New Store Experiences

a gaming contest for kids to challenge each other and win some prize 

My store used to hold the Hot Wheels events for the collector car releases, and that always drew in a decent amount of people.  Other than that, character appearances would probably be a great idea.  Why not try to cross promote some lines?  We carry a great deal of spongebob stuff, both in toys and some in electronics, why not have Spongebob make a few appearances?

Why doesnt our store carry alot of toys? we have a few gaming systems and games but thatsabout it and oh we do have the craftsman first tool box lol...So do other sears carry lots of toys or is it mainly kmart with the toys..

Freebies, "If it is for FREE, it is for ME!!! I will be their.

I suggest a Lego building contest where the contestants have to build something that relates to Sears!!! The winner could get a lego set, or a sears gift card for toys or some other such thing.

I have a GREAT idea!

This year, except for the Craftsman 1st tool toy line, keep the rest of the toys, games, dolls, talking things up near the children and infants section of the store.

Having them things down to the Home Improvement section is just not a great "match".

Power Rangers - Ninja Storm - Motorcycle - in red?

What?

We got 120 volt Power and battery power.

The clothing - maybe including "Ninja" is up to the clothing section.

Motorcycle stuff - if any - would be over to the Automotive Center...

Keep the Gift Center in the Tool Section.

Maybe, expand it, without them other things in the area.

Freeeebies sounds awesome. Otherwise Legos...I knew I loved that as a kid...I just hope kids today still love it.

Im curious, what kind of Character appearances would be warrented.  HE-Enth. mentioned spongebob, but other than licesnced cartoons what could you do?  does Sears or Craftsman have a character in the works?  We could get the Craftsman robot, but it would be sort of hard to get someone to fit inside all those tools to wear it. ;)

Maybe a tool toteing Santa for the Holidays.

I'd like to know  more about the Toy offering. I read a few articles online when the news hit but it says nothing more than '20 toy shops are opening in select cities' and that just doesn't help me. There is no website? No details? If you could explain what makes this toy store so special I would have advice but so far I don't see how this can be different than Toys R Us, or even Target which stocks toys. What is the big revelation here?

Tip 1 - Make sure the toys are kept near the youth clothing. That way, when parents take their kids out looking for clothes, they might be coerced by their children into the toy department.

Tip 2 - Advertise that you carry toys. Everyone knows K-Mart has them, but most people have no idea that Sears Full-Line stores are carrying toys.

Tip 3 - Offer coupons for purchases on similarly branded products to encourage more sales / combo deals. (Spongebob themed clothing grants you 10% off a spongebob branded toy, etc.) (Heck, just offering a coupon for any amount off of a toy purchase with the purchase of youth clothes should be a good way to bring customers back, after all, you know they have kids - and kids always want toys, so why would they go to a toy store if they have a coupon to get it a little less from sears?)

More thoughts:

Weekly giveaways for things like Pokemon / Yugioh cards or other collectible merchandise that regularly release updates would probably push sales up. Say you do a weekly pokemon promotion - for every booster pack you've bought since the last drawing, you've one a single entry into the contest, just bring in the receipts. Set a time every week to do the drawing, and give away a few tiers of gifts, with the top winner getting a good deal of cards, and then a little less for each tier. possibly throw in a similarly branded toy for the top prizes, like a cheap plush doll etc.

I think something like that would really encourage people to come in and buy more toys. the idea can be used on anything that has fairly regular expansions and offers a lot of items up to "collect". Mostly thats the card games, but also could work with WWE action figures, Hot Wheels cars, and probably a few other things im overlooking.

The only way I would like this concept is if the store sold the 'best' brand of toys marketable. It does not have to be FAO Schwartz or expensive but there are plenty of junk toy brands including ones made with low quality materials and lead - but there are some that are just known to be great.

Lego, for one is a huge brand that could be expanded by having a Lego shop inside Sears - because the standalone Lego stores are not exactly drawing customers in. Its just too niche to have one, so Sears could capitalize on having that.

Hasbro, Mattel, Parker Brothers/Milton Bradley, Knex, Disney, big TV brands like Spongebob will do fine but I worry about those toy shops that sell everything and dilute the quality brands by selling essentially chea******py versions of the stuff. If Sears does this, it should be done tastefully and with a message that is clear - do not sell the crazy card collecting brands that are popular for a year or two and phase out because some toy brands never die like Lego and those should be the core business of the initiative. 

I got a great toy!  Give the little tike a wireless voltage detector.

It lights up and makes a noise when the tip is placed near something that "contains" electricity.

There's no safety issue here, as there are no wires to hookup (like using a DVM) and it'll teach the child to be aware of where the "electricity is".

Umm...

The variable sensitivity models (about 5 bucks more) are good ones to tune out background electrical activity, like my metal heart valve a clap'n inside of me.

True story... I can make one of them things light up and sing!

Some of them voltage detectors need separate AAA batteries to work.

Thats acually a realy good idea Adam.  If someone comes up with that, Ill buy one.  It would teach kids saftey around electricity.