More than a store


From subscription box services to model-making expertise, chill-out sensory rooms to community events, here’s how five independent toy retailers are putting the customer experience at the heart of everything they do


I


t goes without saying that high-street retail has taken a battering over the past couple of years. Now, rising costs and a squeeze on living standards mean bricks- and-mortar stores are facing down more tough times. Yet there are still reasons to be cheerful, according to Natasha Crookes, head of the Toy Retailers Association. “Plenty of small businesses are holding


their own against online retailers by harnessing their local assets,” Natasha says. “For most small retailers, establishing a loyal base is all about the experience


14 | ToyNews | Spring/Summer 2022


of their local community. Retailers have so much expertise – they know their products, they source safe toys, they’re able to make recommendations based on a child’s interests, likes and play preferences and they offer an experience you simply wouldn’t be able to get online, and that brings customers back time after time.” By nature resilient and creative, indie


retailers are finding new and inventive ways to add value to their offering. Some are running in-store experiences, others are operating toy exchanges and giving


free parenting advice, while many are encouraging their young customers and their parents to sit down and play with unboxed games – initiatives that, in the words of Natasha Crookes, are “bringing back the magic of the toy shop”. Lockdown may have made communities


appreciate their local stores more than ever before, but offering additional services – magical or not – seems to be key to taking customer loyalty to the next level, as the shops profiled on the following pages all show.


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