I wrote a little piece on the 6th December 2017 about Toys R Us. I then read this unfortunate statement from today: “The newer, smaller, more interactive stores in the portfolio have been outperforming the older warehouse-style stores that were opened in the 1980s and 1990s.” Why didn’t they respond to this??? I would find it difficult to meet a person of my age who doesn’t have a nostalgic memory of going into one of these warehouses as a kid looking for Star Wars, Lego or to play on the latest games consoles like F-Zero and Street Fighter on the Super NES. KIDS LOVE TOYS… THEY LOVE REAL PLACES – Look at Hamley’s – a brilliant brand and they’ve cracked the retail experience. Toys R Us could really make an impact in 2018/19. The power of the brand is king. They are a national nostalgic and household brand that can be revived through new and nostalgic value propositions, re-think on their use of space, Mixed Reality events, Minecraft competitions, Lego days, Softly areas with the toys you can buy, you name it – Most of these ideas can be tried and tested in focus groups. All bolstered with a brilliant operational and leadership transformation throughout all stores to redress the cultural heritage making the staff proud to work for Toys R Us.
