Looking for advice on starting a wooden toy shop

[compostolian]

Hi, I'm new to these forums and looking for some advice.

I'm in the very early stages of thinking of opening a toy shop and have so many questions. Just to clarify, I am not intending to rush into things. I may even decide that it's not for me after doing all the research but at the moment I'm really excited by the idea.

I'd like to sell good quality, wooden toys. I have a few brands in mind like Haba, Hape, Brio, Djeco, that type of thing. I've been trying to get an idea of trade prices but when I find distributors' websites you need to be a business to get access to trade prices. Can I just come up with a business name to register or do I need something more official?

I'd also like to attend some trade fairs... I was thinking of possibly coming up with brands I'd like to stock then finding out who their distributors are and which trade fairs they go to. Are the Toy Fair at Kensington Olympia and the Spring Fair at the NEC good for finding a wide range of wooden toys? What about the International Toy & Gift fair put on by the AIS? Can't seem to find much information on that.

I'm in a position where I'm able to (or rather have to!) make a change in my career and have some money behind me. I know I need retail experience... apart from some charity shop volunteering in the past I have none. Would it be worth me volunteering again? There is only one wooden toy shop nearby and I strongly doubt I would be able get experience there.

Also potentially thinking of starting slow by selling online / from local markets and doing a lot of promotion through social media and leafleting of play cafes etc. Would suppliers be willing to sell me stock if I'm operating on such a small scale? I know some of the manufacturers like Big Jigs only sell to B&M shops. Having a B&M shop would be an ultimate goal but the thought of it is rather frightening at the moment.

Apologies for the long post. Hopefully I made some sort of sense and I look forward to hearing thoughts.

 

[owas]

I cant offer you any solid advice but what I would say is that there is clearly a growing demand for wooden toys. Parents such as myself are more aware of the long term value, and safety aspects compared to mass produced plastic oil filled rubbish that ends up on landfill. The ranges available are fantastic, there was something on dragons den recently that was brilliant.
With the wholesalers most of them will expect some sort of business accoutrement but I wouldn't worry to much about detail just yet. They will more than likely try and get you to meet up with a rep. The trade shows are must, it will give you a great idea of what's available and going in mind of what your trying to source will be a big plus, but at the same time be open minded about other brands/products.
If it helps at all, I can put you in touch with a company that will do 6 months free hosting no obligation and they will put a page up for you with some contact info and coming soon etc which can reflect your contact information. Let me know if your interested. Best of look though.

 

[The Byre]

If you are going to go to a toy fair, at least make it a proper one!

http://www.spielwarenmesse.de/?L=1

The World's largest toy fair - 80,000 visitors and nearly 3,000 exhibitors. They have a whole section for wooden toys.

 

[myfairworld]

I would doubt if volunteering in a charity shop is going to give you the sort of retail experience you need, though I suppose it depends a bit on the charity shop concerned. I've noticed that volunteers in charity shops are often assigned to one very specific role e.g. sorting clothes, or dealing with the donated books or being the person who stands at the cash register - this is probably necessary because most volunteers will only be doing a limited number of hours each week so need to be used in the most efficient way possible rather than aiming to give them an over view of the business.

 

[myfairworld]

I would doubt if volunteering in a charity shop is going to give you the sort of retail experience you need, though I suppose it depends a bit on the charity shop concerned. I've noticed that volunteers in charity shops are often assigned to one very specific role e.g. sorting clothes, or dealing with the donated books or being the person who stands at the cash register - this is probably necessary because most volunteers will only be doing a limited number of hours each week so need to be used in the most efficient way possible rather than aiming to give them an over view of the business.

 

[MOIC]

Also potentially thinking of starting slow by selling online / from local markets and doing a lot of promotion through social media and leafleting of play cafes etc. Would suppliers be willing to sell me stock if I'm operating on such a small scale?

The large brands, probably not.

If you are going to go to a toy fair, at least make it a proper one!

I think the OP will be overwhelmed by this fair at this point in her research.

 

[MOIC]

I would advise the OP to gain business experience first (not just retail experience) before opening a retail business.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

I doubt that reputable brands would allow you to operate small. Most will also only supply one shop in an area. I suspect that because the existing shop has been there a while you are assuming they are doing well when they could just be stuck in a lease. Go and buy something, spend ages looking, look at the sales done in the time you're there and strike up a conversation with the owner about how business is. Bear in mind they're likely to lie and tell you they're doing a stormer even if they're not.

 

[Mitch3473]

I would have thought building and fire regs would only allow you to build it out of a steel and block structure. I might be wrong.....

 

[compostolian]

Thanks for all the replies so far.
My office in China, what sort of business experience would you suggest? I am open to finding a new job if it will help prepare me for having my own business. My current role is in finance, in a very technical role and I'm very logical and good with numbers but I'm not gaining any real relevant experience here.

The toy fair in Germany looks amazing but I was overwhelmed when I looked on the website. Are the ones in this country not worth going to as a starting point? Has anyone been?

I'm also intending to go on a number of free / cheap business courses offered by a local organisation who support small businesses.

Oh and mitch, you're right, building a shop out of wood sounds like a serious fire hazard!

 

[MOIC]

My office in China, what sort of business experience would you suggest? I am open to finding a new job if it will help prepare me for having my own business. My current role is in finance, in a very technical role and I'm very logical and good with numbers but I'm not gaining any real relevant experience here.

The business experience you need to acquire before opening your own retail shop, in simplified form:

Research
Sourcing Products
Purchasing Requirements
Negotiating Prices/Quantities
Pricing Correctly
Calculating Costs
Contracts With Suppliers
Daily Bookkeeping & Accounts
Marketing
Forecasting Sales/Trends
Man Management
Customer Service
Merchandising
Competition
Patience
Legalities
Sacrifices


A job in a retail environment is your first step, ideally in the product category you are interested in.

Practical experience, in most cases, is paramount.

Yes, you can start and learn from your mistakes.

Best to prepare well if you want to do it correctly.

 

[Funding for Communities]

From what your saying your probably a couple of years away from having enough experience to start your own business. Get some work in retail and learn as much as possible including the cost of running a bricks & mortar business

 

[The Byre]

The toy fair in Germany looks amazing but I was overwhelmed when I looked on the website. Are the ones in this country not worth going to as a starting point? Has anyone been?

Yep, if you want to source wooden toys from China and/or Eastern Europe, it is the only fair most manufacturers of that kind of stuff use.

Tip! If you want to go to the fair next October (it is usually in Sept. or Oct.) book your hotel room this year. By January, all the cheap rooms near the fair will be taken. Leave yourself about three full days to check everything out!

Also, if you want to get Lego, Mecano, FP, or any other big names, they are more likely to take you seriously, if you approach them there. They will still want to see a proper shop, etc., but you will get to talk to the right people.

Many East European wood manufacturers will even make toys (or indeed anything else!) to your specifications.

 

[carents]

Eight months ago, I found this online business for sale selling wooden toys nurtures .co .uk.

Eventually we did not agree on the price and parted ways. Might be something that can help you getting started.

Disclaimer: I am not at all related to Nurtures in any shape or form.

Hi, I'm new to these forums and looking for some advice.

I'm in the very early stages of thinking of opening a toy shop and have so many questions. Just to clarify, I am not intending to rush into things. I may even decide that it's not for me after doing all the research but at the moment I'm really excited by the idea.

I'd like to sell good quality, wooden toys. I have a few brands in mind like Haba, Hape, Brio, Djeco, that type of thing. I've been trying to get an idea of trade prices but when I find distributors' websites you need to be a business to get access to trade prices. Can I just come up with a business name to register or do I need something more official?

I'd also like to attend some trade fairs... I was thinking of possibly coming up with brands I'd like to stock then finding out who their distributors are and which trade fairs they go to. Are the Toy Fair at Kensington Olympia and the Spring Fair at the NEC good for finding a wide range of wooden toys? What about the International Toy & Gift fair put on by the AIS? Can't seem to find much information on that.

I'm in a position where I'm able to (or rather have to!) make a change in my career and have some money behind me. I know I need retail experience... apart from some charity shop volunteering in the past I have none. Would it be worth me volunteering again? There is only one wooden toy shop nearby and I strongly doubt I would be able get experience there.

Also potentially thinking of starting slow by selling online / from local markets and doing a lot of promotion through social media and leafleting of play cafes etc. Would suppliers be willing to sell me stock if I'm operating on such a small scale? I know some of the manufacturers like Big Jigs only sell to B&M shops. Having a B&M shop would be an ultimate goal but the thought of it is rather frightening at the moment.

Apologies for the long post. Hopefully I made some sort of sense and I look forward to hearing thoughts.