There once was a time when a holiday in early August was far removed from the realms of possibility. Only once the new Argos book had been studied could I consider taking a week off.
However, no longer are there the nasty surprises in the main catalogue or the staff asking when something featured is coming in.
So this year I took the snub for my Olympics tickets personally and buggered off for a week. With the internet, any major problems can be sorted, and my staff can always phone if they need to.
But some reps didn’t get the whole international ringtone idea and kept trying to phone me. For once, I ignored them. Maybe I should have left the ringtone on high so Mrs Counter Insurgent would know how many calls I ignored.
As I had more time to read, I was flicking through the trade press and noticed how many ‘top toys’ lists have come out in the past month. I understand there are reasons for early publicity, but consumers this year are already dreading the money-spending season. I was staggered that the lists have expensive items.
Last year The Sun decided to release it own list of toys at ‘affordable’ prices; I was hopeful we could avoid a repeat of that.
The consumer does have an eye on Christmas; the amount of customers who’ve started to save money in the Christmas club we offer is up, but the amount of items reserved is well down. They don’t want to think about it this early, they are confused about prices and are prepared to wait and see who blinks first in the price war.
As an industry we have some great toys for great prices, and at a time when consumers are feeling the pinch, we need to make sure that message gets across. Every year the local press phone and ask for a comment. It’s simple: all I have to do is refer them to European prices, especially in France and Spain where they are so much higher than the UK. I embarrass my kids in toy shops abroad by muttering about prices. Sometimes I’m so shocked at a price my feet leave the ground and I foam from the mouth.
GOING FOR GOLD
By the time you read this, the football season will have started and I bet some shop somewhere will have Christmas decorations for sale by the end of August. Does anyone know of a website to name and shame them?
The consumer wants better value for money and toys offer that more than ever, but unfortunately some parts of the industry think toys should be sold below cost or offered at half an inflated price.
I’m about to start a tote for how low the Furby price will go. It isn’t a small number coming in – it’s a line that will give us squeaky bum time.
