April 2012 Issue

Feeling the Love

It’s April. Summer has tucked itself under the blankets, and autumn is well and truly in our midst. Many, including myself, will already be wondering, “Where has the year gone?” and even thinking towards impending Christmas months. The Autumn Gift Fair has come and gone and received much positive response (see page four). The New Year’s big overseas’ fairs are now also past, but judging by the visitor attendees and exhibitor numbers at many of them, most proved a good kick-start to the year.

As I have a close friendship with the TIA (US Toy Industry Association) I was interested to hear all about this February’s 109th New York Toy Fair. The fair welcomed a 4% increase in visitor numbers up on 2011, had over 1000 exhibitors, welcomed 16,000 buyers, and hosted attendees from over 110 countries. Whilst our own New Zealand Toy Fair isn’t so large in scale, we do share the same passions, principles and drives as our fellow toy enthusiasts on the other side of the world (they are always keen to hear what’s going on Down Under), and I’m certain that this year’s New Zealand Toy Fair will resonate with as much enthusiasm and positivity as that expressed in New York.

Having spoken to many wholesalers at the recent Autumn Gift Fair, the buzzword for the gift industry is definitely not recession. Many expressed that 2012 has been the year they’ve been waiting for – the year that we’ve all been waiting for. Two wholesalers I spoke with, who are involved in both the gift and hospitality industries, said hospitality figures have really improved since January. “The numbers speak for themselves. It’s great, even though we can’t pinpoint the exact reason why things are picking up substantially – but it’s all good news so far,” said one.

Online, it seems everyone is catered for gift-wise, from the ever-growing NZ Gift Directory to New Zealand-based online department store shopping experiences, and XPO’s new Gift Trader site. My sister-in-law recently introduced me to an online marketplace for handmade goods and gifts, www.felt.co.nz, which I find myself coming back to time and time again for inspiration. Upon admiring these amazing handcrafted goods made by everyday Kiwis, it reaffirmed to me that the internet and finding the perfect gift can go hand in hand. Just because you bought it online, doesn’t mean it hasn’t been made or given with love.

This issue we get to the heart of the matter when it comes to successful selling instore (turn to page 22), we also turn up the heat with candle trends (page eight) and look at what’s hot in the Kiwiana department (page 14). For those planning a visit to the New Zealand Toy Fair next month, grant yourself a bit of time to sit down with a coffee and biscuit to read through our Toy Fair Buyer’s Guide (page 30); it’s got everything you need to take onboard before heading to the fair.

I look forward to seeing many of you at the fair; I’ll be the one dancing on the giant key board or jamming along on the latest music contraption – please don’t feel sorry for me!

Until next time,

Dyani

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