Stand Out from the Retail Crowd
ASTRA’S INSIGHTS
Differentiate Your Specialty Toy Store with ASTRA Programs
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by Kathleen McHugh, president, American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) o doubt about it: Retail is a highly competitive business, and if you are an independent toy store owner, the challenges come from all directions. While big box stores have the volume to undercut you on price, online retailers can have a large assortment and may use you as an unpaid, involuntary showroom while they enjoy the freedom of collecting sales tax on their customers’ purchases. Your own customers can be a huge boon to your store via social media, or just the opposite—a bad review (deserved or not) will have a bigger impact on a small local business than on a huge national operation. To succeed, you must differentiate your store through the products and the experiences that you offer. Independent toy stores have traditionally distinguished their brands by superior products and service. The American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA) is focused on supporting its retail members with industry-wide programs that highlight the specialty toy store advantage. Here are two examples of ASTRA programs that support the differentiation of its member stores:
ASTRA Exclusives Program
One strategy for making an ASTRA store a destination in its community is to offer top quality products with exceptional play value that customers cannot find anywhere else. The ASTRA exclusive program invites proposals from manufacturers for products to be sold only in ASTRA stores for a set period of time. Proposals are reviewed by a committee of ASTRA retailers, which selects manufacturers based on the uniqueness of the products and their fit with a “typical” specialty toy store brand. The first round of ASTRA Exclusives—by Snapo, PlanToys, and Outset Media—was announced earlier this year, and the products will be
MAY/JUNE 2015
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exhibited at ASTRA’s Marketplace & Academy in Charlotte, N.C. from June 7 to 10. The next round of ASTRA exclusives will be announced this fall.
Neighborhood Toy Store Day
Two ways that independent brick-and-mortar retailers have an advantage over big box and online retailers are: 1. The appealing, unique customer experience they can offer in their communities, and 2. Their alignment with the shop local movement that many parents embrace. These points of differentiation can be amplified each year when specialty toy retailers mark Neighborhood Toy Store Day, an ASTRA program that is held annually on the second Saturday in November. ASTRA provides its members with complimentary promotional resources—including press release templates, in-store signage and stickers, and professionally designed flyers featuring Best Toys for Kids award winners. Many manufacturers support the event with play day items and specials. The event offers storeowners a way to highlight their expertise on play, top quality products, attentive service, and commitment to the community. ASTRA’s priorities are established by its board of directors, which consists of retailers, sales representatives, and manufacturers who have a deep understanding of the challenges that independent toy stores face. Looking ahead, the specialty toy industry can expect to see additional initiatives that are designed to help retailers differentiate their stores. Watch for ASTRA’s new professional education program, which will help retailers promote their roles as the play experts in their markets—a mantle that no other retailer will be qualified to claim. ●
SPECIALTY TOYS & GIFTS