Our Shop Local Mantra

UPDATE: While our cause was very noble, and we held out as long as we could, the Pandemic changed everything.  Small businesses everywhere pivoted to survive. We were no different. 

New products arrived just as the US was shutting down. Orders from retailers were canceled and it appeared that we had no where to sell our new goods. We had received so many boxes, that we had to use a yard stick to turn our lights on and off.

So, we looked around and made the very tough decision to open a seller account on Amazon and a direct to consumer e-commerce site. We only sell limited products on Amazon and our consumer site is within the same MAP pricing as our retail partners. 

Our hearts will always be with local brick & mortar, specialty retailers. So #ShopLocal whenever possible.  Our store locator is powered by LOCALLY! so you can easily find our products at a retailer near you.

Why We Don’t Sell On Amazon or Direct to Consumer on our Website

When I tell people that we turned down several opportunities to sell Baby Paper on Amazon, I get looks as if I just gave up the winning lottery ticket.  I am always met with a shocked, “WHY???”

In a nutshell - we don’t believe in competing with our customers, who are, for the most part, local stores trying to survive in a world gone mad with online shopping.  This is not to say that you cannot find Baby Paper on Amazon - you just cannot buy direct from us on Amazon.  Many local retailers, in an effort to stay competitive, have their own Amazon stores.

One of Amazon’s most recent attempts to entice us to sell direct was to point out that Baby Paper is sold through third party resellers and that we should capitalize on that market.

So, let me get this straight.  Our loyal stores, who have worked hard at helping us build our brand both locally and online, should now have to compete with the very manufacturer that they helped?  That is not who we want to be.

While I do understand the allure of shopping on Amazon (I really had to say that, I am a little afraid of them), as a society, we owe it to our communities to support our local merchants.  Imagine if your whole neighborhood was filled with shuttered storefronts (which is becoming increasingly common).  This would mean a loss of jobs, sales tax revenue and a place for neighbors to gather.

Local merchants get shafted on both ends.  Not only do many manufacturers compete with them by selling direct to the consumer, but also the consumers themselves use local stores to “showroom”.

“Showrooming” is when a customer walks in a store and spends the precious time of a knowledgeable salesperson to learn about a product and then buys it online.

We all want to get the best value we can, but it should not be at the expense of someone else.

Please try to shop local whenever possible.  If you know you can purchase something online for less - at least give the shop the opportunity to price match.

Having recently downsized and needing to purge years of “collectibles”, I spent a lot of time pondering the items carried with me since childhood and my reluctance to part with “stuff”.

It would take pages of a blog to truly sort through the emotions involved in letting go of belongings and their hidden meanings, so let me focus on what I insisted on keeping and why.

Ironically, many of my must-keep, keep-sakes are all games.  After a lot of soul-searching, I realized that ever since I was on my own, I have kept a Rummikub game, several decks of cards, a backgammon set and a pinball machine.

Growing up, I never imagined I would be immersed in the wonderful world of the toy industry.  Had life not presented itself with roads followed that led me here, I don’t think I would have realized my need to keep these items.  Listening to the amazing retailers, manufacturers and sales reps, I now understand the significance of each of these must-have items.

Each is about happy memories shared with my parents, family and friends.  Days-on-end spent playing Rummikub with my mom and her friends in the Florida sunshine; playing cards (gin and poker) with my mom and dad until the wee hours of the night; heated backgammon games in college dorm rooms; and watching my father’s face light up in delight while we played endless games on the pinball machine he bought just before he died.

So, with a deep sense of gratitude – I want to thank everyone in the toy industry.  To the incredible local store owners and employees who delight with each new game and toy and who share their joy of play with such enthusiasm; to the manufacturers and inventors who keep bringing new and exciting items to us; and to the sales reps who work so hard to get new products to the market…THANK YOU!