MYSTERY SHOPPER
This month, Mystery Shopper journeys to the outer reaches of Suffolk in search of a traditional wooden play-set for a two year old niece
Suffolk TOY WORLD TOYTOWN
FROM HIS seat behind the counter, an elderly looking gentleman watched me as I entered the store. The shop was silent, and in a strange moment of customer and shop owner repartee, we exchanged nothing but a simple nod. The store itself was deceptively large so I got to work perusing everything it had to offer. Sylvanian Families populated the front end of the shop, alongside a variety of LEGO sets, model kits and various pocket money pieces. I passed an aisle of board
games and puzzles before arriving at a wall of play-sets.
With shelves dedicated to
Wow Toys, VTech, Hape and more, there was plenty to choose from. I decided to ask for a little bit of advice. “Sylvanian Families do
lovely little play-sets,” the shop owner told me, “but they’re a little too old. We have plenty more to choose from though.”
He took me to a collection of push along cars and pull along wheeled animals, pushing various buttons and setting off lights and sounds, demonstrating each toy with enthusiasm. We’d almost gone through the entire collection of
8 Church Street, Woodbridge
Wow Toys play-sets when he was distracted. “This is a great set,” he said, triumphantly handing me a wooden orchestra set. “It’s got some great instruments in there, only problem is it’s £50.” With a limited budget of £20, this was quite a big problem. Undeterred, he picked up
a Wooden Glutting Giraffe. “Kids can spin these different shapes down the frame,” he told me. “They love the colours, and all kids like giraffes.” I remembered my own fondness for the majestic creature when I was a kid. Maybe he had a point.
Verdict: ToyTown had a fantastic array of pre-school toys and play-sets, covering both traditional and digital play with a mix of wooden and technological. The customer service was enthusiastic and friendly. I felt that a little more time could have been spent asking questions in order to offer a really bespoke experience.
42 July 4/5
VISITORS TO Ipswich could be forgiven for thinking that Toyworld is nothing but an urban legend. If it weren’t for my Sat Nav and the young man on the other end of the phone insisting that it was very real, I may well have myself. I eventually found the toy shop on the top floor of a convenience store, offering everything from a Post Office to Playmobil sets.
Among its small offering
downstairs were various wooden toys and pocket money gifts. Upstairs however was dedicated to toys, with fancy dress outfits, various science kits, role play sets and a lot of traditional wooden toys. Only one thing was missing. Staff.
After ten minutes of perusing the upstairs
1 -3 Heath Road, Ipswich
offering, I made my way down to ask for assistance. “What kind of thing are
you looking for?” asked the woman in the Toyworld uniform. I told her I was after a wooden play-set for a two year old girl. “Have you had a look at
everything upstairs? Why don’t you bring some down and I can tell you about them.” The wily woman had devised a way of getting me to bring product to the till. She was the only one manning the store at the time, so I deduced it was more for the sake of security than salesmanship. I returned with a handful
of products.“This truck is particularly lovely, kids love the animal shapes,” she said. I had no choice but to agree. After all, I had chosen it.
Verdict: Toyworld was certainly not a conventional toy shop. The upstairs toy area meant that product couldn’t be easily suggested, but service was still friendly and very knowledgeable.
3/5
www.toynews-online.biz
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