Wholesale Toys: Why Manufacture and How to Get a Supplier

One of the most successful industries all over the world is the toy industry. It’s a no-brainer: although toys are not a first necessity good, they have an important role in human life, especially with babies and children, that’s why these products are present in virtually every market in the world.

Just check out these impressive figures: in 2018, this industry had 90.4 billion USD in profits with the U.S. being the most important producer and consumer. This country held a 25.2 billion USD market in 2015, leaving far behind China in second place [1]. 

Of course, this is a very competitive industry too. With numerous toy manufacturers and retailers involved, competition is a daily essential. Specialized toy stores have to find ways to stay in the same market along with bigger retailers, such as department stores.

Nevertheless, there are resources and strategies you can adopt to be a successful toy seller or make your business thrive. In this post, you’ll learn about wholesale toys and the benefits of manufacturing your own products instead of buying them as offered by some companies.

The value of wholesale toyss

There are a lot of producers, traders, and consumers within the toy industry. A wide range of products constitutes the toy market, from building and learning sets, to dolls, board games, action figures, and promotional products. 

To get the merchandise, the retailer must decide which wholesale distributor meets their expectations.

Amongst the things to consider are what your clients are looking for and the purpose of the wholesale toys, for example, the assessment will be different whether you’re just looking to sell the merchandise or acquire it as a strategy for retail marketing.

Don’t forget that there are many distributors that wholesale beyond just toys. It’s not uncommon to find manufacturing companies which produce and sell many other articles, like promotional products, equipment or plastic containers.

Toys wholesalers then may offer you two options: whatever they have in stock, fabricated and generic toys ready to be resold or having your own order manufactured. Regularly, this last option is better when you’re looking for something really defining for your brand.

Manufacturing your own wholesale toys

Supply chains vary from one region to another. There are many ways in which a product reaches a distributor. Not all wholesalers work the same way or are subject to the conditions of a specific market.

Understanding the distribution channels is important to make the best decision for your business and when choosing what to sell, you have to be aware of many aspects.

Toy wholesalers act as a bridge to join manufacturers and distributors, retailers and small sellers. 

Some of these businesses could benefit their sales if they get their own products manufactured. Here are some of these benefits [2] [3]:

1. A good alternative

Big toy companies sell premium toys in big proportions. While there are people eager to acquire these products, there’s a big market that cannot afford them. By producing and buying wholesale toys, you attract these consumers. 

When you get your products manufactured, you can offer them at lower prices, which, in turn, will appeal to many potential clients. It’s a win-win situation.

2. Get to know the supply chain

When you search for toy manufacturers, one of the best advantages is that you get to know your supply chain. Not only do you learn about the manufacturing industry, but also about other distributors and sellers.

By having all this information, you’ll get a unique outlook of the market and you’ll be able to make better decisions, be in a better position when negotiating and bargaining as well as choosing correctly the manufacturer that suits you the most. 

Besides, you’ll learn not only about toy manufacturers or wholesalers, but many kinds of producers and distributors of houseware, packaging, and plastic containers wholesale are just a few examples, which could come in handy in the future.

3. Quality at a lower price

There are a bunch of toys that are all-time favorites with the children, for example, dolls, action figures, cars, and plastic figurines, like dinosaurs. Manufacturers are aware of this, so you wouldn’t have a problem ordering this kind of toys.

As plastic product design holds a wide range of possibilities, it will be no trouble for your business to ask for these toys in the color, shape, and textures you want. 

4. Bulk buying saves money

Whenever you get an order of products manufactured, you need to be sure that you’ll have customers for them.

Buying wholesale toys bulk translates into highly discounted rates, and that difference in price is significant for your own sales.

To make the most of your wholesale toys bulk, take into account what use are you going to give for it. Managing this is defining for having success. For example, if you don’t have already a secured clientele, you could always use these toys as promotional products.

5. Better revenues

When you order your products to be manufactured and, in this way, acquire your wholesale toys bulk, the main effect will show up in your sales. And as you’ve ordered your own products, there’s a big chance to have better revenue for them.

You don’t need to pay for licensing, for example, when developing your own wholesale toys. In any case, you could even create your own brand!

6. Brand loyalty 

If your products meet quality standards, have good really prices, and are attractive, it’s almost sure they’ll reach a successful position. In that way, you’ll form a clientele and people will identify and love your toys.

This way, customers will trust in your business and its products, it’s not something you achieve overnight, but it’s worth it when you finally reach that point.

Getting your toys manufactured comes with a bunch of advantages that can make your business thrive!

Remember that expensive doesn’t mean necessarily great quality, that’s something hard to have in mind for a lot of people when shopping, but by getting wholesale toys manufactured, you’re in control of many details and you can offer quality products at lower prices.

Offering quality customized products at good prices is one step to build up trusted clients who will be happy to buy your toys. Do you have any more doubts about these benefits and manufacturing processes? Contact us and we’ll be glad to help you.

Where to get wholesale toys

Finding toy suppliers can be a really hard task. Although the U.S. is home to very successful toy brands and companies, China is considered to be the country that manufactures most toys in the world, with 80% of them being fabricated there [4].

Nevertheless, the market is more than two countries and you could be surprised by other regions. For example, manufacturing in Mexico has proved to be a great option, especially for American companies.

Here we offer you a handful of tips to meet your new toy supplier:

• Visit trade fairs

Attending this kind of events is a very useful method to make your business grow. Networking makes you being noticed while getting to meet manufacturers, distributors, and other retailers. 

The is a huge variety of trading fairs, K Fair being the most important plastics fair in the world. If you want something more specific, you can limit your search to toy fairs, like the Spielwarenmesse in Germany, the largest of its kind, and a tour de force for reputed toy manufacturers from all over the world. 

• Online directories

Lists of suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors can be found online by typing a pair of words on search engines. You can find there very useful information there but at the same time, deceitful data.

Having that disadvantage, you might find online directories confusing to find, contact and deal with all the companies listed. 

• B2B platforms

B2B means business to business and refers to transactions made between two companies, instead of between companies and individuals. There are many B2B e-commerce platforms that can be helpful to find what you’re looking for.

Platforms like Chinabrands or Alibaba have built a trusted method to purchase wholesale toys online. Take into consideration that these suppliers may have a bigger minimum order of quantity (MOQ).

• Oldie, but goodie

New technologies and tools might sometimes cloud our judgment, but let’s not underestimate by default methods and processes that were used for many years and by many people.

We’re referring to word of mouth advertising and local networking. Searching for suppliers in your area might come in trusted alliances and a fine knowledge about your local market and the industry.

These advantages, in the end, will come handy if you want to grow your own business or take a part in another type of process. Of course, the biggest contra is that you might find harsh competition in your area or limited resources.

As you’ve seen, there are different ways to find a toy supplier. Of course, when you have some options you liked, you need to assess which one suits you better for your project or the toys you have in mind. In Martin’s, you’ll find different options and excellent advising for your project.

We’ve explained the pros of getting your toys manufactured, the positive effects that action brings for your business and how you will get to know better the industry. Keep reading and find out which international companies offer wholesale toys services.

Toys wholesalers around the world

The next list includes a few examples of the largest international wholesale toys suppliers, USA and China companies are most important since both countries hold the biggest share of the market [4].

• Chinabrands

Based in Shenzhen, China and founded in 2007, this is a leading wholesale platform. With 36 warehouses around the world, Chinabrands offers wholesale and shipping services in more than 200 countries.

• License 2 Play

A highly trusted and recognized games and toy manufacturer and distributor based in the United States, License 2 Play can get for you a wide range of toys. They sell brand toys from different manufacturers and, through licensing, they get to remanufacture some of them.

• Empire Discount

This company has its headquarters in New York. A large toy wholesaler, they manage from traditional dolls and action figures to battery-operated toys. They have a MOQ, as they deal just with wholesale buyers. They also have bulk deals available, changing depending on the season.

• Harrisons Direct

With almost 100 years of experience, this British gift and toy wholesale distributor deals a variety of products, like model cars, stuffed dolls, puzzles, and collectibles. They offer their own brand products as well as from other manufacturers.

• Big Tree Toys

Founded in 2003 and based in China, Big Tree Toys offers great quality products and, sometimes, the lowest prices in the market. This toy manufacturer and wholesaler runs operations in over 100 countries all around the world. 

Now, if you’re looking to wholesale toys bulk, two of the biggest suppliers are HKTDC and Alibaba. Both are able to offer better pricing and a larger variety of products. While the Chinese Alibaba offers different services, including B2B and retail, the Hong Kong-based HKTDC works only with its popular B2B platform.

Do you want to know more about the process of toy manufacturing and more great options for your business? We recommend to you our article:
"Toy manufacturers: the best options in 2020".

Contacting manufacturers and looking through different companies, with no further notice than Internet ratings and comments, can be a dull and thwarting experience. It is also an exciting step for your new venture. 

Nevertheless, it is a process you have to go through to ensure everything runs well with your products and the toys you want to market. We encourage you to get your own toys manufactured and undergo its really incredible advantages. 

In Martin’s, we’re sure we can help you manufacture the toys you’re thinking about. From cars, dolls, educational toys and game sets to promotional products, we can bring your project alive. Don’t hesitate to contact us and check out the services we’re glad to offer.

REFERENCES:

[1] Liam O’Connell. Toy Industry - Statistics and Facts. Statista, 2020. Accessed 10 Apr. 2020.

[2] Camtec. Pros and Cons of a Toy Wholesale Store in Singapore. Camtec. Kids Specialist, n.d. Accessed 10 Apr. 2020.

[3] Rollup Kids. Advantage of Wholesaler of Toys /supplier of Toys Vs Toys Retailer. Rollup Kids, 2020. Accessed 10 Apr. 2020.

[4] Chinabrands. Wholesale Kids Toys: Top 10 Wholesale Suppliers & Distributors for Resale (FAQs Provided). Chinabrands, 2019. Chinabrands. Accessed 10 Apr. 2020.