AS I approach Cuthberts Toys, I notice a beautifully lit and enticing window display, which gets me in the mood.
Like the best indie toy shops,
Cuthberts takes the busy approach when it comes to the layout. The toys are everywhere and it seems like there isn’t an inch of space left – and that’s a good thing. Each toy category or brand section is identified with its own shelf-strip, which helps make browsing a lot easier. In another nice touch, the branded display units from suppliers are neatly integrated into shelves and effortlessly blend in with the rest of the store. I approach a young lad in a
Cuthberts hooded sweatshirt and ask for his opinion on dolls. While he is able to direct me to the
appropriate area of the store, he can offer little else in the way of guidance, and decides to pass me over to the female member of staff. Before long a friendly young lady
is here to help. She greets me with: “You don’t have a clue what you’re doing do you?” The recommended product is Barbie in a Mermaid Tale Swim N Dance and I’m also shown Lalaloopsy, Moxie Girlz and Bratz, which I’m informed would be a sound purchase. Verdict: Despite my helper admitting she didn’t play with dolls when she was little (she wanted to be Batman), her knowledge of the sector was sound and I went away a very happy Mystery Shopper.
5/5
THE ENTERTAINER
THE ENTERTAINER is well prepared for Easter. The retailer has planned a multitude of kids’ activities and themed play sessions for the break. The window display reflects the
activity, with one side promoting a host of Easter savings as the other shows the latest Lego ranges. Inside, the toys are divided into
clear, headed categories which makes everything easy to find. One thing that strikes you about The Entertainer is how busy and colourful everything looks in the well-lit interior. Feeling a little cruel, I decide to ask a male member of staff for his opinion on girls dolls.
The unlucky one is Daniel, who does his best to recommend something, but ends up retreating inside a set of double doors to find a
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more qualified member of staff to help with my doll dilemma. After a few moments I’m surprised to see another male emerge from the backroom.
His name is Michael, and he wastes no time in making a string of suggestions, using his knowledge on what he has seen to be popular in terms of sales, for example Moxie and Bratz. Now working in tandem, the pair aren’t afraid to point out special offers and sale deals. On my exit Michael hands me a flyer outlining all of the kids activities taking place, which is a nice touch. Verdict: An informed service with a smile and as usual, The Entertainer has shown it has plenty to offer.
5/5
JOHN LEWIS
ALTHOUGH I arrive at the department two hours from closing time, all of the members of staff are busy rearranging and realigning product. Too busy, it would seem, to offer any help to customers (like me). As with the John Lewis toy
department in Nottingham (which featured in ToyNews April), there is again a major focus on Lego, and in particular Lego Friends. There is a holographic demonstration box for the girls’ brick brand, which shows an animation of how the models are constructed. As I pace through the aisle I stumble across an adorable small, children’s shopping trolley – literally.
Fortunately, Mystery Shopper was
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blessed with exquisite balance and is able to avoid a certain fall. The trolley is a great idea though, and I bet the children love using them. “You’ll probably want the dolls section,” says a member of staff when I finally catch her attention, motioning towards it. I stand there and purposely look lost and she’s kind enough to lead me over to it.
Mermaid Barbie is her
recommendation and she suggests some other Barbie products, before returning to the children’s book area where she resumes rearranging. Verdict: Another tidy toy section at John Lewis, but at this time of the day the customer service was lacking.