Toys

The holiday season is nearly upon us and gift buyers are challenged with what to buy for our youngsters. The market for kids toys is controlled by out of town toy sheds that offer near wholesale prices to consumers. The modern market is a long way from those traditional toy shops that were common in our towns 5 decades ago, and the toys available are so much greater.

Many of toys that are made today come from China. Because of marketing strategy companies that market cheap plastic toys became a hit. The were targeting people who were looking for bargains, and not necessarily quality. China had such a price advantage that numerous manufacturers completely transferred their production enterprises to China. Some toy manufacturers did not have strict quality controls, as Mattel found out in 2007. More than three million toys were recalled around the world. Recently, due to safety questions regarding some products, the children’s toy market has turned towards more traditional toys. More people are seeking out quality wooden toys and the increase in the amount of independent toy stores is a direct result. Parents have been increasingly attracted to buying wooden toys because these playthings are durable, usually well-made and ecologically appropriate. With the economic decline putting the hurt on a large number of manufacturers, it seems conventional wooden toys may be more likely to survive the falling economy. Parent’s like the idea of purchasing a well made child’s toy that will provide years of service which will give great value for their money.

This holiday season skip the cheap Chinese toys at your local “superstore” and go straight to a local toy shop where you will find reasonably priced, well-built toys that will keep your children entertained for the rest of year