| What will my six year old niece enjoy playing | | | | handled the toy themselves; know what it does |
| with? What would be an enjoyable and different | | | | and who it's right for. |
| gift for my ten year old grandson? | | | | Their small size means that they generally receive |
| Chances are that this Christmas you need to buy | | | | better direct feedback from customers and are |
| a gift for a child. For many people this is a | | | | better placed to make informed |
| daunting prospect. You may not have children of | | | | recommendations. They have better knowledge |
| your own. You might have children of different | | | | of how gifts go down. For instance does a toy sell |
| ages or genders or it may just be a long time | | | | well only because it's well marketed, or does it sell |
| since your own kids left the nest. | | | | well because children use it and come back again |
| Where to start in an ever more complicated toy | | | | and again for more items from the same line? |
| market? The easy-opt out is to give money or | | | | The surprising thing to learn as well is that they |
| gift vouchers, but that's a poor answer. There is | | | | probably aren't as motivated by profit as the |
| little in the world which compares to seeing the | | | | major chains are. Why? Well it's simple. They |
| joy on a child's face as they open an exiting new | | | | want you back at birthday time, they want you |
| discovery on Christmas Day and start to imagine | | | | back next Christmas, and so on. How do they |
| the new experiences that it will bring. | | | | achieve that? Only if the customer themselves |
| So how do you find the right gift? Major chains of | | | | gets good feedback from the child in question. As |
| toy retailers are little help. If you can track down | | | | a result they go out of their way to make the |
| a member of staff, then the chances are they | | | | best job of recommendation they possibly can. |
| have no personal experience of the toy in | | | | They can't afford to sell you the wrong thing for |
| question and can give you very little input into its | | | | the sake of a few pennies. |
| suitability. | | | | Need something unusual? The child has |
| That's where your small independent toy store | | | | "everything". Independent toy stores often can't |
| comes into its own. Despite the erosion in the | | | | compete on the major brands. They need to |
| number of these outlets in recent years, you'll still | | | | think outside the box to survive. If you need |
| find one in most towns. So why can they provide | | | | something that's different and inspiring then there |
| that inspiration? | | | | is a fair bet they can come up with the very |
| Well, for a start, the people who work there | | | | present your looking for. |
| know their products. Chances are they made the | | | | Get the right presents this year by getting advice |
| decision to stock the product themselves. That | | | | from someone who knows what they're talking |
| process involves research and meeting face to | | | | about. Visit your local independent toy retailer. |
| face with the people who supply them. They've | | | | |