link the two, before leaving the retail location, providing a seamless shopping footprint. Combine offline and online shoppingEven Amazon, the largest online retailer, has invested in physical retail. Amazon recently purchased the Whole Foods grocery chain, for $13.4 Billion US dollars. Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s contrary founder, has placed a stake in the ground for expansion into brick-and mortar retailing, and plans on reaching new consumers, through physical retail stores, combined with online ordering and delivery systems. Click-and-collect retail shopping is not a new trend. Yet if managed correctly, it can be an enhanced benefit to some consumers, especially millennials, who value convenience and time-saving features, yet demand quality goods, and eco-friendly and organic options. Provide a homey atmosphereEmbrace your authentic atmosphere and make local a prominent feature. Stores that reflect their local community and offer local artists and makers a chance to shine, provide a true compass for both local shoppers and tourists. This unique approach to honoring your differences can provide a fresh face to your retail location, and invite repeat sales. The Village Toys shop in Incline Village, on the shores of Lake Tahoe, California, offers a nostalgic feel for their customers, with a combination toyshop and ice cream parlor. This approach encourages cross-over sales for the huge Fourth of July visitor crowd swelling the town’s population seven-fold on this popular Holiday as a destination location. And year-round, the owners keep their finger on the pulse, rotating in new merchandise (such as jumping on fidget spinners, early in 2017), combined with classic toys and games. Create a new retail modelBe the new retail model that makes sense, to consumers and manufacturers. At the recent Digital Kids Summit, held in Austin, Texas, in end of September 2017, a new store concept, B8ta, was the focus of an evening field-trip for conference attendees. The revolutionary retail store boasts new technology and demos for consumers, seeking the latest in tech and gadgetry for kids and adults. One of the store co-founders of this San-Francisco based chain of 10 locations, Vibhu Norby explained their store concept charges manufacturers for the privilege of being featured in their high-tech, high touch stores. Products are demonstrated by associates, who are NOT pressured to sell the merchandise, but are tasked with showing the product features to the customers who enter the store, based on the customer interests. This shift in thinking about the consumer experience has raised 19.5 Million US dollars in investments, and challenges how physical retail space can be monetized differently. Recently, B8ta announced that their smart-home-focused B8ta products will be featured in 70 nationwide USA Lowe’s DIY home improvement stores, and that selected Macy’s flagship locations will also feature B8ta in-store boutiques. Surprise and delight your customersRetailers who can provide a compelling destination for their customers, and a unique reason for consumers to choose them, over other alternatives, have a chance at surviving the “retail apocalypse” that has plagued many less-than-innovative retail chains. Many started out fresh and different, and then became tired, and less exclusive. Surprise and delight your customers, be the source of expert recommendations and demonstrations, and your customers will not only become loyal patrons, but they will broadcast your message through word-of-mouth and social media. | 17.01.2018 // January 17: Fun Holiday – Kid Inventors' DayJanuary 17 is Kid Inventors’ Day (KID), a day to encourage all the children in your life to think outside the box and invent something. The unofficial holiday commemorates the birthday of all-around genius and kid inventor, Benjamin Franklin, and celebrates kid inventors around the world. It also aims to encourage children to be curious about the world around them and to be creative when solving problems. Benjamin Franklin, Kid Inventor
Franklin, one of the most prolific person in history was responsible for inventing the precursor to the swimming flippers at the age of eleven, a year after he stopped going to school. His invention was made for the hands instead of the feet. How to Celebrate?
- Encourage the kids around you to search for scientific and logical solutions to problems.
- Get the kids in your life problem-solving toys and games to help them develop critical thinking skills.
- If a child you know has an idea for a gadget or a game, help them realize their dreams.
- If you are a teacher, spend the day talking to your students about children who invented things and inspire them to become inventors. Let them know that their idea or invention does not have to be path breaking or revolutionary, it can be something small that solves a real life problem that they or someone they know, face. Did You Know…
…that the snowmobile, popsicles, and braille were all invented by children?😀  |
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