Sarah Jordan, CEO of Mastermind Toys, talks about consumer shopping habits and distribution channels in the Toy Book’s annual State of the Industry Q&A.
The Toy Book: How have your marketing strategies shifted with changing consumer shopping habits between physical and digital retail?
Sarah Jordan: To be Canada’s Authority on Play, Mastermind Toys has become so much more than a brick-and-mortar toy store. We are purpose-driven and customer-obsessed, and our belief that the world needs more play led to our first-ever brand campaign launched in December as a call-to-action for kids and kids-at-heart, called “Let’s Play.”
Our signature play guides are a key marketing strategy to connect with families all year long, both in store and online. Historically, Mastermind Toys has released one physical holiday guide a year, and while the physical guide is making a comeback, particularly in the toy industry, we’re also turning our attention to the possibilities that come from our digital guides. They offer the same expert curation, a lineup of exclusives we call our “Woo-hoo Picks,” and diverse representation of Canadian families in lifestyle photography across all play patterns; but also offer our signature Wish List feature, shoppable links, and available web and store inventory.
TB: In 2020, most consumers preferred online shopping. In 2021, the opposite was the case. How did Mastermind Toys balance online distribution channels with in-person foot traffic?
SJ: In 2020, Mastermind Toys launched a new digital ecosystem and the best curbside promise in the market to support our customers when our stores were temporarily closed. In 2021, we continued to invest in our online channels to meet our customers where, when, and how they wanted to shop. With a strong foundation built, we’ve become a true omnichannel retailer, where our web and store experiences complement — not compete against — each other. Curbside pickup and buy online, pickup in store are staying, even with stores being open, which tell us that customers want shopping options that fit their lives. We’re continuing to evolve our omnichannel offering, with more fulfillment options and same-day carrier services like Instacart.
Not only was this shift a matter of operations, but it was also a cultural shift in mindset for our employees. Our store associates (our Play Experts) became our Digital Ambassadors — embracing the success of our curbside and buy online, pickup in store offering, and leveraging the web and our digital guides to support customers in discovering something new or finding the perfect gift.
This article was originally published in the February 2022 edition of the Toy Book. Click here to read the full issue!
