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September 2010 VOLUME 21, NO.10


Toys, Gifts & Novelties Forecast


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onventional wisdom dictates that during sluggish economic times, the less necessary an item


is, the more likely consumers are to eliminate it from their budgets. It would be understandable, therefore,


if you


assumed that it has been a somewhat bumpy ride for those in the business of selling toys, gifts and novelties. But while it certainly has been no walk in the park, and the effects of belt tightening have certainly been felt, it has not been all gloom and doom. Wholesalers have found ways to keep their products moving, and retailers have continued to feel the demand from consumers. Sometimes it’s all about price points.


But sometimes there are other factors as well. For Emirimage Corporation, seller of remote control vehicles, the allure of bells and whistles has proven effective in sustaining interest. “People are looking to get more and


COMPANY CO SPOTLIGHT CEF CRAFT TM


discount stores, Chef Craft makes a compelling choice for retailers who want to sell kitchen items and more. As a manufacturer,


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buying direct from Chef Craft cuts out the middleman and gives buyers a full range of product at entry level price points. “We have over 650 items for the kitchen, including holiday and seasonal items,” says Brian Ernster, VP sales. “We’ve been in business for over 25 years, and we always carry quality products.”


Your direct online resource to over 612,000 products WHOLESALECENTRAL.com


ith a broad assortment of products for grocery, hardware, drug, and


more sophisticated toys as the technology advances in different ways,” says Emirimage president, Eduardo Perl. “Kids are looking to get different toys, but all of them with more and more technology Th interactive characteristic of the toys is important, but of course there are some kinds of toys that never ever disappear. A kid playing with a car, for example. And right now the technology allows for a kid playing with a helicopter. Combine that with the improvement of the technology, and it makes the kids of today the best customers for these kinds of toys.” Perl’s customers are looking to buy


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. The ys


cars, in his case, radio-controlled, that can perform different kinds of tricks and stunts. These items use technology that didn’t exist a few years ago. The helicopters in particular used to be marketed primarily to — cont’d pg. 80


ChefCraft forGreat Prices &Value Chef Craft for Great Prices Value Ernster describes the full array of items the company


makes: “We have barbecue tools, a full line bar assortment, ice cube trays, as well as everything imaginable for the kitchen.” Chef Craft has been sourcing from factories in China for 25 years, so every item meets the company’s high standards for quality. “Even though most of our product is considered opening price point, it is stuff that I use every day in my kitchen,” says Ernster. “We take a lot of pride in the quality of our product, and it’s priced right.” In addition to a complete array


of kitchen items, Chef Craft also offers an expanding craft line, including jewelry kits. From — cont’d pg. 70


Today’s Business News at Cover Online


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