Toys and Games is a Sleeper Department in Thrift Resale
When people stay home a lot, toys and games are an easy go-to.
One of the best displays I ever did was an assortment of toy cars, trucks, and dolls near the checkout. They sold so fast we wiped out those categories in the toy departments. For some reason, the cars and trucks sold the fastest.
Who can resist a toy for a couple of bucks?
They did well for a few reasons. As noted they are easy cheap stocking stuffers. It turned out to be a great way to get kids to shut up at the register. Yes, there might have been a little kid whining for a toy at the checkout. Call it impulse if you like. :)
If there was a downside it was that we decimated those parts of the toy department, a good problem to have. After we blew through that inventory we merchandised puzzles which also did well.
A lot of resale stores have added gauntlets to the checkout area. (Those zig-zagging aisles people have to wind through to get to the checkout) New goods seem to be the go-to for most thrift stores. Donated toys, games, and puzzles are also an easy profitable win for that area.
Next time you are looking for a fast turning feature, try out some toys. It might be hard to keep full.
I am a thrift and retail business expert located near Chicago. Using my twenty plus years of retail and seven-plus years of thrift retail experience to help small businesses grow and succeed.
You can also find me on LinkedIn, Medium, and my thrift reseller blog The Thrifter.
You might also be interested in my Thrift Merchandising ebook on Amazon. It’s about how to merchandise thrift stores more like traditional stores. It’s free with a Kindle Unlimited membership.
Tim Gebauer — The Thrifter