Abstract: This article intends to tell you how to select potential kids toys(what kind of toys should I import from China), where to import from China(wholesale market, wholesaler or manufacturer), why should you import from China manuacturer, two famous toys trade fair in China, What standards must infant and child toys conform to and why you should have your own brand of toys. As long as you have a clear knowledge of the above questions, you will make a successful import.
How to select toys for your online store?
1. Google Trends.
Eg, search kids toys on google trends. Set US as an example.
Take frozen toys, stem toys for kids as examples.
They are in rising trends. That means the two kinds of products have great potential market during this period.
2. Find potential toys in your local community.
Spend an afternoon to have a tour of your community and check out the new or novelty retail products on display. It may spark your ideas. What’s more, you can communicate with local store owner to get to know the best selling products. The best selling products have not appeared in online store or your community best selling products only have small fraction of selling online. It will be the potential product if you pay attention in time.
3. Follow Your Industry Leaders (influencers of your product.)
The benefit of following your industry leader is that you can discover potential toys directly. You will get new ideas from the current products in your influencer’s social site or store. Usually, influencers are focusing on the particular industry, not wide. They are not best seller on amazon, but good seller on social site on their particular industry. Popular and particular products showed on your influencer’s site means there are crowds who have requirements. Think how to capture this group of people.
4. Social Sites such as Pinterest.
Pinterest is a goldmine for selecting products and get niche ideas that many people would ignore. Many images reflect the trending consumer products. And this social media site is a first clue if there is potential of this product.
Eight biggest wholesale toys show rooms (markets) in China.
Yiwu Wholesale Toy Market
Specialize in: The types of toys are broadly divided into cartoon deformation, electric remote control, assembling puzzle, plush cloth toys, Christmas gifts, video games and inflatables.
Shandong Linxi Yongxing International Toy Wholesale Market
Specialize in: Ordinary toys, electric toys, plush toys, inflatable toys, strollers and infant supplies.
Shenzhen Jiuzhou Toys Wholesale Market
The business line involves stationery, office supplies, computer supplies, student supplies, packaging materials, four treasures of the study, toys, gifts, festive supplies and other small commodities.
Chongqing Chaotianmen Toy Wholesale Market
Business Type: Clothing, textile fabrics, clothing accessories, shoes and hats, daily chemicals, watches and clocks, luggage, knitwear, small commodities, plastic products, bedding, stationery, office supplies, children's toys, leather products and etc.
Hebei Baigou Toy Wholesale Market
The Baigou toy market features a variety of toys at home and abroad.
Jinan Zhongheng Mall Toy Wholesale Market
Mainly sells exquisite craft gifts and high-end electronic toys.
Yangzhou Wutinglong International Toy Wholesale Market
Wutinglong International Toys & Gifts City is mainly divided into five areas, namely: toy accessories area, finished toys area, logistics storage area, e-commerce trading area and toy boutique. Thereinto, plush toys are the main toy type.
Guangzhou Zhonggang Toys Wholesale Market
The main products: toys and stationery.
The above markets are biggest toys wholesale markets in China. You can find the type of toys you want in those wholesale markets. However, you need to take an airline to arrive here and employ an interpreter. Except importing toys from the wholesale market, you can import online firstly.
How to find China toys manufacturer online?
Move your mouse and head to Made-in-China.com. Search kid toys. Meanwhile, you will see many related searches to find new products and suppliers who can provide. Make full use of resources on site. Usually, one keyword represents a product and a potential market. Pay attention to keyword about your product on Made-in-China.com. Put these keyword on amazon and see whether you have many competitors. If there is not so many competitors selling this kind of toys which appear on Made-in-China.com. Make a deep research by google tools and start your business.
Make a list of ten suppliers (wholesalers or manufacturers). To distinguish wholesaler or manufacturer is to check out about us of each supplier’s showroom.
Wholesaler, Trading Company, Manufacturer.
Usually, companies on Made-in-China.com have complete team and identifications. You will not need to worry about language problem and communication barriers. You will not need to worry about safety of toys or whether toys fit for your country standard. Suppliers on Made-in-China.com have their teams to communicate with you in English and have certificate to satisfy different countries’standard of importing toys.
Why you should import toys from China manufacturers online?
Let’s see comparisons between wholesale market and suppliers(wholesalers and manufacturers) on Made-in-China.com.
If you import from wholesale market, you may get more types of toys in stock. You may feel dizzy when see sorts of novelty toys. Moreover, you may get more cheap price at small quantity. However, it is not definite that you must get toys much cheaper than buying from manufacturers online.
When import from the wholesale market, you need to employ an institution to verify whether the toys are non-toxic, odourless and satisfied to safe manufacturing standard. Moreover, you need to solve all trade procedures personally.
However, trading company or manufacturers who have perfect and complete trading procedures must have certificate and know export regulations. Not only they can provide you safe products, they can also help you solve some problems.
I think you can employ a sourcing company for you to source in wholesale market to get novelty products if possible. And you list what conditions should those products contain. Or you can contact manufacturers or wholesalers on Made-in-China.com. Tell them your need. Even if you have design-mode, they can still manufacture for you. To contact manufacturer online is to save cost to some extent. Ask supplier to provide customers in your country, then you will know your supplier’s credit and capacity. Then start cooperation with them if they are reliable.
How to order in small quantities of toys from China at low price? Contact them on Made-in-China.com.
Tactic 1 – You Newbie Buyer
Tell your supplier that as this is the first time you’re buying from them, you want to test how everything goes with a smaller quantity. So instead of, for example 1,000 (manufacturer’s MOQ), you would like to test the water with for example, 250 units for your first order. Wait and see what supplier says. Usually, they will not accept immediately, instead they may increase the price slightly.
Tactic 2 – Ask for products that they are on stock.
Many manufacturers have stock products due to several reasons. If you buy products on stock, you will save much cost. And they are really happy to sell you those stock products.
Tactic 3 – Negotiate Directly.
Search your products name on search bar and make a list of suppliers. Check out their MOQ, choose the MOQ satisfied to your requirements. Some manufacturers accept 100 units as MOQ.
To attend trade show is another way to find novelty toys and find reliable manufactures. Here we list two famous trade fairs about toys in China for you.
Expo: China Toy Expo
Address: Shanghai New International Expo Centre
Date: October 21st -23rd ,2020
Expo: Toy & Edu China 2020
Address: Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Centre
Date: March.6th - 8th, 2020
Sometimes, you can meet your suppliers who you have contacted online before and their competitors in the exhibition at the same time. Face-to-face communication will strengthen your cooperation.
What standards must infant and child toys conform to? Take EU market as example.
Toy Safety in the EU
Toys contribute to child development and play is an essential part of growing up. However, toys have to be safe for children to play with. Ensuring that toys marketed in the EU do not put children at risk is a priority. EU legislation aims to ensure that toys meet safety requirements that are amongst the strictest in the world, especially in relation to the use of chemicals in toys.
The Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC
The Directive lays down the safety criteria that toys must meet before they can be marketed in the EU. Toys must also comply with any other EU legislation applicable to them. The essential safety requirements cover:
General risks: the health and safety of children, as well as other people such as parents or caregivers.
Particular risks: physical and mechanical, flammability, chemical, electrical, hygiene and radioactivity risks.
Stricter requirements for chemical substances
Compared to the former Directive 88/378/EEC, the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC puts in place stricter requirements for chemicals.
Placing toys on the EU market
There are 2 possible conformity assessments allowing toys to be sold in the EU. The manufacturer has to demonstrate the compliance of a toy by self-verification by using the European harmonised standards third party verification through a notified institution.
All toys sold in the EU must carry a CE marking. This is the manufacturer's declaration that the toy satisfies the essential safety requirements. More on placing toys on the EU market.
Harmonised European standards
The Toy Safety Directive does not specify the technical detail of toy safety requirements. The technical details are developed by the European Standardisation Organisations (CEN, CENELEC).
Reference from: https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/toys/safety_en
Why you should launch your own brand of toys? Consumers sometimes pay for brand (impression)fee.
1. To name things is to be unique, harmonious and easy to remember.
All people have their names, the same to brands. In our daily life, the easy and unique brand is always remember by people.
2. Name just like a diamond. It is precious and enternal.
A brand’s slogan and logo positions itself in the market. People will read them by those special characteristics and unique logo design.
3. Names provide a brand story.
A name can delivery a kind of value and attract particular crowds, that is your clients. Take linkedin as example. Linkedin means a kind of contact between people, and people are linked together in this platform. Perfect entrepreneurs platform.
In the end, after you read our article, you must know how to import toys from China as long as you are a newbie. If you are a sophisticated buyer, you can also get some knowledge from this article. Wish every toy buyer boosts their business.
