Connect with Claire’s Buyers in February: Toy Association to Host New Preview Day

December 18, 2020 | As The Toy Association continues to provide members with new opportunities to accelerate their businesses, it will host a virtual product preview day with leading specialty retailer, Claire’s, on February 4, 2021. Companies currently selling at retail (but not selling to Claire’s) are invited to apply for the opportunity by January 6. As with previous product preview days, priority will be given to Toy Association members.

To date, nearly 400 toymakers have applied to participate in Toy Association virtual product previews with buyers from Family Dollar, Meijer, Spencer’s, Target, Target Plus, TRU Canada, and Urban Outfitters.

“We knew we had a responsibility to our members to generate new business solutions that would not only help our members keep moving their businesses forward amid the pandemic but also create new ways of doing business in the years ahead beyond our in-person events,” said Marian Bossard, executive vice president of global market events at The Toy Association. “These product previews, coupled with our now year-round Toy Fair Everywhere platform, are great examples of this work.”

Selected toy suppliers will have the opportunity to meet with Claire’s buyers and reach customers across its 2,200+ stores in North America and Europe. Buyers are specifically looking to meet with a diverse range of toymakers in the following categories: DIY, plush, licensed vendors, collectibles & blind bags, influencer collaborations, compound products, and more (see complete list of categories here).

The submission period will close January 6, at which time Claire’s will review all applicants. Selected companies will be notified by The Toy Association on or before January 20 and be required to pay a $500 fee to participate. Live Zoom pitch sessions will be held on February 4; details on how the sessions will unfold will be shared with those who are selected.

The Toy Association is committed to providing members with access and opportunities to help them grow in the U.S. and abroad. For more information about The Toy Association’s resources and initiatives, visit www.ToyAssociation.org.