ASTRA to Host COVID-19 Conversation Circle

The American Toy Specialty Retailing Association (ASTRA) will host an open conference call to discuss operational and tactical responses to the spread of COVID-19.

Presented by ASTRA Academy, the COVID-19 Conversation Circle will take place Monday, March 23 at 10:30 a.m. CST. Interested participants are encouraged to register online via the ASTRA Academy website. On the call, industry peers will discuss a host of issues brought forth due to the coronavirus.

Topics include:

How ASTRA and individuals within the specialty toy industry are managing risk.
How ASTRA and individuals within the specialty toy industry are planning for business continuity.
How manufacturers are managing the economic impact.
How members of the specialty toy industry are communicating with partners and consumers (retailers to the community; manufacturers to retailers; sales representatives to retailers and manufacturers).
The precautions, new policies, and insurances, that can be implemented right now to stay on track.

The Toy Book continues to monitor developments regarding COVID-19 and its impact on the toy industry here.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.